elbows_and_knees

They train the muscles to contract harder and more explosively, which increases power output.

The thing about punching power is that it is a trait you either are or are not born with. In boxing, these guys are called "hard punchers" two good examples are tyson and foreman in their younger days. Someone like Ali was strong, but just wasn't capable of producing the power that foreman could. That said, that doesn't mean that you can't increase your punching power - you most certainly can. One great yet obvious sounding way to do it is to work the heavy bag - a lot. check your form and body mechanics - ensure that they are correct. If you do strength training, incorporate olymic lifts into your routine. You can also take a medicine ball and throw it in the same manner you would throw a jab or cross.

I know. I'm just jealous.

that is precisely what I was going to say. you say you have "studied a lot about martial arts" you also state that at least some of your training came from friends? Do you have any real, formal training?

hook, lead leg roundhouse and knees.

exactly.

No, it's considered fraudulent because of lineage claims and because of the ridiculous stories, like the granmaster doing a flying kick off of an 11 story building.

considering the length of time it takes to become proficient to a decent level in taiji, I'm willing to bet that 2 years won't be enough.

self defense beings with awareness. Awareness of your surroundings should be #1, IMO - walking several feet away from walls and fences, looking under your car as you walk toward it, quickly scanning people you pass for bulges in the pockets (potential weapons) and such, etc.

everything has basics... you don't begin doing jump spin kicks, I'm sure. By the time he reaches such a level, he may have his weight under control.

modern. If you want to cound things like the heavy bag and thai pads as traditional apparatus, then I guess you could say both. I lift heavy weights - compound and olympic style lifts for strength, and try to stay up on the latest developments in strength training. I also run several days a week and train daily. skill work consists of heavy bag, shadowboxing, speed bag, focus mitts, calesthenics and sparring.

Also, I don't block the spinning back fist with both hands - I try to get out of the way. In the event that I can't, I cover, as I would to block a hook punch.

there are risks with everything when done improperly. You don't want to overuse plyos... you shouldn't do them any more than twice per week.

no. those are only bodyweight exercises - no real explosion. Have you seen people do pushups where they launch themselves into the air and clap before they come down, then instantly explode back up to clap again? That is plyometric. jumping as high into the air as you can, then doing it again as soon as your feet touch the ground - that is plyometric.

If you are new to punching, that is not a good idea... it's a good way to mess your wrists up. After you have proper form down, then I would worry about that. Also, if you are going to punch bare knucks, make sure that you aren't punching a canvas bag - they will shred your hands.

that is one application of it, yes. it can also be done with power - like a rear teep. a "simple teep" is really no different in application than a front kick from a striking perspective. It is only different mechanically. A solid teep can knock the wind out of you just as a front kick can.

there are some takedowns they do from the clinch, for eaxample scooping a knee that has been thrown at you. there is also the cut kick in where you kick their base leg from under them. you can scoop a teep and raise the leg as high as possible as you walk them forward, offbalancing them and causing them to fall. I've learned some traditional takedowns as well, but I don't think they can be done in the ring.

doing that seems like tha tkick would be too slow...

thailand actually has some decent boxers. If I remember correctly, one of them took home a medal in the olympics last year. On the average though, a real thai boxer - not someone who trained thai boxing in the west - doesn't punch all that much, from what I've seen. Boxers definitely have awesome hands though.

basically bodyweight exercises done with the intent of building explosive power. they can also be performed with apparatus, such as a medicine ball.

No. when you add more, it becomes an endurance exercise, same as pushups. Who is stronger, someone who can do 100 pushups and only bench 135 or someone who can only do 50 pushups and bench 285? Strength is progressive. Progressive exercise with no weight is an endurance builder. Plyometrics are to build explosiveness. many plyo programs do not advocate more than 8-10 reps of an exercise. They are to be done HARD and explosively. Once you begin to draw them out, you are lessening their effectiveness.

I'm not saying they can't end a fight. A punch to the jaw CAN end one, but doesn't always. And that's the issue - people always try to teach kicks to the groin as a fight ender and that is not necessarily so.

not for strength... they can't be, since the resistance isn't progressive.

the teep is a front push kick - can be done with either the lead or rear leg (long teep and short teep). It's not only for getting someone off balance - it's a probing technique, just like a jab. you use it to gaughe distance and to set up other attacks. You can also use it defensively to stop someone from closing distance on you. you actually cannot throw in MT. that doesn't mean that there aren't throws you will be taught though. thai boxing has a rule against judo style throws where you lift them over your body. you can sweep, technically, but once again, you can't do it in a judo type style - you have to kick the leg out from under them - you can't sweep it. you can also push someone down. if you catch their kick, you can hold the leg and walk/push them until they fall.

Was that in response to me? krabbi krabbong is not what I am referring to. That is one traditional thai art - it's separate from the ones I am mentioning.