| Muay Thai involves boxing techniques, hard | | | | Muay Boran is divided to Muay ThaSao (North), |
| kicking, and knee and elbow strikes. Low kicks to | | | | Muay Korat (Esarn or NorthEast), Muay Lobburee |
| the thighs are a very distinguishing technique used | | | | (Center region), Muay Chaiya (South) |
| frequently in Muay Thai. Stand up grappling is also | | | | There are a phrase about Muay Thai Boran that |
| used and allowed in the ring. Muay Thai | | | | "Punch Korat, Wit Lobburee, Posture Chaiya, |
| practitioners develop a very high level of physical | | | | Faster Thasao" |
| conditioning developed by its practitioners. | | | | Muay Korat emphasizes in strength. There are |
| The origins of this martial art and sport are | | | | one technique call "Throwing buffalo punch". It was |
| thought to stretch back to the wars with the | | | | call like this since it can defeat the buffalo in one |
| Burmese during the 15th century. Thailand's first | | | | blow. |
| famous boxer was one, 'Nai Khanom Tom' , who | | | | Muay Lobburee emphasizes in clever movements. |
| was a famous practitioner of Muay Thai. Around | | | | Its strength point is the straight and turned punch. |
| 1774, he was captured along with other Thai | | | | Muay Chaiya emphasizes in posture, defending. It's |
| prisoners, either in a skirmish or at the fall of the | | | | difficult for opponent to attack. Muay Chaiya |
| ancient capital of Siam of Ayutthaya. He was | | | | stress in elbows and knees. |
| brought to Rangoon in Burma, where the | | | | Muay Thasao emphasizes in speed. Muay Thasao |
| Burmese King Mangra was holding a religious | | | | stress in speeding kick. Cause of their faster |
| festival in honor of Buddha's relics. The festivities | | | | speed, this Muay Boran was call "Ling Lom" (windy |
| included many forms of entertainment. King | | | | monkey or Loris) |
| Mangra was reported to be curious to see how | | | | Muay Thai in present is different from the past. |
| the various fighting styles of Burma and other | | | | Muay Thai Boran (Old Muay Thai) use the wit in |
| countries would compare. At one point, he wanted | | | | fighting. It's not like Muay Thai in today that all the |
| to see how Muay Boran would compare to the | | | | fighters emphasize in strength. |
| Burmese art Lethwei. Nai Khanomtom was | | | | During the late 1920s and 30s Muay Thai training |
| selected to fight against the Burmese champion. | | | | was developed. Gyms were constructed and |
| Nai Khanomtom did a Wai Kru pre-fight dance | | | | punch bags and balls became widely available. The |
| which puzzled all of the Burmese. When the fight | | | | use of training gloves and contest gloves became |
| began, he charged out and using punches, kicks, | | | | the norm. Muay Thai became a favourite sport |
| elbows, and knees, quickly pummeled the | | | | and pastime. Every village staged prize fights and |
| Burmese. | | | | people from all walks of life flocked to training |
| The referee was reported to have stated that | | | | camps. |
| the Burmese opponent was distracted by the Wai | | | | The basic techniques include punch techniques |
| Kru, so the knockout was invalid. The King then | | | | (jab, straight right/cross, hook and uppercut), |
| asked if Nai Khanomtom would fight nine other | | | | elbow techniques (horizontal, diagonal-upwards, |
| Burmese champions to prove himself. He agreed | | | | diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, |
| and fought them all, one after the other with no | | | | backward-spinning and flying) and kicking |
| rest periods between fights. The last Burmese | | | | techniques (push kick, roundhouse kick, etc.). |
| was reputed to be a great boxing teacher. Nai | | | | The training program is base on your muaythai |
| Khanomtom defeated them all in a superior | | | | level . Regular program ( 2 Hrs ) is include : Warm |
| fashion. | | | | Up/Stretch , Run ( 1 - 10 Km. ) , Skip (15 Minutes) |
| King Mangra was so impressed that he remarked, | | | | , Shadow Box (3 rounds) , Bag Work (3 rounds) , |
| "Every part of the Thai is blessed with venom. | | | | Pad Work (3 rounds) , Clinching/Sparring ( 3 |
| Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten | | | | rounds) , Fitness , Shadow Box (2 rounds) , Cool |
| opponents. As his lord master was incompetent, | | | | Down Stretch . |
| the country was lost to the enemy. If his lord had | | | | Nowadays the Muay Thai ring is the same size as |
| been any good, there was no way the City of | | | | that used for Western boxing, 24 foot square. |
| Ayutthaya would ever have fallen." | | | | The floor of the ring is wooden with |
| He granted Nai Khanomtom freedom along with | | | | canvas-covered matting. Traditionally the four |
| either riches or two beautiful Burmese wives. Nai | | | | sides of the ring are aligned with the points of a |
| Khanomtom chose the wives as he said that | | | | compass. The red corner points NW, the blue SE. |
| money was easier to find. He then departed with | | | | The other two corners are white. These colours |
| his wives for Siam. Other variations of this story | | | | are derived from Western boxing and were |
| had him also winning the release of his fellow Thai | | | | introduced in the 1920s. The red corner is usually |
| prisoners. His feat is celebrated every March 17 | | | | assigned to the defending champion or the |
| as "Boxer's Day" or "National Muay Thai Day" in | | | | contestant thought to have the advantage. |
| his honor and that of Muay Thai's. | | | | |