Tuesday, September 21, 2010

An Introduction Of Muay Thai Boran

An introduction of muay thai

Muay Thai is what the Thai people call their own martial art. The art of Muay Thai has been the country's most popular spectator sport for hundreds of years.. It is unique among other kinds of fighting disciplines in its approach to close quarters fighting. Fighters are able to more effectively use their elbows, knees, feet and fists than in other martial art



The sport differs from international-style boxing in several ways. International boxing allows the use of only the fists, and blows 'below the belt or to the kidney area are illegal as are certain kinds of punches. In Muay Thai, the fighters are allowed to do almost anything so long as they don't cover their opponent's face with their gloves or poke their opponent's eyes with their fingers. This makes it a more dangerous sport for the participants, but much more exciting for the Thai spectators .

Before every match, the two fighters dance around the ring to special boxing music. The music pervades the entire event, both uplifting and following the mood of the evening. The dance is called the 'Raam Muay' or 'Wai Kru' and is intended to honor and pay respect to the boxer's trainer, his religion, family, sport and the 'fighting spirits' . Gamblers and spectators say that they can tell how a fighter will do in the ring simply by watching how he performs the 'Raam Muay'.






One of Muay Thai's most feared tactics is the use of elbows. Boxers have a whole repertoire of forward elbows, back elbows and guards. The fearsome Muay Thai fighters of old were said to be able to use their elbows as clubs, swords and axe - resulting from the hard bone at the tip of the elbow and the size of the appendage make it a fearsome weapon. One of the elbow attacks, the swing-back elbow, is thought of as one of the most beautiful moves in Muay Thai, and some stadiums give special awards to boxers who can knock out an opponent this way.


 Knees are another of Muay Thai's unique weapons and skilled boxers can use them in both close and mid range attacks and parries. There are only a few types of knee attacks, but the power that can be put into a kick is fear-inspiring . Muay Thai opponents often grab the other around the neck to add more force to their knee kicks, and to help their balance.

The feet and legs are the most characteristic of the Muay Thai techniques, so much so that when the Japanese borrowed the sport for their own use they called it 'kick boxing'. The feet of a Muay Thai master can be used in many ways; sweeping kicks, jumping kicks, combinations with other attacks or even straight to the face of the opponent. Boxers practice kicking their own hands to strengthen their legs and increase their range.



The fist in Muay Thai, while not the most spectacular technique for the crowd, is the most versatile of all of the boxer's choices. Jabs can be used effectively to annoy and anger the opponent. While hooks or uppercuts can be used to knock him out through a hole in his guard. Thai legends abound with tale of a man who could box with his fists from a crouching position, and even pull his opponent's whiskers before getting hit. Effective straight punches can do damage to a boxer's body. A punch must always be thrown to start a Muay Thai fight, alone or in combination with a elbow or knee attack.

The history of Muay Thai goes back some 2000 years, as long as Thai culture itself. As the Thai tribes migrated south from the southern Yunan province of China, they were exposed to attacks and constant harassment from various groups, including the expansionist Chinese. The people were forced to develop a strong military and a formal military doctrine. The military code was called the Chupasart, and it called on all able bodied people to be prepared to come to the aid of their leaders with the current weapons of the time; swords, spears, axes, bows and others. Since not everyone could afford these weapons, many took up the use of the human body as a weapon. Thus Muay Thai was born.



 

 During the reign of King Naresuan the Great (16th cent.), Muay Thai was brought in as part of the training of foot soldiers and remains a part of their education to this day. Many of the day's battles were settled by soldiers in hand-to-hand combat and Muay Thai reflects this use. Even today, many of the sport's moves are efficient at breaking through the opponent's defences to get to the other side.

 As with many things in Thai history, it is said that kings have taken an interest in the sport before. One story involves a king in the Ayutthya period named Pra Jao Sri Sanpetch Vlil . He was said to be an avid boxer, and would often conceal himself in the clothes of a commoner in order to take part in the fun, despite the danger to him . Once he was accredited with beating all comers at a temple fair in Ban Pajanta in the Wiset Chaichan district.

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Muay Thai Levels Of Proficiency

Tony Jaa Biography

Name : Panom Yeerum



Birth name : Worawit, but Tony changed it into Panom several years ago (July 31, 1998) after his father had a premonition dream



Nicknames : Jaa Panom, Jaa or P'Jaa



Birth date : 5 February 1976



Birth place : Surin province in Isaan area (North-East of Thailand)



Height & Weight : 172 cm (around 5'6") and 62 kg (around 136 lbs)



Living in Bangkok and Surin (Thailand)



Siblings : Two sisters and one brother (Waewsiri, Hattaya and Taweesak). Tony Jaa is the third.



Education : Maha Sarakhma Physical Education College



Nationality : Thai



Languages : Thai, Khmer and english (learning)



Religion : Buddhism. Tony goes to the temple everyday.



Status : not married



Pets : two elephants named Dokmai (Flower) and Baimai (Leaf), 50 and 60 years old!



Likes : Hip Hop music, karaoke with his friends, visit temples...



Hidden talent : Tony has a really pretty voice and likes to sing.



Martial Arts skills : Muay Thai Boran, Krabi Krabong, Stick, Sword, Pencak Silat, Capoeira, Wushu, dance and gymnastic...



Martial Arts Master : Panna Rittikrai

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Krabi Krabong Weapons

KRABI KRABONG WEAPONS 

Training Spear:

It's not very often that you come across a spear for martial arts training. And usually when you do, it's based off of the Chinese or Japanese martial art styles. Well, I've personally always liked the idea of having a spear to train with. And to that end, I created one to offer here. Our Training Spear uses a similar head to the Assegai spear which was originally invented by the legendary Zulu King, Shaka from the early 1800's. The Training Spear features a long broad head that is ideal for thrusting and while having simulated edges on both sides, the Training Spear can also be used for slashing techniques. The length of the spear head actually goes into the hard oak handle approximately 8" deep and then brass rods are inserted to be sure of a strong fit. The short staff allows the Training Spear to be used in conjunction with a dagger or another sword for a new variation of the Espada y Daga (Stick/Sword and Dagger) training.

A full length Training Spear is available upon request. Please drop me a line to discuss it in more detail.







$75  

Blade Thickness ¼"


Overall Length: 38"


Spear Head Length: 13"


Handle: 25"


Blade Width: 2½"


Weight: 1 lbs. 12 oz.



One of the advantages of training under Guro Kevin Seaman is that he hits harder than anyone that I know. What he can do with a stick is just plain sick. So I asked Guro to help me test out the strength of the training spear and I taped it. Basically we did a counter for counter drill. Pretty basic stuff, but I have Guro hit it pretty hard with the intent on punishing it. It held up quite well actually. The worst that happened was that every now and then I would feel a small vibration in my hand from some of the harder impacts. Here is a copy of the video file. Feel free to download it for your review.


                                                              Krabi Krabong Set:

The Krabi Krabong is a Thai weapon-based martial art related to the Burmese Banshay and Malay Silat styles. The sword used is known as the Daab. What is interesting about the Daab sword is its long handle that is actually used as a counter weight. The sword was intentionally designed this way as it was meant to be wielded by one hand. Krabi Krabong is often seen and displayed with a Daab sword in each hand. Our Krabi Krabong was designed from a traditional and authentic Daab sword. The blade niche is used for tearing at clothing and flesh. The blade niche is optional upon request.


                                                                                                                                                    $140
* All dimensions are listed for each blade separately.
Blade Thickness: ¼"

Length: 30½"

    Blade Length: 19"

    Blade Width: 1½"

    Handle: 8¾"

    Weight: 15 oz.

    Total Weight: 1 lbs. 14 oz.


                                                             Espada Trainer 1:

This is a blade that was designed for finesse. While capable of getting the job done, it's true beauty is in it's ability to use small movements to create openings in an opponents guard. The blade is well balanced and even comes with a finger guard built into it which is common for swords of this length.






$75

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 28”

Blade Length: 21”

Handle: 5½”

Blade Width: 1½”

Weight: 15 oz.




                                                             Espada Trainer 2:

This is a blade that was designed for finesse. While capable of getting the job done, it's true beauty is in it's ability to use small movements to create openings in an opponents guard. The blade is well balanced and even comes with a finger guard built into it which is common for swords of this length. The Espada Trainer 2 is made with a more traditional style handle that is very common in the Philippines.




                                                              $75

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 28”

Blade Length: 21”

Handle: 5½”

Blade Width: 1½”

Weight: 15 oz.


                                                       Espada y Daga Set 1:

I have had several requests for a set of training blades based on the sword and dagger combination. So to that extent, we now have the Espada y Daga Set. By purchasing these two training blades in this set, it will only cost $90. (This is a $15 savings compared to if you bought the two pieces separately.) The Espada y Daga Set 1 is made with a more common handle style similar to many various training blades/swords.

The Espada y Daga (Sword and Dagger) is considered by some to be one of the highest forms of combat with bladed weaponry. This is due to the fact that many times the Espada will be used to open up an opponent's guard in order for the Daga to get in to finish the person off with quick thrusts and slashes.







                                                              $90

Blade Thickness ¼" (each)

Espada Length: 28"

Daga Length: 15"

Espada Blade Length: 21"

Daga Blade Length: 9½"

Espada Handle: 5½"

Daga Handle: 4"

Espada Blade Width: 1½"

Daga Blade Width: 1¼"

Total Weight: 1 lbs 5½ oz.


                                                           Filipino Straight Sword:

This is based off of a real traditional Filipino sword that I have. It's not very often that you see a straight sword in Filipino Martial Arts but they do have it none the less. The design is very similar to a Tai Chi sword except that the blade is only on one side. A sword like this can be used to create very specific cut lines and intricate sword fighting.




$60

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 28¼"

Blade Length: 21½"

Handle: 5½"

Blade Width: 1¼"

Weight: 12½ oz.

                                                            Guinunting Trainer:

The Guinunting Training sword is a very unique and powerful weapon. It is designed in a way that when it makes contact with a target it cuts deeper because of the curved edge. And with the 4" 'blade' on the back edge of the tip, backslashes with this trainer become even more effective.




                                                                             

$75                     

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 25½"

Blade Length: 17½"

Handle: 5"

Blade Width: 1¼"

Weight: 12 oz.


                                                                       Janap Trainer:

A blade in the Filipino Martial Arts that isn't seen all the time. The most common characteristic of all of the Janap swords I've seen is that they are thin near the base and thicker near that top. This lends to the weapon's chopping power as it the extra weight near the tip assists with cutting. Just moving it through the air lets you feel how effective it can be.






$65

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 25½"

Blade Length: 19½"

Handle: 4½"

Blade Width: 2"

Weight: 14½ oz.


                                                              Kampilan Trainer:

By far the biggest training blade I have made to date at a length of almost 3 feet. Due to it's size, it is also the heaviest and most time consuming trainer that I make as well.

The Kampilans were often used as 'head hunter' swords of enemies in the southern Philippines. According to Filipino history, the Kampilan is the sword design that is attributed with striking down Ferdinand Magellan while he was exploring the area. This training blade is similar to the Filipino Kampilan offered by Casiberia. The most unique feature is the backend 'hook' near the tip of the blade. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, it can be used to catch the incoming blow from an enemy's weapon and then used to redirect it for a counter attack. The shape of the blade is designed to be forward heavy to assist with increasing the slashing/cutting power that it delivers. The handle has been double wrapped to help ensure a comfortable grip.





$85

Blade Thickness ¼"


Length: 34"


Blade Length: 26"


Handle: 4"


Blade Width: 1¾"


Weight: 1 lbs. 4 oz.



                                                            Kopis Machete:


The Kopis Machete is based on an ancient but popular short sword that was held in high esteem by the Greeks, Romans, and Spaniards. The unique shape of the weapon allowed it to be used for cutting and chopping because of the forward weight balance that it possessed. However unlike typical machetes, the Kopis also came to a very well defined point to allow it to also be used for thrusting as well.









$65

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 23"

Blade Length: 17¼"

Handle: 4"

Blade Width: 2½"

Weight: 15 oz.

                                                                    Krabi Krabong:

The Krabi Krabong is a Thai weapon-based martial art related to the Burmese Banshay and Malay Silat styles. The sword used is known as the Daab. What is interesting about the Daab sword is its long handle that is actually used as a counter weight. The sword was intentionally designed this way as it was meant to be wielded by one hand. Our Krabi Krabong was designed from a traditional and authentic Daab sword. The blade niche is used for tearing at clothing and flesh. The blade niche is optional upon request.







$75

Blade Thickness: ¼"

Length: 30½"

Blade Length: 19"

Blade Width: 1½"

Handle: 8¾"

Weight: 15 oz.

                                                            Kris Lantik 1:

Kris swords are believed to have originated in the 13th century on the island of Java in the Indonesian archipelago, and migrated to the Philippines, Malaysia, and various Southeast Asian countries. The kris sword is very distinct in appearance with various shapes and sizes. The blade may either be straight or wavy or a combination. The kris blade widens near the handle with sharp pointed protrusions, which act as a guard against an opponent. This Kris Lantik is based off of the Indonesian version which is typically smaller and lighter than it's Filipino counterpart. The Kris Lantik is primarily a slashing weapon, however it also has dynamic thrusting capabilities. This trainer is based off of the authentic Filipino weapon that Guro Kevin Seaman was gracious enough to allow me to use as a template.





                                                              $80

Blade Thickness: ¼"

Length: 25"

Blade Length: 18¾"

Blade Width: 2¾" (At Base)

Handle: 4"

Weight: 13 oz.


                                                                      Kris Lantik 2:

Kris swords are believed to have originated in the 13th century on the island of Java in the Indonesian archipelago, and migrated to the Philippines, Malaysia, and various Southeast Asian countries. The kris sword is very distinct in appearance with various shapes and sizes. The blade may either be straight or wavy or a combination. The kris blade widens near the handle with sharp pointed protrusions, which act as a guard against an opponent. This Kris Lantik is based off of the Filipino version which is typically larger and heavier than it's Indonesian counterpart. The Kris Lantik is primarily a slashing weapon, however it also has dynamic thrusting capabilities. This trainer is based off of the authentic Filipino weapon that Guro Kevin Seaman was gracious enough to allow me to use as a template.





                                                              $85

Blade Thickness: ¼"

Length: 27½"

Blade Length: 21"

Blade Width: 3¼"

Handle: 4½"

Weight: 1 lbs. 1 oz.


                                                                       Lite Espada:

The Lite Espada comes from an authentic Filipino weapon that Guro Kevin Seaman was kind enough to allow me to borrow. While slightly longer than the standard Espadas offered, the Lite Espada is also slightly thinner than the others as well. This allows for more intricate, almost fencing like blade work that can be used to open up an opponent's defenses. While being more maneuverable than the standard Espadas, the Lite Espada is still well suited for standard blade work.



                                                                                                                                                   
$75

Blade Thickness ¼"


Length: 30”


Blade Length: 23½”

Blade Width: 1”

Handle: 4¼”

Weight: 12 oz.

                                                                       Lite Machete:

This version of the Machete Trainer came about from feedback that I received from the ladies at the school where I train. They liked the Machete Trainer but felt that it was a little too heavy for them to use because it put too much strain on their wrists. So as a result, I created a slimmer version of the machete that weighs ¼ less. Ever since then the ladies at the school have been happy to train with a machete that meets their needs.





$50

Blade Thickness ¼"

Length: 24"

Blade Length: 17½"

Handle: 4"

Blade Width: 1¾"

Weight: 12½ oz.


                                                           Machete Trainer:

My all time favorite heavy bladed weapon. This training blade design was based off of the machete used by the US Armed Forces. There are a few different designs out there, but I chose the one that a person would most likely come across. The thick blade width actually gives this trainer some serious forward momentum that you can feel as soon as you pick it up. This helps to simulate the weight and feel of a real machete.







$60  

Blade thickness: ¼"

Length: 24”

Blade Length: 17½”

Handle: 4”

Blade Width: 2½”

Weight: 16½ oz.


                                                              Villabrille Sword Set:

The system was created by Grandmaster Floro Villabrille who traveled the length and width of the Philippines researching the art of Kali.

The Villabrille Sword Set comes from the traditional sword set shown to my by one of my instructors (Guro Kevin Seaman). What sets this set apart is that the daga is longer than what is the normal daga length for Espada y Daga work. Besides allowing for greater reach, the Villabrille system employed their weapons differently when compared to other Filipino systems.

The Villabrille system would employ the sword and dagger in an usual way. They would use footwork that was unique to their system. This way when both weapons were held out, the daga and sword would reach out to about the same length. This could allow for either weapon to be used in a very similar fashion despite the actual size difference between the two.








$90

Blade Thickness ¼" (each)

Espada Length: 27 ½"

Daga Length: 18"

Espada Blade Length: 20 ¼"

Daga Blade Length: 11 ¾"

Espada Handle: 5"

Daga Handle: 4"

Espada Blade Width: 1½"

Daga Blade Width: 1¼"

Total Weight: 1 lbs 4½ oz.


Espada y Daga Set 2:

I have had several requests for a set of training blades based on the sword and dagger combination. So to that extent, we now have the Espada y Daga Set. By purchasing these two training blades in this set, it will only cost $90. (This is a $15 savings compared to if you bought the two pieces separately.) The Espada y Daga Set 2 is made with a more traditional handle style commonly seen in the Philippines.

The Espada y Daga (Sword and Dagger) is considered by some to be one of the highest forms of combat with bladed weaponry. This is due to the fact that many times the Espada will be used to open up an opponent's guard in order for the Daga to get in to finish the person off with quick thrusts and slashes.







$90

Blade Thickness ¼" (each)

Espada Length: 28"

Daga Length: 15"

Espada Blade Length: 21"

Daga Blade Length: 9½"

Espada Handle: 5½"

Daga Handle: 4"

Espada Blade Width: 1½"

Daga Blade Width: 1¼"

Total Weight: 1 lbs 5½ oz.