Why Muay Thai is the Most Gruelling Combat Sport
There are always ongoing debates about what is the best combat sport, the most effective, and what is the hardest to learn.
But what is the most grueling combat sport?
And when we say gruelling, we mean what would put you through the toughest workouts and give your body the most punishment during competition.
It has to be Muay Thai.
What is Muay Thai?
Muay Thai (Meaning Thai boxing) is an ancient martial art originating in Thailand. It was orignally designed centuries ago for use of the Thai army in battlefield, so the techniques were to simply inflict pain. The style has now evolved in to the boxing ring to become a competitive sport.
Muay Thai is also referred to as ‘The art of the eight limbs’ as it allows strikes from punches, elbows, knees, and shins. The sport has become extremely popular worldwide as its style has proven very effective.
So, why is Muay Thai better than other combat sports?
As with any combat sport, whether that be boxing to kickboxing, the grit and determination remains the same and achieving the status of an elite fighter demands countless hours of dedicated practice and unwavering consistency.
However, there are aspects of Muay Thai that makes it more gruelling than other styles. Also, the fact it uses strikes from eight limbs, it can make it harder to master.
Let’s dive in!
Elbows and Knees
In many combat sports, they have a limited amount of permitted strikes, of which from a glove or padded equipment.
Yet, in Muay Thai it allows strikes from the bare knees and elbows which cause devastating blows. The knee is considered the most powerful due to the size of the bone area and the force it is delivered. The knee has been that powerful the knee technique has managed to dent a fighters skull.
The elbow can be thrown in close range or clinche that it can easily open open a gash to the face.
Full Body Conditioning
As strikes in Muay Thai are allowed to the entire body, with even kicks to the arms scoring, it is important to fully condition the body to withstand the punishment.
Low kicks to the legs is one of the most effective moves in Muay Thai, which can easily cause enough pain and take away an opponents mobility. While even checking the low kick it will still be felt, so you will need to get those legs prepared.
Kicking from the shin may seem painful to do, but get those shins conditioned and you will be a kicking down banana trees like in the movies in no time.
Smaller MMA Style Gloves
Most combat sports including Muay Thai use 10oz boxing gloves during its competitions, but with the global promotion, One Championship using small 4oz MMA style gloves in their Muay Thai bouts, it makes the fights even more menacing.
The smaller gloves will reduce the fighters’ guard, meaning they have to evade shots even more so. Furthermore, punches will be faster and more powerful, giving a more likely chance for a knockout.
Zero Grappling
MMA to many is considered the hardest sport as it is a test of a complete fighter. As much as that may be true, Muay Thai doesn’t allow grappling, which means the fighters have to be constantly taking blows.
The intensity of training
As mentioned earlier, the grit and determination is the same for all combat sports. However, to go up against an elite level of a Thai fighter could be tougher than others.
This is simply for the fact, Thailand is the home to Muay Thai and their gyms live and breathe it. Similar to Football in the U.K.
In Thailand, the training can be tougher due to their climate. Also, fighters compete regularly and it is not uncommon for fighters having hundreds of fights which makes the Thai’s dangerous opponents.
Final Thoughts
Now after reading how gruelling Muay Thai is, don’t let it put you off. Muay Thai is a fantastic and traditional discipline to learn which offers so many great benefits. And like any sport, you will always start at beginner and gradually work your way up to reach an elite level.
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