Is this gym's description of Muay Thai correct?

[HighestHand]

I was looking for gyms in my neighborhood and came across this gym's MT description:

Program Highlights:
Formal muay Thai techniques are divided into two groups: mae mai or major techniques and luk mai or minor techniques. Muay Thai is often a fighting art of attrition, where opponents exchange blows with one another. This is certainly the case with traditional stylists in Thailand, but is a less popular form of fighting in the contemporary world fighting circuit where the Thai style of exchanging blow for blow is no longer favorable. Almost all techniques in muay Thai use the entire body movement, rotating the hip with each kick, punch, elbow and block.

My question is: Would you say that Thailand MT is about blow for blow? Is the fighting style between Thailand's MT and everywhere else really that different?

 

[Paradigm]

In a way...yes. I'm not sure if the scoring in MT in a lot of places outside of Thailand score things like in the stadiums in the homeland (punches, for example).

Also, what you'd see in MT rules fights here range from dudes that have what is more of a "traditional Thai style" to skilled, controlled dudes throwing axe kicks at you in MT shorts. It's like the Wild West when it comes to MT in the US.

I don't know that MT in Thailand is a "blow for blow" style per se, but it definitely doesn't favor flashy, bouncy footwork/kicks like TKD (as just one example). You have guys like Saenchai, Samart and Lerdsila that don't fit the stereotypical view of MT (like Sagat in Street Fighter haha) and you have punch heavy guys like Anuwat and Coban so it really varies all over the place.

What does the head instructor at that gym there spar/fight like? What makes their interpretation of MT so unique in comparison to "Thai style" MT?

 

[HighestHand]

Yeah

In a way...yes. I'm not sure if the scoring in MT in a lot of places outside of Thailand score things like in the stadiums in the homeland (punches, for example).


I don't know that MT in Thailand is a "blow for blow" style per se, but it definitely doesn't favor flashy, bouncy footwork/kicks like TKD (as just one example). You have guys like Saenchai, Samart and Lerdsila that don't fit the stereotypical view of MT (like Sagat in Street Fighter haha) and you have punch heavy guys like Anuwat and Coban so it really varies all over the place.

That's what I was questioning like Thailand is "blow for blow?" I was skeptical.

 

[Kanka]

Why don't you just watch some fights? Every gym has their own style.

Watch Sangmanee vs Thanonchai

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Id say its a typical archetype of a MT or dutch kickboxing guy. Not always the case though. You always see Muay Thai people kicking the arms with powerful kicks, and then the other person returning. Kind of feels like blow for blow with much more emphasis on blocking than any other defensive maneuver

 

[serr]

Well look at MT fights vs boxing or kickboxing fights. In MT they plod forward, with footwork that has zero regard for jumping in and out. Then they just stand there, in each other's range and throw when they see an opening. Far less emphasis on controlling distance.

 

[Mongoosemk12]

The blow for blow thing comes from the way exchanges are scored in Thailand. Whomever lands the last blow will win the entire exchange. Sometimes this can be a single shot over and over (a right elbow for example). It also is a way of showing masculinity in the ring. You never back out of the exchange, you dominate it. Kind of hard to explain unless you see it in person I think.

 

[Paradigm]

The blow for blow thing comes from the way exchanges are scored in Thailand. Whomever lands the last blow will win the entire exchange. Sometimes this can be a single shot over and over (a right elbow for example). It also is a way of showing masculinity in the ring. You never back out of the exchange, you dominate it. Kind of hard to explain unless you see it in person I think.

What's always amazed me about that fight is that neither of them got cut...

 

[CoolKnees]

Watch any Joseph Valtellini fight, you'll understand what blow for blow is like.