TRADITIONAL THAI MARTIAL ART BLOG

Siam Yuth Center - Muay Thai Chaiya

2007-07-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

Muay Thai Chaiya Stlye Grand Master Preang infomation.
Siam Yuth Center
*History
*Ancient Muay Thai
*Muay Chaiya Training and Sparring
*Krabi Krabong Training and Sparring
*Self Defense Technic

Traditional Muay Thai Chaiya training - Peen Tonmai,Tai Chuek

2007-06-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

Peen Tonmai - Tai Chuek (Climb trees, climb rope).

Climbing trees and ropes would develop stamina, endurance, and equilibrium of one’s body. It is a way to lay a foundation for the students to learn the grappling, clinching, swinging, climbing, scaling, mounting, which are other spectrums Muay Chaiya.

Download Clip
http://one.revver.com/watch/298312/flv/affiliate/92536

Traditional Muay thai Chaiya training-Chok Manao

2007-06-13T02:10:00.001-07:00

Chok Manao ( Punching lemons).

The defensive aspect of Pahuyuth training is the Pong-Pad-Pid-Perd (to block, to swipe to cover, to open). Teachers would hang lemons at about neck high. The students would have to hit the lemons with their fists, elbows and defend themselves with the defensive techniques. The students would have to be able to strike, block, attack, defend, and move in the master gesture with great agility. This training technique is considered to be most ingenious method by teachers of the old that has passed on to younger generations of Muay Chaiya practitioners.

Download File :
http://one.revver.com/watch/298282/flv/affiliate/92536

Muay Thai Chaiya - Sok Chaiya

2007-06-13T02:07:00.000-07:00

Sok Chaiya (Chaiya’s elbow).

In Chaiya style of fighting, elbows are short weapons designed to be used at close range. They are the dexterous weapons of Muay Chaiya. The elbows would be moving back and forth, up and down close to the face, making the face well covered and at the same time, allow the fighter to be able to launch his own attack with great power and speed. It is difficult to attack a skillful Muay Chaiya fighter, because the fighting stances and movements of Muay Chaiya always prescript elbows to be close and move to cover his entire body. They are like a durian fruit (a tropical fruit with hard and spiky skin). One can sustain injury unto oneself by hitting the spiky durian fruit.

Download Clip
http://one.revver.com/watch/298329/flv/affiliate/92536

K-1 Dynamite MMA Coming to the States

2007-04-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

Seems like everyone is cashing in on the MMA these days. FEG (Fighting Entertainment Group), ProElite (PELE:PK) and Showtime Networks announced last month a deal to bring the “K-1 Dynamite” mixed martial arts (MMA) series to the United States for the first time. “Softbank presents Dynamite!! USA in association with ProElite,” this SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View event will take place June 2nd at Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum. The event will host a mixed martial arts fighting event for the first time in its 74-year history. Mr. Tanikawa, CEO of FEG claims “Mixed martial arts has shown tremendous growth in recent years and events like this show that we are looking to raise the bar in making it one of the more popular sports in the U.S.”

UFC and PRIDE have most of the big-name MMA fighters locked up, but the idea of K-1 working together with EliteXC, England's Cage Rage, Strikeforce, Bodog Fight and SpiritXC is fun to think about. “Softbank presents Dynamite!! USA in association with ProElite” will combine the disciplines of karate, kickboxing and kung fu, as well as masteries of jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling. The action takes place in a boxing-style ring, which provides easy accessibility for TV viewers and audiences. FEG holds events in more countries worldwide than any other MMA organization. The events, which draw in excess of 90,000 fans to packed arenas, have been broadcast in more than 130 countries, including New Years Eve prime time broadcasts that average more than 40 million viewers worldwide. The Dynamite!! USA is being broken up into two events, EliteXC will sponsor the early portion and broadcast it on Showtime, while the second half (the K-1 portion) will air on PPV. I think that the combined star power of an ex-WWE wrestler, a 7’2 Koren, a NFL hottie and a martial arts legend, there should be no trouble publicizing the event and raking in the dough for Showtime and all the sponsors. All the fighters bring different sets of skills to the ring, which makes for truly entertaining combat.

Dynamite!! USA promises to be one of the most exciting MMA events in history. Making their MMA debuts will be former NCAA Division I wrestling champion, WWE pro wrestler, and Minnesota Viking tryout Brock Lesnar, NFL alum Johnnie Morton. Taking on Lesnar will be 7-foot-2 South Korean giant Hong Man Choi, aka “Techno Goliath.” Also joining the fight card on June 2 will be mixed martial arts legend Royce Gracie.

Lesnar is a North Dakota native who rose to WWE stardom in shows such as WWE Raw, SummerSlam and WrestleMania. He could be a legit future MMA star if he can take a punch. He's already leaps and bounds ahead of most MMA fighters in terms of power and wrestling ability. If he can strike and more importantly, absorb strikes, he may just be major force at heavyweight. His competitor Hong Man Choi, a K-1 Asia champion, will be making his first U.S. MMA appearance at the June 2nd event. Gracie, a 14-year MMA pioneer and UFC Hall of Famer, began his training in the discipline of Jiu-Jitsu and has taken on many larger opponents during his career, including 6’8, 486 lb. Sumo Grand Champion, Akebono, who Gracie defeated. Morton, a Los Angeles native and football star with University of Southern California and the NFL’s Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers during an illustrious career, will be making his MMA debut at “Softbank presents Dynamite!! USA in association with ProElite.”

First of all HELLO has anyone seen Johnnie Morton? I had wondered what happened to him; I may hafta purchase a ringside seat, just to see him without a shirt on! And who the hell ever heard of a 7’2 Korean, or a 7’2 person period? Those two factors themselves may have me planning a trip out west, scalping tickets to see Johnnie boy and the Korean giant!

The pay-per-view fight card, which begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, will feature up to six fights, with co-main events. Prior to the pay-per-view, SHOWTIME will televise three explosive bouts featuring EliteXC stars Jake Shields, Antonio Silva and Gina Carano. In the weeks prior to the live event, SHOWTIME® will air a six-part series entitled “Countdown to Dynamite!! U.S.A.,” profiling fighters, detailing the match ups and previewing the historic night of action. New episodes of Countdown will premiere every Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT beginning April 30, on SHOWTIME.

From street fighter to pro

2007-03-27T02:01:00.000-07:00

Four years ago Jamie Johnson was a streetfighter, today he is a kickboxer preparing for his first professional fight against an opponent eager to smash an elbow, knee, hand or shin into his head.

On Sunday, the 21-year-old Taupo man will fight in Brute Force, a Melbourne- based tournament for top Muay Thai fighters.

Muay Thai, a versatile, straightforward martial art where the hands, shins, elbows and knees are used extensively, is the traditional combat sport of Thailand.

Johnson, added to the line up by promoters just a few weeks ago after another New Zealand fighter pulled out, is looking forward to the chance to win the $10,000 prize purse.

He has upped his training and, with confidence in his ability, he has a good chance of making his mark on his first trip overseas since he was two years old.

I think I've got a fair bit of power and my fitness is a lot better than it used to be. It's exciting to get into the ring and it puts a different aspect on fighting,? he says. Johnson came across kickboxing almost by accident.

Three years ago the dairy farmer was on the lookout for a chance to take up boxing. Instead he found former professional kickboxer and trainer Scotty Thomson, who had recently moved to Taupo.

I headed on down [to the gym] and never looked back, says Johnson, who has come a long way since his days as a teenager on the lookout for a scrap.

I used to get into heaps of fights I just liked fighting, he says. Training has bought a new aspect to combat, which for him now requires brains as well as brawn.

It's [kickboxing] helped me control my anger a bit better and improved my discipline.? He trains at least three times a week and manages to build on his fitness in his spare time with a bit of pig hunting.

Johnson has learned a lot from Thomson, who has been involved in kickboxing for more than 20 years.

When the trainer and owner of Freestyle Gym arrived in Taupo, he intended to take a break from the gruelling sport - that wasn't to be. Since he has been here he has managed to get 23 people into the ring. Johnson has been the one who has stuck it out the longest.

Compared to places like Auckland, kickboxing is almost non existent in Taupo, which makes the task of finding sparing partners difficult. That could change, however, with the founding of a fight club at Freestyle Gym.

Thomson intends to have the club, which will cater to everyone from beginners to those who want to go pro, men and women, up and running in the next few weeks.

?What I?m doing now is stepping up to the next level by starting up a proper fight club here, says Thomson.

Meanwhile, whether Johnson wins or loses this weekend the experience will be invaluable. In the ring you don?t get beaten, you get taught a lesson, says Thomson.

You learn more from losses than you do from winning.

THAI LADY KICK BOXER FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM

2007-03-22T01:10:00.000-07:00

THAI LADY KICK BOXER FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM
Many of the farang males in Thailand are well into Muay Thai – kickboxing. Local foreign residents go along to the various kickboxing venues in Pattaya to watch Thai guys beating the living daylights out of each other, but if you were to go to Bangkok there’s an attraction of a new kind –ladies beating hell out of each other.

Not ordinary ladies, you understand, at least one of them is a convicted Ya Bah (speed) dealer. Ms Samson Sor Siriporn is a prisoner at Bangkok’s infamous Bangkok Hilton, serving a 10 year stretch for dealing in Ya Bah. However, Ms Siriporn has done so well in her fighting career that she stands the chance of an early release on parole, due to having recently won the WBC light-flyweight title. Next month, 24-year-old Ms Siriporn will be fighting Japan's Ayaka Miyano and she thinks she’s in there with a good chance, not only of retaining her title, but also being able to go home to Lop Buri to start a new lease of life as a shopkeeper.

Ms Siriporn decided to become a pugilist two years ago, partly to relieve the sheer drudgery of prison life where inmates have to sew garments and sacks virtually all day long. However, Siriporn has so impressed her warders that she now has privileged treatment. Instead of having to sew, she gets to fight with her coach or do weightlifting. She’s also on a special high-protein diet and sleeps separately, with other privileged cons.

You might think that Ms Siriporn’s special treatment would earn the envy of her fellow, but less lucky inmates. After all, Thais do have quite a reputation for being envious. But no, the other inmates think she’s great. She also helps relieve the monotony, by staging fights at Bangkok Hilton Prison in Pathum Thani. In a place with few entertainments, the inmates wait eagerly for the next bout, cheering her every punch when she’s in the ring. They really appreciate her efforts. Initially, she had slight problems and threats from other aggressive prisoners, but surprise, surprise, the threats evaporated when Siriporn embarked on her new kickboxing career.

It’s not only her fellow cons that are impressed, either. The prison authorities think she’s great, too. They regard her as a model prisoner and have taken on board her professed reform and regret for her misspent youth. So much so, in fact, that they have taken the unprecedented step of offering her freedom. They appreciate the kudos that Siriporn is winning not only for the prison, but for Thailand as a whole. They also well appreciate the fact that in order to compete on the world stage in the World Boxing Council bouts, she would have to have freedom of movement, which is why they have offered her parole.

Siriporn’s fight for freedom is also supported by WBC Vice President, Kovit Bhakdibhumi, who maintains his organisation is right behind Siriporn in her efforts to secure a conditional release. "We want to show people can make good of their lives, no matter what they did in the past," he said. Bhakdibhumi also regards her as being a good kick boxer, who has exerted herself training-wise and has thus earned the opportunity to start again, but with a punch!

Krabi Krabong - Thai Weapon Martial Art

2007-03-11T04:35:00.000-07:00

Krabi Krabong is Thai weapon Martial Art in Krabi Krabong have many The weapons techniques include training in these weapons:

-One Hand Sword

-Tho Hand Sword

-Staff

-bladed staff

-Shield

-Spear

-throwing spear

-Rapier

-knife

Thai Kickboxing: The Body As a Lethal Weapon

2007-03-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

Thai Kickboxing (Muay Thai) is one of the remarkable features of Thailand's culture. Earliest accounts tells of the Thai children being encouraged to use their bodies to play games, thus the development of the basic exercises for their induction into Muay Thai in later years.

Thai Kickboxing is more about being acquainted with the body's weak and strong points in preparation for the art of unarmed combat. The body is divided into the nine principle weapons (Nawa Attawat): head, two fists, two elbows, two knees and two feet. There are combination weapons that can be used together with the primary ones. The combination weapons are the shoulders, arms, outer parts of the ankle and even the bottom.

The typical Thai Kickboxing move is the shin kick. The practitioner intends and exhibits a focused kick on the shins of the opponent in the objective of crippling his movement. Thai boxers, who have not trained enough, often fall on the ground when delivered a powerful shin blow. That is why no Thai kickboxer enters the ring without proper shin conditioning.

Mastering Thai kickboxing is not an easy task and requires complete dedication. The training is hard and long. Students are subjected to a punishing regime that includes shadow boxing, running and plenty of bag work. There are drills that one has to practice with Thai pads.

These Thai pads weigh five to ten pounds and cover the wearer's forearm. The trainer usually wears them to absorb the student's kicks, punches and other strikes. At times, the trainer uses them to punch the trainees too. These pads are in a way similar to boxing mitts worn by the modern boxers. So is the training.

Interestingly, there is little or no free sparring in Muay Thai training. Students usually box wearing ordinary boxing gloves. Another popular technique is to grapple standing up with the aim being to land a kick on the knee. However, such kicks and contacts are not overly encouraged.

So if you are planning on learning Thai Kickboxing be prepared for a grueling regimen. More importantly be prepared for the consequences of an art form that was born to meet the needs of the battlefield. Such an art form cannot be anything but potentially lethal. So either steel yourself for the kicks and punches or kick your desire to learn this martial art.

Buakaw Por. Pramuk "Thailand's K1-Max Hero"

2007-03-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

Since he started his fighting career at the young age of 8, Buakaw has fought over 400 fights, starting in his home province of Surin in the northeast of Thailand, and then moving onto Bangkok after he moved to Por. Pramuk gym at the age of 15.

Buakaw has collected several belts to his name since fighting in Bangkok. The Omnoi Stadium featherweight title was his first belt, after that he would go on to take the featherweight champion of Thailand title. Buakaw then proceeded to win another Omnoi Stadium title belt, this time at in lightweight division. In December 2002, Buakaw won the Toyota Marathon 140 lb. tournament at Lumpini Stadium, beating the highly regarded Kobayashi of Japan in the final.

In July of 2004 Buakaw became the K-1 MAX World champion beating John Wayne Parr, Takayuki Kohiruimaki and previous champion Masato, all on the same night. In 2005 he nearly repeated his run for tournament champion but lost a controversial extra rounds decision to Dutch shoot-boxer, Andy Souwer in the finals. In the 2006 K-1 MAX World Grand Prix, Buakaw again faced Andy Souwer in the finals, but this time defeated Souwer by KO with a flurry of punches, thereby winning his second K-1 MAX Grand Prix title and becoming the first man to win that title twice.

Choi Loses to Mighty Mo at K-1 World Grand Prix

2007-03-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

The world’s tallest mixed martial arts fighter Choi Hong-man suffered his first career knock out loss Sunday against an American opponent, 33 centimeters shorter than him, at the 2007 World Grand Prix in Japan.

Mighty Mo, 33, knocked down the 2.18-meter Choi 50 seconds into the second round of the bout, handing the South Korean his first loss since September when Choi lost to Jerome Le Banner of France by a unanimous decision.

Choi, 26, who beat reigning K-1 champion Semmy Schilt in May, has gone 10-3 since his debut in March 2005. He also lost to Remy Bonjasky of the Netherlands by a decision.

In the match held at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Mo (9-4) floored Choi with a strong right hook before the referee stopped the bout.

Later in the event, Schilt clinched the newly created super heavy weight title after he overcame a first-round knock down to KO Ray Sefo of New Zealand in the second round.

In their last dual, in 2005, the Dutchman knocked out Sefo en route to winning the World Grand Prix throne.

Grand Master Preang

2007-03-05T05:12:00.000-08:00

• Present Master of Muay Thai Chaiya

• Current Chairman of the Thai Martial Arts and Muay Chaiya Conservation Club , Muaythai Chaiya Foundation

Kru Preang was born on September 1, 1958 in the nearby province of Chanthaburi, Thailand. Since at an early age, he has developed a keen interest in martial arts / sports, especially in sports gun shooting. Widely acknowledged for his marksmanship, he was invited to join the Thailand SEA Games National Team, but had to deny the opportunity due to financial reasons.
He entered Bangkok to attend Ramkamhaeng University and joined the University’s Ancient Fighting Weapons Club, which was well known for its being a melting pot for such diverse weapons schools as

-Buddhai Sawan

-Padung Sith

-Pran Nok

-Athamat

-Naresuan

-Meed Sun Tong (Golden Dagger)

Post-graduation, Kru Preang continued to seek and learn from other masters. It was then he heard of Master Tong Chua Chaiya (TongLoh Ya Lae), foremost student of the late GrandMaster Ketr Sriyapai, through a close friend.

25 years has passed since Kru Preang became Kru Tong’s student. Given his prior skills in ancient fighting styles, Kru Tong decided to teach Kru Preang the ancient style of Chaiya Boxing.
During his last years, Kru Tong has been heard repeatedly mentioning Kru Preang as his foremost student and only one of the two students to be granted a verbal “teaching certificate”, the other being Kru Yong of the Chulalongkorn University Thai Martial Arts Club. Together Kru Tong and his teaching assistant, Kru Preang, spent 20 years trying to teach the art Muay Thai Chaiya.

How Muay Chaiya is different from Modern Thai Boxing ?

2007-03-05T05:10:00.000-08:00

Muay Chaiya was created in the ancient battlefields, when warriors still fought using sharp weapons and, in the event of being disarmed,body parts.As such, it is based on time-tested techniques and principles that were aimed at

1) ending engagements in the swiftest and surest manner
2) using minimal energy
3) ensuring that the learnt practitioner was least, if at all, hurt.

That certainly is not the case in Modern Muay Thai where boxers can be seen “splashing water at each other” (a phrase used to describethe useless and painful exchange of kicks and punches to entertain the crowd) with the end result of potential traumatic body injuries. As the core principle of Muay Chaiya states; before you learn how to inflict pain on others, learn how to protect yourself.

The Muay Thai one sees today at the weekly Lumpini Boxing Stadium matches and a host of other celebrated kickboxing events is a far cry from the true noble art of Muay Thai. The true ancient art of Muay Thai encompasses the full range of striking, grappling (not simply clinching), throwing, breaking, and smashing – each with its own infinite variations. Unlike today, where one can prepare for 6-8 months at a local Muay Thai camp learning the basic blocks and kicks and then enter competition, true old-style Muay Thai practitioners had to go through at least 2-3 years of footwork and stance preparation before being accepted by as true student. The purpose is two-fold: 1) to test the student’s patience and diligence and 2) to ensure the student has fully grasped the ancient Muay Thai footwork, of which Modern Muay Thai’s has no resemblance, before moving on. It can be said that one’s skills can be judged solely by their footwork.

The footwork skills one attains from Muay Chaiya allows one to cope with an opponents force in any way one wishes – deflecting, parrying, neutralizing, pushing back, or just simply stepping away. However, the footwork is not the only gem of Muay Chaiya. All body weapons within the Muay Chaiya system are truly functional, simple, yet flexible enough that a skilled practitioner can apply an infinite number of variations. The grappling, throwing, locking, and smashing techniques are unlike those of other arts. A complete system in itself, Muay Chaiya allows its practitioners to change from striking to grappling to smashing seamlessly.

SWING CLUB

2007-02-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

This past Friday, January 19th Mono Film Co., Ltd. held an opening blessing ceremony to begin shooting the film Pahuyut, Mono Film’s new martial arts-action project based on an ancient form of Thai boxing that was originated in the south of Thailand during a historical time of civil wars. Directed by Piti Chaturaphat, the film intends to bring back this lost discipline that was once used as a deadly weapon during warfare.

Executive producers, Pete Bodharamik & Dr. Soraj Asavapraphra along with producer, Jirun Ratthanaviriyachai were hosts of this event. The main cast also attended this ceremony including Than Thanakorn, Nuttanan Juntarwet, Sura Theerakul, Pemnee Sangkorn, Peerawat Hamabut, and others that took place in front of the Jasmine International Tower in Pakkred, Nonthaburi this past Friday morning.
Brief Synopsis :

Pahuyut…a martial arts, action film inspired by a true story that took place in a small beach town of a beautiful island in the Andaman Sea; a place where foreign fighters came looking for the ultimate challenge in the Muay Thai fighting scene.

Uncle Praow’s Chok Dee Muay Thai fighting bar becomes the local attraction for visiting foreigners where KEM, CHAI, DOW, & DUAN all work at; a group of childhood friends who have all been active fighters in the local Muay Thai fight scene since they were kids with the support of Uncle Praow himself. KEM and CHAI’s fighting skills are heralded by foreigners and word gets out to a leader of a Muay Thai fighting team made up of foreigners called K-1. They travel to the small island looking to buyout the bar using the facility to set up their own Muay Thai training camp, but Uncle Praow refuses to sell his property. Displeased, K-1 assaults Uncle Praow, Kem, and the employees of the bar.

The gang of four friends decides to resolve the conflict by together using their knowledge and skills of the ancient Thai boxing, Pahuyut, to settle matters outside the fighting ring. The deadliest street fight is set when the ancient disciplines of PAHUYUT Thai boxing (quick, reactive, fierce, and deadly) come face to face with a modern day adapted form of Thai kickboxing combat of K-1.

KEM, DAO and their gang of friends are put to the test while caught up in this deadly street fight face-off. What will be their fate? Will this ancient fighting discipline, the art of PAHUYUT prevail and uphold against the modern day adapted form of Thai kickboxing combat of K-1?

“Victory does not mean a fight to the death of your opponent, but true victory is achieved when your opponent willingly accepts defeat.”

Kru Thong Chuechaiya Master Of Muay Thai

2007-01-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

Kru Thong Chuechaiya, the man who systemized Muay Chaiya. He studied under the late master, Ketr Sriyapai and master Timseng Tawisith. After Kru Thong's death, Kru Praeng inherited his work and founded the "Muay Thai Chaiya Foundation". From his words; "Muay Chaiya is never-ending. Don't let Muay Chaiya die with the master. Kru Thong used to teach that you can use other systems under certain circumstances. But remember, do not fail your art. Please remember."

Muen Muay

2007-01-27T19:26:00.000-08:00

In the era of Rama V, Boxing was held infront of his court. Prayavadi Satayaruk, duke of Chaiya, sent Klong Yamnongthong to fight. His chosen technique was Suelakhang [Tiger drags the tail] to throw, strike and break all his opponents until he received the titel of "muen muay" (10,000 soldier*). Since that day, Chaiya has been recognized as the city of boxing and has passed down Muay Chaiya.

Did Ancient Muay Thai Fighters cover their gloves with broken glass?

2006-11-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

A lot of people have asked me whether Ancient Muay Thai Fighters, in an attempt to sharpen their body weapons, did in fact dip their gloves into a glue mixture of broken glass (as most would have seen in Van Damme Movies).

Before answering the question, I would first like to present the following set of facts for your consideration:

- The old time fighters’ gloves were made of soft, raw hemp which were bound in a special way as to create knots. The way in which the fists and arms were covered-bound with hemp differ in accordance to style and region and can be generally summarized as follows:

1. Northeast style: Bound from the fist all the way to the elbows.

2. North style, Central Plains: From the fists to mid-arm length.

3. South style (Chaiya): only the fist portion is covered.

This is a reflection of the kind of weapons and tactics that comprise each style.

- Old fighting rules dictate the use of only hemp to cover fists and no other, except for the sky axe which is a small religious ornament to protect each fighter. Smart fighters learned how to tie excess portions of hemp into knots as a means of turning their gloves into sharp weapons especially when sprayed with water hardens the hemp).

- A fighter’s hemp glove is considered an important asset as it contains the blood and skin of his opponents. Upon finishing, the hemp will be stored in a clean, dry place waiting for its next usage.

- Before each fight the referee requests each fighter to gently rub their fists against their cheeks as a sign that there is not hidden weapon.

- There is no requirement that a boxer must cover his fists. If they choose, they may fight bare knuckles.

Grandmaster Ketr Sriyapai (at age 72 yrs), himself, has also asked that during his trip to the province of Nakorn Pathom to meet with Kru Too Thaiprasert (78 yrs) (the younger brother of Kru Daeng Thai Prasert – the key representative of the Muay Korat style who was also bestowed the title of “Muen Chagad Cherng Chok” by the King Rama 5), the truth regarding gloves covered with broken glass. According to Kru Too, who is also a fighter in the Suan Kularb Days, he has never witnessed such act since he was involved with boxing.

While still alive, Ajarn Ketr was very concerned that this misunderstanding would lead outsiders to view Ancient Muay Thai as being barbarious.

If we also consider the backgrounds of these two masters:

Ajarn Ketr – Muay Chaiya of the South + Muay Pra Nakorn (he was also a long time student of Ajarn Kimeng Taweesith) Kru Too – Muay Korat Style of the Northeast

We can see their experiences already covers 3 of the 4 major styles of Ancient Muay Thai. It is therefore highly unlikely that the ancient boxers dipped their gloves in broken glass.

By Lamp-S

Muay Thai Style Throw

2006-11-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Muay Thai-Style Throw

As earlier mentioned, Muay Thai is the Crowning glory of the martial arts. Our warrior ancestors ingeniously invented, devised and modified a complete apparatus of defence and offence, from fist, foot, knee and elbow to throw
The world recognizes judo as the foremost from throwing. This is not untrue, if we speak of a martial art which employs exclusively body throwing that is assumed as a defensive art.

The reason why throwing is not so popular among Thai boxers, in spite of the written tenets for using it do outsmart an attacker, is probably because Thai pugilism provides myriad and diverse options of winning a fight, which may be more viable, less energy-sapping and swifter. It is not that Thai expert boxers do know how to throw. They are able to should they wish.

Every throw in Thai boxing can be deadly and lethal if you use it correctly. That was why, unless driven beyond tolerance and humiliation, no one would choose to use it on a compatriot or a fellow human is being.
Muay Thai was invented by our ancestors, not as a means of self defence, but as a national defence
Another person for whom I had the highest respect was Srithorn Sriyapai, who was Master Khet’s daughter. She used to tell her farther’s feats.
When the master was his sixties, he was teaching his pupils about several kinds of kicks.

At that time, a friend of his pupil who was a professional boxer with much fighting experience at the Rajadamnoen stadium found this old boxing teacher so in sufferable that he wanted to give that old man a lesson. He arrogantly approached and asked to aim a kick the old master, just to see how well the pugilist expert could withstand and solid shanks of a younger man.
The Master kindly obliged and offered himself to be kicked at will.
The assailant kicked hard and fast, with the kind of kick that would inflict the kind of injury you can only imagine on a sexagenarian if hit right directly and with full force.

Faster than Srithorn or anyone else could see, the old man threw his attacker and haughty kicker fell supine with his head hitting the floor hard. He mustered his strength to get up and dust himself off, composed himself and walked back to his seat, trying to give the impression that he was thinking “I can get by without any pain at all.” He had learned his lesson, though, and would never dare repeat a kick on the Master.

After a short while, Srithorn noticed he has bleeding from the ear. She took him to the hospital to treat the injury. Fortunately, he was saved before the condition could deteriorate and get complicated.In truth, this man’s injury was not the result of Master Khet’s uncivil act. It was his own obnoxious and malicious act of violence that had ended in such dire consequence.
If only he hand asked to test his kick in all modesty, like a pupil to the master, like a younger to an elder, with respect for seniority, he would have gained knowledge without injury.

The principle of Thai defensive art is based on reaction towards the attacking force, like the Buddhist maxim that says “Distress inflicted upon the other will come round to the perpetrator,” the idea of which is not far from English proverb, “As you sow, so shall you reap.”

Reaching up to hurl your shin at full force at the neck of a person who is bending low to take the kick is simply stupidity and an underestimation of your rival. As Master khet always taught his pupils, when you see a crouching tiger, don’t thing he’s afraid of you”

The person who was lowered himself to tempt the opponent into kicking his neck has neck has several ways of escaping the aimed foot.
For example, you can bend down to let the flying foot past over your head. Or you can lower yourself even lower and when the kick flies past your head, you can catch it with a hand while stretching up to full height. The kicker will lose his balance and fall backwards. The higher and the harder the kick, the more off balance he gets. He might even be flipped over and knock his head on the floor.

Or you can use the heel of your palm to counter the kicking leg above the knee. Suppose he kicks with the right shin toward you left side, you can receive it with the heel of you right palm while adjusting the body angle (provided you use a leading left guard), but you have to keep your left hand over your ear and your left arm close to the trunk, as a double precaution, in case it slips or is flung back.

When pressed above the knee, the kicking leg will disable. You have to move your left hand from ear and pass it under your opponent’s calf, lifting his leg to your shoulder, while thrusting forward and stretching all the way. At the same time, your right hand should pass over to rest on his neck. This move amounts to automatic pressing for throwing.

By this method, if the catcher does not let go but lets himself fall with the kicker, the kicker will lie underneath with the one being kicked on top. You can press your elbow on the bottom of his breastbone or in his midriff with your knee on his pubis. This is called throw and stack.

This is the same move the Chaiya boxer, Nai Plong Chamnongthong from Caokhun Vachisatyarak’s (Kham Sriyapai) Stable, used to defeat the Korat boxer, Nai Plong Prabsabok Muen Muay Mee Chue in the service of the Department of Recruited Deputies.

This move can also be altered with a slight adjustment of the angle to constitute a deadly throw and stack that can be fatal.
It can be used to counter kicks and fend off knees and was know among Master Khet’s Pupils as the arse-kissing move.

‘Orge abducting a damsel’ was another throw in Muay Thai. This was used to counter a direct jab. You dodge the punch by getting out of reach behind the arm of the hitter and then locking your arm with the jabbing arm, twisting you hip to take the weight while completing a throw as in a judo throw. When I was little, I often saw boxers using one of these throws but this move seems to have disappeared some time ago.

Current boxing only makes use of ‘ploughing’ which is a new tactic which emerged less than 10 years ago. When he saw a boxer holding on to an opponent’s leg, Master Khet call this move, ‘Luring a Tiger into Your Home.’
“A tiger lives in the jungle, son,” he would say, “if you drew him into your home, he would eat you up alive.”

As l learned from him, when you can hold up his legs in this manner, why you would want to plough him to make matters more difficult? You are not a buffalo and pushing him around the ring like that does not seem to inflict any damage on your opponent.

What you should do is to grip him tightly around his calves and kick up your leg at full force until you fall backwards on the floor with all your weight. And that will do this trick. Just imagine what will happen to the legs in your grip.
This throw is easy to use and most suitable for countering a jumping knee or floating knee which your opponent serves you like a delectable dish on a platter. Do not be afraid to chew on it.

If he hurls his right knee at you, receive it in your left palm, or push it away by tugging under the knee while stepping with your right foot and adjusting the angle, pushing under the chin or neck, not unlike the counter move for a kick.
The soaring hanuman who aimed to break the Elephant Erawan’s neck would be doomed the flip over backwards and fall flat on the floor, passing out on the spot, as if stuck by the piercing arrow of the defending Orge Indrajit on the elephant’s back.

Thai Always teach their kids: you must be powerful but unassuming, hide your blades in the sheath, and hide your claws like a tiger, don’t flaunt your tail like scorpion.

Accordingly, Thai-style throwing is subtly disguised. The fundamentals of Muay Thai throwing can be used even on a buffalo.
The Master once asked me:
‘Have you ever toppled a buffalo, son?
When I was little, I used to hang out in the paddy fields with my pals. To impress them I boasted.
“I’ll show you how to topple a buffalo.” No one believed I would be able to do this.

I approached it from the front, seizing both of its horns and twisting them to the right with full force. Feeling the pressure, it resisted and tried hard to twist back to the left.I then pushed it to the left with its own force. It crashed flat sideways and to the left, got up frightened and sped away. My pals said: “Khet, you have a helluva lot of strength.”

In fact, it was not my own strength, it was the buffalo’s. It actually toppled itself.”
This is the fundamental idea of Muay Thai. Small can topple big and the few can defeat the many.

Copy few parts From Siamese Boxing author by Vallabhis Sodprasert

Birth of Pahuyuth and Ancient Muay Thai

2006-08-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Prior to the Sukhothai era, Thai civilization dated as far back as those of the Egyptians, Babylonians, and the Assyrians. They were established before the Buddhist era in a land called “Aay Loa Kingdom” one the river banks of Huang Ho and Yang Jue rivers, presently known as Schezuan, Hubei, Anhui, and Kiangsi in China. There were later defeated and had to continue migrating south to maintain their freedom.

Thais are known to be liberal and great warriors. They have always been an independent nation and have evidently fought to protect their right and loved ones. During those times, villagers along the Thai borders prepared themselves by engaging young men in physical activities like wrestling, boat race, and bull race.

For practice of self-defense, many generations of old masters continuously assembled and developed the fighting techniques passed on from their ancestors for thousands of years. They finally established a fighting system for Thais called “Ching Kom” and “Pan Lam”, both well-known.

Master Ketr Sriyapai (the author’s senior teacher) once said that “boxing means punching as taught by your teacher or fighting to survive”.

Thai boxing is “an art that has been developed by our ancestors as a national heritage to their children for thousands of years.” The genuine Thai boxing is best performed by Thais. Unfortunately, the Thai boxing we see today in rings is not the true Thai boxing.

By Kru Praeng (Amornkrit Pramuan)
Muay Thai Chaiya Boxing Foundation

Pahuyuth AwudThai

2006-08-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Foreword

.....When I was asked to write about “Ancient Thai Boxing and Muay Chaiya”, I felt it was a difficult task because the society at large has lost interest in the subject. But after thorough consideration, I have come to the decision to do so, in order to honor and show my gratitude to my teachers who have patiently taught me and to my homeland, the Kingdom of Thailand. .....Please note that the following articles (and the ones that follow) are based on what I have learned from my teachers. So there may be different teachings from different teachers, or different interpretations from the same teacher. The beauty of Muay Thai is that it is a flowing style, open to change as long as the basics are strong.

“To my dear young ones. Remember that he who has taught you even only one step, one day, one month, and one year is considered your teacher for life. Be grateful to him. Repay and treat him with respect.”

With this in mind, I would like to pay full respect to all my teachers who have taken their time to share pass their wisdom to me.

All living creatures, human in particular, have, since the age of dawn, fight for survival. Each has their own ways of fighting to protect themselves and to hunt for food.

Animals fight based purely on instincts and brawn, while human beings used their intelligence and developed their fighting skills with bare body and weapons.

If we believe in the theory that mankind evolved from apes, then they should have started fighting approximately one million years ago. With their primitive inheritance, historic man fought similarly to animals. They fought with their natural instinct using biting, kicking, snatching, scratching, punching, kneeing, throwing, breaking, etc. Their fights were purely a means of survival.

Historic Men fought for two reasons:
.....Food and territory
.....Jealousness

In the Stone Age, when men still lived in caves, brawls usually occurred because of jealousy and lust. Later on, men formed a more complex social group, starting with small communities and eventually on to nations. In the process of doing so, they also developed more civilized approaches, such as rules and regulations, to resolve their conflicts.

However, with each nation having its own set of beliefs and needs, there are inevitably more conflicts and violence. The in individual brawls thus turned into battles and wars.

Muay Chaiya Original Muay thai

2006-08-28T01:19:00.000-07:00

Thai national martial art is, naturally, MuayThai. But how many really know the true Muay Thai beyond the thought of two big, muscular boxers furiously exchanging kicks as seen at the boxing camps or the famous stadiums such as the Lumpinee and the Rachadumneun?

The original Muay Thai uses one’s wits more than brute strength, and ends up with injury sustained by both sides. Muay Chaiya, a style of Muay Thai, has clearly illustrates this fact.

Muay Thai Chaiya, or as called by it’s full name as Pahuyuth Muay Thai Chaiya, translated to be the way of Thai fighting, hand to hand combat, Chaiya style, can hardly be seen now a days. But there is a place where Muay Chaiya is taught to interested public, so the heritage of the old and traditional Muay Thai, or Muay Boran, can be passed down. This is to keep alive a true Thai tradition, which most people have only seen in books or movies.

Master Amornkrit Pramuan, or Kru Preang to his Muay Thai students, has carried on the intention of the masters, who had come before him, to continue the legacy of preserving Muay Thai in it’s true form, which had been forgotten since the banning of fighting with rope, or hem binding as we called Muay Kad-Chuek. Many techniques, unique to Muay Thai, have been lost due to the imposing of rules adapted from western boxing.

Kru (teacher) Preang, was the close student of Kru Thong Chuer-Chaiya, who had inherited the Muay Thai Chaiya from the Grand Master Ketr Sriyapai (the last grand master of Muay Thai), who had learned from his father, Phraya Wajeesatayarak, the provincial governor of Chaiya. The Grand Master also learned from another 13 masters until he was well versed in MuayThai.

Muay Thai Chaiya, not only utilizes fists, feet, knees, and elbows as we commonly see in the main stream Muay Thai, but also uses the forgotten elements of throwing, pressing, grabbling or clinching and joint breaking (Toom-Tup-Jub-Huk), they are no less dangerous than the throwing and joint locking of other martial arts. There are other sets of techniques with names that rhyme and contain deep meanings. They are to lure, to mislead, to elude, to avoid, to deceive, and to tease (Lor-Lork-Lop-Leek-Lorklor-Lorlen), or to hug, to squeeze, to swing the opponent from side to side, and to cast or throw the opponent down (Kod-Rad-Fad-Wieng). These are the techniques for inside fighting, that we no longer see in today’s Muay Thai. Even the way to fall, to get up, to roll on the ground, and to crawl (Lom-Look-Klook-Klan), which deal with proper way of rolling on the ground and falling so the practitioners wouldn’t get hurt.

So, an exponent of the old and traditional Muay Thai, such as Muay Thai Chaiya, does not limit oneself to only one-dimensional fighting of stand up strike. If the fight takes one down to the ground, one still has to be able to fight effectively. Since the old traditional Muay Thai was created for the engagement in battlefields, being able to engage with several opponents at the same time has made Muay Thai Chaiya so formidable.

Classes are conducted in the old traditional and systematic way. Students will learn from basic. They will learn how to defend themselves by blocking or shielding, brushing away, covering, and opening (Pong-Pud-Pid-Perd), until one is proficient and confident enough to protect oneself from being attacked. Then one will gradually learn other extended Muay Thai techniques, or Look-mai. This is different from the main stream Muay Thai, where the boxer will train to take offensive posture of solely kicking, punching and to destroy one’s opponent, and in return, by depending on the physical toughness of oneself, to receive kicks and punches from the opponent. As the teachers, or “Kru’ of Muay Thai Chaiya have strongly affirmed that an exponent of an art of self defend has to be able to actually defend oneself from harm. One should not achieve winning status because of one’s durability.

Corrections and changes were made through the wisdom of past Muay Thai teachers, Muay Thai is devastating with numerous trick techniques, extended techniques, and principal techniques. These said techniques can branch out, virtually, without limit. The learning of this devastating art of fighting, develops oneself to be a person with patient, strong determination, and yet, serene. All in all, to learn the way of fighting, will develop an exponent to be a good member of the society, who is always consciously alert, well behave, just as one who has been taught by a teacher.

Kru Preang has also drawn a curriculum for weaponry that co-exists with Muay Thai Chaiya. It is commonly known as Krabi-Krabong, or “sword and staff” which actually means the use of short and long weapons. They consist of two-hand swords, knife, long pole or staff, short staff, or elbow staff (mai-sork), as well as, all other old traditional Thai weapons, that one can not easily find a place to learn. This is a true combination of all the traditional Thai martial arts.

Muay Thai Chaiya and Thai Weaponry Conservation Foundation

Kru Preang (Amornkrit Pramuan)Muay Thai Chaiya and Thai Weaponry FoundationOffers Classes on the Chaiya Style of Muay Boran (the old traditional Muay Thai), Muay Kad-Chuek (the hemp bound fist fighting), Thai sword fight, and all other traditional weapons.