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Mixed Martial Arts or Muay Thai
Mixed Martial Arts
A popular form of self defense and combat sport has caught the interest of a lot of fitness conscious and martial arts enthusiasts in various parts of the world – Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. This is a full contact combat sport that makes use of striking and grappling techniques from a variety of other combat sports. Such techniques may be done while standing or on the ground. While the roots of modern mixed martial arts can be traced back to the ancient Olympics where a full range unarmed combat was evident in the sport known as ‘pankration’, the same MMA has a short history as the first Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC event that took place on November 12, 1993, brought to the United States from Brazil by the Gracie family. Martial arts of various styles and different background have since evolved from the dangerous vale-tudo-style bouts of the early UFCs to the regulated form of MMA seen and used today.
MMA in the early days was all about which martial arts style was the best, thus the MMA fighters cross-train in all of the styles that have proven effective in the sport including, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Jeet Kune Do, Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Kyokushin, shootfighting, Shotokan, Russian Sambo, Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling, and Tang Soo Do.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai, on the other hand is an ancient art of self defense that originated from Thailand which has grown in recent years into a popular and sought after combat sport within the boundaries of Thailand and in other parts of the world. This form of self defense uses all eight body weapons, hence, it was known as the “art of eight limbs”. Muay Thai uses the hands, knees, elbows, and feet and is considered to be the most effective stand up art of fighting on earth. In the past, or in Muay Boran (old style Muay Thai) the head is used as the 9th weapon. Modern day Muay Thai has eliminated the head as a weapon.
Muay Thai techniques are divided into two groups – mae mai or major techniques, and luk mai or minor techniques. Almost all Muay Thai techniques use the entire body movement – rotating the hip with each kick, punch, elbow and block. Muay Thai is often used as a fighting art of attrition, where opponents exchange blows with one another.
Comparison between MMA and Muay Thai Fighting
MMA
MMA matches are characterized by the various martial arts styles integrated into the fighting techniques of mixed martial arts. This includes stand up fighting such as punches, clinch work, knees, kick, and elbows; throwing or takedowns, and ground fighting such as submissions, submission defense and ground control.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a hard striking form of martial art where all eight limbs are used to fight and throw strikes are opponents. However, one of the many things that set Muay Thai apart from other striking styles is the use of clinching. Muay Thai, unlike other martial arts styles such as Japanese kickboxing and western boxing separate fighters when they begin to grab one another inside, welcomes this kind of fighting. Practitioners will oftentimes grab the back of their opponents’ neck in such situations and utilize knee strikes to the midsection. The use of elbow strikes is another feature that sets Muay Thai from other martial arts styles.
Basic Goals of MMA and Muay Thai
The rules of MMA combat may vary depending on the MMA organization holding the event. But regardless of the rules, MMA is a sport where combatants attempt to either defeat their opponent via stoppage or by decision which is rendered by judges and are based on the fighting criteria.
In Muay Thai competition, the basic goal is to win the fight by either knockout or by way of decision. Outside the competition, Muay Thai’s goal is to defend against an opponent as quickly and effectively as possible.
There are camps who offer training for these combat sports. Here is an example of a Muay Thai training camp in Phuket. These training camps do hone their fighters to be the best on their divisions.
List of Lethal Martial Arts ever Created
People have perpetually strived to find, develop and use the most effective ways of defending one’s self and inflicting pain to the opponent. In ancient times they used stones and sticks. This has developed into sometimes artful but seriously lethal martial arts. The following are 10 most lethal arts ever developed and currently in use.
- Rough and Tumble. This is one of the few fighting styles indigenous to the United States, which grew popular during the American Revolution or thereabout. It’s laden with violence and places emphasis on maximum disfigurement of the opponent. Often, it involves gauging out each other’s eyes or biting the opponent’s tongues. This is one bloody and violent form of fighting between opponents.
- Muay Thai. Known as the “Art of Eight Limbs”, this combat sport makes heavy use of elbow and knee strikes. This deadly form of self defense emerged from Thailand. The birth of Muay Thai was known to be used as defense against an early colonization.
- Krav Maga. This is the world’s most dangerous martial arts and it came from one of the most beleaguered regions of the world – Israel. This non-sport martial arts was developed for use by the Israeli Defense Force or IDF, completely without regard for the opponent’s well-being. The entire self-defense concept is based on the assumption that the opponents are out to kill you. And therefore, it is fitting to fight off with brutal techniques that will inflict serious pain to the opponent and in most cases often end up in the death of the adversary.
- Bacom. This is also called Vacon, a Peruvian martial art developed in the streets of Lima, combining several martial arts that will quickly inflict maximum injury and harm to the opponent. This also involved use of hidden weapons and deceiving tactics which almost always result in the opponent’s death.
- Pugilism. This combat sport is also known as boxing but has developed many variations across the globe. Those using this martial art targets the head for serious harm and because of this was outlawed in several countries in the 19th century.
- LINE. Linear Infighting Neural override Engagement is a combat technique used by the US Marine Corps in the 1990s which almost always involved killing the opponent. It is still used by some of the special forces. Due to its lack of flexibility, LINE was succeeded by the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program or MCMAP in recent years. LINE’s dangerous and lethal techniques are not applicable in peacekeeping operations or other non-emergency situations.
- Vale Tudo. This is a Portuguese word that means “anything goes”. This full contact combat sport, famous in Brazil has no many rules and adopts techniques from a variety of martial arts. This has grown to be an extremely bloody and harmful combat sport that it had to go underground.
- Ninjutsu. This originated from feudal Japan where shinobi or ninja practiced this martial art which focused on non-traditional fighting techniques, surveillance and assassination. The practitioners were sometimes referred to as non-humans or “hinin”.
- Jailhouse Rock. This involved numerous improvisational fighting techniques developed within the US jail system and some of the most common types are Brick City Rock, 52 Handblocks and Stato. This is practically a non-existent martial art because not much is known about them.
- Kapu Ku’ialua. Some call it Lua, a non-traditional martial art from Hawaii that is focused on breaking bones, twisting joints and even open ocean warfare. The name means “two hits”. Practitioners elect to use odd means to secure a win such as coating their bodies with coconut oil so opponents cannot get a grip on them during a fight.
Practicing any kind of lethal martial arts above could be synonymous to fatal injury. Since most martial arts presented above are considered lethal, having strict provisions and formulating rules that would not compromise the fighter’s life in continuously practicing the sport is present.
Famous Martial Arts Experts
Martial arts has been embraced by millions of people all over the world as they drew inspiration from some of the famous martial arts experts who have contribute to the craft in many significant and different ways. Some of the famous martial arts experts include:
Itosu Anko : Karate
Known to be “the Grandfather of Karate,” for his work – creating simplified katas and forms for less advanced students, Itosu Anko is credited for helping the art to gain more mainstream acceptance.
Helio Gracie : Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
He is considered the inventor of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as he took the teachings of Judo and made them less focused on strength but more about leverage. Gracie died in January of 2009 at the age of 95.
Royce Gracie :Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / UFC Tournament
He is Helio Gracie’s son who won three of the first four UFC tournaments, a testament to just how effective Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was – the art his father had invented. He won the tournaments while only weighing approximately 170-180 pounds. At that time there were no weight limits in the tournaments. Royce Gracie’s performance in these early UFC tournaments changed martial arts forever.
Dr. Jigoro Kano : Kodokan Judo
Dr. Kano invented Kodokan Judo at a time when all individualized activities in Japan were waning. Kano’s idea was Kodokan Judo might gain the popularity among martial arts practitioners to make it a sport and become less individualized. He abolished a lot of dangerous Jujutsu techniques and in 1910 Judo became a recognized sport.
Bruce Lee : Jeet Kune Do
Who can ever forget about Bruce Lee? More than an actor, Bruce Lee was a martial arts expert. He founded Jeet Kune Do, a martial arts style designed to live beyond the boundaries of traditional martial arts styles. Lee died in 1973 at a young age of 32.
Morihei Ueshiba : Aikido
He founded Aikido, which is a unique Japanese style of fighting that was peaceful in nature. This craft was about true self-defense, where a fighter uses an opponent’s aggression against them.
Kenshiro Abbe : 8th Dan Judo
Abbe was the master who introduced Kendo, Aikido, Karate, Kyodo, Jukendo, Iaido, Yarido and Naginatado to Europe. He was born in Japan but went to England when he was 40 years old, in 1955. Two years later he had formed British Councils for various martial arts – Judo, Karate and Kendo. Seven years later, the Judo Council was the second largest Judo organization in England.
Mike Anderson : Sport Karate and Kickboxing
Known as the “Father of Sport Karate and Kickboxing”, Mike Anderson is one of the foremost authorities on competitive combat sports, both in the U.S. and internationally. He trained in the Jhoon Rhee system of tae kwon do under Allen Steen and taught karate in Europe. He competed and won the All European Open Karate Tournament four times and the U.S. Armed Forces Karate Championships twice.
Christine Bannon Rodrigues : Kenpo and Wu Shu
As young as 13 years old, she studied Kenpo and Wu Shu never thinking she would reign supreme in the world of martial arts. She earned her black belt when she was 17 years old. In 1991, she became a Triple Crown winner at the WAKO World Championships in England, winning three medals in forms, fighting and weapons. And in 1993, she repeated history as she won the Triple Crown for the second time, convincing the world that her winning was no “freak occurrence”.
To know the most popular martial arts created, you can check this post.