Muay Thai (literally boxing free people) is Thailand’s national combat sport. Its tradition dates back a thousand years and derives from the martial art of Muay Boran. It is inextricably linked with the Thai tradition and culture. The players have a lot of respect, as do the teachers and coaches who are very much respected and appreciated by their students. Before each muay thai fight, after entering the ring, the players pay tribute to them by performing the Wai Khru ritual, where “Wai” means paying respect, and “Khru” means a teacher, a mentor. The former Muay Boran fights took place on the threshing floor and, apart from paying tribute to Wai Khru, they were used to study the area where the fight was to take place. Warriors wrapped their fists and wrists in vines. In the twentieth century, boxing gloves and regulations for sports fights were introduced. Muay Boran has become Muay Thai. Despite this, the Thai people have not forgotten about the tradition and are constantly promoting it by training the art of Muay Boran. During the presentation of the Wai Khru ritual and the entire fight, a small orchestra plays traditional Thai music live with the use of ancient instruments.
Thai boxing is considered the “stand-up queen” and is also referred to as “eight-piece boxing”. In addition to punches, kick kicks and shins, the use of elbows and knees is permitted. Fighting in a clinch, which mainly uses the latter, is the most characteristic element of Muay Thai. In no other sport / martial art is elbow and knee combat so developed. Thai boxing is extremely effective in sports combat and self-defense, due to its versatility – the ability to fight at any distance, knocking down and undercutting the opponent. In addition to skills, intensive training shapes the body and character of the exercisers, and the multi-repetition specificity of teaching individual techniques ensures their effectiveness in combat.
The sport of Muay Thai is characterized by 5 values ​​that have been passed on to successive generations of warriors for centuries. They are: respect, honor, fair play, striving for excellence and tradition. The cultivation of these values ​​is an inseparable element of every training unit.