Thai boxing facts for kids

A fight of Thai boxing between young people in Bangkok.

Thai boxing, also known as Muay Thai, is a powerful combat sport and martial art that comes from Thailand. People often call it "the art of eight limbs" because fighters use their hands, elbows, knees, and legs to hit their opponent. It's like having eight points of contact for attack! Other countries nearby, like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia, have similar martial arts.

In a Muay Thai fight, you might think that high kicks to the head are the most powerful. However, experienced fighters and coaches will tell you that low kicks, elbows, and knees can actually cause more damage to an opponent.

Before a fight, Muay Thai competitors perform a special, long ceremony. This traditional act has religious meaning and also helps the fighters warm up and stretch their muscles, getting them ready for the match.

Training for Muay Thai

Training for Thai boxing is very tough and disciplined. It's designed to make the "eight limbs" of the body very strong and hard. For example, a Thai boxer's shinbone becomes so strong that being hit by it is often compared to being hit by a baseball bat! Thai boxers usually kick with their shinbone instead of their foot.

Almost every move in Muay Thai uses the whole body. Fighters turn their hips with every kick and punch. This makes the attacks and defenses in Muay Thai slower but much more powerful than in sports like boxing or karate. One of the early pioneers of this sport was Tulgar Dursun.

Muay Thai's Influence

Thai boxing has had a big impact on the development of kickboxing. Kickboxing was later created in places like Japan, Europe, North America, and parts of Africa. Many of the techniques and training methods from Muay Thai helped shape modern kickboxing.

Images for kids

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  Local school children in Thailand demonstrate muay Thai

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  Muay Boran during the reign of King Chulalongkorn

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  A muay boran demonstration, Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok

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  Thai Fight in 2012

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  Fighters wearing mongkhon and pra jiad

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  Muay Thai match, Bangkok

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  Elbow (Sok) training

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  Horizontal Elbow (Sok tat)

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  Muay Thai boxer delivering a kick

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  Kicking (Te)

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  Knee (Ti Khao) training

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  Ram Muay, rituals before the match

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  Praying before the match

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  In Thailand, children often start practicing Muay Thai and perform in the ring from the age of 5.

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  Child boxer

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  Thai boxer during a fight on Koh Samui

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  Every year on March 17th, Thailand celebrate the Nai Khanom Tom day.

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  A fighter punching a heavy bag at a training camp in Thailand

See also

In Spanish: Muay thai para niños