# muay thai vs kickboxing



## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

Muay Thai: AKA-"The Science of 8 Limbs." Practiced in many Southeast Asian Contries. A practitioner of Thai fighting has the ability to execute strikes using eight points of contact, as opposed to two points (fists) in Western boxing and four points (fists, feet) used in kickboxing. These limbs include hands,(2)shins,(2) elbows,(2) and knees.(2)=8. "Clinching" is frequently used in Muay Thai, in contrast to Kickboxing. Clinching is the act of holding the opponent either around the neck and head or around the body, although clinching around the body is rare and is avoided due to the fact that you leave your face vunerable. In the clinch, it is diserable to be higher than your opponent to avoid being pulled down and becoming a victim of a knee strike to the face.(As knee strikes are legal in Muay Thai.) It is also diserable to have your arms under his, and meeting at his back, one over the other. This provides additional control over your opponent. "Sweeping" is also permitted in Muay Thai. This is when you catch a leg in mid kick, and "sweep" or kick the supporting foot, causing your opponent to hit the canvas. You can't sweep kick in Kickboxing. Elbows, unlike in Kickboxing, are permitted in Thai Boxing, however, it is sometimes banned due to the increased potency of injury. The elbow has seven variations, horizontal, diagonal-upwards, diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, backward-spinning and flying. All of these forms have their own unique usage, some faster, some stronger and some are more visually pleasing to the judges.

Summary of Muay Thai- Knees are legal

Elbow Strikes are legal

Clinching is legal

Kicks below the waist are legal, but NOT to groin.

Sweeping is legal

Muay Thai is a type of Kickboxing, a variation

Kickboxing: Kickboxing is simular to boxing, but is different in the sense that you may use your legs for kicking your opponent. There are many forms of Kickboxing. (Note: Kickboxing is a very broad word that many styles such as Muay Thai refuse to be assosiated with, but Kickboxing is a term derrived from the 50's and is used as a sort of summary of the Martial Arts that allow kicking) In traditional American/Australian Kickboxing, opponents are allowed to hit each other with fists and feet, striking above the hip. Using elbows or knees is forbidden and the use of the shins is seldom allowed. This is different to Muay Thai where the use of elbows and knees are allowed; in fact many Muay Thai fighters consider kickboxing a "watered down" version of Muay Thai for that very reason. Basically, you should do research if you are interested in a specific form of Kickboxing, as the rules and round lengths vary.

Summary of Kickboxing- A term that refers to many types of fighting

- Traditionally, knees, elbows, are illegal

- Striking below the hip is illegal


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

It's obvious. A kickboxer vs. a thai boxer with thai boxing rules. No question, the thai boxer would win every time. This is presuming that both are experienced in their sport.


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## Mahonski (Jul 29, 2007)

JayC said:


> It's obvious. A kickboxer vs. a thai boxer with thai boxing rules. No question, the thai boxer would win every time. This is presuming that both are experienced in their sport.


Agreed!!! To be fair pitching any Martial Art (traditional not mma) against Muay Thai using full rules i personally think that 9 times out of 10 the Muay Thai style would win provided (as you say) both fighters were well matched and skilled in their art.


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

Not necessarily, if you were under full rules it would be a MMA match. Because if it was a BJJ guy fighting a Thai Boxer the rules are completely different.


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## Mahonski (Jul 29, 2007)

JayC said:


> Not necessarily, if you were under full rules it would be a MMA match. Because if it was a BJJ guy fighting a Thai Boxer the rules are completely different.


True true, was talking about stand up but in the end a fight's a fight. That.s why we love MMA


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

I just don't see a better mix of fighting arts than Muay Thai, BJJ and Wrestling. Sure, if you're a decent striker, you have a good chance in MMA with just basic BJJ and how to not be taken down, but if you're a striker going against a wrestler, if you don't have good skills in your ground game then you're gonna lose. All the guy needs to do is stay on top of you and hit you with a few punches and it'll go to the judges. The guy on top is usually the one who is winning.

So I think that if you want to fight in the cage, or even if you just want to learn it for self defense, then you need to not just master one style and have a good secondary style, but make sure that you mix the two and have two great styles.

I'd rather be a great thai boxer and a great bjj fighter than a master of thai boxing and an okay ground fighter. Cause then if in a fight it goes to the floor, you're gonna be able to defend yourself and counter both.


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## Mahonski (Jul 29, 2007)

Too true mate, and that's why MMA has evolved and will keep evolving into what it is.


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

The era of me in MMA will be the greatest era ever.


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## Mahonski (Jul 29, 2007)

JayC said:


> The era of me in MMA will be the greatest era ever.


Ho ho yes. Can i get an AHMEN!!!!!!


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## Imy (Jul 20, 2007)

^ No.

But I've had a couple of fights with people who are supposedly good kickboxers.

My BJJ/TKD would win every time, because they have absolutely NO idea what to do when I'm that close to them.

Elbows and knees are very effective when fighting. I've learnt that through experience. Kickboxers tend to struggle in close range fights without them.


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## Mahonski (Jul 29, 2007)

No? No supper for you.

I fought plenty kickboxers and they've all been shit. I remember going along to a KK class once as a guy i work beside said they'd give me a good scrap cos they fight a a high level. Nope.


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## silverback (Oct 25, 2007)

I found it frustratign traing in MT and fighting KB rules I remember I fought thid fella in prent park - he and his crew were big into the intimidation horsedung [not something I go out my way to do] so he was all staring me down and fronting n shit- lol his team were called predatr or somet - over near wembley...

anyway, I had this fella on the ropes doubled over and i was thinking "I'm gonna knee this sucker in the head" - then my cut man shouted knee knee!

I teed up...

lol

the my trainer - remembering it was a KB rules said DONT knee DONT knee!

That was the most frikking frstrating thing ever.

Still won in the end tho ;-)

great days


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

LOL! gotta love those knees in the clinch!


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## silverback (Oct 25, 2007)

Totally!

any KBer not conditioned to giving receiving them will feel a serious drain on their NRG - these are fightwinners IMO - at least in MT vs KB fights


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## MMABulk (Oct 17, 2007)

Kick boxing is boxing with 2 mandatory kicks if i'm correct?

savatte is the opposite, kicking with a 2 punch combo maximum

i don t rate kickboxing, it just reminds me of 1990 for some reason with guys in black training trousers with red stripes up the side. :biggerGrin:


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## silverback (Oct 25, 2007)

lol @ bulk - yeah i know what u mean abut the satim jamas with the red stripes..

2 kicks per round as i recall - but it depends on the ruling body i tihnk.

bad idea - as it just meant brawlers cold come on in and 'mill' and throw the minimal kicks. hey ho.

i take it theres no such ruling in submission fighting? it's like a free for all right?

that rocks!


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## christomo (Nov 20, 2007)

thai boxing is obviously better, i dont really rate kickboxing, but my mate was northwest champion in kick boxing unbeaten, and he alwayz fights thai boxers for some reason lol


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## Robk (Nov 8, 2007)

The gym I fought for couldn't really decide whether it was a muay thai or KB gym, think it was more of a KB to begin then jumped on the muay thai badwagon! sparred a couple of guys who were supposed decent kickboxers, ****ing joke, big spinning about kicks and that. sometimes Id find myself stood back waiting for a guy to finish spinning around like a dancer before id bother going in for the kill again!!! thats the thing i hate about some martial arts, a bit too flamboyant and not the kind of thing you can utilise fully in real life where as something like muay thai will see you through a street fight nicely, it did the thai army's on the front line for centuries:beerchug:


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## Cha$e (Dec 11, 2007)

Having trained both id take MT any day over KB, i love the simplicity of MT and the fact that it's not only effective in the ring but on the street where there are no refs. For me with it being the more practical of the two its my favourite, and the fact you only use 8 main points of contact ( hands, shins, elbows, knees) it keeps it simple to a high level.


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## Rodders (Jun 19, 2008)

Will be interesting to see the result of Christian Di Paulo against Marlon Hunt in their forthcoming fight under full contact rules


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

yeah, agree with mt over kb . i gotr my black belt in kb and was only then allowed to train at mt due to only being 16 at the time but its alot easier hurt ppl with mt


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