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HEALTH FITNESS STRENGTH & BALANCE
MUAY THAI GYM
Muaythai has always been a sport for the people as well as a military fighting skill.
The people have always followed the sport and have been instrumental in moving it from the battlefield to the ring. They have been as much a part of making it a sport as have the Kings. One of the prime movers in transforming the sport was the Tiger King, who not only influenced fighting styles but also the equipment. During the reign of the Tiger King, the hands and forearms began being bound with strips of horse hair. This was to serve a dual purpose – protect the fighter and inflict more damage on the opponent. Later, these were replaced by hemp ropes or starched strips of cotton. For particular challenge matches and with the fighter’s agreement, ground glass was mixed with glue and spread on the strips.
The changes that the sport has undergone have been changes to equipment used rather than radical change. For example, Thai fighters have always worn groin guards. A kick or knee to the groin was a perfectly legal move up until the 1930′s. In the early days, the protection was made from tree bark or sea shells held in place with a piece of cloth tied between the legs and around the waist. The groin guard later became a triangular shaped pillow, red or blue, tied around the waist with a through strap between the legs.
Modern Muaythai
The pillow went, after a boxer on a trip to Malaysia saw a groin box. He came back with the idea, which is close to the original idea of the sea shell and since then, Muaythai fighters have used them. The 1930′s saw the most radical change in the sport. It was then that it was codified and today’s rules and regulations were introduced. Rope bindings of the arms and hands were abandoned and gloves took their place. This innovation was also in response to the growing success of Thai Boxers in international boxing.
Along with the introduction of gloves, came weight classes based on the international boxing divisions. These and other innovations – such as the introduction of five rounds – substantially altered the fighting techniques that the boxers used causing some of them to disappear. Before the introduction of weight classes, a fighter could and did fight all comers regardless of size and weight differences. However, the introduction of the weight classes meant that the fighters were more evenly matched and instead of there being one champion, there became one for each weight class. Most Muaythai fighters belong to the lighter weight classes. Seventy percent of all fighters belong to the fly and bantam weight divisions. There are welterweight and middleweight fights but they are not seen that often and the heavier categories seldom fight.
The establishment of stadiums, instead of makeshift rings and courtyards, began during the reign of Rama VII before the Second World War. During the war, they gradually disappeared but mushroomed again soon afterwards – Muaythai had not lost any of its appeal. The boxers from up-country once again headed toward fame and fortune in Bangkok. The glory could be found at stadiums like Rajdamnern and Lumpinee. Later, they fought in full colour fury on television. Thailand’s Channel 7 started broadcasting the fights in colour over 20 years ago. Today all four Thai television stations broadcast free to millions of Muaythai fans throughout Thailand – four nights a week.
The battle art has evolved into a popular sport. Ruled, codified and now with five three minute rounds, each with a two minute recovery period between rounds. Those old timers around today who fought before the Second World War, lament the changes brought about by the standardisation of the sport. The three minute round and weight classes has, they say, changed the sport as they remembered it. “We had to fight all comers,” one recalls. “Had to know all the tricks of the trade. We used strikes and techniques these fighters haven’t even been taught. We didn’t have these breaks and instead fought ’till one of us dropped.”
They are also right. Muaythai has changed across the years. Changed and evolved from a battlefield close quarters killing ground technique based on a fighting tradition passed on from generation to generation up to the present time. But despite the changes of history, Muaythai has lost none of its exotic appeal and even mystique. Muaythai is still the fighting art to beat. The fighting art that defeats all challenges from Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwando and the latest kickboxing fashions. They have all come to Thailand, not just once but many times and from many places to test themselves. Muaythai has lost none of its appeal in Thailand. The television fight broadcasts rate among the Kingdom’s most popular programmes. In the provinces, villages cluster around any available TV to watch. In the city, people disappear from the streets while Thailand is watching Muaythai.
Thai Boxing is also becoming increasingly popular outside of Thailand. It has its enthusiasts and practitioners in the Americas, Australia, Japan, Europe, as well as in many other countries around the world. The illustrious history of Muaythai will continue as it receives greater recognition and gains in international popularity.
