I recently had a visitor ask me what the difference was between Muay Thai and Western Kickboxing. I thought I'd leave it the discussion forum and have you guys give your perspective on it.

Peace out.

Anthony

In Western Kickboxing, they usually don't allow kicks to the legs, knees, elbows, and stand up grappling (Muay Thai does allow these). It's usually just regular boxing rules with kicks to the body and legs added to it.

You know this is a good question. I am not sure
what the definition of Western KickBoxing is today. Now a days there is Kick Boxing on every corner all though they call it Cario Kick Boxing or something like that.

Years ago Kick Boxing was a ring sport that was similar to boxing, but allowed
the use of the feet as well as the hands. During a
Kick Boxing round you were required to throw a certain
number of kicks or lose points (They did this because
if they did not most of the fights would end up becoming boxing matches, because the kick boxer would
get tired), you were not allowed to kick below the waste and you were not allowed to through elbows or
knees I believe. The kick boxer also wore what amounts to
gloves on their feet, they tend to use more Karate or
Tae Kwon Do style kicks meaning the kick surface tends
to be the foot.

Muay Thai allows you to kick the legs, throw
elbows and knees and allow you to pretty much brutilize your opponent. Muay Thai is more combative and I believe requires more stamina and conditioning both mental and physical. They do not where gloves on their feet and when they kick they use the top of the
foot and shin which is much more painful, especially
since it is not convered by any padding. Same goes
for the elbows.

So take boxing and add long range kicking and gloves on the feet and you have Western Kickboxing.
Take kick boxing and remove the gloves on the feet, add knees and elbows, and add short range kicking (in addition to long range kicking) and change the
kicking surface from just the foot to include the shin, add the clinch and other grappling and you
have Muay Thai. A simplified explanation, but gives
you an idea.

Between Muay Thai and Western Kickboxing my money is on Muay Thai...on the assumption we are talking pound for pound. Even not...I've know a couple of Muay Thai fighters from Thailand. And I gotta be honest...they are the toughest MotherF!@#$% I know. One of the guys took a full thai kick across his face and didnt' flinch(he was training a beginner who missed the thai pads). A couple of hours later he tell us we need to take him to the hospital...apparently his jaw got broken....Did I mention he didnt' even flinch or break a sweat....very calm indeed!!!!


Simon