Thai boxing, what kind of sport is it? This question is asked by many who are just beginning to become interested in the ancient world of martial arts. Most people have virtually no idea where this contact sport came from and confuse it with kickboxing.

However, these are two different sports areas. Thai boxing is a fighting technique based on delivering a combination of blows to the enemy. This type of martial arts does not use holds or painful techniques. Therefore, opponents work in sparring at short and medium distances.

Due to the high speed of attack, such fights often turn into a full clinch, where elbows and knees begin to be used. What is Muay Thai compared to other martial arts? This is a modern sports discipline in which championships at various levels are held all over the world.

It is also worth noting that the most famous and titled Thai boxing championship K-1 pays the winner a prize fund of $1 million. Therefore, many professional fighters strive to be at this event and become part of the Muay Thai legend.

In addition to its high sporting accolades, Muay Thai is used by many people as an excellent weight loss workout. This is due to the fact that all exercises and techniques of martial arts are designed for greater endurance.

A high number of repetitions and constant cardio exercises have an excellent effect on the figure and cope with fat deposits even faster than classes in a fitness room with installed diet.

Kickboxing and Muay Thai differences

The martial art of Thailand in the form of Muay Thai is significantly different from kickboxing. If you look at them more closely. Using the example of sparring, you can immediately detect a visual and main difference.

Kickboxing does not use other body parts other than the hands and feet. Hitting other parts of the body is strictly prohibited. Muay Thai uses the shins, elbows and forearms.

If you continue to study sparring, you can also find a difference in the distance of the fight. In kickboxing, this distance is designed for medium and long-range combat. In Muay Thai, actions are also carried out at short distances in the form of a clinch, when elbows and knees are used.

How to do Thai boxing classes

A large number of activities in this sport are devoted specifically to honing strikes. Athletes repeat each strike thousands of times, at a certain point bringing the action to automaticity.

After this, the next stage of training is carried out in which. Practiced and studied techniques begin to be combined into 2-4 powerful strikes. The entire fight consists of precisely such developed combinations.

Particular attention is also paid to speed and endurance exercises. This is necessary to make all techniques more agile and sharp. If you watch the main championships, you will notice that all athletes with high titles have a lean physique.

The advantages of this sport

The main advantage of practicing this type of martial arts is the physical development of all the muscles of the body. Complexes of exercises and punch training are designed in such a way as to harden the body as much as possible. High cardio loads are beneficial for both the respiratory and cardiac systems.

In order to sign up for Thai boxing, you can contact our club. Here, experienced trainers with the title of master of sports conduct daily classes, both group and individual. The gym has everything you need to hone your skills to a professional level.

Anyone who has seen Tony Jaa in action will see the benefits of Muay Thai. Explosive plyometric training, which is at the core of any Muay Thai fighter's training, allows you to achieve such physical fitness that the impossible becomes possible.

Muay Thai, also known as the “science of eight limbs,” is taught to military and police officers in Thailand due to its lethal potential in close combat. The fighters, using their feet, knees, fists and elbows, unleash a hail of blows on their opponents that can crush any adherent of good old English boxing - provided that the opponents do not differ much in weight and level of physical fitness.

“Muay Thai is considered one of the deadliest martial arts in the world,” says Kru Sean Boland, professional trainer and founder of the Chao Phraya Muay Thai Academy. “Our fighters are regularly tested for strength in battles within the famous K1 championships and often win them.” But Thai boxing is not only about winning in the ring. “Muay Thai is designed to develop agility, endurance and flexibility, and adherents of this martial art tend to be strong and lean,” confirms Boland.

Introducing the program Boland uses to train his students. With its help, you will completely rebuild your body and reach new heights in the gym in less than a month. And if you need inspiration for these activities, watch this video:

Cult film: "Thai Warrior"
Cult Hero: Tony Jaa as Tiang

Fighting pressure

Master the secrets of Muay Thai to gain explosive strength and maximize the power of your legs.

Your program for 4 weeks

Do these exercises 3 times a week. Always start with the warm-up described below. For classes in the first and second weeks, choose one exercise each from groups A and B and two exercises from group C, ending the session with interval training with a jump rope for 6 minutes. In the third and fourth weeks, do 2 exercises from group A at a time, one from group B, then work with a pear and finally 2 exercises from group B. Combine exercises in such a way that each session is different from the previous one. The order of execution can be any - starting with exercises from group A and ending with exercises from group B is not necessary. End each session by jogging for 20 minutes. for a cool down.

Warm-up

1. Run and hit Within 30 sec. Run in place, then add a combination of forward and upward punches to your run. You are also given 30 seconds for these movements. Rest for 20 seconds.

2. Block Stand in a standing position and, jumping in place, raise one or the other knee to your chest in turn for a minute. Rest for 20 seconds. and start training.

Group A. Increase your power

With your butt back, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then straighten up, simultaneously sharply throwing your right knee forward and up.

Repeat with the other leg. This is 1 repetition, do 10 of these and rest for 1 minute.

Combine jumping jacks and push-ups, each time adding or subtracting 2 repetitions according to the following scheme: first do 2 jumps and 2 push-ups, then 4 jumps and 4 push-ups, then 6 jumps and 6 push-ups, then 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. This is one approach, do 2-3 of these, rest between approaches for 30 seconds, after - 1.5 minutes.

With your butt back, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then jump up and simultaneously turn your whole body 180 degrees clockwise. This is 1 repetition. On your next rep, turn 180 degrees counterclockwise. Perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions. Rest between sets 30 seconds, after - 1.5 minutes.

Group B. Gain Deadly Power

Place your feet at double shoulder width. Bend over and place your hands on the floor. Move them forward without moving your legs until you reach a lying position. Push up and return to the starting position. Do 15–20 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds.

Get into a lying position and do one push-up. When you're in the top position, throw a forward punch with one arm, then push up and throw a hook with the other arm. This is two repetitions. Do 20-30 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds.

"Don't wag your tongue until the fight is over"

Tony Jaa

Hit the pears

Perform these exercises as part of your workout in weeks three and four.

Monday and Thursday

100 beat session

• 25 straight punches (jab/cross)
• 25 straight kicks

Rest for 30 seconds.

Wednesday and Friday

200 beat session

At a fast pace and without rest, do:

• 25 straight punches (jab/cross)
• 25 straight kicks
• 25 knee strikes (hold the bag with your hands)
• 25 side kicks (each leg)

Rest for 30 seconds. and repeat again.

Group B. Work your core muscles

Lie on the floor on your back and stretch your arms behind your head, touching them to the floor. At the same time, raise your arms and legs so that they meet above your stomach, return to the starting position. Repeat 15–20 times. Rest 1 minute. before the next exercise.

Thai boxing or Muay Thai- the pearl of martial arts of the peoples of Southeast Asia, a unique tradition with a centuries-old history. The most vivid expression of the cultural heritage of the Thais was found in Muay Thai, without which it is impossible to imagine modern Thailand. To understand the essence of modern Thai boxing, one should at least briefly consider the general evolution of Thai martial arts, the historical background against which its origin and development took place. It should be noted that the real origins of Muay Thai will probably never be found, since most of the historical records disappeared forever in 1767, when Burmese troops razed the ancient capital of the Siamese kingdom, Ayutthaya. Therefore, the process of evolution of the traditional martial arts of Siam described here (Siam was the official name of Thailand until 1939 and in 1945-48), up to the beginning of the 17th century, is only an attempt at its historical reconstruction.

The little information that has survived to this day has been preserved mainly in the historical archives of the states neighboring Thailand: Burma, Kampuchea, Laos, as well as the historical kingdom of Chieng Mai (Chieng Mai is a medieval feudal state in northern Thailand, founded in 1296. King Mangrai.In the 16th-18th centuries it was alternately a vassal of Siam and Burma, and in 1775 it finally became part of the Kingdom of Siam), Vietnam, China and in the records of the first Europeans who visited Siam. These data are often contradictory and fragmented, which affects the accuracy of the description of the history of Muay Thai in modern literature.

Who are the Thais? The true origin of the Thai nation still remains unknown. It is believed that the Thai tribes came to Southeast Asia through China from the Altai Mountains, so modern Thailand is not their historical homeland. The ancestors of today's Thais were peoples united by belonging to a single language group (Thai languages), which included the tribes Tai, Lao, Zhuang, Shan, Bui Siamese (Khon-Tai) and others. The territories inhabited by Thai tribes occupied mountain plateaus to the south from the Yangtze River to what is now the Chinese province of Yunnan. Most of the Chinese lived at that time to the east, in the central and Pacific regions of modern China. Early Chinese chronicles (the first Chinese records concerning the Thais date back to the 6th century BC) indicate that the Thai tribes cultivated rice in the valleys. Based on archaeological finds on the Korat Plateau in northeastern Thailand, some scientists consider this area to be the world's oldest rice-producing region and the birthplace of Earth's Bronze Age (approximately 3000 BC).

Objectively speaking, it is difficult to judge the existence of any martial arts systems on the border of the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, but if you follow the statements of Thai historians, then already somewhere in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. in the territory inhabited by Thai tribes, there was a system of hand-to-hand combat, which arose on the basis of the experience of fighting the Chinese (the military knowledge of the Thai nation until the 13th century was based mainly on the experience of fighting against the Chinese and Mongols). Since this century, Siam has been waging large-scale wars with Burma and the neighboring kingdoms of Cambodia and Chieng Mai. Chiengrai et al. Most likely, the time of appearance of any kind of hand-to-hand combat systems in Thailand should be attributed to a thousand years later, namely to the 15th century BC, when the first proto-states appeared in China in the Huang River basin. It is from the Shan-Yin era (xiv - xi centuries BC) that some of the first images of weapons fighting techniques found in China date back to the era.

By the end of the 1st millennium BC. In the territories occupied by Thai tribes, protohistorical states began to form, the names of which were preserved in the Chinese dynastic chronicles of this period.

One of the first formations of this kind was the large state of Funan (1st - 6th centuries AD), which occupied the territory of the delta and middle reaches of the Mekong River and included half of modern Thailand and all of Cambodia. Funan, whose ruling class was composed of Hindus, played a key role in the politics and economy of Southeast Asia during that period. During the 1st millennium AD. Thai tribes were organized into so-called "muangs" ("lands"), headed by appanage princes "chao" ("fathers of the people") and a centenary administration. The Muang social system was based on feudal-tribal relations and was a combination of vertical and horizontal class ties. Neighboring Muangs often united to resist their warlike neighbors - the Chinese and Vietnamese, with whom most of the military conflicts took place.

Education played a key role in the formation of a unified Thai nation in the middle of the 7th century. on the territory of southern China (modern Yunnan province) of the state of Nanzhao (from the 9th century - Dali), which existed until the 13th century. The ruling Chinese Tang dynasty, which was threatened from the north by nomads and powerful Western states (Tibet, etc.), decided to secure its southwestern borders by forcing the creation of a friendly state in Yunnan, consisting of various nationalities, called “southern barbarians” in China. However, if initially Nanzhao was an ally of China, in subsequent centuries it became its rival, spreading its influence into the territory of modern Burma and northern Vietnam.

In 1235, the Mongol armies of Kublai Khan conquered Nanzhao and it became part of the great Yuan Empire. The role of Nanzhao in Thai history was twofold. The creation of a buffer state, on the one hand, stimulated the migration of Thai tribes to the south, and on the other, slowed down Chinese cultural and economic influence from the north for many centuries. Otherwise, the Thais would simply assimilate into the Chinese cultural environment like many small nationalities of modern China. After the creation of the state, Nanzhao was formed, one of the Thai appanage princes who ruled in this territory, Kunlo (around the 7th century AD), managed to unite the six largest Thai principalities and proclaim their independence.

He is also credited with creating elite military units, consisting of both men and women, that were based in the Kong River area. The management of these units was based on an extremely harsh military code, according to which, for example, only those soldiers who were wounded in the front part of the body were subject to treatment. Those who were wounded in the back were punished by death as cowards who failed to fulfill their military duty. The military tactics of the elite units largely predetermined the methods of combat during this period. To protect the front of the body, warriors wore special armor made from strips of thick leather sewn onto clothing, and typical weapons consisted, as a rule, of a traditional Thai sword. Only a few warriors had spears or other polearms.

Signs of belonging to elite units were cat tails attached to helmets and a red tattoo on the body. In battles, these units were always ahead of the troops, and in order to become a member of them, it was necessary to pass very difficult tests. Kunlo is also considered the founder of "fandab" - the Thai art of sword fencing. It should be noted that the emergence of fencing art in Thailand is closely related to the development of Chinese martial arts. The ancient Thai sword fighting system, which existed at the end of the 1st millennium BC, was completely based on the Chinese model, as was the type of sword itself, called "dab check". It differed from its Chinese counterpart only in its shortened handle.

In the south of Thailand, the shape of the Thai sword underwent some changes, as a result of which three new varieties emerged, used more as tools of peasant labor. The first type of sword, “to,” had a rounded blade at one end and was used for cutting tree branches in the jungle (analogous to the Mexican machete). Another sword, called a dab, had a curved blade, allowing it to be used for cutting grass and bamboo shoots. And finally, the third type of sword, the “pong dub,” had a double-edged, hardened blade with curves at both ends and was an ideal tool for both labor and combat. However, it was from the “dab” that the classic ancient Thai sword “dab thai” emerged, the fighting technique of which over time became very different from Chinese two-sword fencing.

In Chinese chronicles dating back to the Ta Dynasty (618-907), the term "dab nanzhao" appears, first appearing in records dating back to 649 AD. The report to the emperor mentions a strange and unpredictable fencing technique that came from the territory of the Thai tribes, against which it is very difficult to defend. As a summary, the consideration was expressed to refrain from attacking the Thais until all the secrets of this art were learned. As it turned out, this fencing technique was distinguished by the use, in combination with a sword, of hand-to-hand combat techniques "pachuhu" or "plow" (the approximate translation of this term is "multilateral combat"), which included blows with fists, legs, elbows and knees. Much later in Dub Nanzhao began to be used two double-edged swords at the same time, using their handles to carry out throws and painful techniques (including on joints) according to principles that are still preserved in Thai massage and acupressure.Fencing with two swords to some extent anticipated the emergence of the Thai fencing system "Krabi Krabong", the very first evidence of which appeared only in the middle of the 14th century.

Warriors of the "Golden Age"

In the 13th century. The migration of the Thai tribes Tai and Lao, who, under the onslaught of the Mongol nomads of Kublai Khan, moved from their places of permanent residence in Yunnan further to the south, reached its maximum.

In the south was the empire of Kambujadesh, consisting of the Khmer and Mon peoples (the first states of the Mons, a people whose origins are still unknown, arose on the territory of modern Thailand in the 1st-11th centuries; in the 13th century, Thai tribes that penetrated from the north settled the country and merged with the monks.), who subjugated the local tribes. In general, the migration of Thai tribes began much earlier, and by this period they were already living in such remote territories to the west as Assam (now the Indian state of Assam), and in the southwest they occupied the region of modern Burma (Shans).

Individual Thai tribes known as the Thai Dam (Black Thai), Thai Deng (Red Thai), and Thai Kao (White Thai) settled in the southeastern regions of Tonkin and Annam (northern and central part of modern Vietnam). The fight against the Mongols and the attack on the Mon and Khmer empires strengthened the power of the Thai leaders and at the end of the 13th century. in the northern part of Central Indochina, the Buddhist states of the Lao people Chieng Mai (1296) and Langsang arose, and in the northwestern territory of the Mons, subordinate to the Khmers, along the Ping River (a tributary of the Menama), the state of the Thai people Sukhothai (1238) was the cradle of Thai civilization. In 1238, with the coming to power of King Indraditya, the reign of the first royal dynasty in Thai history, Sukhothai, began, which lasted until 1350.

One of the first collections of records on Thai martial arts was compiled by the third son of King Indraditya Ram Kamhaeng ("Rama the Great"), who ascended the throne in 1275. Ram Kamhaeng is called the "father of the Thai nation", paying tribute to the enormous socio-economic and administrative changes he contributed to during his reign. In addition to the fact that he annexed the southern territories of Siam up to the tip of the Malacca Peninsula, “Rama the Great” is also known as the creator of the Thai alphabet. The "golden age" of Sukhothai under Ram Kamhaeng lasted until his death in 1317, after which the kingdom practically disintegrated and the capital became depopulated. The above-mentioned collection of records was called “tamrab pichaisonkram” (“Book of ways to achieve victory in war” (also known as “Chupasat”)) and consisted of preserved heterogeneous materials on tactics and strategy of battle, magical rituals, records of old hand-to-hand combat techniques , and also contained information on astrology and astronomy.

The collection included both Thai and Chinese sources. In general, there is an opinion that in the 10th century. BC. One of the most ancient Thai secret treatises on hand-to-hand combat came to China, on the basis of which the first Chinese instructions on this topic were compiled. However, all this looks like nothing more than fiction. After the fall of the Sukhothai dynasty, most of the collection was lost. Some records relating to Buddhism and martial arts have been preserved in Buddhist monasteries, some in Chinese, Burmese and Cambodian historical archives, but in general very little information has survived to this day. However, the overall picture can be restored to some extent. Thus, all sources almost unanimously agree that there was no cavalry in the Siamese army. The troops consisted of infantry armed with swords ("tahan gao") and crews of war elephants ("tahan chang"). Women fought equally with men and had equal status with them. Siamese warriors used a hand-to-hand fighting style known as plowing.

According to Chinese chronicles, their movements were unpredictable, and all striking surfaces of the body were actively used as weapons. Before the battle, warriors performed rituals of worshiping the gods and calling upon patron spirits. Three types of weapons were used in the Pakhyut: long polearm (spear, pole or various types of halberds), standard (sword) and special-purpose weapons, which evolved from defensive devices. In the latter case, we mean the protective sleeve “kra zok”, which was used to strike in battle by analogy with the technique of using the “krabong” pole. The art of wielding long weapons was called “ten chang” (“elephant stick fencing”), as it was practiced by warriors as part of war elephant crews. The system of hand-to-hand combat also included independently developed techniques for belaying when falling from elephants, and a little later all this was united under the single name “plow”.

When the migrating Thai tribes reached the central regions of modern Thailand, the capital of the Rook region (now Kanchanaburi, Western Thailand) became the large city of Suwannapum. It was founded on the ruins of the ancient city of the same name, built by the Hindus. Now this place in western Thailand is called Nakhon Pratom. Four large cities appeared near Suvannapum: Rachaburi, Tranasauri, Singburi and Petburi (Kanchanaburi). The Suwannapum area is known as the birthplace of the new fencing system "Dab Suwan-Napum" or "Dab Kanchanaburi", which replaced the "Dab Nanzhao". Until the 14th century. The best gunsmiths in Thailand were located here, so Suwannaphum was a place of pilgrimage for fencers from all over the country.

This fact is reflected in rock records from the time of Ram Kamhaeng. The city of Suwannapum is associated with a legend about the “heavenly cave” (“there is kuhasavan”), where the “plow” hand-to-hand combat system was allegedly created, the founders of which are considered to be five great masters: Kru Kun Plaai, Kru Lam, Kru Sri Treirat and the daughter of Kru Kun Plaaya, Kru Mae Bua. Indeed, frescoes found in the caves of Kanchanaburi confirm the theory that this place was one of the oldest centers for training in martial arts.

According to legend, the cave was the resting place of a certain female deity who descended from heaven in human form, and was a kind of “door between the “upper world” and the world of people. Only those who possessed magical powers could pass through this “door.” The cave other deities were also used to come down to earth and help those who asked the gods for help.Once a deity in the form of a raven ("quangthep"), who was returning to heaven, tried to follow a demon ("yak"), who raised a terrible noise in attempts to open the "door" with the help of his magical power. The deity in the female form, who was resting in the cave at that time, was terribly frightened and immediately flew back, but in a hurry lost his cloak. At the same time, Kru Kun Plaai dreamed in a dream, that the spirits of the ancestors advise him to find a cave where he could receive knowledge from them and develop his spirit.

Since in Thailand dreams are considered one of the ways to pass to other worlds, he took his vision as concrete advice and, having started searching for a magical place, he actually soon came across a cave where he discovered some half-rotted pieces of fabric. Deciding that this was the same cave of spirits, Kru Kun Plaai settled in it along with the rest of the plow masters. There they received supernatural knowledge ("saya sat") and learned the highest art of fighting, including the use of various types of weapons. All five masters remained in the cave until the moment of complete "enlightenment", after which their souls ("chit") left their physical bodies ("rang") during meditation and they ceased their earthly existence in human form. However, their higher spiritual essences ("phi") continued to remain in the cave. All five turned into higher beings (“tep”), who could appear anywhere and take any form, including temporarily inhabiting human bodies, transferring their knowledge to people, and just as mysteriously disappear. Mortals were not allowed to visit the cave, since the magical powers present in it could cause dire consequences and lead to the death of the daredevil who dared to disturb the peace of the spirits.

One day, many years later, a wandering Buddhist preacher, monk Phra Tu-dong, thanks to his spiritual asceticism, managed to see the entrance to the cave. He asked the spirits of the cave for permission to enter it in order to gain knowledge that could help people in this world. Next to the cave, the monk built a small Buddhist temple called Wat Tam Kuhasavan ("temple of the heavenly cave"). This temple, also known as Wat Tam, is located in Namtok Saiyok Noi near Kanchanaburi.

The first of the five great teachers of Pahhut who are mentioned in the legend was Kru Koon Plaai, who came from the Nanzhchao region, where the Thais lived. He came from a family of hereditary shamans and from childhood received deep knowledge of magic and smell. According to legend, his retinue consisted of spirits who, together with him, formed a detachment of invulnerable warriors who participated in the war with the Chinese. Even the monkeys, the herds of which inhabited Lop Ri, once allegedly formed his retinue. In the same city, Kru Koon Plaai, a monument was erected as the “patron saint father”. At the same time, in Supanburi he is worshiped as the protector of the jungle “chao po saming plaai” (“holy father of the spirit of tigers”), and in Kanchanaburi Kru Khun Plaai is the patron saint of the mountains. His daughter was also a famous perfumer and healer who treated with herbs and "holy water" squeezed from her hair. A memorial monument was erected to her in Bangkok.

The third of the "Five Great Ones" was a hunter from the mountains (Mung (modern Burma) Kru Sri Treirat ("teacher of the three principles"), who developed the three basic principles of pakhyut: strike, hold and fall (roll). His students could hope to meet the teacher only in jungle, from where he never left. A more real historical figure is, apparently, Kru Lam, born into a peasant family from the city of Chingtung (northern Thailand). Kru Lam's entire body was covered with a blue tattoo, which was subsequently copied by many Thai fighters .Before this, tattoos were applied exclusively with red paint, symbolizing respect for the spirits of the ancestors. Kru Lam first developed a protective breastplate and combat leggings, taking the Chinese model as a basis, so his pakhyuta method took into account the use of protective devices. Statues of a warrior in Kru Lam armor stand in Thailand in many places, recalling the threat that awaits a warrior in battle.Kru Lam also identified five types of weapons, for which he is revered as the teacher of “aud thai” - the Thai art of fighting with weapons.

The last of the masters listed, Kru Fong, belonged to the Tai tribe, which originated from one of the central regions of modern China. Following the tradition of his ancestors, he studied the techniques of traditional fencing, which later included the methods of the pahyuta of Kru Sri Treirat and Kru Kun Plaai. Kru Phong also developed the concept of fandab - Thai sword fencing, which was later used for training in some fencing schools in northern Thailand, Ayutthaya and Chanthaburi. The crossed swords hanging above the entrance to the training halls are a sign of respect to Kru Fong. It is quite possible that the legends about the five masters have some kind of historical basis, based on real historical figures. There is also no doubt that some rituals, rites and hand-to-hand combat techniques, reflected in modern Muay Thai, go back to this period.

Methods of hand-to-hand combat in ancient Siam developed against the background of improving methods of warfare in general, so even the use of war elephants influenced the formation of Thai martial arts. One of the legends, in which the use of war elephants in “personal combat” is first mentioned, is associated with the already mentioned city of Suvannapum. According to it, the court oracle ("hoh") of King Phraya Kong predicted to the pregnant queen that her unborn son would kill his father. The king, having learned about this, became so furious that he ordered the immediate death of the child who was born. However, the queen preceded him by replacing her son, who was secretly given to be raised by a wet nurse in the city of Rachaburi, where he grew up. The young man, who received the name Pan, turned out to be a very talented warrior. He quickly rose through the ranks and soon received the title of commander-in-chief ("praya"). As fate would have it, Phraya Pan soon wanted to rule Rachaburi alone, and the king had to send troops to suppress the uprising.

In the battle, Phraya Pan deployed his troops in a manner unknown to either the Indian or Khmer commanders of the time, and the king was soon forced into mortal combat himself. Phraya Pan invited him to measure his strength one-on-one, sitting on war elephants, before sending his troops into battle. The king found it impossible to refuse, although he had never fought mounted on an elephant before, and in the short battle that followed he was killed. The oracle's prediction came true. Inspired by the victory, Phraya Pan ordered his troops to immediately capture the city of Kanchanaburi. In addition, he announced that he intended to marry the wife of the fallen king in order to stop possible attempts at uprising in Rachaburi. When the courtiers reported that this was his mother, and the murdered king was his father, Phraya Pan lost his mind with grief and blamed everything on his adoptive mother, whom he ordered to be executed. As a sign of repentance for what he had done, a memorial pagoda was erected in Nakhon Pratom.

The equipment and tactics of using the Thai war elephant have Indo-Cambodian roots. Thus, the combat crew consisted of four warriors, each of whom performed their own functions. The first of them, as a rule, a very experienced warrior, sat in front on the elephant’s neck and was called “nasyk” (“front line”). Usually this was the commander ("chao raya") or one of the high-ranking members of the royal house. The functions of the nasyk included monitoring the progress of the battle on the ground and choosing a battle strategy. As a rule, this warrior had excellent command of one of the types of long polearms ("krabong"), and also had to be able to maintain his position during unexpected movements of the elephant, without ceasing to command the soldiers below.

There was even a special instruction regulating the duties of the nasyk. During the campaign, he was slightly behind his combat position, which was occupied by the elephant driver during the march. This warrior, called the "crabone" ("peacock feathers"), performed all the functions of caring for the animal. He had a fan of peacock feathers, which, using a system of conditioned signals, transmitted orders to the soldiers below. Crabown observed the warriors covering the elephant's legs and the behavior of the animal itself, turning directly to the nasik if necessary. In addition, he had to monitor the serviceability of his weapons and ensure the protection of the nasyk in case of serious danger. Often this required the driver to be present directly next to the fill, for which he had to move forward from his place. Although this distance did not exceed one or two meters, such a maneuver in battle conditions on a swaying elephant required truly monkey-like agility, and it often happened that the mahout fell down.

Sometimes he himself had to jump off the elephant, although this was severely punished, since he did not have the right to leave his post without permission. However, if the roost fell to the ground, the craboon did not hesitate to throw himself down, risking being crushed, but not wanting to neglect his duty as a bodyguard. Of course, if you fell from an elephant in battle, the chances of survival were minimal, but during plowing training, warriors specially prepared for such situations. The textbook on the art of warfare “tamrab pichaisonkram” described special techniques to minimize the risk of falling from an elephant. These techniques were called "vich, tokchang", later simply "tokchang". However, according to historical information, the greatest percentage of losses among fighters was accounted for by the driver warriors.

The third character was the “krabang lang” (“rear defender”), who sat behind the mahout with his back to him and was called upon to protect the elephant and the entire “crew” from an unexpected attack from behind. This warrior was armed with a long polearm, which he had to master perfectly, as well as plowing techniques. His position was extremely unstable, and his freedom of movement was limited, since he had to be careful not to hit the people sitting behind him with his weapon.

And finally, four more warriors, called “prakob bat” (“leg protectors”), guarded each leg of the elephant separately. The legs of the war elephant were not covered with protective shields, so any injury from a spear or sword could end very badly for everyone: the elephant could either die, collapsing with its entire crew, or go berserk from pain and rush to crush its own troops. The combat task of the “leg protectors”, armed with two swords, was not at all easy. It was necessary, like the “two-faced Janus,” to repel enemy attacks from the front and make sure that the elephant did not trample them from behind. In addition, they were charged with helping everyone who fell from the back of an elephant. The same four warriors (“prakob tau”) protected the legs of the royal elephant. It was from these people that the first group of personal bodyguards ("onkarak") of the Siamese king was subsequently formed.

Beautiful and indestructible

In 1350, the Sukhothai dynasty lost its influence, and another Siamese royal house from the lower reaches of the Chao Phraya River came to power, where the new capital of the state, the city of Ayutthaya, appeared. The dynasty of the same name, which saw 33 kings, lasted until 1767, when Siam was captured by Burmese troops and its capital was completely destroyed. With the advent of the Ayutthaya dynasty, foreigners began to call the Thai state the “Kingdom of Siam” (the name is obviously related to the Sanskrit word “shiam”, i.e. “dark-skinned”). Over these four centuries, Thai martial arts have undergone significant changes.

Somewhere else at the end of the 10th century. The ruler of the city of Outong, which later became known as Sri Ayutthaya (“beautiful and indestructible”), Phra Pansa, first organized the plowing competition. This spectacle was intended as a folk festival and a game of chance for the entire population at the same time. It should be said that the passion for gambling is a characteristic national feature of the Thais, and even now any competition is unimaginable without betting. The fights were friendly and, according to the rules, killing an opponent was not allowed. This type of competition came to be called “muay”, or “pa-nan muay” (“muay” means “fight, duel”, and “pa-nan” means “betting”), and it was the forerunner of modern Muay Thai. The focus of this early form of boxing competition was purely on technical superiority over the opponent.

Phra Pansa himself is revered as the founder of the competitive form of Muay Thai that grew out of these fights. The ancient betting included not only performances by Panan Muay fighters, but also other forms of entertainment where people could bet and place bets. These included cockfighting "Muay Kai" - an entertainment extremely popular throughout Southeast Asia, fights between fighting fish "Muay Pla Kad" (extraordinarily beautiful, but terribly pugnacious "cockerel" fish (betta splendens regan) that live in aquariums lovers, are precisely a type of Thai fighting fish), as well as fights between cobras and mongooses “Muay Ngu”. Chinese fighters practicing various styles of wushu often took part in the fights, so in such cases the manager made an announcement about the fight “Muay check”, which meant “a fight with the Chinese”.

Initially, Panan Muay did not have a ring or any competition rules. A plot of densely trampled earth with four knee-high wooden posts located at the corners of the site (“lag muay”) was allotted for the arena. The fighters' trainers sat on poles and took bets on the fighters from the spectators. Two more poles were installed as additional areas for collecting applications. Spectators watched the fights while sitting on the ground. Bets were considered accepted when both sides gave a conditional signal, symbolizing permission to begin the fight.

The role of the organizer and referee, who completely controlled the situation on the site and determined the winner, was played by only one person for whom holding Panan Muay fights was his livelihood. In the case where the fights were held by the royal house, civil servants were chosen as referees, who were prohibited from betting. Before the fight, both fighters performed a ceremonial dance in honor of their teachers, ancestral spirits and gods. This ritual, known as ram wai kru, continues to this day. Panan Muay fights took place in the atmosphere of a folk festival and were accompanied by music designed to encourage the fighters, which was performed by musicians from among the spectators. Rituals related to Panan Muay have survived to the present day in the folklore of northern Thailand. Initially, musical accompaniment played the role of a background against which the celebration took place, but later music began to regulate the course of the fight itself.

At the very beginning, when the fighters move slowly, performing ram wai kru, the music sounds smooth and calm, emphasizing the solemnity of the situation. As tension increases, the fighters' movements become more and more abrupt, turning into a real flurry of furious attacks. At the same time, the rhythm accelerates and acquires a completely frantic character at the most climactic moments of the fight. The Wong Muay orchestra included five main instruments: the Indonesian flute "pi chawa", the Indian double drums "klong kek" with different pitches: "tua pu" (drum with a "male (high) voice") and "tua mia" " (a drum with a "female (low) voice"), another drum of southern Thai origin "khong" and metal dulcimer "ching".

Similar musical accompaniment to fights has been preserved in Thai boxing to this day. Already in the second half of the 15th century. The eighth king of Ayutthaya, Boromotrailokanatha (1448-1488), revised the provisions of the military treatise "Tamrab Pichaisonkram" and made changes regarding the command and control of troops. Soon, in 1518, the Portuguese king Manuel was the first European to establish diplomatic relations with Siam. The Portuguese introduced firearms into the country, and their mercenaries helped the Thais in the first war against the young kingdom of Burma. Such help came in handy and Siam won.

First half of the 16th century. was the beginning of a series of Siamese-Burmese wars, which in turn contributed to the development of the military skills of the Thais. In 1569, the Thais lost their freedom for the first time. Their capital Ayutthaya was occupied by the troops of the Burmese coalition, led by the ruler of the Burmese state of Taung-gu, Bayinnaun. Thirteen-year-old Siamese crown prince Phra Ongdamm (later known as King Nare-suan the Great) was captured as a hostage and taken to Burma. However, the Burmese king treated the young prince like a son and gave him a good education. Among other things, Naresuan also studied Burmese martial arts. When the prince turned 19, the king allowed him to return home. By this time, Ayutthaya had already been granted some autonomy, since the young Burmese state could not hold all the captured territories for long. Ayutthaya was headed by Naresuan's father, a native of the ruling Sukhothai dynasty, Maha Dharmaracha.

Returning home, young Naresuan in 1571 in Phitsanulok, based on community self-defense units, created the “wild tigers” youth fighting units and led the resistance movement against the Burmese presence in Siam, relying on the Thai diaspora in Burma (in addition to the Thais in the north-west of the country, in the central regions of Burma were inhabited by people from India and Ceylon, and in the south - the Mon ethnic group). On the night of June 14, 1584, Naresuan held the mystical ceremony of "rang sinotok", symbolizing the independence of the Siamese state, and began the struggle to liberate the country from Burmese rule and unite the disparate Thai ethnic groups, which in itself was not an easy task. Naresuan fought in all battles in the front ranks side by side with his warriors, and many stories about his fearlessness and courage have survived to this day.

Thus, during the storming of the Burmese fortress of Kai Phraya Nakhon, the prince, holding his famous assault sword “dab kabkai” in his teeth, was one of the first to climb its wall. At the same time, he was wounded several times by Burmese spears, but even after falling down, he found the strength to continue the battle. Naturally, Naresuan's prestige among the population was very high and in 1590 he became the king of the Thais. Naresuan founded special training centers for Siamese warriors, which led to the flourishing of Thai martial arts proper (mostly fencing, as well as military strategy and tactics). He lived his life as a real warrior, spending almost 30 years in continuous campaigns, and died in 1605 during a military campaign against the Burmese state of Ava.

Art of Kings

One of the stories concerning King Naresuan and described in the Thai chronicles tells of his famous “personal” duel (“yuttahatti”) in the general battle of 1593 with the commander-in-chief of the Burmese troops, Crown Prince Phra Maha Upparacha, who led the campaign against Ayutthaya. Naresuan's war elephant became separated from the front line of his troops and was surrounded by the Burmese. However, the Thai king was not at a loss and challenged the crown prince to a duel. And since in their childhood they were raised together at the court of King Hongsavadi, honor did not allow the Burmese to evade the duel. True, in addition to war elephants, drivers and servants from both sides took part in it, so it could hardly be called “personal combat.”

Pra Maha Upparacha was the first to strike with a combat halberd, but only damaged Naresuan's helmet. The retaliatory strike with the royal halberd reached its target and the prince was killed on the spot. Having lost their commander-in-chief, the Burmese soldiers stopped resisting and the Thais won. All the attributes of King Naresuan (helmet, halberd and elephant) “participating” in the duel began to be respectfully referred to as: the helmet - “pra malabyeng” (“His (Royal Highness’s) helmet, cut by a halberd.” Until now, in theatrical productions from the actor, playing the role of Naresuan, his headdress is knocked off.

Most modern experts believe that the Thai martial art form known as Thai boxing, or Muay Thai, acquired its characteristic appearance in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Already under King Naresuan, the main features of Thai hand-to-hand combat can be seen. Fisticuffs, as a form of competitive combat, first came onto the scene under the twenty-first king of Ayutthaya, Prachao Prasat Tonga (1630-1655), who was famous for building a small pavilion for training his bodyguards. In this pavilion, exhibition fights with weapons began to be held for the first time. At the same time, also for the first time in the history of Siam, in order to avoid serious injuries, military weapons were replaced with their imitation from ratan. The idea of ​​exhibition battles was inspired by purely practical considerations, since their winners were included in the king’s personal guard.

Fights with weapons gave impetus to similar hand-to-hand fights, which were called "tee muay". For the first time ever, fighters are wearing protective equipment in the form of a special arm bandage made from leather belts or hemp ropes. Since hand wrapping did not allow for wrestling grips, the various grips, throws, falls and rolls available in the arsenal of its predecessor, tee muay, plow, practically fell out of use and the fighters concentrated on striking with their hands and feet in standing positions. At this time, techniques that made it possible to deliver strong knockout blows with fists ("mad") became popular. At the same time, to strengthen the wrapping of the hands, the ropes were often soaked in rice glue and dipped in sand, which led to serious injuries in fights. On the other hand, in the development of the hand-binding technique, many researchers see a key factor in the transformation of Ti Muay into the universal art of Thai fist fighting Muay Thai. Therefore, a more accurate date for the birth of Muay Thai can be considered approximately 1630, when, according to the chronicles of the Ayutthaya dynasty, open palm techniques ceased to be used.

The twenty-second king of Siam, Phra Naray (1656-1688), who ascended the royal throne after Prachao Prasat Tong, began to pursue an “open door” policy towards Western European Catholic states. Siam began to gradually become Europeanized, both in the field of trade, crafts and culture, and in the art of war. The lack of recruits pushed the king to the idea of ​​rebuilding the army along European lines. In addition to structural restructuring, changes also affected weapons. Each soldier was now armed with a sword (dab), spear (hok) and musket, and protective equipment included a rectangular shield and a metal helmet. After a local war with the British in 1678 (the Thais are rightly proud that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized), a round shield was also added to the arsenal of Thai warriors. The soldiers additionally studied musket shooting and practiced tactical maneuvers based on the European model.

From that time on, the spear ceased to be a melee weapon. In addition, the introduction of shields into the army arsenal led to the loss of the art of using the “kra rock” protective armbands, which at one time became the basis for the development of the technique of elbow strikes in tea muay. Instead of Thai soldiers, the bodyguards of King Phra Naray were mercenaries from Portugal, Spain, Denmark and France, and the Indian cavalry and Guyan troops acted as archers. Since 1673, Siam established diplomatic relations with France, where Louis XIV ruled. Naturally, the techniques of tea muay, together with sailors and merchants, came to France. Therefore, there is still debate among historians whether French Savate is a local variety of Muay Thai or is it still an independent trend, the development of which was only stimulated by acquaintance with Thai boxing.

In the middle of the 17th century. plowing receives a new name “ling lom”, associated with the ritual of applying a magical tattoo “sak ling lom” (literally “air monkey tattoo”). It is believed that such a ritual was introduced into Pakhui by the legendary teacher Kru Kun Plaai, who studied the magical art of sayasat. On a tattoo that makes a warrior invulnerable. The creator of the drawing itself was the gravedigger Nai Chu, who combined his duties with serving as a Buddhist preacher. One day, during a tattooing ritual, he spontaneously fell into such a strong trance that he went completely berserk, imagining himself to be Kru Kun Plaai and jumping around like a monkey. Coming out of his trance, Nai Chu stated that the movements he performed were a revelation of the gods and should become the basis for a tattoo design. All plow students were required to wear an “air monkey.” Refusal was considered tantamount to a curse, which sooner or later would lead to the death of the student in question, or at least make him a failure in learning the art of combat. The "air monkey" tattoo has remained unchanged to this day and is worn by many practitioners of Thai martial arts.

The further fate of Nai Chu was such that after the spirit of the great teacher Kru Kun Plaai visited his body, he also began to be considered an outstanding martial artist. Nai Chu continued to study plowing and teach students until his death. Since that time, the very name “smell” began to be used less and less. Instead of the term "plow", the art of hand-to-hand combat began to be called "ling lom" ("air monkey"). Stories that have survived to this day tell of other cases of possession by the spirits of great warriors, when fighters with monkey tau made incomprehensible spontaneous movements, as if entering into battle with an invisible enemy. This gave rise to the use of “air monkey” rituals in various ceremonies to evoke the spirits of ancestral warriors through a special “war dance.” In most of Thailand, these rituals are known as "awakening the spirit of the air monkey", while in the south of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, this ceremony is called "chilad" ("fighting spirits").

For this reason, the word “ling lom” itself began to be interpreted differently: some identified it with the ceremony of the same name to summon the spirits of great warriors, especially Kru Kun Plaaya, while others used this term simply as a synonym for the word “smell,” which led to some confusion. In modern Thailand, only a few people practice plowing called "ling lom". Due to all these misunderstandings and the lack of a sufficient number of knowledgeable teachers, plowing gradually began to lose popularity. The last time the term “plow” is found in a military treatise from the time of the Siamese king Kanarai Waharat (1656-1688) from the Ayutthaya dynasty.

The “golden age” for Muay Thai began during the reign of the twenty-ninth king of the Siamese dynasty, Ayutthaya Prachao Syah, the “Tiger King” (1703-1708). At this time, a real revolution took place in the art of tea muay. The country was in relative peace with its neighbors, so all types of entertainment developed.

Khaak nguang iyara, including fist fighting, reached maximum popularity. The "Tiger King", known for his ferocious temperament, was a great fan of Muay Thai and patronized this art. Then a new term “ram mad ram muay” appeared, meaning a specially organized fight for a prize. The king especially liked some of the techniques, so the fighter who demonstrated them in the duel received a special reward. Particular responsibility fell on the manager of these tournaments, who risked his life if the performance did not please the hot-tempered king or his courtiers. This task was extremely difficult due to the high degree of trauma in fights, which often ended in the death of one of the participants. Therefore, very often in the finals of the tournament there were practically no fighters left who could fulfill all the whims of His Royal Majesty. For the same reason, in the last years of the reign of the “Tiger King” (1707-1708), some changes were made to the rules of ram mad ram muay, designed to reduce the number of injuries among fighters.

First of all, before each round, the participants had to soak the protective bandages on their hands in water (the “pan mad” procedure) to make them softer. In addition, before the fight they were required to wear a groin bandage (“kra chab”), made from halves of a coconut or bivalve shells wrapped in cloth. The battle arena acquired a rectangular shape (“sanam muay”). Sometimes a wooden platform called “koch muay” was built for this purpose. For the first time, they began to count the time of each round (“yok muay”). The Thais used a primitive "hourglass": half a coconut shell with small holes made in it was lowered into a container of water at the beginning of each round. The round continued until the nut shell filled with water and sank to the bottom of the vessel. At the same time, the total time of the fight was not limited. The battle ended only by order of the king or in case of serious injury to one of the participants. The traditional “fighting dance” ceremony of Ram Muay has turned into a real performance of worshiping the spirits of ancestors, demonstrating respect for participants and spectators, and has become a kind of mood for a fight, the price of which was the most precious thing a person has - his life.

The boxing techniques that arose under King Prachao Sya and his favorite boxing techniques were called “ta prachao Sya” (“Tiger King technique”), which gave rise to versions that the king himself, incognito (no one in the Thai kingdom had the right to touch the king), did not once fought with his subjects and developed these techniques. In fact, the chronicles of the Ayutthaya dynasty ("pongsavadan otiya") only say that the king enthusiastically watched the competitions and, like most rulers of all times and peoples, amused himself mainly with women, hunting and fishing. Legends about kings (not only Prachao Sya) practicing Muay Thai also look somewhat exotic for the reason that paternalism completely disappeared during Ayutthaya times.

During the Sukhothai period, King Ram Kamhaeng was considered the "father of the people" and any peasant could ring the bell on the palace gate to personally make a request to him. With the advent of the Ayutthaya dynasty, royal power, under Khmer influence, was surrounded by numerous rituals and taboos. The king, as a "deva-raja" ("Divine Royalty", Skt.) and the earthly incarnation of Shiva, became the object of a political-religious cult. And if Shiva, according to the postulates of Hinduism, was the “Lord of the Universe,” then the Siamese king (“chakkrapat” is a Sanskrit-Pali term meaning “turner of the wheel” (of the Universe), i.e. the whole world revolved around the divine royal person by virtue of her status) was the “Lord of the Earth,” completely inaccessible to a mere mortal.

No right to lose

Wars with neighboring Burma continued, and in 1760 the Burmese king Alaungpaya again attempted to capture the Thai capital of Ayutthaya. Suddenly the king began to have visions, he was visited by spirits and heard incessant music. Enraged, he ordered Ayutthaya to be wiped off the face of the earth. In a rage, the king urged the artillerymen to fire at the enemy palace until, losing patience, he decided to fire the cannon himself. The cannon exploded and the seriously wounded monarch died a couple of days later. Seven years later in 1767, his son Mung Ra successfully completed a military campaign against Siam. The Burmese destroyed the capital of the state, destroying all buildings, palaces and temples and abducting about 90 thousand Thai captives along with members of the royal family. The Ayutthaya dynasty ceased to exist. The remnants of the Thai population scattered throughout the remote areas of Siam, where five groups of Thais were formed, led by veterans of the Thai army and former royal dignitaries.

Here we cannot help but talk about the national hero of the Thais, boxer Pai Khan Tom, whose name every schoolchild in Thailand knows. Various sources on Muay Thai give slightly different details to the story, but in general it is the same. Pai Khanom Thom was one of the captives of the Burmese king Mangra who was taken to Burma. The year after the great victory, a large festive religious ceremony was held in the Buddhist monastery in Rangoon (the modern capital of Burma), where the holy relic, part of the ashes of the Buddha, is kept. Wanting to demonstrate the skill of his warriors, King Mangra ordered fights between nine of the most skilled Burmese fighters and Thai prisoners, the first of whom was the famous boxer Nai Khan Tom in his homeland. The Burmese were confident in their superiority, believing that the Thais would use a highly simplified form of pahut, the ram mad ram style of Muay, while they themselves relied on knowledge of the pahut-like old Burmese system of hand-to-hand combat, emphasizing punching.

However, they were severely disappointed: Nai Khanom Tom had excellent command of the plow and managed to single-handedly defeat all nine wars. us, especially skillfully using our elbows and knees. Amazed by such skill, King Mangra gave the Thai fighter freedom and he returned to Thailand as a winner. Since then, the name Nai Khanom Tom has remained symbolic for the Thais, the sign of faith in their national martial art, and the Thais annually dedicate the night of March 17, called “boxing,” to their legendary hero. The story of Nai Khan Tom, preserved in Burmese historical chronicles, is one of the first reliable historical accounts of Thai boxing.

The builder of the new Siamese state after the fall of Ayutthaya was the outstanding military leader Pya (Pra-chao) Thaksin, who was also known as a skilled warrior and expert in hand-to-hand combat. Through guerrilla warfare, Taksin managed to stop the Burmese aggression and he ascended the throne in Thonburi at the end of 1767. The reign of King Taksin (Thonburi era) lasted 15 years, until 1782, when King Rama I came to power. For this At the time, there were no noticeable changes in the status of fist fighting, since the competitions were held mainly only in the palace of the king. The story of one of the warriors of Pya Thaksin’s army, Phraya Pichai, nicknamed “Broken Sword,” is widely known. Phraya Pichai was fond of martial arts from childhood and was fluent in smell, ti muay and thai fencing fandub.

In addition, the talented young man participated in numerous boxing matches “Muay Kad Cheug” - competitions that end only when one of the participants is knocked out. “Kadcheug” is the name of the old system of bandaging the hands with rawhide belts or hard hemp (hair) ropes, which, on the one hand, protected the boxer’s hands from damage, and on the other, led to severe damage to the opponent’s skin. Pya Thaksin himself admired Pichai's skill and invited him into his personal retinue. There is a mention in historical records that, as a test of personal combat prowess, Phraya Pichaya demanded that he kill a tiger with almost his bare hands, using only an ordinary knife. Pichai fought in Thaksin's guard throughout the Siamese-Burmese Wars. After the Burmese captured the capital of Ayutthaya, he, along with 21 officers (whose names were later named for many styles of tea muay) and 500 soldiers, broke out of encirclement and, under the leadership of Pya Thaksin, began a guerrilla war against the invaders. After Phya Thaksin's coronation, Phraya Pichai became the governor of Pichai City, which is reflected in his name. During the entire time they ruled the city, the Burmese never managed to capture Pichai.

Prai Pichai temporarily revived the old style of fencing, where the hilt of the sword was tied to the hand to prevent it from being lost in battle. He received his nickname "Broken Sword" during a Burmese attack on the city of Pichai in 1772, when his sword was broken in battle. The loss of his combat weapon did not stop Pichai and he continued to fight fiercely with a fragment of the sword, using Thai fist fighting techniques. Already today, in 1968, residents of the city of Outaradit erected a monument to Phraya Pichai in front of the municipal building as a sign of admiration for his courage. The square in front of the station building in the city of Pichai is also a place of worship for its fearless governor. In 1782, 15 years after the fall of the Ayutthaya dynasty and the death of King Pya

Thaksin of the Thonbu-ri era, one of the fighting generals of his army, Prachao Yotfa Chulalok (Chakkri), founded the royal dynasty of Chakkri. Later, General Chakkri became King Rama I (1782-1809) (the royal family received this title already in the 20th century), and the capital of the Siamese kingdom was moved to the other bank of the Chao Phraya River, where the city of Bangkok arose - the modern capital of Thailand. Bangkok is divided by the Chao Phraya River into two cities - Bangkok proper (Rattankosin) and Thonburi, but has a single administration. Bangkok has a population of about 8 million people and is one of the most dynamically developing cities in the world.

Even during the reign of Pya Thaksin, Rama I established himself as a skilled military leader, to whom the commander-in-chief of the Burmese army himself paid tribute, having failed to defeat the young and talented commander. In the first years of the reign of Rama I, the Tamnak Putaisawan Palace was built, intended to train Thai soldiers in fencing. Here, in boxing matches, the king’s guards were also selected. During this period, European fighting methods for the first time penetrated traditional Siamese martial arts, which increasingly began to differ from the original. Thus, the French brought with them the art of rapier fencing, which led to the modernization of the Thai “krabi” sword. Three years later, in 1785, Burmese troops again invaded Thailand from the south, however, in attempts to capture the city of Thalang (present-day Phuket), they suffered a crushing defeat, losing about 4 thousand people killed.

In 1788, Thai boxers met Europeans for the first time in the ring. Two visiting French boxers, having defeated several local specialists, received permission from King Rama I to hold an exhibition fight in the capital. Even before this, they had successfully performed in several cities in Indochina, earning a considerable amount of money. To maintain the honor of the Siamese fighters, the king invited one of the best masters of the country, Muen Plan, who, despite his small height and weight even for Thais, easily dealt with both contenders.

At the beginning of the 19th century. Under King Rama II (1808-1824), two different branches of Thai martial arts were formed: unarmed fist fighting "chok muay" and fencing "krabi krabong", which was heavily influenced by European influence. The latter fact, as well as the fact that many teachers did not want to participate in the dissemination of such a “remake,” led to a decrease in the popularity of krabi krabong, which could resemble traditional Thai fencing. Currently, krabi krabong, although recognized as a national sport in Thailand, is practiced by few Thais. The most famous place for training in Krabi fencing is considered to be the educational complex revived near Bangkok called the Buddhai Sawan Fencing Institute, headed by the hereditary master Kru Samai Mesamari.

Nowadays, in Thailand there are a large number of training camps for training Thai boxers, the first of which, Kai Muay Wanglang, was created by King Rama II to train Chok Muay fighters. At times the camp was used as an arena for boxing demonstrations and fights, where bets could be placed on the participants. At that time, this was the main prerogative of Buddhist temples, on the territory of which folk festivals were held with the inevitable boxing competitions. Therefore, Kaimuay Wanglang became a kind of prototype of modern boxing stadiums like Rachadamnen. Chok Muay competitions were quite democratic, so representatives of any schools and areas of Thai boxing could participate in them.

In those years, at the boxing grounds one could see fighters of ti muay (an earlier style of 1630-1655), ram mad ram muay (style of the Tiger King 1703-1708), pakhuta ling lom and even representatives of Chinese wushu. After a fighter announced his participation, bets could be placed on him. During the reign of Rama II, boxers were first accompanied by so-called "na ma", people who play the role of modern managers. Their functions included stipulating the size and conditions of bets, as well as deciding which fights the boxer would participate in. Since there were no weight categories then, the participants stood against each other and the judges visually compared their physical characteristics so that the bets were more objective. After this, the actual signal was given to start the fight.

The ring was a fairly large rectangular piece of land (approximately 8x8 m), which could be located in any suitable place: in a village square, in the courtyard of a mansion, monastery, etc. In the case of more magnificent celebrations, usually held in Buddhist temples, the ground on the site was carefully prepared. Sometimes a special wooden platform was even built. In ordinary competitions, the surface of the ground was covered with a layer of rice straw mixed with buffalo dung and fine sand, and moistened with water. It was very important for the fighters to know the quality of the ring surface before the fight, so each of them always touched the ground with his hand while performing the Ram Muay dance. After the fighters dipped their bandaged hands into the water, the referee (who is also the organizer) gave the signal for the start of the fight.

By modern standards, the described fights were quite a brutal spectacle, since there were no restrictions either on the rules of combat or on the total number of rounds. The latter was generally unimportant, since the fight rarely lasted more than one round. If a participant fell, the fight did not stop. The fight stopped only when one of the boxers fell unconscious, or, less often, surrendered to the enemy. The functions of the judge in the ring (“naisanam”) were also very ambiguous, since almost the entire fight he was among the spectators, collecting additional bets from them. Not being confident in the fair decision of the judge, who was looking more into the “wallets” of boxing fans than into the ring, the boxers sought to make the result of the fight as obvious as possible, inflicting terrible injuries on each other.

Fights often ended in the death of one of the participants. At the Kaumai Wanglang ring, the tradition of the theatrical dance-performance of Ram Muay, established by the “Tiger King,” was continued. Bandaging hands with leather straps and hemp ropes, which led to severe abrasions and cuts when struck, was replaced by wrapping them in cotton bandages. This was also done in part to eliminate hand-held grabs and throws. The ankles were also bandaged.

In addition, King Rama II, trying to make Chok Muay fights as aesthetically pleasing as possible, began to encourage the use of spectacular and less traumatic techniques. He also studied and systematized the Ramakien epic, paying special attention to the "monkey" style of Hanuman.

The performances of Chok Muay fighters evolved into a form of sporting combat in two different ways. Thus, the boxing match in the style of King Rama II “Muay Liang” was more of a demonstrative nature and was practiced exclusively in the capital of the Thai state. This is where the name of the style comes from, meaning “state fistfight”. At the same time, there was another direction, called “Muay rat” (“middle class fistfight”) or “Muay wat” (“temple fistfight”), whose representatives were free to resort to any tactics and techniques.

Buddhist temples in Thailand have traditionally served as both centers of education and training in the arts of fisting. It should be noted that there is no analogy here with Shaolin Wushu and the integration of Buddhism with martial arts. Simply, Buddhist centers performed a certain social function, in particular, they were general educational institutions where parents could send their children during the day to learn to read and write. The bearers of knowledge of fist art in the monasteries were former chok muay boxers who stopped performing and decided to devote their lives to the “teaching of Buda”, becoming Buddhist priests at temples. Teenagers who became interested in fist fighting could approach a priest or other Chok Muay teacher to accept their training as Luk Sit novices for a probationary period. The education of difficult teenagers was often entrusted to monks. Teenagers who visited or lived in the monastery every day were called "dec wat".

Naturally, they had one opportunity to learn more about Chok Muay, although the volume and pace of training depended entirely on the mentor. In Muay Wat fights, almost everything was allowed, so no one made a distinction between ling lom and the various types of Muay Thai. During temple ceremonies, the dek wat challenged each other and the fighters in the audience. For such a spectacular event as Muay Thai fights, the monastery could hope for additional donations. Those who decided to speak out against the dek wats had to be especially attentive and careful, since the actions of the monastic pupils were completely unpredictable and hardly fell under the category of the word “technique”. This is how the “monastic” style of Muay Wat was formed. Now in Thailand, Muay Thai fighters who deliberately violate the rules, or those who participate in illegal fights, where you can insult the enemy, spit in his face, bite him, pull his hair and carry out techniques prohibited in official Muay Thai, are also called “Muay Wat”.

King Rama V

After a period of decline in interest in competitive chok muay fights, their popularity began to slowly grow and was able to approach its previous level only during the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910), who did a lot to revive traditional boxing. This was the new "golden age" of Muay Thai. Interest in the matches was fueled by large cash and honorary prizes. As the latter, the boxers received special military titles from the hands of the king himself, which have survived to this day. Special boxing camps were built in large numbers, and members of the royal team recruited talented boxers from provinces throughout the country. Over the time of Rama V, three cities became the main centers for training boxers in Thailand: Chai, Korat and Lopburi. There was even an old saying glorifying the technique of famous fighters and their natives: “The fists of Korat, the wits of Lopburi and the good punch of Chaya.” However, in contrast to Muay Thai competitions, the popularity of the military-applied types of Thai hand-to-hand combat based on it has dropped significantly.

Sports of the XXI century

The creator of the sport variety chok muay is considered to be the son of Rama V, King Rama vi (1910-1925) from the Chakkri dynasty, who gave the traditional boxing match a more civilized look. He organized regular boxing matches at a football stadium called the Rose Garden (Suan Kulab) on the grounds of a college in Bangkok15 and introduced uniform rules for Muay Wat and Muay Liang competitions. Provincial boxers vied with each other to get into competitions in the Rose Garden, since it was considered prestigious and one could hope for a more or less successful career upon returning home. In addition, many were interested in the new rules for conducting battles, which, according to one of his contemporaries, were as follows.

It was allowed to conduct fights using protective devices, consisting of a groin bandage and cotton bandages 4.5 cm wide and up to 2.5 m long, covering the boxers’ arms from hand to elbow. The bandages were attached to the knuckles and then soaked in rice flour glue for strength. The rather complex traditional Thai technique of hand binding, which arose during the Ayutthaya dynasty, is very popular today. It allows you to effectively protect your hands and forearms from damage and softens the blows. The fight lasted five rounds, the duration of which was measured using the above-mentioned coconut hourglass, in a square ring raised above the ground, fenced for the first time with ropes. The match was judged by two referees, one in the “red” corner, the other in the “blue” corner. The fight was stopped if one of the participants fell, so the throwing technique lost its meaning. Although accidents still occurred during fights, their numbers declined sharply.

Muay Thai (Thai (Thai), or Siamese boxing) originated in ancient times and acquired its classic form in the second half of the 16th century. "Thai" means "free", so "Muay Thai" can be translated as "free fight", or as "fight of the free".

There are many legends about Muay Thai, telling about its origins more than two thousand years ago, about the connections of this martial art with Indian hand-to-hand combat systems and its unsurpassed advantages. But what is certain is that since the time of the Ayutthaya state, which arose in the 16th century, the Siamese army trained warriors to fight with their bare hands and feet. Particularly outstanding fighters were valued so highly that they were enlisted in the royal guard and given the title of nobility.

Video: Thai boxing beauty Muay Thai!

Traditional Muay Thai has long been a system of hand-to-hand combat for warriors of the Thai army, as well as a favorite pastime of young people. However, in 1929 it was reformed under the influence of English boxing. The binding of the arms with horsehide straps gave way to European-style boxing gloves (six and eight ounces), although the legs remained bare (however, they were allowed to be bandaged). A division into seven weight categories was introduced, and the duration of the fight was limited to five rounds of three minutes each, with two-minute breaks between them (previously the fight went on without breaks until one of the participants won). In addition to the referee on the court, two side judges were introduced.

The new rules prohibited grabs and throws, headbutts, strangulation, and finishing off a fallen opponent. Victory began to be awarded for knockout (if the opponent cannot continue the fight on the count of ten), by points and in the event of a technical knockout. It was allowed to surrender, which was previously condemned (the fight continued until one of the opponents left the site dead or severely beaten). But even now, according to official statistics, one fight out of 1,500 ends in the death of the athlete. The earthen area was replaced by a 6x6 meter ring. This is how Muay Thai took on its current form.

The craze for Muay Thai in the West began after March 12, 1977. his masters won a “dry” victory over kick boxers in Bangkok, despite the fact that the match was held according to the rules of kick boxing (elbow and knee strikes, the use of which is one of the main trump cards of Muay Thai), were prohibited. On May 6 of the same year, a similar match was held there with karatekas, and with the same result. Now Muay Thai has spread throughout the world.

Muay Thai training

Muay Thai training usually begins in childhood. During training, they strive to develop, first of all, speed of strikes and endurance. To practice the technique, various equipment is used, mainly hanging punching bags and punching bags. To protect against blows to the head during training, a helmet-mask is worn, a “mouth guard” is inserted into the mouth, and a “shell” is placed on the groin. A shell is also required in competitions, but a helmet is not required. The training is carried out in a very tough manner.

A typical workout looks like this:

• warm-up (most often this is 15 minutes of exercises with a skipping rope);
• 5 three-minute rounds (with one-minute breaks between them) of shadow boxing, using all types of strikes;
• 5 three-minute rounds (with one-minute breaks) sparring with a partner, but without elbows and knees;
• 5 three-minute rounds (with one-minute breaks) work on apparatus, using all types of strikes; 5
• three-minute rounds (with one-minute breaks) practicing technique with a trainer.
• The workout is completed with strength exercises (push-ups, strengthening the abdominal muscles, and body rotation are especially popular) and stretching.
• In the morning, a 30-minute run and gymnastic exercises are recommended.

Although Muay Thai fights are fought with boxing gloves, the traditional technique of wrapping hands and wrists has also been preserved, especially in villages (where, by the way, the vast majority of professional fighters come from). The length of such a bandage made of soft fabric is about 2.5 meters, width - 4.5 centimeters. In ancient times, hands were bandaged with leather belts. Wrapping your hands and wrists in soft cloth helps cushion shock, protects your fingers from breaking, saves the energy needed to clench your fists, while still allowing enough freedom to move your fingers and hands.

Unlike Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese martial arts, Muay Thai does not have sets of formal exercises (kata, taolu), although the basic exercises are short combinations of techniques. They are divided into basic (mae mai) and additional (luk mai).

Muay Thai styles

There are two main styles in Muay Thai: Muay Lak and Muay Kiew. Muay lak (hard fighting) can now be seen quite rarely, mainly in villages. In this style, the main attention is paid to a firm, stable position, reliable defense, relatively slow but precise movements and powerful strikes. Tactics are based on counterattacks. The movements are straightforward, feints are not used, and the close-range fighting technique is very developed.

Muay kiew (fashion fighting), on the contrary, is based on feints and deviations. The movements are fast, there are a lot of side and circular strikes, as well as knee strikes. True, attacks based on feints require more time than straightforward ones, but this does not affect the power of attacks. Unfortunately, now more and more often Thai boxers reduce the fight to a simple exchange of blows - the influence of European boxing and kickboxing is taking its toll.

All fights take place to the accompaniment of traditional Thai music, which sets the rhythm and is performed on four instruments: clarinet, double drum, metal cymbals and Thai drum. The leading part is performed by the clarinet.

There were 108 techniques known in classical Muay Thai. However, only 30 remain in its modern version.

The basic principle

Fist strikes are delivered both single and in series. The main striking surface is the knuckles (in gloves, their front part). The open glove is used to cover a direct blow or deflect it to the side. Strikes with the palm, fingers, or back of the wrist are not used. The technique of working with fists is similar to that of ordinary European boxing: hook, swing, uppercut, direct blow, several methods of counterattack or blocking are used against each of them.

Elbow strikes play an important role. Such blows are delivered in almost all directions and at any angle: from bottom to top, diagonally outward, from top to bottom vertically. There are strikes with two elbows at the same time, as well as with the elbow back, performed both in a straight line and in an arc.

There are also a lot of knee strikes, but basically they are a direct strike and a circular one, in a wide variety of variations, including with jumping. A high knee can serve as a block when kicking and at the same time allows for “stabbing” kicks with the foot. The situation when a boxer grabs the opponent's head or enters a clinch in combination with a knee strike can be considered the hallmark of Thai boxing. They hit you with the knee while jumping, even in the chin and face. Knee strikes are often used in combination with elbow strikes.

Muay Thai technique

The technique of kicking with the foot is less developed. There are no sweeps or jumping strikes in her arsenal. The basic kick is a direct kick aimed at the groin or solar plexus. There are few side blows; they are usually delivered from a turn or in a circular motion. There is also an analogue of “mawashi-geri”, a blow called “crocodile swings its tail”. But the blows aimed at the popliteal fossa and catching the opponent’s legs are well developed. The feet and knees are used so often in combat that Muay Thai is often called “eight-arm fighting.”

The tough nature of the training, high speed of movements, and active development of all techniques in sparring make Thai boxers extremely dangerous opponents in real street fights.

Thai boxing is now popular all over the world. Suffice it to say that it is widely practiced in Japan, and that the rules of the Chinese sports "sanda" are largely copied from Muay Thai. In Thailand itself, Muay Thai is practiced by more than 120 thousand amateurs, and about 10 thousand professionals, and there are about 2 thousand clubs. This is a lot for a country with a population of 56 million people. Military personnel and police officers are not included in this figure, since they practice Muay Thai without fail.

Increasingly, traditional sets of exercises aimed at gaining mass, stretching and strengthening muscles are giving way to martial arts. Recently, various sports have gained unprecedented popularity. The most relevant are boxing and Thai boxing, or, as this sport is also called, Muay Thai. The effectiveness of martial arts is tens of times greater than the benefits of classical fitness exercises. Fighters burn a huge amount of calories and work almost all their muscles. And people who choose martial arts for themselves also train their psychological health.

Boxing and Muay Thai: basic information

Very often, novice athletes are worried about the question: what to choose - boxing or Thai boxing? To answer it, it’s worth taking a closer look at the types of struggle. The main similarity between these two types of martial arts lies in the fighting technique. It is based on impacts. Both boxing and Muay Thai are optimal for defense in real-world conditions. After all, strikes do not require holding the enemy, which means they provide mobility. In addition, both types require a correct attitude towards the enemy. Opponents are prohibited from using verbal and physical insults not only before and during the fight, but also after it. There is also a code of honor, according to which fighters are obliged to respect the laws and traditions of the country where the competition is taking place, and to be an example of honesty and nobility.

Fighting styles: is there a difference?

Despite the similarities, boxing and Muay Thai have significant differences. For example, in boxing you can only strike with your hands; attacks with your elbows or shoulders are strictly prohibited! For safety reasons, boxers use special gloves. By the way, the range of strikes is also limited - you can only strike them at the upper part of the enemy’s body. A hook below the belt is a direct path to disqualification. In addition, boxers are not allowed to:

• hustle;
• bite;
• strike the back of the head;
• hit the kidneys.

Both boxing and Thai boxing are prohibited. The differences are that in Muay Thai the “peaceful distance” between athletes is significantly reduced. Muay Thai is a much tougher form of martial arts. In addition to fists, in Muay Thai you can strike with elbows, shins, knees, and feet. In the United States of America, Muay Thai is called "death combat" due to its ruthlessness and effectiveness. After all, the blows that opponents inflict on each other are powerful and swift, making them extremely difficult not only to block, but even to see!

Another unique feature of Muay Thai martial arts is the musical accompaniment. The incredible combination of flute and drums, which is traditional Thai music, makes the fights especially spectacular.

Who is suitable for Muay Thai and boxing?

Martial arts are available to people of any age. However, it is better to start a sports career at the age of seven to ten years. Very often, parents are convinced that boxing is synonymous with high rates of injury, but it is worth noting that teachers competently structure the training process, minimizing possible risks. There is no point in refusing to exercise using the excuse of being overweight. It's very easy to get into shape while practicing boxing or Muay Thai.

Like other sports, boxing and Muay Thai are not for everyone. To practice martial arts, you need not only a healthy mind, but also a healthy body. There are a number of contraindications. The following people will not be accepted into the Muay Thai club:

• with cerebral atherosclerosis;
• epilepsy;
• arrhythmia;
• coronary heart disease;
• heart disease;
• bronchial asthma;
• tuberculosis;
• peptic ulcer;
• leukemia;
• anemia;
• hemophilia;
• diabetes mellitus;
• arthritis.

Martial arts rules

If you decide that boxing or Muay Thai is a must-have for you, it’s worth getting acquainted with the basic principles and rules of these sports and their history.

Muay Thai has been known to mankind since ancient times. Historians say that Thai boxing appeared more than twenty centuries ago! Boxing is much younger - it was only recognized as a sport in the eighteenth century. It was only in 1892 that the first professional fights began to take place.

The Russian Thai Boxing Federation approved the first competition rules in 1996. The fifth edition of these rules, adopted ten years later, in 2006, is now in effect. All changes to the regulations were made in accordance with the recommendations of the world's largest Thai boxing organization WMF.

At amateur boxing competitions, equipment is required. A helmet, mouth guard, knee protectors and groin shells can help prevent serious injury. But for professional Thai fighters, the use of equipment is optional. Amateur fights most often take place in a five-six meter ring; professional matches require a larger ring - about seven meters. There is a division into weight categories in Thai boxing. A coach with extensive experience will introduce the intricacies of the rules to a novice athlete who comes to a Thai boxing club. For example, only a professional can teach you how to strike correctly. The trainer can also tell you why Thai boxing is also called the art of eight limbs or “eight-arm boxing.”

Boxers, both professional and amateur, coaches and boxing veterans are united by the Russian Amateur Boxing Federation. This organization appeared in 1992. Its main goal is to popularize boxing and its development among the population of our country. It is the Amateur Federation that organizes boxing competitions at all levels and improves the qualifications of athletes and coaches.

Competition rules significantly limit boxers. The most important condition is one weight category. In addition, athletes are prohibited from turning away from an opponent or hitting him with anything other than a clenched fist. The age of amateurs competing in international competitions cannot be less than 17 or more than 34 years. But the only limitation for professional boxers can be their physical condition.

Boxer and Thai boxer equipment

Depending on what you choose - boxing or Thai boxing, you should think about choosing quality equipment. Several centuries ago, the “Thais” needed only two strips of horse skin. The fighters wrapped them around their fists. Today, in order to avoid serious injuries, athletes use a whole arsenal of protective equipment. A mouthguard helps preserve your tongue and teeth, and ankle socks will protect you from spraining your ankles. An inguinal shell made of metal would also not be out of place. Shin guards and knee pads are essential items when sparring. In addition, a novice athlete will need bandages to help maintain the correct position of the hand, and light gloves. Thai boxing classes require light shoes and Thai shorts.

A similar set will be needed for those who chose a shell bandage, comfortable sportswear and shoes, bandages and gloves. A special helmet will protect the boxer from concussions and cuts. And special shoes - boxers - are a real salvation from sprains and dislocations.

Boxer's first aid kit

Athletes who choose boxing or Muay Thai are susceptible to various injuries. Therefore, it is important to select the necessary medications. The first thing you need to purchase is bandages, cotton wool, hydrogen peroxide. Iodine, ammonia, warming and cooling ointments and sprays will not be superfluous. Antitumor and pain medications may also be helpful.

Boxing is about strength, but Thai boxing is about speed. Everyone determines the pros and cons of these two martial arts for themselves. But athletes who have devoted more than one year to fighting can give beginners useful advice:

• it is worth using deceptive movements followed by an attack;
• provoke an opponent to attack and attack him sharply;
• do not expose the back of your head or back to your opponent;
• do not be motionless so that the opponent does not have time to find a weak spot;
• change the rhythm of the fight and position so that the opponent does not get used to them;
• mix long and short attacks;
• monitor external manifestations of pain and fatigue and under no circumstances show them.

Not the weaker sex: women in boxing and “thai”

Increasingly, martial arts are chosen by representatives of the fair half of humanity. There are many reasons for this: firstly, boxing and Muay Thai are good cardio training. Thanks to regular exercise, you can lose excess weight and improve your cardiovascular system.

Secondly, women are attracted by the quick effect: the muscles almost immediately become sculpted and toned. And thirdly, boxing and tai-boxing classes help you develop a reaction and learn the basics of self-defense. The main condition for women is the use of breast protection made of elastic material with sewn-in plastic cups.