help on muay thai

[localman]

I am doing some research on Muay Thai. Can anyone help me with the following questions:

1. Is training always conducted on mats? If not always, when?

2. Do participants during training (rather than competition) wear protective gear such as gloves and helmets?

3. What level of contact should there be with punches and kicks?

4. In a sparing training session done on a wooden floor where no protective kit is worn, if one fighter attacks with a roundhouse kick when his opponent is off balance and as a result his opponent is knocked to the floor, what is preventing him from sustaining head injury (say hitting his head on the unprotected floor)? What is there to prevent this kind of thing from happening?

Many thanks

[wolverine uskf]

The first place i trained at had thin padding and we used light gloves, but the main gym that all 4 dojo's got together at to compete against each other had hardwood floors, and the only head injuries i remember were from being kicked to the head, not from the floor, so if you kept your guard up you were usually ok. It wasn't muay thai, but it was heavy contact, we used gloves, but head gear was just an option. The floor wasn't the danger, the other fighters were.

[MMA_Jim]

Mats are a luxury- most places in the West will probably have them, but thats definately not going to something that keeps you from practicing.

Participants will typically have shin guards, 16oz gloves, and headgear when training (you could opt for a cup too- they're usually made of steel). Headgear prevents cuts and other cosmestic damage, 16 oz help do the same, and shin guards allow protection for the fighter until he properly conditions his shins (and will also be worn to again, prevent a cut in the event of a head kick).

Level of contact typically depends on the participants. There is a technical spar where you dont want to hit each other too hard (say 30%) but then theres also time to hit each other if you're a fighter- there will be lots of sparring at 100% getting ready for a fight

What would stop the injury you described from happening? Well, nothing the way you described it. If one is training on a hard surface, I would cut back on some of the throws so as not to get hurt.

[localman]

Many thanks for the reply. If training on a hard surface and without head guard, is it appropriate for your opponent to do a roundhouse kick to the head knowing that you are off balance. I ask this because there must be a higher risk of falling (onto the hard floor) when kicked to the head wehn off-balance. Is there a rule or guidance that warns against this?

Again, many thanks for help.

[DWx]

I'm not Muay Thai but I'll add my 2 cents on the headguard issue because it's a similar problem in TKD. The problem isn't so much that the headguards lessen blows to the head, the more common head injuries we see are full face shots or whiplash type injuries and headguards don't do much for those. The headguards are there to stop further injury if you hit the deck as it lessens the impact when your head smacks the floor. If you've got mats they're not as necessary but without mats its a risk which may mean its a good idea to wear them.

Re. the getting kicked in the head and knocked over: I wouldn't say that is a major cause for concern because you could just as easily be knocked over with a strong punch to the head or sweep/throw or sometimes even a strong body shot will do it.

[JusticeZero]

is it appropriate for your opponent to do a roundhouse kick to the head knowing that you are off balance.

My personal thought on this, and this comes from the philosophy of an unrelated other martial art, is that that would be the best and most appropriate time for your opponent to do a roundhouse kick to your head possible, and he should be commended for his perceptiveness. Maybe next time you will be more careful not to get unbalanced like that, and you should know how to fall properly.

[MMA_Jim]

Of course you can kick your opponent in the head while training. In an actual fight, amatuers cannot kick to the head in some organizations.

[Agenda]

What initial skills do I have to have to start training Muay Thai? I mean physical strength or a degree in any other martial art... Some tutors require that in some cases.

[Nevinyrral]

Most gyms are open to everyone regardless of your experience in martial arts or your physical atributes. You should go ask in few diffrent gyms, and if they dont suit you try some diffrent art for example karate.

[bushido_man96]

Just being in decent overall cardiovascular and physical shape will be a benefit to you.