Thai Kickboxing
Ultimate Thai kickboxing is a great cardiovascular workout. The stretching, punching, kicking and focus work is a great way to channel you emotions and release unwanted stress. At the same time you will develope essential self defence skills, increase you alertness and awareness, and and most importantly, increase your self-confidence. Thai kickboxing is a progressive martial art that combines the footwork and handwork of western boxing with grappling, kicks, elbows and knees of Muay Thai (the native martial art of Thailand). The classes are perfect to build fitness and to lose some weight. The classes consist of effective pad workouts that will make you work and enjoy it at the same time. Mixed female and male classes
HISTORY OF MUAY THAI
The history of Muay Thai is the history of the Thai people. The exact history of each, however, is unknown due to lost documentation during warfare.
When the Burmese army sacked and razed Ayuddhaya to the ground, the archives of Thai history were lost. With them, much of the early history of Muay Thai was also destroyed.
The little we do know comes from the writings of the Burmese, Cambodian, and early European visitors, as well as some of the chronicles of the Lanna Kingdom -- Chiangmai.
What all sources agree on, is that Muay Thai began as a close-combat battlefield fighting skill. More deadly than the weapons it replaced.
As to where Muay Thai came from, this is the main theory: Muay Thai was developed in Thailand to defend the land and the people from constant invasion threats. This theory has considerable academic backing and archaeological evidence. What is known is that Muay Thai was an essential part of Thai culture right from its infancy. And in Thailand, it's known as "The Sport of Kings." Today it's the most popular spectator sport in Thailand.
In olden days, national issues were decided by Muay Thai contests.The King Rama V Period Thai boxing has always been popular but like most sports, there have been eras when it was more in fashion. In the reign of King Rama V, many Muay Thai matches were Royal Command fights. These boxers were rewarded with military titles from the King. Today the titles, like Muen Muay Mee Chue from Chaiya, or Muen Muay Man Mudh from Lopburi, are virtually untranslatable. They mean something comparable to "Major of Boxing." At the time, they were much prized and respected titles.
The Rama V period was another Golden Age for Muay Thai. Boxing camps were set up, talent scouts -- at Royal Command -- recruited potential boxers from up country. Matchmakers began to put together the great bouts that were fought for big prizes and great honor. This thrilled the people then as much as the main bouts do today at the Bangkok boxing stadiums.
The matches back then were not fought within a ring as we know it today -- for Muay Thai, that is a recent innovation. Any available space of the right size was used -- a courtyard, a village clearing, and so on.
It wasn't until the reign of King Rama VI that the standard ring surrounded by ropes came into use, as did time-keeping by the clock. Before this period, time-keeping was conducted by floating a pierced coconut shell on a boat of water. When the coconut shell sank, a drum signaled the end of a round. More Information: The first great upsurge of interest in Muay Thai as a sport, as well as a battlefield skill, was under King Naresuan in 1584, a time known as the Ayuddhaya period. During this period, every soldier was trained in Muay Thai and could use it, as the King himself did. Slowly, Muay Thai moved away from its root in the "Chupasart" and new fighting techniques were evolving.
The change in the art was to continue under another fighting King -- Prachao Sua -- the Tiger King. He loved Muay Thai so much that he often fought incognito in village contests, beating the local champions! During the reign of the Tiger King, the nation was at peace. To keep the army busy, the King ordered its soldiers to train in Muay Thai. The interest in the sport was already high, but now it took off yet again.
Thai Boxing became the favorite sport and pastime of the Thai people, the army, and the Tiger King. Historical sources show that people from all walks of life flocked to training camps. Rich, poor, young and old all wanted some of the action. Every village staged its prize fights and had its own local champions. Every bout became a betting contest as well as a contest of local pride. The betting tradition has remained with the sport and today large sums are wagered on the outcome of fights.
Thanks to the people of Thailand