Muay Thai is one of the most popular forms of martial arts and it has gradually gained a worldwide presence.
It stands out for its eight points of contact that are legal for striking an opponent, this includes, hands, feet, knees, and elbows, these unconventional inclusions help this aggressive combat style stand out.
Muay Thai has also proven its relevance within MMA being one of the most commonly used styles due to how closely it can resemble actual street fights and real combat scenarios.
However, it does have some aspects that make it separate from street fights.
For example, street fights will not have any rules, while Muay Thai does have rules that make it stick out from actual combat scenarios.
There are also weight classes within Muay Thai that stop people from being beaten by variables they can not control, this is not a factor that is considered in street fight, however.
Because of these stark differences, many people wonder just how effective Muay Thai is in real combat scenarios like street fights and self-defense.
This article will cover some of the main reasons why Muay Thai is a good choice for street fighting while acknowledging some of its weaknesses. If you want to know how effective Muay Thai is, keep reading!
Muay Thai Teaches Useful Techniques Like Clinching And Throwing
One of the best and most unique aspects of Muay Thai is its use of clinches and throws, and these techniques are both very useful in a street fight.
A clinch is a technique to be used in close quarters that grapple the opponent. It is a great way to gain control over the opponent in combat and does good damage by using knees against sensitive areas like the head.
While you are clinching an opponent the goal is to get in as many elbow or knee strikes as possible and if you can get your opponent off balance you have the opportunity to sweep or throw them to gain even more control.
During an official Muay Thai match, sweeping and throwing gain the fighter points as they show a mastery of skills, but in real combat they are even more rewarding for the advantage they give you over a now significantly more vulnerable opponent.
If you want techniques that will give you a quick advantage over opponents, the clinches and throws taught in Muay Thai are very useful!
Muay Thai Improves The Ability To Remain Calm Under Intense Circumstances
While this is a skill that can be gained in many different types of martial arts, it is especially effective within Muay Thai for how realistic the combat training can be.
Being in actual fights in uncontrolled circumstances can be nerve-wracking for even the toughest people, and if you are not used to being in fights they can cause you to freeze up and not be reactive.
If you are untrained in martial arts then overcoming the fight or flight response can be very challenging and actually engaging in well performed martial arts in stressful situations can end up being difficult.
However, if you have trained in a martial arts style like Muay Thai then you will gain the confidence you need to defend yourself properly in situations where you may not have the ability to escape.
Muay Thai will empower you with the confidence you need to carry out powerful strikes and take advantage of all 8 points of contact that is very useful in realistic combat situations.
Muay Thai Uses 8 Points Of Contact
As previously mentioned, the 8 points of contact used in Muay Thai work to your advantage as they teach you how to make full use of your body when you are in combat scenarios.
Using knees and elbows is especially useful for the amount of force you can use with these parts of your body.
Muay Thai is actually derived from a similar style of Thai martial arts called Muay Boran which was actually used by the Thai military for use in hand-to-hand combat in war. This shows just how effective proper use of Muay Thai can be.
When it comes to teaching techniques that are actually useful in real combat situations, Muay Thai teaches a lot more techniques that are actually useful compared to other more theoretical forms of combat that are more designed for competitive use rather than practical application.
Muay Thai Will Improve Your Strength And Your Conditioning
The skill set that is taught in Muay Thai and the training you need to carry out to get better will naturally improve your strength as well as your conditioning.
In a standard Muay Thai training session it is expected to constantly practice your techniques and spar for somewhere between 1 and 2 hours. This can be quite physically demanding, but can give great results for your personal strength after extensive training.
If you are persistent enough to keep training, you will have a much more impressive stamina than opponents who are not as committed as you which can give a significant advantage.
Street fights can be quite tiring so being able to outlast an opponent is a very useful skill!
Muay Thai Gives You An Advantage In Facing Larger Attackers
Just being physically smaller than someone can make you feel like you are at a disadvantage and in street fights there are no weight classes to limit this from occurring.
While Muay Thai does use weight classes, there are techniques taught that will help you gain an advantage over larger opponents. This includes strong long range strikes and clinches.
Takeaway
So now you know why Muay Thai is such a useful martial art to know if you end up in a self-defense situation or street fight scenario.
While it does have drawbacks and getting dedicated self-defense teaching will help even more, the confidence gained from Muay Thai training can be invaluable!
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