Muay thai has no head movement or footwork?

[CELS]

Just watching the UFC fight club conference with Brandon Vera, and he said he was going back to old school muay thai without head movement or footwork. Is it true that pure thai boxers don't train head movement or footwork, unless they've incorporated some western boxing technique?

 

[cali_chute_boxe]

There is plenty of footwork in muaythai. It's not western boxing footwork which is what most MMA fighters try to implement in their game. There is not much head movement though. Feinting backwards to avoid high kicks and punches is about it. There isn't any bobbing and weaving either. Their is a good amount of parrying that can set up some great counters with knees and elbows.

 

[welts]

Footwork is very important in MT. Though some may disagree as you do spend a lot of the time plodding. But the range is different, you only plod when out of range.

The principles are the same. Correct footwork will place you:

Out of danger/center line
In range to attack/counter
With correct weight distrubtion
Able to parry/check.

admitedly its not as fast or as mobile. Just because its important does not make it as in depth.

 

[Soul Rebel 2]

Thats the stupidest thing I've ever heard (regarding MT footwork). Footwork is ground 0 for all striking; do you really think an art as old as muay thai wouldn't have developed effective footwork for their particular ruleset?

As for Brandons choice to go traditional. I cant say I really agree too much with it, you really dont want to slack on your head movement when your using 4 ounce gloves.

 

[1Strike]

The footwork and tempo/ rhythm between the two is different . But a well trained striker can learn to change and mix it up when needed.


Anderson Silva is a good example.

This guy was the perfect example of being able to switch between boxing "mode" footwork and excellent head movement and Muay Thai "mode"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

You cannot use boxing footwork in Muay Thai but you definitely can use some head movement including slips and ducks. The key is just not to exaggerate the head movement by going way down low and also do not become predictable . Use blocks, slips, ducks, pull backs at random so you cannot be setup and countered.

Many Muay Thai fighters (Baukaw,Spong,Corbett, etc.,etc). use some form of head movement including slips, and ducks to avoid punches.

 

[barnowl]

Just watching the UFC fight club conference with Brandon Vera, and he said he was going back to old school muay thai without head movement or footwork. Is it true that pure thai boxers don't train head movement or footwork, unless they've incorporated some western boxing technique?

Both my MT coaches ( pure MT, both over 112 wins) had a strong emphasis on both footwork and head movement. It was very very different than boxing. The footwork was a lot more rhythmic but always left the correct foot free to kick when you need it. The head movement was very level, but shift a lot on that plane. Both had a tendency to insist on slipping towards the opponent on put you close for countering.

 

[Frode Falch]

Brandon Vera know what MT is all about. I guess what he ment was going back to original MT. Compared to MMA, MT dont have that much head movement..

 

[Tempo]

There is footwork, its really lazy imo though its a simple one two step

 

[vjvj]

Saying there is a lack of footwork in MT is insane to me. Footwork controls distance and sets up attack opportunities; all standup arts rely on those fundamentals.

In my experience, philosophies on head movement seem to depend on the school. Our MT classes actively teach slips and feints, but when I was training at Fairtex I remember being discouraged from using too much head movement.

I prefer to use head movement myself, but I wouldn't argue with anyone over it. I file that one under "different things work for different people".

 

[lukewall]

I agree somewhat about the lack of head movement, but the footwork in MT is more subtle than the footwork in boxing. There isn't as much turning and pivoting. I think it has a lot to do with the way rounds are scored in thai MT and their emphaisis on kneeing/kicking. i still think thai MT can still take concepts from western boxing, especially lateral movement, to enhance the typical footwork you see in traditional mt.

 

[Znap]

Too much head movement and you'll duck/weave into a knee or kick.

 

[devante]

i think he means instead of trying to be slick dynamic and flashy; he is just gonna come in to walk through people, grind them down or pound them out....

 

[Dani3L**]

without footwork and head movement your a human punching bag. vera will use both footwork and head movement...or he will get KO'd.

he knows more about muay thai than us. if he thinks he can stand in front of jones with out moving and win i'd have to see. i like vera i hope he wins . . . i think he gonna need to move around to do so tho.

 

[SideofKO]

Someone should make a Venn Diagram of the differences and similarities of footwork between boxing and mt.

 

[Ugly Mofo]

Just watching the UFC fight club conference with Brandon Vera, and he said he was going back to old school muay thai without head movement or footwork. Is it true that pure thai boxers don't train head movement or footwork, unless they've incorporated some western boxing technique?

Can those who watched the UFC Fight Club conference tell me why Brandon Vera is going back to this style?

I'm interested because I grew up on, and mostly use the Thai "stand and bang" style.

Thanks.

 

[metalgearsmiffy]

I think he just meant that he was going to use the MT he has learned to actively pursue a knockout, ie: cutting the ring of and coming forward. In the same breath he also said "back to the days when I was knocking people out".

 

[kinchan]

afaik head movement isn't that emphasized in MT, but it makes the difference between a good and a very good fighter, doesn't matter what style he uses.

 

[barnowl]

Someone should make a Venn Diagram of the differences and similarities of footwork between boxing and mt.

Evil Evil SideofKO. That just makes my head hurt.

 

[LittleFighter]

Example of head movement in a REAL muay thai fight.YouTube - Samart Payakaroon(Thailand) sky blueVs Juan Kid Meza(Mexico) red

I train muay thai and we do work on head movement and footwork. I am not sure whether we emphasize it more than boxing seeing as I have not trained in boxing, but I do know that it is emphasized.

 

[TastyLumpia]

Example of head movement in a REAL muay thai fight.YouTube - Samart Payakaroon(Thailand) sky blueVs Juan Kid Meza(Mexico) red

I train muay thai and we do work on head movement and footwork. I am not sure whether we emphasize it more than boxing seeing as I have not trained in boxing, but I do know that it is emphasized.

Your example of head movement in Muay Thai is a link to a BOXING match? :icon_neut

Vera's statement needn't be taken so literally. Of course MT has head movement and footwork, but in general, compared to a more evasive boxing style, obviously, much less.

Watch your average Muay Thai bout. There's a lot more plodding forward and standing around, as well as blocking and absorbing blows than your average boxing bout, which has a lot of "boxing" and dancing. Does that mean there aren't evasive nakmuays, or brawling boxers? Of course not. But in general, it's just the nature of the sports.