Muay Thai. Old school and Modern techniques I

Punch Straight T h a i : Mud Dhrong

Targets: Chin, eye-socket, area between nose and mouth.

Focus: This punch is extended directly forwards towards tfie target, the fist palm-downwards , so that the back of the knuckles impacts against the target.

The Hook T h a i : Mud Wiyang San

Targets: Face, temple, chin, jaw, ear

Focus: The fist, plam-downwards, is brought round in a hooking motion while bending the elbow at an approximate  90° angle, using the back of the knuckles to impact against the target.

The Uppercut or "The Star Gatherer"

T h a i: Mud Seuy or Mud Soy Dow

Targets: Chin, solar plexus

Focus: The knees should be slightly bent and the elbow...also bent so that the fist is brought in to the body, the arm contracted. Then the fist is punched vertically upwards, using the knuckles to impact against the target.

The Overhead Punch

T h a I : Mud Khouk

Targets: Side of the face, jaw

Focus: The fist is swung out backwards, upwards in a circular movement, using the knuckle of index finger to impact against the target.

The Swing

T h a I :  Mud Wiyang Yao

Targets: Face, temple, chin,jaw, ear

Focus: The punch is executed by swinging the arm in an extended hooking motion, the elbow bent at an approximate 140° angle, the fist clenched tightly, impacting the back of the knuckles against the target.

The Spinning Back Fist

T h a i: Mud Wiyang Glab

Targets: Chin, jaw, temple, ear.

Focus: Involves turning the body around, simultaneously swinging the fist using the momentum of the turn. The back of the fist is used to impact against the target.

The Jump Punch

T h a I : Gra-dode Shok

Targets: Chin, eye-socket, face.

Focus:  A method of attacking the opponent by punching them with the rear fist while in mid-air. (The lead fist is not normally used in combination with the jump because of its relative lack of dexterity)

Low kick

A low kick is a kick in which the attacker uses their leg to strike the opponent's lower body with the shinbone or foot.

The Straight Kick

T h a I : Ohe Dhrong

Targets: Chin and surrounding area

Focus: After raising the leg, knee bent, kick the target ith the ball of the foot or the instep. However, when you use the instep, be careful that the toes do not get in the way and so reduce the power of the kick."

The Diagonal Kick

T h a I : Ohe Chiyang or Ohe Rid

Targets: Rib-cage

Focus: A technique in which the leg is brought diagonally upwards the foot moving at an angle of 45° to the ground, striking the shin (or occasionally the instep)  against the target.

The Round Kick

T h a i : Dhe Dhad

Targets: Head and sholders (High Round), trunk (Middle Round) legs (Low Round)

Focus: The leg is swung against the target, while the hips and trunk are simultaneously twisted in the same direction as the swing. The shin or instep is impacted against the target in a slicing or pressing action.

The Half-Shin, Half-Knee Kick

T h a i : Dhe Krueng Khaeng, Krueng Kow

Targets: Trunk, rib-cage, abdomen

Focus: Maintaining the angle of the bent knee, the uppr shin is thrust and pressed against the target.

The Spinning Heel Kick or "The Crocodile Tail Thrash"

T h a I : Dhe Glab Lang or Jeakhae Faad Hang

Targets: Temple, ear, neck, jaw, chin, head

Focus: The body is rapidly twisted around while simultaneously kicking the leg out in the rear towards the opponent, impacting the heel against the target.

The Down Round Kick or "The Coiled Dragon's Tail"

T h a I : Dhe Kod, or Naakhaa Khanod Haang

Targets: Neck, collar-bone, side of face

Focus :One foot is raised diagonally upwards, until it is higher than the intended target. From this elevated position, with the leg slightly bent the lower shin and/or instep is swung round and down to impact against the target .

The Kick The Axe Heel Kick by Mike Siwa

T h a i : Dhe Khouk

Targets: Head, collar-bone

Focus: The extended leg is lifted straight up to its highest position then brought crashing vertically downwards to impact the heel against the target.

9 . The Jump Kick

Th a i : fl 1 L - Gra-dode Dhe

"Targe ts: Face, rib-cage, trunk, chin, neck, head"

Focus:  Involves springing off the ground using the tKrust from both feet.

"One foot, invariably that on the more dexterous side of the body, is then used to kick the target."

The Straight Foot Thrust (basic teep)

T h a I : Teeb Dhrong

Targets: Chest, solar plexus, abdomen, groin (not for modern ring)

Focus: Involves raising the leg, bent at the knee, then thn1sting the foot straight out to impact against the target.

The Sideways Foot Thrust

T h a I : Teep Kang

Targets: Abdomen, solar plexus, chest, neck

Focus: Involves thrusting out to the side with the foot while twisting the body sideways-on to the opponent. The outer edge or sole of the foot is used to impact against the target, the latter being easier and more common.

The Elbow Slash

T h a I :  Sork Dhee or Sork Fun

Targets: Head, forehead, bridge of the nose, brow, eye, temple.

Focus: A method of attacking the opponent by bringing the elbow diagonally downwards against the target, generally at an angle of 45°, almost as if using a sword or a knife to slash the opponent 's body.

The Horizontal Elbow

T h a I : Sork Dhad

Targets: Chin, jaw, temple, brow bone

Focus: A method of using the elbow offensively by swinging it parallel to the ground at shoulder-level from left to right if it is the left elbow which is being used, from right to left in the case of the right elbow.

The Uppercut Elbow

T h a I : Sork Ngad or Sork Seuy

Targets: Chin, jaw, face

Focus: The elbow is thrust diagonally upwards against the target.

The Forward Elbow Thrust

T h a I : Sork Poong

Targets: Head, eyes, brow bone, bridge of the nose) chin

Focus: The attacking elbow is raised then "stabbed" forward s into the target.

The Reverse Horizontal Elbow

T h a I : Sark Gratung or Sark Wiyang Glab

Targets: Side of the face

Focus: The elbow is moved horizontally in reverse (i.e. outwards) to impact against the target.

The Spinning Elbow

T h a I : Sark Glab

Targets: Chin, jaw, temple, brow bone, face

Focus: The elbow is used offensively in combination with turning the body round, so that the elbow is extended from the rear

The Elbow Chop

T h a I : Sark Sap

Targets: Face, head, collar-bone

Focus :The elbow is brought down vertically against the target.

Variations: The Double Elbow Chop (Sark Sap Koo) (q.v.), in which both elbows are used simultaneously, is a development of this technique

The Double Elbow Chop

T h a I : Sork Sap Koo

Targets: Face, head, collar-bone

Focus: Both the elbows are raised, then simultaneously thought vertically downwards to impact against the target.

The Mid-Air Elbow Strike

T h a I : Gra-dode Sork

Targets: Head, face, collar-bone

Focus: A technique which utilizes one of the forms of elbow strike while actually in mid-air, with both feet off the ground, or at the point of landing. Landing can be done on both feet or just one, although invariably the feet maintain their basic Muay Thai stance position.

The Straight Knee-Kick

T h a I : Kaw Dhrong

Targets: Abdomen, solar plexus

Focus: Grasping and pulling the opponent's neck with hands, the knee is raised directly to impact against the target.

The Diagonal Knee-Kick

T h a I : Kaw Chiyang

Targets: Thigh, rib-cage, side of the body

Focus: Grasping and pulling the opponent's neck with both hands, the knee is raised diagonally and impacted against the target.

The Knee-Slap

T h a I : Kow Ohob

Targets:T runk, rib-cage

Focus: Grasping and pulling the opponent's neck with botrl hands, the knee is raised high in the air to the same level as the intended target and the inner part of the knee-joint is used to slap sideways against it.

The Step-Up Knee-Kick

T h a I : Kow Yiep

Targets : Solar plexus, chin, face

Focus: Stepping with one foot onto the opponent's thigh,  he body raised up on this base, while the knee of the other leg is thrust forwards against the target

The Knee Bomb

T h a i : Kow Youwn

Targets: Abdomen, solar plexus

Focus: The knee is raised and thrust forwards against the target in a sliding

or skidding movement. The hands are not used to grasp the opponent's neck.

The Flying Knee-Kick

T h a I : Kow Loy

Targets: Solar plexus, chin, face

Focus: After taking a running jump, the knee is impacted against the target while the body is in mid-air.