MUAY THAI- ONE OF THE MOST OFFENSIVE AND BRUTAL MARTIAL ARTS

                                      Muay Thai teachers/ Coaches/ Trainers of mine:

1) Kru Narendar Kumar - India's best and current Muay Thai teacher

2) Mr. Harish Baghel - Great fighter and my current Trainer

3) Mr. Praveen - My current trainer who has good ability to understand this art.

4) Mr. Sandeep Rao- Initial Muay Thai Coach of mine because of whom I came to know about this art and met Kru Narendar Kumar.

I am not going to write too much about history or techniques of  Muay Thai as this can be understood better from below links. But I would like to express my views/ research on this Martial arts.

1. http://www.muaythaiboxingacademy.com/

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_Thai

MUAY BORAN/ MUAY THAI:

I am starting with basic introduction for those who do not know anything about this Martial arts.

Muay Thai is known as art of 8 limbs. 2 Fists, 2 Kicks, 2 Knees, 2 Elbows are used as a weapon.

Actually there is a 9th limb too. Strike with head. But now it is banned in sports.

Muay Thai is a sport version of Muay Boran. Muay Boran is the actual name of this martial arts coming from Thailand. Muay Boran is more street specific Martial arts while Muay Thai is sport based Martial arts with little changes to suit sport needs.

This sport is so common in Thailand as Cricket is being practiced here in India. It is National sport of Thailand too. In this sport, two person hit each other with Punches, Kicks, Elbows, Knees including few throws and slips in clinching. Each strike has to be heavy to get point. Low power strike are not given any value.

BELTS IN MUAY THAI: 

Like any other traditional Martial arts, Muay Thai do not have any belt system (Please note Belts were never part of Martial arts originally. It began in Modern world). Though now from few years, associations had started ranks and Grades in Muay Boran training.

But needless to mention, in Muay Thai world, fighters are known by their fighting ability instead of what grades they have. Fighters with good fighting ability are respected more even they have lower grades as good fighters are skilled and one with high grades are having more technical knowledge. Please note their is difference between in being technical and becoming skilled in that. Please follow my another upcoming blog to know more difference about these two terms.

In Muay Boran, grading is done by changing the colors of Mongkoon on head. These colours gets upgraded after doing each higher course. 

Note: To know more about why Belt system in Martial arts started, please follow my another upcoming blog.

BRUCE LEE CONCEPT AND THE MUAY THAI RELATION

Main relation between Bruce Lee and Muay Thai I found is- Bruce lee said- "Simplicity is key to brilliance".  

Muay Thai proves this statement very much. Muay Thai moves are too simple to learn and are less flashy and less stylist. But yes those moves require continuous practice to become skilled. Do not expect anything in one or two day.

BOKATOR AND MUAY THAI RELATION:

People of Cambodia claims that Muay Thai has come from their art known as Bokator. In history, people of Cambodia and of Thailand had a war. And people of Cambodia claims that Thai people have learnt this art from them when people from both sides migrated to each other country to live after war or during war (may be). However people of Thailand deny this statement and instead claims that Cambodian's have learnt/ stole this art from them.

MUSHTI YUDH AND MUAY THAI RELATION:

By reading and discussing with some researchers in Martial arts, I came to know that Muay Thai has it's origin in Musti Yuddham. Traditional Martial art style of people practicing Hinduism.

Just copying a text from Wikipedia which says-

Quote:

Various types of boxing existed in ancient India. The earliest references to musti-yuddha come from classical Vedic epics such as the Ramayana and Rig Veda. The Mahabharta describes two combatants boxing with clenched fists and fighting with kicks, finger strikes, knee strikes and headbutts. Duels (niyuddham) were often fought to the death.

Unquote:

Except the finger strikes all are present in Muay Boran/ Muay Thai which can be a good hint that it derived from Musti Yuddha style.

Also Musti Yuddham style is still being practiced in Kalaripayattu. But in Kalaripayattu it is taught at a later stage while in Muay Thai from first day combat practice starts. 

However their is still lot to know about the Kalaripayattu style of Musti yuddham as iam at a mediocre level in Kalaripayattu. Hope in future I will have much information to say anything about this relation.

As per me, it is always good to know about Martial arts history, it's origin, culture etc., but who cares which art came from whom as it is not going to make me more skilled. The thing which is most important to me is what best I can learn from everyone or from any art to develop to my best and full potential.

MY FEELING FOR THIS MARTIAL ARTS:

First of all I will say I love this combat Style as it makes me a very good stand up fighter. After each fight i participate, i am filled up with confidence though I always keep on improving my weakness after meditating on my fight competitions.

One of the best thing that developed inside me after fighting so many competitions is I have conquered my ego a lot though not in full. I have come above the praise and disrespect. I do not get overjoyed when people say me "Iam good". Also I do not get demoralize when people unknowingly disrespect me for my combat ability and even challenges me as i am well aware of my ability and improvement I have to make. I have met a lot of fighters who think they are world champion just by learning techniques and not practicing enough in becoming skilled in that so that they can apply it in combat (this includes people from other martial arts style too). But i can understand the ego fighter develops instantly is not so easy to control. I have gone through this process and have developed slowly.

Also I would like to point out that it becomes very easy for "Ego" to take control of fighter when he /she keeps on winning the fight. One of the best example can be disrespecting his opponent when he/she is weaker. So competitions are actually very dangerous thing to participate when seen spiritually. One has to be very careful after the fight and always has to be aware of this Ego, so that it do not capture the mind of a fighter.

Lastly, Muay Thai is best Martial arts if one wants to learn One to One and Hand to hand combat style in less time. Only thing that Muay Thai lack is people of this Martial arts are developed only in Physical and Mental portions of Martial arts. They lack spiritual portions of Martial arts because of which fighters has to suffer in this Mortal world. However it totally depends on the practitioners to practitioners whether they focus on Spiritual portions too and develop themselves spiritually as Muay Thai or any other art never keeps any reservation on this portion development too. As per me this is the most important part of Martial arts.

I feel, I will keep practicing and not going to leave this Martial arts style till my last breath. 

INJURIES I HAVE SUFFERED IN MUAY THAI FIGHT: 

1)  Jaw breaking Punches on Face making my Jaw hurt for two days.

2) Knee on face (Point below my Eyes) blackening that place instantly. This felt like a Huge hammer has been struck on my face.

3) Kick on face (Though not of enough power to knock me out).

4) Elbow strike to my foot after which i felt a tremendous pain on my foot. This pain was such that I was not able to even touch that point. 

5) Jamming of my side part of Shins after taking heavy kicks on them. I was not able to walk properly for 2 days.

6) Ankle Injury.

7) Jammed neck after fight. This happens when i am not able to give exercise to my neck for long time and then fight. Small but very important part to give exercise.

8) Few times, hit on groin (by mistake of other opponent). But thanks to Groin Guard. It saved me. Now I have a kid too....Lolzzzz......

9) Light pain on hamstring, Butts after getting kicked.

10) Bleeding nose but not broken. Thank God.

11) Lot of competitions still left to be participated. So may be more injuries to come. Keep praying for me.

But hey..... thanks to my Kalaripayattu Guruji who treated me in most of the cases by his Unique Marma treatment methods. In few cases, I got healed by myself and in one case I managed to treat myself by the knowledge (though very little) of Marma treatment blessed by my Guurji.

Best thing that has developed inside me after these fights is- Now iam not at all afraid of getting hit on street. I have lost this fear.

Note: None of the photos are my copyright except the first and last one of mine. All photos are taken from Google.

Swadikup

Ranjit Mishra
Martial Warriors Academy
www.martialart-warriors.in
Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com