Distinctions Between Muay Thai & Muay Boran

Muay Thai & Muay Boran: It is not uncommon for martial arts to have evolved with the intention of being used in combat situations; this has not altered over time. Muay Thai and Muay Boran differ from each other in minor but visible ways. To completely understand their differences, it is vital to examine the Science of Nine Limbs and the Art of Eight Limbs side by side and be familiar with their different histories.

Muay Boran is the precursor of Muay Thai and the base from which Muay Thai developed. Although it has been modified to meet the regulations and requirements of contemporary competitive sports, muay thai still incorporates many aspects of muay boran.

Background of Muay Boran

Muay Boran’s origins may be traced back to the ancient Ayutthaya Kingdom, which acted as the prototype for contemporary Thailand. This old fighting method arose in large part as a result of the eighteenth-century war and the Burmese army’s invasion.

The Burmese army attacked the Ayutthaya Kingdom during the 18th-century conflict, especially in 1767, and finally took control of the nation’s capital, Ayutthaya. During this incursion, several Thai boxers—experts in the local martial art—were taken prisoner. After being apprehended, these boxers were sent as prisoners of war to Burma (now Myanmar).

While the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the Burmese invasion were significant events, it’s vital to remember that Muay Boran’s beginnings precede these developments. The basis of Muay Boran was previously set by many generations of fighting and real martial arts skills that Thai warriors and communities employed for protection and self-defense.

But the Burmese invasion’s imprisonment of Thai boxers had a long-lasting effect on Muay Boran’s evolution. The imprisoned boxers had to modify their tactics and plans in order to endure in strange environments and against various adversaries. Muay Boran evolved and became more refined throughout time as a result of their interactions and experiences with different martial arts.

The circumstances surrounding the Burmese invasion and the subsequent imprisonment of Thai boxers serve as a testament to Muay Boran’s flexibility and tenacity as a fighting style. It kept its essential methods and ideas while incorporating elements from other sources. Muay Boran now serves as a reminder of the resilience of Thailand’s martial tradition and its past hardships.

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Muay Boran vs. Muay Thai

While Muay Thai and Muay Boran are both ancient martial arts with Thai origins, they are very different from one another in terms of history, techniques, objectives, and present teaching methods.

The main distinctions between Muay Thai and Muay Boran are outlined below:

Origin and History

• Muay Thai: Also referred to as “Thai Boxing,” muay thai is a contemporary combat sport that developed from a number of ancient Thai martial arts techniques. Over time, it has undergone systematisation and improvement to become an organised sport with set rules.
• Muay Boran: Muay Boran is Muay Thai’s archaic antecedent. The literal translation is “ancient boxing.” It was the first martial art used for warfare and self-defense in Thailand. Before modernization and the development of contemporary sports, Muay Boran techniques were employed in combat and for self defence.

Use And Objective

• Muay Thai: Muay Thai is now a competitive sport rather than only a martial art used for self-defense and warfare on the battlefield. Nowadays, it’s played as a striking-based sport with an emphasis on knees, elbows, punches, and kicks. Muay Thai fighters participate in sanctioned fights with uniform weight divisions, regulations, and safety equipment.
• Muay Boran: Known as a more all-encompassing martial art, Muay Boran has a wider variety of techniques, some of which are prohibited in contemporary Muay Thai tournaments. Self-defense, clinching, throws, and grappling are all covered in Muay Boran techniques, which makes it a more adaptable method for many kinds of conflict.

Strategies

• Muay Thai: The tactics used in this sport are more streamlined and athletic in nature. Punches, kicks, elbows, and knees are the main weapons used by fighters; clinching is permitted but should only last briefly.
• Muay Boran: In contemporary Muay Thai events, a greater variety of techniques are used in Muay Boran, including those that are deemed “dirty” or prohibited. This covers a wider variety of gripping and grappling techniques, as well as headbutts, joint locks, and sweeps.

Contemporary Method

• Muay Thai: This well-liked fighting sport and exercise routine is practised all over the world. It now enjoys widespread reputation and a well-organized competition circuit.
• Muay Boran: Compared to Muay Thai, Muay Boran is not as popular. Although there have been attempts to conserve and revitalise Muay Boran methods, they are more frequently taught as a cultural legacy and historical martial art than as a fighting system that is regularly used.

Differentiating Features of Muay Thai And Muay Boran

Muay Thai and Muay Boran have very different techniques because of their different rulesets, different historical development, and different ultimate goals.

Below is a summary of some of the main methods by which the two styles differ from one another:

Skills for Striking

• Muay Thai: Modern Muay Thai heavily emphasises the use of strong and effective striking skills. Fighters combine punches, kicks, knees, and elbows in different ways. Strategies are developed with competition and point scoring in mind, frequently emphasising precision and speed.
• Muay Boran: A wider variety of hitting techniques, including those that are no longer utilised in Muay Thai competitions, are incorporated into this style of fighting. Unconventional strikes including headbutts, ground strikes, downward elbows, different palm strikes, and striking methods meant to break or deaden a specific opponent’s limb might be used in this situation.

Squeezing and scrambling

• Muay Thai: Clinching is an essential move, although its use is restricted to knee strikes and opponent control. It’s crucial for both winning and wearing down the opposition.
• Muay Boran: More intricate clinching techniques including sweeps, throws, and joint locks are used by Muay Boran. This illustrates how it has historically been used in fighting and self-defense scenarios when controlling an opponent’s limbs might mean the difference between life and death.

Takedowns and Throws:

• Muay Thai: Modern Muay Thai rarely incorporates traditional throws and takedowns. Fighters concentrate more on their punching and clinching moves.
• Muay Boran: Muay Boran’s core techniques, throws and takedowns, emphasise how useful the art is in actual battle. Its repertoire includes moves like sweeps, trips, and hip throws.

Headsmacks:

• Muay Thai: Because of safety concerns, headbutts are officially prohibited in contemporary Muay Thai tournaments.
• Muay Boran: Headbutts were a custom in Muay Boran that added a new dimension to close-quarters fighting. But these techniques have been significantly phased down due to safety concerns.

Methods And Approaches:

• Muay Thai: In order to dominate the fight, muay thai tactics frequently centre on keeping a safe distance, employing effective hitting combos, and gripping.
• Muay Boran: Muay Boran methods cover a broader spectrum of tactics, such as emphasising upsetting an opponent’s equilibrium, employing unconventional attacks, and taking advantage of opportunities in more inventive ways.

In summary

While there are certain commonalities between muay Thai and muay boran, there are also significant variances. With its emphasis on precise blows and competitive clinches, muay thai has developed into a sport with well-defined regulations.

Muay Boran, on the other hand, has a wider variety of techniques, demonstrating its historical origins as a full fighting system for self-defense and real-world scenarios. Although Muay Thai is a well-known sport around the world, Muay Boran is evidence of the versatility and adaptability of martial arts throughout history.

These are the distinctions between Muay Thai & Muay Boran. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.