Welcome to Island Muay Thai Koh Tao

For those of you who haven't been at least once on a fight night at the Sairee Thai Boxing Stadium in Koh Tao or maybe even at the Lumpini Stadium in Bangkok or anywhere else in Thailand, you missed out on some excitement and an important part of the Thai culture. But here you are and here is your chance to make up for it.

For a better understanding of this exciting sport let me tell you a bit about Muay Thai and where it comes from:

Muay Thai or Thai Boxing, sometimes also called Thai Kick Boxing
is usually regarded as a very hard, external style of martial arts. Thai Boxing is also referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively However, especially because of its roots in mostly Buddhist Thailand, it sure has a spiritual aspect as well. Thai boxers typically perform Buddhist rituals in form of dancing before beginning a match.

Practicing Muay Thai is a vigorous workout and produces tremendous cardiovascular endurance.

Some History of Thai Boxing

First thing to say here is that most of the historical records of Thailand were burnt by Thailand's long time enemy,the Burmese, in 1769, so many historical records have been lost.

Modern Thai Boxing (Muay Thai) originated from Krabi Krabong, a Thai weapons art roughly translated in "stick and sword". When the Thais lost their weapons or fought close quarters with weapons they used knees, elbows, feet, fists and head butting and they became famous for their toughness on the battle field in constant wars with their Burmese rivals.

King Ramkamheng (1275 - 1317) wrote the "Tamrab-Pichei-Songkram "The Book of War Learning" about the Thai war art. The basis of weaponless fighting.

This art, which was included in military training, was made famous by King Naresuan (1560 A.D.). During one of the many battles between Burma and Siam ,he was captured. The Burmese knew of his name as the best unarmed fighter in the realm and gave him a chance to fight with their champion for his freedom. Naresuen is said to have won and became a national hero.

The biggest Thai boxing hero of Thailand is the 'Black Prince' Nai Khanom Dtom, who was captured by the Burmese and had to fight against 12 of the best Burmese fighters before he was released. Against all odds the burmese crowd themselves had forced the King of burma to set him free. Upon his return to Siam he was hailed as a hero and Siamese-style boxing, as it was called then, was soon recognized as a national sport.

The Thais are still having annual Muay Thai tournaments in order to salute him.

Read more about the History of Muay Thai here.

What exactly is Thai boxing?

Muay Thai involves boxing techniques, hard kicking, and knee and elbow strikes. Low kicks to the thighs are a very distinguishing technique used frequently in Muay Thai. Stand up grappling is also used and allowed in the ring. Muay Thai practitioners develop a very high level of physical conditioning developed by its practitioners.

About Training and physical abilities

The training involves rigorous physical training, similar to that practiced by Western boxers. It includes running, shadow-boxing, and heavy bag work. Much emphasis is also placed on various drills with the so-called "Thai pads". These pads weigh five to ten pounds, and cover the wearers forearms. In use, the trainer wears the pads, and may hold them to receive kicks, punches, and knee and elbow strikes, and may also use them to punch at the trainee. This training is vaguely similar to the way boxing trainers use focus mitts. The characteristic Muay Thai round kick is delivered with the shin, therefore, the shins become conditioned by this type of kicking.

Full contact, full-power sparring is usually not done in training, due to the devastating nature of the techniques employed. Thai boxers may box, hands only, with ordinary boxing gloves. Another training drill is for two fighters to clinch, and practice a form of stand-up grappling, the goal of which is to try to land a knee strike. However, full-power kicks, knees, and elbows are typically not used in training.

Promising children will enter dedicated Muay Thai training camps as young as six or seven. There, the fighter will be put on a plan aimed at making him a national champion while still in his teens. The Thais fight frequently, and a 20 year old fighter may have had 150 fights. Typically, half the purse from each fight goes to the training camp, with the remainder being split between the fighter and his family.

Thai Boxing in the modern world

Today Muay Thai is regarded as a prestigious national sport that is practiced by hundreds of thousands in Thailand. It has spread over the entire world and is enjoying incredible success. In the hope of many thai fighters, the Muay Thai will soon become an olympic Sport. Thai boys will in one way or another learn how to box Thai style. More and more Thai girls become interested in the sport and know enough of the basic principles and have the ability to use it for self-defense when necessary.

Come and visit us at the Island Muay Thai Stadium in Sairee Beach Koh Tao. Enjoy a real boxing night and learn to understand another important part of the Thai culture. Check for the next date at the Thai Boxing Blog of Island Muay Thai

Contact Island Muay Thai Koh Tao
Website: Thai Boxing Koh Tao