Say hi to Muay Thai this season. Exotic, did you mutter Well, the term definitely sounds foreign to our ears but its origin isn’t. For etymologically, the word ‘Muay’ derives its root source from the Sanskrit ‘Mavya’ which means ‘to bind together’. Hence, the concept has a very desi ring to it. Emerging as a popular form of martial arts from Thailand, this combat sport combines a system of stand-up striking alongwith various clinching techniques. Basically, a physical and mental discipline, this contact game is all about fighting on the foot with the use of fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet, thus making the tackling routine enormously efficient. Having started over 2,000 years ago, Muay Thai evolved as an art of Thai boxing over time. World-wide, it is famous in the form of a Mix Martial Art (MMA) training. Steadfastly gaining ground on the Indian soil only in recent years with innumerable Thai experts launching fitness centres in several cities on this side of the global map, Muay Thai is the latest energy-booster in the whole work-out department. Try and test it! Well-known as “the art of eight limbs”, Muay Thai first became a martial craft to reckon with, way back in the 16th century. The first commercial Muay Thai gym outside Thailand was founded in 1978 in Curitiba (Brazil). Internationally, it became a household name only last century, when skilful practitioners defeated the notable exponents of other kinds of martial arts. A professional league is governed by the World Muay Thai Council.
Indian essence: Muay Thai is the direct descendant of Muay Boran or ‘ancient boxing’, which is an umbrella-term to cover the unarmed martial arts of Thailand that ruled the roost in the 1930s’ decade, before modern equipment and methods got introduced in the circuit. Boran or boraan means ancient in Thai, derived from the Sanskrit ‘Puran’ or ‘Puranas’. It employs nawa awut or ‘nine weapons’, counting the headbutts as the ninth offensive in addition to the ‘eight limbs’ consisting of the hands, legs, elbows and knees in the Muay Thai effort.
Tactics: Muay Thai relies heavily on body conditioning and its training helps to promote fighters and make them tough and fit as required for competing in the boxing-rink. Training includes running, shadowboxing, rope jumping, body weight resistance exercises, medicine ball exercises, abdominal exercises and also weight-training to be precise. Ascribed as an A-one technique of fighting and self-defence by many experts, Muay Thai scores as one of the best forms of fitness techniques to be performed as a routine exercise in order to achieve extreme level of fitness. Since this requires a lot of physical stamina and masculine strength, more men than women take recourse to this tough training. A Muay Thai class should, therefore, be executed under a strict vigil and guidance of experienced, accomplished tutors. To get into its groove, it is highly imperative to understand the weak points of the human body or of one’s opponent to fight accordingly in the most scientific and technical fashion. Muay Thai no doubt helps in acquiring the essential benefits of flexibility, improve the blood circulation as well as the nervous system. Importantly, it also teaches the learners to respect their gurus (teachers) and their parents. It calms the mind and in this technique, the fighter uses the entire body movement by rotating his hip with each kick and elbow-punches to block. The elbow can be used as a finishing move or a way to cut the opponent’s eyebrow and obstruct his vision. This means to pin him down in the duel with his damaged vision. Also a lot of kick movements are involved including punching and jabbing with hands and fists.
Thai wave in culture capital: Kolkata will soon be the headquarter of ex-Muay Thai world champion Hakan Ozan’s venture to make inroads into a franchise of training clinics across the country. Hakan is all set to unveil many Muay Thai schools across India.
