What to choose: boxing or Thai boxing? Differences, rules, pros and cons. The secret and obvious history of Muay Thai Stories of Muay Thai

Anyone who has seen Tony Jaa in action will see the benefits of Muay Thai. Explosive plyometric training, which is at the core of any Muay Thai fighter's training, allows you to achieve such physical fitness that the impossible becomes possible.

Muay Thai, also known as the “science of eight limbs,” is taught to military and police officers in Thailand due to its lethal potential in close combat. The fighters, using their feet, knees, fists and elbows, unleash a hail of blows on their opponents that can crush any adherent of good old English boxing - provided that the opponents do not differ much in weight and level of physical fitness.

“Muay Thai is considered one of the deadliest martial arts in the world,” says Kru Sean Boland, professional trainer and founder of the Chao Phraya Muay Thai Academy. “Our fighters are regularly tested for strength in battles within the famous K1 championships and often win them.” But Thai boxing is not only about winning in the ring. “Muay Thai is designed to develop agility, endurance and flexibility, and practitioners of this martial art tend to be strong and lean,” confirms Boland.

Introducing the program Boland uses to train his students. With its help, you will completely rebuild your body and reach new heights in the gym in less than a month. And if you need inspiration for these activities, watch this video:

Cult film: "Thai Warrior"
Cult Hero: Tony Jaa as Tiang

Fighting pressure

Master the secrets of Muay Thai to gain explosive strength and maximize the power of your legs.

Your program for 4 weeks

Do these exercises 3 times a week. Always start with the warm-up described below. For classes in the first and second weeks, choose one exercise each from groups A and B and two exercises from group C, ending the session with interval training with a jump rope for 6 minutes. In the third and fourth weeks, do 2 exercises from group A at a time, one from group B, then work with a pear and finally 2 exercises from group B. Combine exercises in such a way that each session is different from the previous one. The order of execution can be any - starting with exercises from group A and ending with exercises from group B is not necessary. End each session by jogging for 20 minutes. for a cool down.

Warm-up

1. Run and hit Within 30 sec. Run in place, then add a combination of forward and upward punches to your run. You are also given 30 seconds for these movements. Rest 20 seconds.

2. Block Stand in a standing position and, bouncing in place, raise one or the other knee to your chest in turn for a minute. Rest 20 seconds. and start training.

Group A. Increase your power

With your butt back, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then straighten up, simultaneously sharply throwing your right knee forward and up.

Repeat with the other leg. This is 1 repetition, do 10 of these and rest for 1 minute.

Combine jumping jacks and push-ups, each time adding or subtracting 2 repetitions according to the following scheme: first do 2 jumps and 2 push-ups, then 4 jumps and 4 push-ups, then 6 jumps and 6 push-ups, then 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. This is one approach, do 2-3 of these, rest between approaches for 30 seconds, after - 1.5 minutes.

With your butt back, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then jump up and simultaneously turn your whole body 180 degrees clockwise. This is 1 repetition. On your next rep, turn 180 degrees counterclockwise. Perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions. Rest between sets 30 seconds, after - 1.5 minutes.

Group B. Gain Deadly Power

Place your feet at double shoulder width. Bend over and place your hands on the floor. Move them forward without moving your legs until you reach a lying position. Push up and return to the starting position. Do 15–20 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds.

Get into a lying position and do one push-up. When you're in the top position, throw a forward punch with one arm, then push up and throw a hook with the other arm. This is two repetitions. Do 20-30 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds.

"Don't wag your tongue until the fight is over"

Tony Jaa

Hit the pears

Perform these exercises as part of your workout in weeks three and four.

Monday and Thursday

100 beat session

• 25 straight punches (jab/cross)
• 25 straight kicks

Rest for 30 seconds.

Wednesday and Friday

200 beat session

At a fast pace and without rest, do:

• 25 straight punches (jab/cross)
• 25 straight kicks
• 25 knee strikes (hold the bag with your hands)
• 25 side kicks (each leg)

Rest for 30 seconds. and repeat again.

Group B. Work your core muscles

Lie on the floor on your back and stretch your arms behind your head, touching them to the floor. At the same time, raise your arms and legs so that they meet above your stomach, return to the starting position. Repeat 15–20 times. Rest 1 minute. before the next exercise.

Or Muay Thai is a traditional fighting system of Thailand, which arose from its more ancient form Muay Boran at the junction with other martial arts of the peoples of Indochina. The very concept of “Muay Thai” is of Sanskrit origin and can be translated as “free fight”.

In its homeland this art is often called "fight of eight limbs", because the fight involves fists, feet, shins, elbows and knees. This is an effective combat system, it is based on a simple paradigm - the fastest possible victory over an opponent in any conditions.

Initially, basic complexes like kata or taulu from karate and wushu, but today they have been replaced by striking combinations and ligaments.

When and where did Muay Thai originate?

It is unknown when the style originated muay boran, but it is obvious that in the territory of modern Thailand it existed for many thousands of years. There is a version that the style could have become the basis for Thai boxing krabi krabong, which literally translates from Thai as “swords and sticks.”

It is known for sure that a relatively modern version of this martial art appeared in the 16th century and was called mai si sok, and then plow, which means “multi-directional combat.” In the medieval Thai state of Ayutthaya, this art was perceived at the national level, then martial arts was adopted by Siam, which replaced Ayutthaya, and then Thailand, which in turn replaced Siam.

The phrase “Muay Thai” began to be actively used only in 1934, since the official emergence of Thailand.

Muay Thai in ancient times and today

Thai boxing was originally a compulsory discipline for warriors and members of the ruling family. Fights took place at all holidays without exception, including large fairs. Fighters who won national tournaments could receive the title of nobleman and begin serving in the royal guard. They were called "muay luang", which means "warrior of the king." It is known that right up to the reign Frames VII(the first half of the 20th century), an elite military unit “thunder nak muay” was formed from the best Muay Thai fighters, translated as “union of royal warriors”.

Before period Frames III(first half of the 19th century) fights were fought with bare hands, but then they decided to wrap the fighters’ hands with scraps of horse skin, then the skin was replaced by hemp ropes and special cotton ribbons. It is important to note that such a measure practically did not protect the fighter’s hands, quite the opposite - the purpose of the ropes on the hands was to inflict maximum damage on the enemy, including lacerations. However, contrary to Hollywood tales, Muay Thai fighters never dipped their hands into broken glass.

Until 1929, a Muay Thai match did not involve the possibility of submission; the loser left the ring either with serious physical injuries or already dead. At the same time, initially, counting was kept not by the clock, but by means of a coconut palm fruit placed in water. As soon as the fruit sank, the round ended.

In the first decades of the 20th century, in addition to the new scoring system and three-minute rounds, an adequate ring (a square with a side of 6 meters) was introduced, the role of which had previously been played by a flat earthen area of ​​​​variable size.

Note that initially Muay Thai featured grabs, throws, ground fighting, painful and suffocating attacks, even accentuated attacks to the groin. But bringing martial arts to competitive standards made the fights more humane, weight divisions appeared, of which, according to the rules of the World Thai Boxing Federation, there are nineteen - from 45.5 kg to 104.5 kg.

Muay Thai Code of Honor and Traditions

Muay Thai strictly prohibits insulting or disrespectful behavior towards an opponent; this may result in a technical defeat at the tournament. Also, a warrior never passes under the ropes when climbing into the ring, he steps over them, because nothing should be higher than his head (the Thais reverence the head as a sacred part of the body).

However, there is a special action - an attack with a foot in the face or even a light touch is perceived as an intentional insult (symbolic subtext - your head is below my feet). Drawing an analogy with European culture, this action can be compared to a dismissive spit in the face.

Everyone who begins to study this art is obliged to take an oath to be honest and fair, modest and noble, to always and everywhere honor the laws and traditions of their country. Anyone who breaks the oath may be expelled from the training club in disgrace.

Before a fight, Muay Thai warriors perform two rituals - this is a prayer Wai kru and trance war dance Ram muay. Prayer focuses the spirit, dance brings the body into a state of heightened concentration. It is important to note that the Wai Kru prayer necessarily involves the warrior looking towards his teacher.

During prayer and dance, there must be a mongkon- a headband that a fighter weaves from 108 threads, and then it is consecrated by his teacher. Sacred Buddhist signs are applied to Mongkon.

Another traditional element of a fighter’s equipment is an amulet. pratiat, this is also a rope structure with freely hanging ends, worn over one or both shoulders. Pratyat, like mongkon, is woven in a special way under special spells; this is an important ritual, because according to tradition, these headbands protect the fighter from injury and death, giving him the blessing of the gods.

According to current rules, immediately before the start of the fight, the mongkon and pratiat must be removed.

Famous Muay Thai fighters

One of the most famous Thai boxers is Apidey Sit-Hirun, who received the title “Fighter of the Century”. He fought 350 fights, winning 340 of them. He won seven championship titles in Muay Thai and classical boxing and was known for his brutal kicks, which he often used to break the arms of his opponents.

Samart Payakarun is another prominent representative of the Thai school. Four times he became the Champion of Lumpinia (a stadium in Thailand where world-class title fights take place) and two times – the Boxing Champion in the featherweight division (WBC).

Dutchman Rob Kaman, who has been practicing Muay Thai all his life, has been repeatedly recognized as the best kickboxer in the world; he was nicknamed “Mr. Low Kick” for his knockout kicks. He became the World Champion in Muay Thai and kickboxing nine times, and out of 97 victories, he won 77 by knockout.

Of the modern K-1 fighters, this unique martial arts is practiced by Gevorg Petrosyan, Remy Bonyaski, Bard Hari, Peter Arts and other champion-level fighters. The most prominent athletes from the world of MMA, who have a base in the form of Thai boxing, are Alistair Overeem and Mauricio Rua, both top UFC and Sherdog.

The content of the article

(Muay Thai), martial art of Thailand. One of the meanings of the word “tai” is free, so the name of this martial art can also be translated as “free fight”. Muay Thai fights are fought in full contact according to very strict rules. The basis of Muay Thai is striking technique. Strikes are delivered at all levels: to the head and body, arms and legs, elbows and knees. Grabs and throws play a secondary role. Muay Thai also cultivates applied techniques: working with piercing weapons, various types of daggers, sticks, throwing knives, etc. The Thai government does its best to promote the development of Muay Thai and allocates considerable funds for this. Currently, Thai fighting is popular far beyond the country's borders.

Historical reference.

Already in the 13th century. On the territory of modern Thailand, there was an art of fighting with bare hands and feet - mai si sok. Later, with the formation of the state of Ayutthaya (Siam), a new martial art appeared - plowing (literally “multilateral combat”), which over time also began to be called “Muay Thai”. Muay Thai has become widespread in Ayutthaya. Outstanding fighters were enlisted in the royal guard and given the title of nobility. Princes of the blood and aristocrats were required to learn Muay Thai. For a long time it developed as a system of tough hand-to-hand combat. A warrior who mastered the techniques of Muay Thai could successfully continue the fight even after losing his weapon.

The legendary warrior Nai Khan Thom is considered the “patron” of Muay Thai. During the war with Burma in 1774, he was captured. The Burmese had their own martial art - parma. King Mangra of Burma decided to arrange a duel between Thai boxers and Parmu masters to find out which art was stronger. Nay Kham Tom alone fought ten Burmese masters in turn without a break. Having won all ten fights, he received his freedom and returned home as a national hero. Until now, every year on March 17, Thailand celebrates “boxing night”: fights are held throughout the country in honor of the legendary warrior.

In 1788, representatives of Muay Thai first met Europeans in the ring. Two French boxing masters traveling in Thailand asked the Thai king for permission to fight with local fighters. The senior instructor of the Thai Ministry of Defense, Master Muen Plan, accepted the challenge and defeated both opponents.

Thailand took part in the First World War on the side of the Entente. It was at this time that information about Muay Thai began to widely penetrate Europe. The poorly armed Thais greatly impressed the European allies with their physical fitness and superior hand-to-hand combat skills.

In 1921, during the reign of King Rama VI, Muay Thai began to develop as a sport. General Phraya Nonsen Surendra Pandey, on behalf of the king, organized a center for the study of Muay Thai on the territory of one of the colleges in Bangkok. In 1929, “modernized” rules were adopted. (Muay Thai is still considered one of the toughest martial arts, and in those days, death or serious injury to a fighter during a fight was common.) The earthen areas were replaced with a 6x6 meter ring, fenced with ropes. The time of the fight was limited to 5 rounds of 3 minutes with minute breaks (previously the fight lasted until one of the opponents lost the ability to continue the fight). Instead of the traditional leather belts with which fighters bandaged their hands, boxing gloves were introduced. Leg protection was not provided, but the rules allowed bandaging the shin and instep of the foot. 7 weight categories were introduced (before there was no division into weight categories in Muay Thai).

In the mid-1960s, a real boom in Thai boxing began in Europe and the USA. It was then that representatives of Muay Thai invited representatives of other martial arts to fight with them. The masters of Kyokushinkai karate accepted the challenge. The historic match took place on February 17, 1966 in Bangkok. There were 3 athletes on each side. The match ended with a score of 2:1 in favor of the Kyokushinkai Karate masters. Nevertheless, they appreciated Muay Thai and adopted some of its elements.

In 1984, the International Amateur Thai Boxing Federation (IAMTF) was created. Today it includes regional organizations from more than 70 countries; it is the largest amateur Muay Thai association. In parallel, there are organizations that conduct professional fights. With the growing popularity of Muay Thai around the world, many professional kickboxing leagues have switched to Muay Thai and its European variant, Thai kickboxing.

Seven-time world champion in full contact and famous actor Chuck Norris calls Muay Thai “the sport of the 21st century.” Steps are currently being taken to have it recognized as an Olympic sport.

Technique, preparation and fights in Muay Thai.

Muay Thai is considered one of the toughest martial arts. His technique allows him to fight equally successfully at long, medium and close distances. But Muay Thai fighters are most dangerous at mid-range and in close combat. “The elbow beats the fist, and the knee beats the leg,” says one of the basic principles of Muay Thai. It is in close combat that the knees and elbows pose the greatest danger to the enemy. Another “signature” technique of Muay Thai is the low kick (circular kick to the thighs with the shin). In general, the use of the shin as a striking surface, not the instep of the foot (as in most other martial arts), is one of the characteristic features of Muay Thai. To “stuff” the shin, special exercises have been developed: hitting the trunks of palm trees, hitting sandbags, “knurling” with a faceted stick - followed by treating the shin with special ointments. After such “stuffing”, a Muay Thai fighter can break a baseball bat with a kick. The opponent's low kicks are also blocked with the help of the shin. Much attention in Thai boxing is also paid to “stuffing” the body, stretching, and developing endurance.

The hand technique in Muay Thai superficially resembles the technique of “European” boxing, but is very diverse.

Unlike other martial arts, in Thai boxing there are no formal complexes (like, for example, kata in karate), but there are so-called “three-step movements” (Yang Saam Khum) - short sequences consisting of basic movements that, during training, are brought to automaticity. Most of the combinations and techniques used in Thai boxing have been known since the times when this art was called “plowing”. There are 30 such basic combinations: 15 main (mae mai) and 15 additional (luk mai).

There are two styles in Muay Thai. Muay lak (lit. "hard fighting") is rare these days. Previously, this style was common in villages. Muay polish is a strong, stable position of the fighter, powerful defense, slow movements. Actions are based on counterattacks, the battle is mainly fought at close range. Muay kiew (lit. “dandy fighting”) is built on feints, escapes, deceptive movements, the fighter is constantly moving. At the same time, the specificity of Muay Kiew does not in any way affect the severity of the fight.

The art of working with weapons in Muay Thai is called “krab-krabong” (swords and sticks) and was formed primarily on the basis of Indian, Chinese and Japanese fighting methods. The first crab school, krabong, opened in the 14th century, Buddhai Sawan, is still in operation. The traditional Thai weapon, the daab, is a heavy two-handed sword of medium length and is used as a single or dual weapon. The Muay Thai combat arsenal also includes: the “ngou” halberd, the “thuan” spear, many sticks and daggers, as well as throwing knives, the “thanu” bow and the “naa mai” crossbow.

A Muay Thai fight is preceded by a Ram Muay dance. This is not only a tribute to an ancient tradition, but also a kind of physical warm-up, as well as psychological preparation of a fighter before a fight. (Based on the performance of ram-muay, one can determine which school he belongs to and which technique he prefers). Before the fight, the opponents meditate. The fight takes place to the accompaniment of traditional Wai Kru music, which sets the rhythm of the battle. It is believed that the sounds of instruments are endowed with magical properties.

In Europe and America, Wye Kru and Ram Muay are optional. Euro Thai boxing (or Thai kickboxing) differs from classical Muay Thai in its rules: it prohibits elbow strikes to the head, long holds, and in some cases knee strikes. This adapted version of Muay Thai eventually became one of the seven areas of kickboxing. In addition, in Europe and America, practically no attention is paid to working with weapons.

The uniform of a Thai boxer is sports shorts, a ritual headband (it is given to the trainer during the fight) and boxing gloves. Previously, mollusk shells were used for protection, now standard inguinal shells are used.

Muay Thai in Russia.

The widespread development of Muay Thai in Russia began in 1992, when, on the initiative of Sergei Zayashnikov, the professional Russian League of Muay Thai (RLMT) was created in Novosibirsk. In December 1995, on the basis of RLMT, the Russian Thai Boxing Federation (FTBR) was organized. Sergei Zhukov was elected President of the Federation, S. Zayashnikov became vice-president. Currently, Muay Thai is cultivated in many large cities of Russia. National championships are held regularly. Russian athletes have repeatedly become winners of world championships and other major international competitions.

Muay Thai(translated from Sanskrit - " duel of the free") — martial art of thailand, which has gained popularity all over the world. The progenitor of Thai boxing(this name Muay Thai is more common in Europe and America) was the ancient Thai art of hand-to-hand fighting muay boran related to others Indo-Chinese fighting styles, which originated in South-East Asia.

It should be noted that, despite numerous hypotheses, talking about the connection between Muay Thai and Chinese wushu(there are even versions that wushu came from Thai boxing), the generally accepted opinion is that it is practically independent from each other types of martial arts. Let's take a brief look differences between Muay Thai and other oriental martial arts. For Chinese and Japanese martial arts characteristic part of training are sets of formal exercises, which are absent in the training system of Thai boxers. The results of sports matches between wrestlers of different styles and the opinions of numerous experts indicate that Thai boxing is the most applied type among oriental martial arts. By practicing this type of art, a person can gain fighting skills in a few months who can apply effectively in the event of an attack on him, for example on the street. For comparison, in order to be able to practically apply self-defense techniques in Japanese martial art Aikido need to have intensive training experience at least a year.

Interestingly, unlike Chinese and Japanese martial arts, Muay Thai practically unrelated to Buddhism although this religion is dominant in Thailand. The fact is that in this country Theravada Buddhism is widespread who preaches passivity and withdrawal from the world. Chinese Mahayana Buddhism, especially zen buddhism, is more active, which allowed him to become spiritual basis of wushu, completely penetrate the fabric of this martial art (remember that in China wushu actively developed in monasteries, for example, Shaolin).

But the idea that Muay Thai is simply a “knowledge of fighting” is fundamentally wrong. This true martial art, extremely revered in Thailand, which has as spiritual basis cult of Vishnu-Narayan as the main exorcist and conqueror of evil forces in Vedic religion. In addition, an organic part of the spiritual component of Muay Thai is magical rituals(associated with belief in spirits) and fighter's code of honor. According to this code, a Thai boxer must be an example nobility, honesty and modesty.

Before the start of the fight, the fighter must perform ritual action, which includes traditional Wye Crewe prayer And Ram Muay ceremonial dance. The essence of this ritual is the expression respect to mentor and parents, and cleansing the fight site from evil spirits, plus psychological attitude to battle. During the dance and prayer, the fighter has two items that have sacred meaning. On the head of a Thai boxer - mongkon- a rope twisted from 108 (the sacred number of Buddhism) threads, approximately the thickness of a human finger, bent into a ring with a diameter approximately the size of a human head. On the shoulder - pratiat- an amulet in the form of a bandage on which are depicted magic formulas, prayers and spells. In addition, the process of training a fighter is associated with various magical rituals related to reverence for the teacher, Buddhist and Vedic religions.

Muay Thai fights take place under musical accompaniment, performed live on traditional Thai instruments, - this music puts fighters in a special state necessary for battle, emphasizes intensity and emotionality of the fight.

It is believed that the history of Muay Thai began in 16th century when he stood out from the martial art of hand-to-hand fighting muay boran which dates back several thousand years. The traditional form also had some influence on the development of Thai boxing martial arts with weapons, which bore the name crab krabong(swords and sticks). In ancient times Maya Thai was called smell and was very we honor on the territory of Thailand (at that time - the state of Ayutthaya): all warriors, and even members royal family, should have been in mandatory master this martial art. Various competitions were constantly held, the winners of which were awarded highest honor- get rank of nobility and enter elite royal guard regiment.

In those days there were fights extremely cruel- fighters wrapped their fists with ropes or strips of horse skins - this increased impact force and led to numerous cuts and bruises. And since, according to the code of honor of a fighter, giving up in Muay Thai was not accepted, then the battles often ended death or severe injury.

In the first half 20th century the rules of Thai boxing have become closer to the accepted ones worldwide requirements to competitions in combat sports: appeared victory on points, delimitation fight for rounds, bans on particularly dangerous strikes and techniques. In addition, fighters began to use boxing gloves and special protection for the body.

If speak about Muay Thai technique, then it includes punches and kicks, but it is especially distinguished by strikes with knees and elbows. Fighters fast move around the ring, use a variety of feints and dodges. In the training of Thai boxers, along with general physical training, practicing strikes and training sparring, much attention is paid to stuffing the surface of the shin. Diligent exercise over many years makes this part of the body practically insensitive to pain, as a result, the fighter can not only inflict strong blows shin, but even block with it enemy blows. Also plays an important role in the preparation of a fighter. correct breathing training, because otherwise he simply will not be able to withstand the physical stress that the body experiences during a fight.

Today Muay Thai is extremely popular in Thailand: they are doing it 120 thousand amateurs and approximately 10 thousand professionals, and this does not include police and military personnel, for whom the practice of Muay Thai is mandatory. Conducting Muay Thai competitions is serious business, including betting games. Since the 70s of the 20th century, Thai boxing began to be actively popularized in Europe, America, and then in countries former USSR.

The art of Muay Thai deserves unconditional respect, since it is a rare example when it was possible to achieve effective combinations fidelity to centuries-old traditions, worldwide popularity and practical application. Probably in this harmony and there is one of the main secrets of Muay Thai.

Hello, dear blog readers. Today we will talk about one of the closest relatives of our favorite sport - Muay Thai. “Eight-armed boxing” is also the name of Muay Thai, meaning that in addition to arms and legs, a fighter actively uses knees and elbows in a fight, which is a feature of Thai boxing. What is the history of Muay Thai?

The knee is one of the “arms” of Muay Thai.

Thai boxing: history of origin

It’s hardly worth reminding where Thai boxing originated. In Thailand, where this martial art is almost the only bridge to a wealthy life for guys from the slums. For Thailand, this is an ancient martial art, something of a national cultural relic. translated into Russian means “the fight of free people.” After all, the self-name of the indigenous people of the country – the Thais – means “free”. Thailand (ancient Ayutthaya and Siam) only briefly lost its independence once: its Burmese neighbors did it…. Actually, here we move on to the legendary origins of Thai boxing and to the answer to the question: how did Thai boxing appear?

Famous Muay Thai Movies

• "Kickboxer"
• "Never give up"
• "In search of adventures"
• "Honor of the Dragon"
• "Only God will forgive"

A Brief History of Muay Thai

In Thailand, the question “When did Muay Thai appear?” often answered: about two thousand years ago. Its ancestors were the fighting systems of mai si sok (“bare hands”) and plowing (“multilateral boxing”). The history of the creation of Thai boxing began in caves near the city of Suwannaphum. According to legend, it was developed during joint training by the great masters of hand-to-hand combat Kru Latham, Kru Kun Plaaem, Kru Fong, Kru Sri Treirat and the girl Kru Mebua. Unfortunately, this is not documented. Probably, the documents (lists of champions and tournaments, decrees on awards) were lost during a fire in the capital of Ayutthaya, Ayutthaya in 1776.

Official Thai sources give his birth year as 1350. Then, in the village of Tambon Vieng Lek, by order of the Thai king Prachao U-Thong Rama Thibodi, the Buddhai Sawan Temple was built, where the first center for training in martial arts, including Muay Thai, was opened. After all, the best masters were enlisted in the national guard, and it was an honor for the nobility to master the techniques. This fact, by the way, is documented.

In addition to official information, there are a huge number of legends. The most beautiful of them is connected precisely with the Burmese conquerors, whom were mentioned above.

During the war with Burma in 1774, which deprived Ayutthaya of its freedom, King Mangra of Burma, in honor of the victory, decided to organize a crushing massacre of the Thais in the fighting arena. Selected captive Thais were confronted by Burmese Parmu masters. Among those chosen was the legendary Nai Kham Tom, who won ten victories (!) almost in a row in one (!) day. For which he received freedom and memory throughout the centuries (even we remember him). In honor of the hero, a grandiose national holiday “Boxing Night” is held in Thailand on March 17, the crown of which is a tournament at the Lumphini Stadium for the king’s prizes. During fights, only 95,000 seats in the stadium are occupied.

Thai boxing is still not lethal, but quite often it is bloody.

Famous video games with Muay Thai

• "Street Fighter"
• "Mortal Combat"
• "Tekken"
• "League of Legends"

Thai boxing: history of development

In 1778, European boxing crossed paths with Thai boxing for the first time. Two visiting Frenchmen, who tried to colonize Indochina with their compatriots, defeated their rivals.

With all their adherence to traditions, the Thais, looking at the strictly regulated English boxing and French boxing-savate, modernized (1929) the rules of Thai boxing in the similarity of the rules of the above-mentioned martial arts, at the same time organically absorbing the technique of striking with their hands, in which European boxing is certainly stronger. Means of protecting the fighters were also prescribed. There were clear indications of the size of the battle area and its arrangement. The decision on the timing of the rounds was original. The “timer” was a holed coconut. The round lasted exactly as long as it took for the coconut to fill with water and sink to the bottom of a special tub. Changes in the rules made Muay Thai close to European systems, which is why it is now called boxing. However, having seen “wai kru” and “ram muay” (ritual warm-up dance with bows to the spirits of the ring and intimidation of the opponent before the fight), “mongkon” (twisted rope-crown on the head - the amulet is removed before the fight) with “prajat” (on hand bandage-amulet from pain, death and injury), hearing the musical accompaniment of the battle with the help of national instruments of the Thais (outside of Thailand, during battles, in truth, an audio recording is almost always heard), you will not confuse it with anything else.

Ram Muay during Wai Kru in Mongkon.

In Europe, it is not customary to treat martial arts as selflessly as in Asia, however, Muay Thai “speaks” in English and has gained extraordinary popularity. Since about the 60s of the twentieth century, Thai boxing has been making a triumphal march through the Old and New Worlds. The exception is the Soviet Union... This concludes the history of the emergence and development of Thai boxing. And let's return to our “Palestinians”.

Muay Thai fighter equipment

• T-shirt (for professionals - optional)
• Underpants
• Gloves (8 oz up to 67 kg, 10 oz for heavier fighters).
• Protective helmet (for amateurs)
• Protective shin protectors (for amateurs)
• Protective groin shell
• Monkong (removed before the fight), Prajat (optional)

History of Thai boxing in the USSR and Russia

Despite its antiquity, Thai boxing was simply not known in the USSR. Which is not surprising, since even karate was prohibited. The techniques were probably studied in special units of law enforcement agencies, but they were not widely developed.

In general, the emergence of Thai boxing became a sign, according to its name, of the free post-Soviet era. What is the history of Thai boxing in Russia?

Muay Thai officially came to the largest country in the world in 1992. The first school appeared in Novosibirsk. The founding father of Russian Thai boxing is considered to be Novosibirsk resident Sergei Zayashnikov, a martial arts enthusiast, and now the founder of the Russian Thai Boxing Federation, president of the Russian Muay Thai League, promoter, TV commentator, author of books about Thai boxing, including training methods. “Deadly sport” (as Thai boxing was nicknamed in the USA) quickly found common ground with East Slavic prowess and instantly spread throughout Russia. A little later, federations of Thai sports appeared in Kuzbass, Dagestan and the Urals. Actually, representatives of these territories dominate Russian Muay Thai today. Thai boxing has become popular in Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

In 1996, the Russian State Sports Committee recognized Thai boxing as an official sport. It has become possible to attract children to Thai boxing. The history of Muay Thai for children in Thailand is extensive. Children's and youth tournaments are no less popular than adults. Thais take particular pleasure in watching their stars grow. In Russia, for a long time there were severe regulatory restrictions due to the rigidity of the sport. And now competitions are held only for fifteen-year-olds. Although the actual training can be done from the age of 5.

In Thailand, even kids get into the ring.

Taking over the world

The rapid development of Muay Thai around the world led to the creation of the International Amateur Muay Thai Federation (IAMFT) in 1984. Today it includes about 70 countries. There are also organizations that conduct professional fights. The development of Muay Thai led to the birth of “clones” - and systems like “K-1” (tournaments “Glory”, “It’s Showtime”, “Tatneft Cup”).

The leaders today in world Thai boxing (at the world championships), of course, are the Thais. However, from time to time they get real competition from Russians and Ukrainians. Belarusians and Kazakhstanis can also boast of success. Individual representatives from European countries and the USA also become champions. That is why the world championships have relatively recently left their place of permanent residence - the capital of Thailand, Bangkok - and are traveling around the world.

Nowadays, a lot of work is being done to include Thai boxing in the program of the Olympic Games. It has already been accepted into the Olympic family (candidate for inclusion in the program), but for now Thai boxing is a permanent participant in the World Sports Games. The popularity of Thai boxing is growing all the time: on television, more and more sports programs pay attention to this martial art, there were also reality shows on TV channels from training camps, and elements of Muay Thai (as they call it in Thailand) are increasingly penetrating fashionable action films due to their effectiveness. Therefore, a description of Thai boxing is not required: everyone knows it.

In general, we should agree with the well-known Chuck Norris that “Thai boxing is the sport of the future.” His story continues before our eyes. We hope that, like us, you will follow it with undisguised interest.

Even girls are in love with Muay Thai: on the right is a promising Russian athlete, medalist of the World Junior Championships, Kemerovo Daria Ganzvind,

Great Champions of Modern Muay Thai

• Sittichai Sitsongpinong
• Buakaw Banchamek
• Yodsanklay Fairtex
• Anderson Silva
• Nathan Corbett
• Samarth Payakarun
• Ramon Dekkers
• Tony Jaa
• Melchor Menor
• Saenchai
• Valentina Shevchenko
• Apideus Sith-Hirun
• Joanna Jedrzejczyk
• Superbon Banchamek
• Buakhau Po Pramuk
• Mike Zambidis
• Badr Hari
• Remy Bonjaski
• Ernesto Host
• Peter Arts
• Alistair Overeem
• Rob Kaman
• Alexey Kudin
• Alexey Ignashov
• Giorgio Petrosyan
• Artyom Vakhitov
• Artyom Levin
• Albert Kraus
• Vitaly Gurkov