Sports Magazine

Archive for February, 2012

The combat sport Muay Thai has recently enjoyed rising popularity among health buffs and muscle builders especially with a lot of well-known celebrities openly practicing and advertising the benefits of engaging in this particular sport. Literally translated as “to bind together” from the Sanskrit word Muay, Muay Thai is also usually referred as the  ”Science of Eight Limbs” or “Art of Eight Limbs”. This is because this rough sport involves the use of kicks, knee strikes, elbow and  punches to make contact with one’s adversary. This sport was initially intended for the training of soldiers from the Sukhotai Era and has always been held in high esteem, especially in Thailand where it is considered as the national sport. This article offers several interesting tidbits and tips to the beginner Muay Thai player or enthusiast.

It is important to remember that all players typically wear a  Mongkol (also called Mongkon) on their heads and a  Pong Malai on their necks. A Mongkol is a type of headgear that represents the gym that a Muay Thai fighter belongs to, while a Pong Malai is a lei of flowers that are usually given to players for good luck. Fighters also enter the ring through the top rope, as this signifies a player’s competence and strength.

Remember that Thai culture places significance on the head, and as such, a player must not go beneath anything or anywhere else but the top. The ceremonious Wai Kru or bow to the teacher is then performed by each player, as well as the graceful Ram Muay, which involves the dancelike motions of both fighters that enable them to stretch their muscles before a grueling fight.

Learning about Muay Thai is not as easy as shopping for womens swimwear but if you are really eager to learn the sport, then there shouldn’t be a problem.