If you’re thinking about learning Muay Thai so you’ll be able to defend yourself and your family or friends effectively, you’re already heading in the right direction. Muay Thai, also known as the art of eight limbs, is widely considered the best striking-based martial art and one of the most effective styles for self-defense.
Unlike other martial arts like Taekwondo and Karate, which have many techniques meant to highlight the skills and athleticism of practitioners, Muay Thai is a no-nonsense fighting system that emerged from the battlefields of 13th-century Thailand.
Muay Thai’s predecessor was called Muay Boran, born and used in the war era, which ultimately led to reformation and creation of modern Muay Thai.
Another clear difference between Muay Thai and many other striking-based martial arts is the use of grappling positions like the clinch and grappling techniques like leg catches, throwdowns, and trips. This willingness to adopt positions and techniques mostly found in grappling-based martial arts makes it a well-rounded fighting system.
Adapting Muay Thai Techniques For Self-Defense In The Modern World
Real street fights are rarely like what you see in movies or combat sports. Very rarely would you see two combatants in a real fight setting maintaining distance or circling away from each other’s strong sides, as you would see in a Muay Thai competition.
Real fights are nasty and fought at extremely close distances, with no rules restricting what either party does. One wrong move and your life can be changed in the blink of an eye. That’s why any worthwhile self-defense instructor will tell you that the best self-defense skill is learning how to avoid fights in the first place.
Always try to use your words to de-escalate potentially violent confrontations. If that doesn’t work, try removing yourself from the situation.
Unfortunately, the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; sometimes, you might be forced to defend yourself. Make sure you emerge victorious if things get physical since you don’t want your safety determined by someone else’s moral compass.
With all that out of the way, let’s take a look at some Muay Thai techniques that can be used in urban combat situations where you might not have space to move around freely:
1) Muay Thai Plum (Clinch)
The Muay Thai plum (clinch) is one of the first things you should master if your primary training goal is to be able to defend yourself. It’s a powerful fighting position you can secure even in cramped spaces like a stairwell, crowded nightclub, or a narrow alley. You could even secure a Thai plum in a phone booth if you find yourself fighting inside one.
The Thai plum is a close-distance technique, making it practical for self-defense situations where most engagements occur at close range.
One of the best things about the Thai plum is how difficult it can be for untrained people to get out of it. Even people trained in combat styles like boxing typically struggle with it since it requires more than snapping your head back to escape. Many people instinctively try to pull away from it instead of attacking the grip, which leaves them stuck.
Don’t just learn how to secure the clinch and throw knees or elbows; master other techniques so you can leave your opponent confused and unbalanced as make your escape in such situations. You can also throw elbows from the clinch, but you’re better off sticking to your knees since you’d need to let go with one of your hands to throw elbows.
You should also remember that knees to the groin are perfectly okay in self-defense situations, so don’t hesitate to target the area.
2) The Teep (Push Kick)
Many Muay Thai fighters use the teep a lot during their fights because of how versatile it is. It’s not practical in every self-defense scenario, but if you find yourself getting charged by an angry assailant, it’s an effective way to keep them off you.
Creating space during a fight is a crucial skill, and how the teep is thrown by bringing up your knee before extending your leg allows you to use it in relatively cramped spaces. You can’t use it in a phone booth, but it would be useful in a narrow hallway to create distance so you can escape or follow up with other attacks. It’s even more crucial to be able to create space if your attacker is coming at you with a knife or similar weapon. You don’t want them to get close enough to attack vulnerable areas like your head and neck.
3) Jump Knees
Knees, in general, are one of the most powerful strikes used in Muay Thai, and flying knees are one of the most effective attacks for self-defense. It’s not something the average person expects to get hit with during a fight, yet jump knees are effective at all levels of combat sports.
You don’t need much space to perform a jump knee. If it connects, the confrontation will likely be over.
4) Elbows
Elbows are another powerful strike from Muay Thai that can be just as effective in self-defense scenarios. You’re not going to have time to wrap up your hands and put on padded gloves if you find yourself fighting an attacker on the streets, which means every punch you throw at a hard part of the body, like the head, could lead to a hand injury in the middle of battle.
The tips of your elbows are much more durable than your fists, so look to land elbows if you’re in close range. You can throw elbows upwards like an uppercut, horizontally like a hook, or straight down 12-6 elbows. If you’re feeling cool, try landing double knees and double elbows simultaneously as Tony Jaa did in Ong Bak. Just kidding, save the fancy stuff for the gym when you’re playing around with your training partners. Keep things simple in self-defense situations.
You can also use elbows to deter attackers who try to wrestle you to the ground. Many MMA fighters have been put to sleep with elbows to the head while shooting for takedowns.
5) Defensive Fundamentals
All striking-based martial arts are about hitting without getting hit, so spend lots of time mastering defense fundamentals. Learn how to parry strikes, bob and weave, pivot out of danger, lean away from strikes, and block anything thrown at you. All these skills will be helpful if you ever have to defend yourself from someone with malicious intent.
Muay Thai Works Well In Urban Self-Defense Scenarios!
Muay Thai is an excellent martial art for self-defense as it prepares you for most attacks you could face in the real world; considering the unpredictability of real-life scenarios, adding a grappling style like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to your training can make a significant difference. With these skills, you’ll be better equipped to defend yourself, ensuring your attackers are no match and leaving you unharmed in the situation.
Come to one of Evolve’s complimentary Muay Thai classes to learn more about which techniques work best for self-defense!
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