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THE HOW-TO OF HELLBOWS: VOLUME I
When fans think of this sport, they first imagine razor-sharp elbows cutting through the air and slashing skin from skulls. Whereas boxing is all about the hands, Muay Thai is defined by its elbows.
A well-placed elbow is a close range, devastating strike that is woefully underused in the West. This is surprising as they are one of the most diverse weapons a fighter can have in their arsenal.
While we do occasionally see close range elbows used to devastating effect, it is very rare that you see a farang muay thai fighter or a mixed martial artist use elbows to their full capacity. Elbows are commonly thought of only as that “brutal” technique that you throw from the clinch. This a very limited way to think of elbow strikes.
Today we are going to go over the good, bad and ugly of elbow strikes, plus the various strategies that you can employ to make the most out of them.
FINDING THE CORRECT FORM
First, we need to go over the dos and don’ts for the three basic elbow strikes. Correct form will maximize your power with the bare minimum effort required from you.
UPPERCUT ELBOW
This simple strike should be the first elbow you learn. To perform the elbow, you simply step towards your target and whip your elbow up vertically in a motion similar to combing your hair. This elbow is particularly useful for slashing up and between the guard of your opponent, hitting them directly. It also serves as a great ending to a combination.
Common mistakes include:
If you throw a lot of lead hooks when you fight then this should be a fairly straightforward strike for you.
You begin by bringing your arm up in the same way you would to throw your uppercut elbow. However, as soon as you bring your arm upwards, it is time to turn the elbow horizontally to slash across your opponents face. In order to generate power, you should pull backwards the hip and shoulder opposite your striking elbow, shifting your weight to the opposite side to properly pull the elbow through the target.
Common mistakes include:
While it’s hard to throw an overhand elbow without a telegraph, it is one of the best elbows to throw in combination.
Start with a step off your opponent’s centerline and allow your elbow to come up, before bringing it down on your opponent – like an axe chopping a block of wood. As you do so, you again bring your weight to the opposite side of the elbow you’re throwing to remain balanced and deliver more force.
Common mistakes include:
The rest of the article covers boxing with elbows and how to split the guard!
http://www.muay-thai-guy.com/a-guide-to-elbows-in-muay-thai.html
When fans think of this sport, they first imagine razor-sharp elbows cutting through the air and slashing skin from skulls. Whereas boxing is all about the hands, Muay Thai is defined by its elbows.
A well-placed elbow is a close range, devastating strike that is woefully underused in the West. This is surprising as they are one of the most diverse weapons a fighter can have in their arsenal.
While we do occasionally see close range elbows used to devastating effect, it is very rare that you see a farang muay thai fighter or a mixed martial artist use elbows to their full capacity. Elbows are commonly thought of only as that “brutal” technique that you throw from the clinch. This a very limited way to think of elbow strikes.
Today we are going to go over the good, bad and ugly of elbow strikes, plus the various strategies that you can employ to make the most out of them.
FINDING THE CORRECT FORM
First, we need to go over the dos and don’ts for the three basic elbow strikes. Correct form will maximize your power with the bare minimum effort required from you.
UPPERCUT ELBOW
This simple strike should be the first elbow you learn. To perform the elbow, you simply step towards your target and whip your elbow up vertically in a motion similar to combing your hair. This elbow is particularly useful for slashing up and between the guard of your opponent, hitting them directly. It also serves as a great ending to a combination.
Common mistakes include:
- Failing to raise elbow high enough. This results in less elbow strike and more forearming your opponent in the face. While a forearm to the face certainly isn’t comfortable, it doesn’t have near the devastating impact of an actual elbow strike. When shadowboxing an elbow, you ideally want your elbow to be pointing out from your eyes to ensure it properly hits your opponents chin.
- Not taking a step. Taking the first step towards your opponent gives you more reach and power. Elbows are a close range weapon, so you need all the extra distance you can. When your opponent is advancing towards you, that forward step will cause a collision and likely bust up their face.
If you throw a lot of lead hooks when you fight then this should be a fairly straightforward strike for you.
You begin by bringing your arm up in the same way you would to throw your uppercut elbow. However, as soon as you bring your arm upwards, it is time to turn the elbow horizontally to slash across your opponents face. In order to generate power, you should pull backwards the hip and shoulder opposite your striking elbow, shifting your weight to the opposite side to properly pull the elbow through the target.
Common mistakes include:
- Pulling your arm outwards and towards the target. A proper elbow strike should come up and in, not unlike a proper round kick. This prevents telegraphing it and speeds up the strike. It also gives the elbow more power as you hit them in the middle of your strike rather than at the end.
- Not shifting your weight. If you throw a right elbow, you need to shift your weight to your left and vice versa. This will keep you balanced and allow you to get far more power into your strike.
While it’s hard to throw an overhand elbow without a telegraph, it is one of the best elbows to throw in combination.
Start with a step off your opponent’s centerline and allow your elbow to come up, before bringing it down on your opponent – like an axe chopping a block of wood. As you do so, you again bring your weight to the opposite side of the elbow you’re throwing to remain balanced and deliver more force.
Common mistakes include:
- Staying on the opponents centerline while on the front foot. When you are on the offensive, it’s important to take the step off line. If you take a step directly towards the opponent, not only are you putting yourself at risk by not taking any angle, but you are also making it harder to land an already fairly difficult strike.
The rest of the article covers boxing with elbows and how to split the guard!
http://www.muay-thai-guy.com/a-guide-to-elbows-in-muay-thai.html
haha)
