What to do when fighting an aggressive opponent

An aggressive fighter will always start each round charging forward trying to land hard hits and stop the fight early.

They will dominate the ring using jabs and low kicks to back you up and keep the pressure on you the whole fight, right up till the end if their fitness allows.

The best thing you can do is stand your ground. Do not show fear even if you feel it. Do not allow you opponent to see any weaknesses.

To beat a very aggressive fighter you need to have a very good cardio system, clear positive mindset and confidence in your own skills.

How to beat an aggressive fighter

Maintaining Range

Keeping good distance between you and your opponent is important against aggressive fighters. However, do not get too caught up in trying to stay out of range as then you may end up holding back a lot during the fight and over thinking everything.

Instead, fully commit to your strikes if you want to score and frustrate your opponent.

How to maintain a good range

• Footwork
• Jabs
• Teeps

Creating angles

By creating angles you will keep yourself safe and will avoid being hit.

By just moving slightly forward or backwards in a straight line will not always work as you will still be in a good hitting range for your opponent.

Having good defensive footwork will allow you to pivot off and create new angles of attack and avoiding incoming strikes.

By creating different angles you put yourself in a better position to counter attack your opponents strikes.

However, by cutting angles there is still a small risk you will be hit when against a strong or experienced opponent.

Using long guard

Strong punches will break through no matter how strong your guard is. The double guard might protect you slightly but it will limit your vision and movement. Leaving the body open for attacks.

The long guard is good against a strong puncher it allows you to maintain a good distance and stay out of range.

To use the long guard the lead arm is extended out pushing against the opponents forehead, face, shoulders or chest. This guard will protect your chin as the chin is tucked in behind your shoulder with the back arm up in guard by doing this you will maintain good vision by looking down the centre line of your extended arm.

This guard allows you to defend from a range that is comfortable for you and for keeping an aggressive opponent away as well as for cutting angles and setting up for entering the clinch.

The only problem with the long guard is you are open to uppercuts straight up the middle.

Forcing clinch

Another way to defend a heavy hitter is to force them into the clinch, from inside the clinch they are unable to use there hands to punch you hard.

However, to enter the clinch you need to get past there strikes and are at risk of getting hit on the way.

The best way to get into the clinch is to move in after an attack when they are least expecting it. To do this try get your opponent to over commit to a strike as this leaves them off balance or leaning to far forward. Another way is to wait for an attack then avoid with good head movement, or footwork and force the clinch from here.

Kicking the arms

Kicking the arms will not score high as it looks like the kicks are being blocked or defended against, however by kicking the arms with strong kicks overtime will weaken their arms taking away the punching power and making them drop the guard.

The target you should be aiming for is the rear arm. This will mean you will need to use the front leg for the switch kick.

Using trips

To throw a hard shot you need good balance and stability this allows you to generate weight and power behind the strike.

You can use this to your advantage by throwing a strong low kick to their shin or ankle to make them lose balance and causing them to fall forward or sideways then when they are of balance this is the time to counter and sweep.

Another good time to use the sweep is when they are coming forward in a straight line throwing punches.

Countering

The worst thing you can do is end up in a brawl. This not only looks messy and is sloppy but it is very risky and dangerous.

Maintain a good distance and counter with well timed and sharp shots. Staying away also gives you a better ring vision allowing you to see incoming strikes and being able to avoid and counter them quicker.

Let them come to you and pick them of as they come forward.

Using the Jab and Teep

The Teep and Jab will keep your opponent away and can often off balance your opponent. If timed right a teep will stop them in their tracks and even cause damage by wounding if thrown correctly.

Feints:

Using Feints will create a reaction and cause your opponent to be more hesitant to come forward as they do not no what to expect.

Feints will make them drop the guard or go for a block giving you the chance to counter.

Train/spar with aggressive people

By training and sparring with aggressive people this will make you more experienced to being in that situation. You can find what works for you and how to deal with the pressure. By doing this you will be aware of what to expect when you finally do get into the ring.

Gain respect

You need to make your opponent respect your power and make them think twice before coming forward again.

By staying on the back foot and only trying to defend them they are not going to respect you and continue coming forward.

Instead make sure you counter well with good hard hits. You need to earn their respect.

Prepare for a tough fight

Be prepared for a high endurance fight make sure you have endurance and very good cardio system in order to last the full fight.

Be ready to take lots of damage during the fight

Types of aggressive fighters

clinch and knee

Aggressive clinchers will constantly be looking for the opening to enter the clinch and throw a load of fast hard knees while scoring at the same time. They do not allow you space to defend and use your own knees in return.

Punchers

Heavy punchers will constantly be walking forwards throwing punches and normally do not mind ending up in a brawl. This can be very frustrating and hard to defend against but with good footwork and defensive movements you can counter their punches with kicks.

Low kickers

Aggressive low kickers will be constantly on the look out to land that solid leg kick trying to destroy your legs in the meantime.

Why Aggressive fighting can be effective

Strong strikes

Aggressive fighters have hard strikes that can cause knock outs if landed on target. Because of this they have a reputation and quite a few KO/TKO on their record. This can intimidate their opponent even before entering the ring.

Good Endurance

Aggressive fighters can maintain a high intensity and keep the pace high throughout the full fight.

They constantly pressure forward and never back down even after they have hit you. They are always on the look out for the knock out shot.

Good endurance is an advantage for an aggressive fighter as their opponent might not be able to keep up with such a high pace and start to drop their hands leaving them open to counter shots

Can take hard hits

Aggressive fighters are always on the front foot hunting down their opponent. They take a lot of strong shots during the fight.

They will be ok with taking hard hits in order to land their own in return.

Good mindset

Aggressive fighters have the ability to push through and keep going no matter how hard it gets. They have a type of mental toughness that not many fighters have.

They get stronger as the round goes on and when they see you are hurt, scared or tired take full advantage of this.

Mindset against a aggressive fighter

To fight someone who is constantly coming forward and never backing down or giving you space to breath, your only chance is to stand your ground and do not let them back you up and sense your fear.

The fighter with the stronger mindset is the fighter who will win the fight.

Have confidence in your skills and in training leading up to the fight.

If you have no confidence you will become tense and slow at reacting to strikes and you will not perform to your full potential. Confidence comes from experience.

Overall the best thing to do is maintain calm and composure. Do not let your emotions get the better of you and become angry and frustrated. Losing your calm not only means you have more chance to mess up but puts you at risk of being hit.

Stay focused and think of how to defend and counter straight away.

Scoring and rules in a Thai fight

Scoring a fight is broken down into three categories:

1. Effective aggression 70%
2. ring control 20%
3. Aggression 10%

Effective aggression:

This is the most important part in wining a fight or round, judges will look for the fighter that has effective accuracy and power with every shot.

For example, the number of clean strikes landed clearly on the target area while moving forward, backwards, sideways and against the ropes.

A strike needs to show some sort of damage such as redness on skin, or knocking your opponent down to the canvas resulting in a 8-count. This will score much higher than a shot that landed on target but shows no damage.

Ring control

The fighter that is the most dominant is the one that is controlling the pace and action of the round, and not allowing their opponent to perform the way they would like to.

Aggression

The fighter that forces themselves onto their opponent and will not back down is the aggressive fighter. They should be constantly pushing forward and the only choice for their opponent is to go backwards or turn away to get away from them.

Scoring kicks

A kick that is block, parried or defended against will not score high.

A Thai kick is the highest scoring strike in a Muay Thai fights and will out score any number of punches.

Grade A scoring kicks

A kick that is landed anywhere on the body, legs or head resulting in opponent needing a 8-count.

Grade B scoring kicks:

A kick to the leg resulting in loss of balance or showing damage. A kick landed to the body of an opponent. A kick to the arm causing the opponent to move or showing evidence that it was effective, or a kick that lands on the neck area.

Grade B + scoring kicks

A kick to the legs resulting in the opponent losing balance and falling to the ground and a kick to the neck causing movement.

Grade C scoring kicks

A kick to the arm but results in no movement and does not show damage. Or off balance their opponent.

What will not score/Fouls

• Biting/spitting and headbutting.
• Wresting i.e. arm and back locks, judo throws.
• Holding onto the ropes.
• spitting out gum shield.
• hitting opponent after the bell or after the refer has told you to go back to your corner.
• hitting groin area on purpose.
• heel hooks.

10 points scoring system

The 10 point scoring system is similar to what is used to score a boxing and MMA fight.

Example:

For a 5 round fight the fighter that won the round is given 10 points with their opponent getting a 9:8 or 7 according to the performance they gave during the round. A fighter who had a warning during the round loses 1 point from their score card.

Ways to win a fight

1. Knockout (KO):
2. Technical Knockout (TKO)
3. Unanimous decision: all judge score one fighter as the clear winner
4. Split decision: 2 judges score the fight to won fighter but the third judge gives it to the other fighter.

Rounds 1

In the first round of most Thai fights the pace is slow with both fighters trying to figure each other out. It is normally quite a technical round with both fighters throwing shot for shot to see how each other reacts and work out the fighting style of their opponent.

Rounds 2,3,4

In these rounds the pace and intensity of the fight starts to go up with both fighters trying to outscore each other and win the round.

Round 5:

In the fifth round the pace of a fight may start to slow down again. The fighter who is winning the round might start to raise their hands more or go for the glove touch a lot during the round. A reason why the pace of the fight might slow down in the last round is because if both fighters think they have done enough to win the fight then they feel they do not need to go hard in the last round. However, if the fight is close and there is not a clear winner the pace and intensity will remain high right up to the final bell.

Rules:

N-class

This is normally the starting point for most adults looking to fight.

5 rounds of 1.5 minutes no elbows no knees to face shin pads worn

C-class

5 rounds 1.5 minutes no elbows no knees to face no shin pads

B-class

5 rounds of 2 minutes knees to head allowed no elbow no shin pads

A class (full Thai rules)

5 rounds of 3 minutes 2 minute rest knees and elbows to face allowed no shin pads

Junior Thai fight rules (5-11 years + 12-14 years)

10oz gloves. No head contact. Head guard, shin pads, gum shield, groin guards must be worn. 3 rounds of 1.5 minutes or 5 rounds of 1 minute. Rounds for a title (area/English) 5 rounds 1 minutes. Rounds for British/ International title 5 rounds 1.5 minutes.

15-17 years

10oz gloves Head contact allowed using kicks and punches only. Head guards, gum shield, shin pads, groin guards. 3 rounds of 1.5 minutes. Rounds for Area/English title 5 rounds 1.5 minutes. Rounds for British/International title 5 rounds 2 minutes.

Fighting and out scoring a taller opponent

When up against a taller opponent you need to be ready to take a few hits in order to land your own back. If you try to avoid them altogether it will not work as they are taller than you and will have longer limbs, making it easier for them to hit you from a distance.

By being the smaller of the two fighters, it will be harder for you to find a comfortable range to attack and defend.

The best thing for you as the smaller fighter is to remain calm. The worst thing you can do is get frustrated. If most of your strikes are not landing just be prepared to get hit in order to hit them back.

Tips for fighting a taller opponent

Cutting of the ring:

Cutting of the ring and cornering your opponent so their back is against the ropes or corner of the ring, will limit your opponents ability to move freely and throw their own shots from a range that is comfortable for them. This can be stressful for your opponent mentally, to be stuck up against the ropes not able to escape. Allowing you to attack with confidence at a range that suits you better.

To cut of the ring, and corner your taller opponent you have to be constantly moving forward pressuring them backwards. But do this slowly overtime. If you try and back them up too quickly, you will just end up chasing them around the ring with them picking you apart with their own shots.

To slowly cut your opponent use of lateral movement, while at the same time taking small steps forward slowly, this helps cover more distance eventually trapping them in the corner with nowhere to go.

Catching kicks

A taller opponent will probably use the jab and teep lots to keep you at distance. By doing this they can score at a range that is good for them. But by them doing this it can be frustrating for you. However, you can use this to your advantage. Put yourself is a range safe enough to not get hurt but still allowing you to see any incoming shots clearly with a good amount of ring vision. Now try to catch their teeps but still maintain a good defence. If you do manage to catch a kick with good timing go in for the sweep or a counter combination. Remember to keep a good strong grip on their leg when catching and throwing away the kick. And protect your face with the other hand, as when you have caught their kick they might try punch you. Also because they have longer arms it will mostly land, if you are not quick enough with your counter or have a safe defence.

Targeting to the body

Hitting to the body is one of the best things to do against a taller opponent. The taller they are the closer you will be to their mid-section. This is a simple but very effective thing to do but is most often forgotten about by people, as they spend too much time headhunting looking for the Knock Out punch. But by working to the body it will help set up the head shot as their hands will drop to protect the body leaving the face open.

Using low kicks

Kicking to the legs will really work when against a taller opponent as they will have longer limbs than you giving you more target area to kick. Kicking their legs gives you another advantage as it weakens their legs if you are constantly attacking their legs. Overtime they will start to get slower, affecting their ability to throw strikes towards you with speed and power.

Using Angles for attack and defensve

Use your angle to close in and attack. Defend and counter is a must against someone who is much taller than you so by creating angles you can cover more distance and land your own shots from a safer range, that is more comfortable for you.

Using angles will help you to avoid punches and allows you to counter better because you will be of their centre line.

To cut angles use your hands to parry incoming punches and kicks, and with good footwork move out the way. You can confuse your opponent by doing this method frequently.

Using feints:

Throw a few feints towards your opponent and figure out how they react to them. Then throw a full power shot after the feint. You will probably catch them off guard as they react or block the feint leaving themself open and off balance. Or leaning to far forward.

Getting into the clinch

Getting on the inside and into the clinch out of their reach so they can not use their longer limbs against you will work to your advantage.

Overhand punch

Using the overhand instead of the normal cross will give you more reach and increase the likelihood that you will land an overhand against someone who is taller than you. As the overhand punch comes over the top of the guard instead of in a straight line towards their face.

The most important thing to remember when fighting someone who is taller than you is to remain calm and composed. The worst thing you could do is get frustrated. Be prepared to get hit in order to hit back.

Confidence in fighting and training

What is confidence?

• eye contact
• Body language
• positive thinking
• being prepared
• beleving in yourself
• not comparing yourself to others
• not worrying about the outcome
• taking the right fight for you
• focusing on yourself
• asking for help when needed

Reasons fighters may lack in confidence:

Unprepared:

A fighter might lack in confidence because They may not have trained enough or could have put more effort in when training. They may know they could have done better, or put more time and effort into training but ultimately did not.

Bad attitude/ unproductive attitude and negative attitude:

Example:

• If I lose I am nothing
• If I lose my friends will think differently of me
• I do not want to look bad in front of other people
• People I know or look up to have not lost a fight so I cant either
• Comparing yourself to others

Reasons for nerves before a fight

Physically not prepared

Some people are unaware of what it means to be 100% ready for a fight. They may think they do but they do not. Giving 100% to something is not just going till you feel tired. It is wanting it more than anything else. More than hanging out with your friends, missing family events, making sacrifices, being self motivated, and determined to succeed more than anything. And not letting anything get in your way.

An example is, when a fighter loses they cry. This is usually a sign they have given it everything but still lost. The same is true if they win. They are showing true emotion on how much the outcome of the fight meant to them.

When you are training think, did I give 100% today? Also ask yourself , did I want it 100% today? Was I feeling it 100% today?

Taking the wrong fight

When preparing for a fight you might not have much information about your opponent so be sure your trainer is looking out for your best interest and not over matching you. For example, if they are matching you against fighters with more experience than you or making you cut too much weight for the fight. Only to have you put it all back on again just before the fight.

Negative thinking

Saying negative things such as ‘I am not good enough’ or ‘I will mess up’ or ‘Everyone is better than me’. Instead focus on what you can do. Become aware of and work on your own weaknesses. Focus on how to win not how to lose. All this will ultimately changing your mind set to a more positive outlook.

Not asking for help

Telling people in your gym you have a fight, ask for advice, ask what they think your weaknesses and strengths are.

Worried about the outcome

Scared to fight and worried on what the outcome could be. Frequently, fighters are more worried about how their fight record will look, and what other people might think of them if they lose their fight rather than the actual fight itself.

Positive attitude:

I am good enough

Tell yourself ‘you are stepping into the ring to fight someone else, something that most people would never do, you have trained hard made the sacrifices missed out on event with friends/ family for this, there is nothing more you could have done you are as prepared as much as you can be.’

Always learning

Win/lose/draw you are still learning and improving. Watch back your fight to see what you did well, what needs improved, and what you did better this time, compared to your previous fights.

Focusing on yourself

Do not compare yourself to others. You can’t change how your opponent or how other people are training. But you can change how you are. So instead focus on yourself and what you can do to get better. Focusing on how others are training, or how hard and fast they hit, is not going to help you.

After a fight

Ask for feedback after the fight. Make a plan or list of both positive and negatives from your fight, and how you are going to improve on them.

Nerves before a fight

What do pre-fight nerves feel like

You are in the changing rooms getting warmed up. Any minute now they will announce your name to fight. Are your hands shaking? Does your mouth feels dry? Do you constantly need to use the toilet? Thoughts of doubt start creeping into your mind i.e. Why am I here?Will I get hurt? There is no way I can beat an opponent like that! Your legs feel heavy and shaky when hitting pads. You feel out of breath after just one round of pad-work! There is no power in any of your shots.

You have now reached the walk way towards the ring. Is there a knot in your stomach? Are thoughts such as I hope I do not trip/ fall make a fool of myself in front of everyone. Once in the ring you try to maintain eye contact with your opponent. Try to stand tall with good posture so it looks like you are confident. The referee then calls you to the centre of the ring. Everything is a blur. You hear nothing they are saying. You can not even hear the crowd cheering. Instead you just nod and agree and before you know it the first round has started.

Some fear and anxiety before a fight is good. But it is how you deal with it that matters. Can you control your emotions?

How to deal with pre -fight nerves

Visualisation

Visualise how you want the fight to go imaging yourself warming up for the fight, walking the runway towards the ring and the rounds of the fight itself.

Example: of how to visualise a fight situation

Things to think to yourself before the fight:

You are in the changing room warming up before the fight. You feel relaxed. You are hitting the pads with confidence. Each shot feels loose but strong. Your fitness is fine. You break into a sweat and get into the right mindset. You feel the urge to just get out there and fight. Now you are walking along the run way taking in the cheer of the crowd. This spurs you on as you enter the ring. You lock eyes with your opponent and do not look away. The referee calls both of you to the centre of the ring. You can hear them clearly telling you the rules. The whole time retaining strong eye contact with your opponent right up to the start of the first round. You feel calm and relaxed and ready to give it your all. The bell signals for the end of the first round. You had a good strong performance and scored well countering your opponents shots. You heard your corner team clearly telling you what to do. and you listened to their every word. You return to your corner with a good feeling, confident that you won the round.

Now break down each round in detail. Ask yourself the following questions: Are you the more aggressive fighter? Are you on the back foot and countering a lot? How did the round end? Did you manage to sweep/throw them at any point? Was there an 8-count? How did the fight end? Did it finish early by a TKO or KO or did it go the full distance? Did you feel tired or out of breath at any point? How was your opponent performing? Were their hands low? Did they crack under your pressure?

By visualising your fight you can control every part of the fight, and it is up to you on how it ends up.

Keep yourself busy

On fight day try not to sit around doing nothing. Instead keep busy by doing things such as reading, listening to music, even having a nap is better than sitting with negative thoughts.

Rituals:

Creating your own rituals brings a sense of familiarity such as always wearing the same shorts for a fight. But do not let these rituals effect you if they go wrong or you can’t perform them for some reason. Remember, you created these rituals so you have the power to create new ones.

Focus:

Stay focused all throughout the fight camp as well as on the day of the fight. All the way leading up to entering the ring, and during the whole fight right till the very end. Never loose your focus.

The most important thing to remember is that whatever you are feeling your opponent is more likely feeling the same thing, and will have just as much nerves and anxiety or maybe even more about the fight.

In this post I will be going over the leg Kick. I will talk about the different types of low kicks, the different situations to use the leg kicks, and lastly the technique for throwing a perfect low kick. I will provide some example of photos of reallife situations that the leg kick can be used in.

The Muay Thai leg kick

The Technique for the leg kick is very similar to the technique for the Thai body kick.

The low kick is like chopping down a tree and often compared to throwing a baseball bat. It will take away strength in opponents legs while at the same time slowing them down weakening their ability to stand upright, fight back and move effectively about the ring. It can also take away the power of their own kicks which will then make them less confidence and off balance.

When training the low kick, work on targeting both the inner and outer thigh, the middle of the thigh, and the calf muscles. These are the best target areas for the inside low kick as the calf and the middle thigh is more softer. However, the inside of the knee cap will cause the most damage to someone.

The best time to land a low kick is when your opponent is coming forward in a straight line while throwing punches, as all their weight is on the legs. A well timed low kick in this situation can off balance someone, and you may even be able to trip/ sweep them or make them fall forward towards you.

Tips for a good low kick

Patience:

Waiting for the right moment to kick such as when your opponent is distracted or when all their weight is on one leg, and setting up the low kick after an effective combination .

Timing:

Without good timing, landing a clean strong low kick on target that is not defended against will be extremily hard.

Variation:

Switching up your set up strikes/combinations so your opponent does not know what to expect. Do not make the mistake of using the same technique all the time as your opponent will figure out your pattern and use it to their advantage.

Footwork:

Footwork will allow you to create angles and have different openings for attacking the legs.

Combinations

Combinations set up for a strong low kick results in less chance of it being blocked.

Lead leg kick

The lead low kick from the front leg is not as powerful as the back leg kick. However, it is far more quicker and is used to set up and off balance/sweep an opponent. Additionally, the lead kick can set up other strikes and combinations. The lead low kick is often used like a jab helping you to judge your range. Because is is thrown with speed, returning it back to the starting point straight away makes it easier to immediately follow up with a counter.

Back leg kick

The back leg low kick is much more stronger and can cause more damage to the leg. The target is the outer thigh, because this area is a large soft piece of flesh, but is just as effective when landed to the shin or knee cap. If your opponent is off balance or has all their weight on one leg the force and momentum of the kick can sweep them right of there feet.

Setting up low kicks

Kicks should more often than not be set up from another strike in order to catch someone of guard and land it on target without getting it blocked. Setting up the kick will distract your opponent. Boxing is commonly the most used way to set up leg kicks because it makes them focus on defending against your punches, taking away their focus on checking kicks. The most used low kick set up combinations, is the jab-lead hook which will make them flinch while allowing you to judge your distance.

Using low kicks to set up other strikes

Leg kicks can be used to set up combinations or distract someone to land another strike. They will be too busy trying to defend against your kicks. They may drop their hands slightly, leaving their face open to your punches or head kick.

Another good time to land a leg kick is when your opponent is throwing a body kick. Come under the kick and kick the inside of their leg. This can be done also by kicking the outside of their leg when they are throwing a body kick at you. Because they are on one leg, you are more likely to sweep them of the ground with a strong kick.

Another way, is when your opponent kicks you. Catch their leg and deliver a leg kick to the lower part of their leg by lifting the leg up that you have caught. This will make it easier to sweep them.

Muay Thai body kicks (Bandi)

The Muay Thai body kick is the first thing most people will learn when starting Muay Thai it is the most commonly thrown strike in a fight due to in being the highest scoring strike kicks will always outscore punches.

Thai kicks can cause damage including broken bones, redness on target and sometimes stop fights .

The biggest mistake people make when learning the Thai kick is they try to hit as hard as possible by doing this they are practising bad form and creating not so good habbets that will be hard to get out of in the future.

When learning the kick it is best to break it down step by step work of perfecting your technique the same as you would with any other strike once you have got good technique then start adding power and speed to the kick

In Thailand Thais will work the kick repetitively performing hundreds to thousands of the same kick over time this results in muscle memory and strength/endurance in the legs.

Thai kick VS kickboxing kick

The kick-boxing kick is more of a flick lifting the leg up before flicking it out then bringing it back to a chamber position before putting it back down this type of kick is fast but dose not generate much power or cause that much damage like a Thai roundhouse kick would.

The Thai kicks aim is to hit right through the target swinging the leg right through like you would if you where throwing a baseball bat you do not want to stop on the target instead aim to kick through your opponent to the other side.

Improving your Thai kicks

Turning the hips

Turning the hips will drive the shin bone into the target, by throwing the kick upwards like kicking a football the leg will only slide up opponents body taking away the power turning the hips into your kick will also drive the leg forward creating more power and generating movement.

Arm Swing

Swinging the same arm as kicking with out in front of you will help generate force and keep you balanced and upright and assist in the turning of your hips.

Point of contact

When hitting your target aim the land with the shin bone never with the foot or toes because the toes in the foot are not as strong as the shin bone and are likely to break when hit with full force.

Footwork

being out of range or to far from the target will take away alot of power in the kick by just taking a small step forward or to the outside will cover more distance while keeping at a good range to land on target across the stomach.

Pivote

Push up onto toes and transfer your weight on to the supporting foot This will allow you to gain more momentum and generate force while coming forward the pivot of the foot will assist in the twisting of hips.

Body Position

Bring your body weight slightly forward into the kick leaning backwards takes away the power of the kick keeping the body straight upright keeps you balanced allowing for a much stronger kick.

Head position

Look straight at the target while kicking turning the head away is not a good habit to get into and will leave you open to counter attacks by looking away you will not see any incoming shots and struggle to defend and block counter attacks.

Returning back to stance

The leg that you have kicked with must always return back to starting point not returning to stance you will lose balance and not be able to block or counter again quick enough.

Step by step instructions to throw a Thai kick

1. Start of in your normal fighting stance
2. come up onto toes of supporting leg while lifting the other leg to kick at the same time.
3. pivot on the foot of the supporting foot so heal faces towards opponent.
4. Bring the same arm as kicking with out in straight line towards opponents face.
5. other hand stays up in guard to protect face
6. at the moment just before impacted twist the hips and shoulders down into the kick.
7. keep eyes in the target
8. return back to fighting stance straight away ready to block or counter.

The photo above is a good example of a Thai body kick as you can see there is a pivot on the supporting foot the hips are turned into the kick while the knee is parallel to floor it is not facing upwards or downwards the same arm as kicking with has came out to assist in the momentum of the kick while keeping them balanced they have a nice upright body posture with the other hand in guard protecting face while looking straight towards target at all times.

Mistakes when throwing a body kick

Tension:

Having any tension in your leg is going to effect the power and speed of a kick this is because when the leg muscle are tense they will tighten up limiting the rotation of the kicking leg.

limited Flexibility

Staying lose and working on flexibility often the loser and more flexibility you are the faster and stronger the kick will be.

Headhunters fighting championships 24th march 2017

Fight infomation:

• Opponent: Deborah Walsh
• Weight: 62.5KG
• Rules: C- Class 5 rounds of 1 minute 30 seconds
• Show: Headhunters Fighting Championships
• Location: Grangemouth
• outcome: Win by unanimous decision

Round 1:

The first round I started of slow. It was my first proper fight so I was really nervous. Deborah my opponent came aggressively forward with boxing. She got me backed up against the cage and was landing lots of knees from inside the clinch. I manged to get out of the corner and threw some of my own shots back. We then ended up back in the centre of the ring with Deborah using punches to get into the clinch and land knees. I used footwork and got out of the corner again and landed a nice cross-left-body-kick. We then started to throw shot-for-shot with me landing two double left kicks before catching her kick, and countering with a knee strike to end the round.

Round 2:

Round 2 started of again with Deborah coming forward using the jab-cross to get into the clinch and land knees. I manged to land my own left knee back before breaking of and throwing a left body kick to her stomach. Deborah kept the pressure on throwing a lot of boxing combinations but I countered with the left body kick. I started to get more into the fight by this point and seemed to be countering a lot of her shots with my own. Deborah’s hands were low at this stage, leaving her face open, allowing me to land the jab cross. I now got her backed up against the cage, and I was the one now keeping her in the corner.

Round 3:

In round 3 I got more confident. Landing a few low kicks. Deborah seemed to have tired herself out in the first few rounds and has a very low guard but she is still throwing her own strikes back. I get her backed up against the cage and we enter the clinch and exchange knee for knee, before breaking of with me landing a left body kick on the way out. I am now the aggressive one throwing the jab – cross while walking forward. I am controlling the pace of the fight and have got her on the back foot to finish the round. I get her against the cage and land a left body kick.

Round 4:

This round starts of with me landing a cross that rocks my opponents head back. She counters with a teep to try and keep me away but I still push forward, making Deborah go backwards. I land another cross that rocks her head back then straight into a switch left kick. Deborah starts to throw low kicks and teeps while on the back foot to try keep me at a distance. I then fake a low kick landing forward, and throwing a hook. But Deborah then catches my kick making me of balance. I turn away and regain my balance and come aggressively forward, throwing the jab cross. Deborah then falls to the canvas. I’m not sure it she slipped or if I was being too heavy handed. When she gets up I keep the pressure on and force her to the other side of cage and land a left head kick. I think this must of hurt her as I now have her against the cage not being able to throw any shots, while I get into a flow using boxing combinations to set up and land kicks. I then get her into the clinch and land two knees before breaking off. I land a cross into another switch head kick. Deborah then comes forward again punching. But I counter these strikes with my own jab-cross-low kick. Deborah is still on the back foot and has turned her back towards me trying to get away, this allows me to land the left kick across her back. She is still fighting back and trying to come forward with her own boxing.

Round 5:

Round 5 was my strongest round. It starts of with both of us trying to find distance. I use the jab to judge distance, while Deborah throws the lead teep. We then exchange some kicks-for-kicks, defending and countering straight away I parry her low kick counter with a kick across. While Deborah then walks forward with the jab-cross-jab-body kick. But I manage to make her miss each shot by using footwork and moving backwards out the way. I then throw a left body kick that misses so I come right around, and land a spinning back fist. Deborah throws the teep to keep me away but I keep pushing forward landing the jab-cross. We get into the clinch and are up against the cage and throwing knee for knee before breaking of again. I block her low kick and come forward aggressively again with some combinations to enter the clinch. From the clinch I land two knees, then turn her around breaking off and landing a left head kick on the way out. This kick rocks her as her hands were down. So the kick was not blocked. The last 20/30 second of the round I am keeping up the pressure by throwing combinations. I have her backed against the cage. Deborah is still throwing shots back, then the round ends with me parrying a low kick and returning my own low kick to the same leg.

The day before the Fight:

It was the day of the weigh in. I went up to the gym for 1pm where Zain and Scott where already in doing pad work. We then drove through to Falkirk to the Head Hunters gym. When we arrived there where already fighters there. We past one fighter who had not made weight and was out running to try to loose the extra grams! My opponent Deborah Walsh could not make it till the evening, so I did not get to see her before the fight. I weighed in at 60.5kg. 1 Kg under the required weight.

Day of the fight

The morning of the fight, I went and got a Thai massage and my hair braided. In the late afternoon we drove through to Grangemouh for the fight, stopping in Falkirk on the way to pick up Ali Simpson my coach from Skye who had travelled down to be in my corner for the fight. When we arrived at the venue I had a medical check, then went to get changed. The show started at 6pm and I was the first fight on so did not have much time to get ready. Scott gave me a white pair of shorts with Black Diamond Thai Boxing club written on them to wear for the fight. To warm up I did some rounds of pads with Scott then some clinch and light sparring with Ali. After the fight we went to Falkirk for food at a local Thai Restaurant ‘Erawan Thai Restaurant’.

Sheffield Wicker Camp

On the 27th July 2019, I attended a seminar taught by Rambaa Sombet at the Wicker Camp in sheffield.

The seminar started at 10am and lasted for 2 hours, with it only costing £20.

For the warm up we did star jumps and high knees in sets of 20. Afterwards we partnered up and worked on the straight knee landing it lightly on the target aiming for the stomach. After going over this for a few rounds we moved on and worked on the inside low kick, using the lead leg and targeting behind the knee cap not the inner thigh. This technique uses more of a flick with the foot and hurts much more. It is quicker to just flick the foot out which also causes more damage by making someone off balance or of fall forward, allowing you to land a knee strike to the head or a sweep.

We then went onto working some clinch techniques.

When your opponent walks towards you trying to enter the clinch or just being the more aggressive fighter and charging towards you, then use either your lead or back arm at the same time as stepping to the outside away from the centre line. Next put your hand around the back of their neck, while turning them and countering with your own knee strike.

When your opponent has a solid strong grip around your neck and you can not bring your hands up through them, instead of trying to come under bring both hands over the top of their guard placing the sides of your palms under their nose and pushing the head backwards. This should make them automatically let go of their grip. Another way is covering up your opponents mouth and eyes limiting their sight or breathing.

Another clinch technique we worked on was having both arms on your opponents biceps, then turning one arm down and the other arm up, like turning a steering wheel at the same time and step away with the back leg. This should cause your opponent to end up being turned and thrown to ground.

Another technique was when the opponent lifts their leg to throw a knee, then when their leg is off the ground turn them the other way to off balance them, and land your own knee strike.

Body Kick Technique

We then worked on the body kick technique. One person at a time threw the kick and their partner caught it then held that position for 30 seconds, to work on your technique.

Things to remember when kicking:

• Come up onto toes
• pivote on supporting foot
• knee facing to side not upwards
• straight back standing upright looking towards opponent
• back arm up in guard to protect face
• same arm as kicking with straight out in front
• hips turned into the kick

Catch kick counters

Next we went over some catch and counters. Such as catching the leg then sweeping the supporting leg or catching the leg and lifting upwards taking a step forward at the same time, to cause your opponent to fall backwards. Then when your opponent throws a body kick as soon as they start to throw the kick, come under and sweep their supporting leg.

We then did some push kicks into the jump scissor push kick, and the side teep where you hit with the side of your foot instead of the point.

After that we did some boxing drills. First was 1 minute of jab cross and every-time someone did it wrong and began to drop their guard, we had to start from the start until everyone was doing it correctly.

Then10 reps of jab – cross, followed by 10 reps of jab-cross-hook, and then jab-cross-hook-cross.

10 reps of cross-hook and 10 reps of cross – hook -cross -hook.

For these reps both partners were throwing punches at the same time, not one after the other.

To finish we did some light technical controlled sparring without shin pads.

Total Raised £1500

Inter-club and 100 rounds of pad-work fundraiser

On the 13th July 2019, the Skye Muay Thai club in Portree held their first inter-club and fundraiser event to raise money for their community Thai boxing club. Their was clubs from Stornoway (ESTMT), Inverness (HMAC), Sheffield (Wicker Camp) as well as a few regulars from Skye Muay Thai. Tickets were priced at £5 with the first fight starting at 12pm and finishing around 4pm.

Each person had two controlled technical matches, with each fight lasting 3 rounds of 1 minute and a 1 minute rest between rounds.

Along with the inter-club the 3 Skye Muay Thai instructors each completed 100 rounds of 3 minutes of pad-work taking them around 8 hours to complete. The pad-work was split into 20 rounds, with one minute rest. Then after 20 rounds a longer rest was taken in order to recover and be ready for the next set of 20 rounds. This alone raised around £1000 in sponsorship.

Along with the inter-club and pad-work there was also raffle tickets which costed £1 each, or £5 per strip. The raffle raised £275 and prizes included:

• Meal for two at Flodigarrry hotel, Isle of Skye.
• 2 pairs of tickets to MTB show on august 31st (donated by John o Brian)
• 3 luxury hampers (donated by Uig bay campsite/Lisa Madigan
• pair of Revgear kids boxings gloves (donated by revgear)
• private lesson with Rambaa Sombet
• month free membership to Skye Muay Thai
• Buddhist amulets
• £10 voucher to Kyle butchers
• Rug (donated by Edinburgh wollen mill)
• Wonkey wollen gift bag (donated by OR)
• picture (donated by Flowers by Carol)

A reporter from the West Highland Free Press came during the event to take photos and videos for their website, and an article was written for the Free press. The reporter interviewed the gym owner Ali Simpson on his thoughts on how the day went.

Overall, the day was a success with the club raising £1500. The money will go towards buying a boxing ring and mats for the gym and anything else the gym may need.

Skye Muay Thai is a community boxing club with all the money they make going toward keeping the gym up and running. The instructors teach classes voluntarily taking no wages for themself.

To find out more about Skye Muay Thai you can find them on face-book at “Skye Muay Thai”

Currently, the club have classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in Portree from 6-7:30pm. And Tuesday and Thursday in Dornie from 6-7:30pm. There is a womens only class every Sunday, from 2-3:30pm. Classes cost £4 or a monthly membership costs £15 for adults and £10 for kids.