Girls do Muay Thai too!

Muay Thai is a contact martial art that is known as “The Art of 8 Limbs” because it focuses on 8 points of contact such as punches, elbows, knees and kicks. There are also defensive movements. A summary of the movements in Muay Thai includes:

• Punches – including jab, cross and hook
• Kicks – including front kick, round kick and pendulum kick
• Knee and elbow strikes – including jumping knee and spinning elbow
• Defence – including elbow blocks, shin blocks and leg catches

History

Muay Thai has its origins in the 13th century when it was developed and used by the Thai military. Interestingly in modern Muay Thai competitions the ancient pre-fight dance ritual known as the “Wai Kru Ram Muay” is performed by each fighter, as a symbol of respect for the tradition and as a testament to the fighter’s teacher. “Wai Kru” literally means “pay respect to the teacher”. For some traditional fighters the dance incorporates spirituality and respect to the Buddha, or ancient stories from Thai legends. "Muay” simply means “boxing” in Thai therefore Muay Thai translates as “Thai Boxing”. It is not the same as other martial arts such as Ju Jitsu, which have their own ancient histories, or MMA (mix martial arts) which is a modern fighting technique.

Why is Muay Thai inspiring?

After years of watching my young daughter (pictured) enjoy learning Muay Thai and becoming a strong and confident kid, I decided to give it a try myself. I’ve made huge progress very quickly in my own physical fitness, and find the hour-long classes a great way to switch my brain off from worrying about work and other stresses. There are quite a few other women who train in the class so we often pair up and do drills together, although all of the men in the class are equally respectful and great to practice techniques with. I also like the history and spiritual elements of the sport as I find this interesting and I enjoy being part of a tradition and learning about cultures other than my own.

Check out where I train here. And if its local to you why not give it a try?

Why is Muay Thai a great martial art for girls and women (and everyone!)?

• Firstly it can be a lot of fun!
• There is a be a focus on self defenceand protection from harm which are important skills for many women
• It’s a massive confidence booster as you can work up the grades and celebrate success. You can work towards the next level of achievement by earning a new colour armband, called a Prajiad.
• As you really need to focus hard on training techniques it’s a great opportunity to switch off from other worries and stresses.
• As the sport is very intense it is excellent for developing fitness and burning calories
• Its relatively easy to learneasy. Although the techniques can be quite precise, the moves are designed for a purpose not for entertainment.

One final fact: Why is this website in gold and red colours? These are the colors of my Muay Thai shorts! You can see how decorative Muay Thai shorts are by clicking here!https://muaythai.com/muay-thai-shorts/