| The origins of Muay Thai are lost to antiquity, but | | | | none of that. |
| it’s certain that it has been around at least as | | | | While this can be a disadvantage in a street |
| long as the nation of Thailand. Also called Thai | | | | situation, Muay Thai cannot be beat for what it is. |
| Boxing or Thai Kickboxing, it is the natural choice | | | | It is used as both a self defense form and as a |
| as the national sport of this country. Among the | | | | competitive form. The differences in style |
| effective hard styles of martial arts, it is enjoying | | | | between the two forms of Muay Thai basically |
| immense popularity among tournament fighters | | | | amount to not using the head as a striking point in |
| and those seeking self defense. Among the hard | | | | the competition form. |
| styles, it is probably one of the best and most | | | | Consequently, rather than having 9 weapons as in |
| pragmatic forms available. | | | | the natural form, the competition form has 8. |
| Muay Thai is a hard style martial art, meaning that | | | | Since the form became Westernized, it has |
| the emphasis is on power, speed and toughness. | | | | grown to include the punching styles used in |
| It and the other styles with this emphasis, such | | | | Western Boxing, making it even more devastating |
| as Karate, Western Boxing and Tae Kwon Do, | | | | as a fighting style. Out of the hard fighting styles |
| are distinguished from the soft styles because of | | | | introduced in the Ultimate Fighting Championship |
| this approach to fighting. | | | | and PRIDE, Muay Thai came out on top as the |
| The soft styles emphasize grappling, throwing and | | | | power element of mixed martial arts. When you |
| restraining, and rely more on suppleness of | | | | go toe to toe, Muay Thai is the hands down |
| movement and agility than power and toughness. | | | | winner. |
| These include Judo and Aikido. Muay Thai has | | | | |