Сергей Заяшников - Win in the fight! Encyclopedia of Fight - Muay Thai, MMA, Kickboxing (Part I - Muay Thai, reducted ver)

Whatever we say, we always aim for the victory!

Especially if it is a martial arts fight. Nowadays Muay Thai, MMA and K-1 are the clear favorites among the professional fights shows. This the first volume (part) of the “Encyclopedia of fight” tells about Muay Thai.

2007-11-30. Moscow (RUS). Luzhniki stadium. Promoter S.Zayashnikov.

There are two versions of this book – the full one (~400 pgs) and the reducted, promotional version (~100 pgs). This is the reducted version.

This book is a classical and fullest studying guide for Thai boxing. From the moment of its first edition more than 20 years ago, this book has become the tutorial for many generations of Thai boxers, and it is quoted in nearly all texts about Muay Thai.

You see here the 5 thedition of the book, and during the time passed, the material was significantly re-worked and enlarged. The book covers almost all sides of the subject: history, traditions, technique, methods, personalities and rules of Thai boxing. The newcomers to Thai boxing world can use this book for better understanding of the technique, while experienced Thai boxers can use it as helping guide.

The important feature of this book is illustration of theoretical material with “live” pictures from my personal archive that were gathered by me during more than 25 years of fights organization (Muay Thai, MMA, K-1). This allows not only to study the basic skills, but also to see their use in a tense atmosphere of the fight. On many pictures, you will see the boxers who are now legendary, but at a time, just like you, they were getting nervous before their first professional fight.

Many documents and pictures are published for the first time.

2 010-07-28. Moscow-Sity. VIP-RAMTL GYM – Al Iaquinta (NYC, USA).

I will be glad if this book will help you at least a little bit to succeed in severe and beautiful world of martial arts!

Sergey Zayashnikov, WBL (MT) president. Moscow – New-York, 2017.

2005-02-08. Moscow (RUS). “RAMTL in ‘Capitalism’ casino”. Thara Abataev (RUS) vs Marsel “Sailor”Adzhiniyazov (RUS).

Thai boxing art consists or various techniques: attack and defense with use of hands, legs, knees and elbows. Initially most of them were included into 30 main Muay Thai techniques – 15 professional and 15 additional ones.

Some of the techniques used to include hand holds, throws and other actions that are forbidden by modern rules. With introducing the gloves and the new rules a lot of them were forgotten, a lot of them were abandoned.

All the techniques of Muay Thai can be divided into 5 main categories:

Footwork;

Punches, kicks and strikes;

Defense technique;

Clinch techniques;

Combined technique.

While describing all the techniques we took a typical left-hand stance as a base, and all the moves start from this position.

Everyone who wants to start the Thai boxing training should understand that entire preparation system aims to teach fighting according to modern Rules.

When studying this very book, please remember that it describes the classical Thai boxing technique. It means it shouldn’t be blindly copied and followed, but taken as base while minding individual needs.

The ones who are looking for “super-secret” strikes and believe in the invincibility of the Thais would be disappointed. Nowadays, after large amount of studies and scientific works, it is clear that there is no secret. What is really there is the coach, the fighter, and his fighting career – nothing else simply counts.

Kicks is the technique most often used in Thai boxing fight. Its big advantage is the possibility to attack from the long range, being out of punch, knee or elbow strike reach – and also the impact that they have thanks to the weight of the leg.

2006-09-30. Moscow (RUS). Luzhniki stadium. Marsel “Sailor” Adzhiniyazov (RUS) vs Anat “Rambo” Samnakdhi (THA).

1994-02-05. Nobosibirsk (RUS). Arthur Kerar (UZB) vs Pavel Badin (RUS).

Front kicks are used most often during the attack or preventive counter-attack in a long range, and they target the head. These kicks often reach their target since cover-ups against head punches do not work against the kicks.

When doing right front kick YouTube.com →

, the boxer moves bodyweight to the left leg together with moving right leg (bent at the knee) forward-up and drawing the shoulder forward. The moment right thigh points up, right leg unbends at the knee, sending the foot up-forward towards the target. To make the kick stronger, the boxer moves hip forward.

The kick is done with the ball of the foot, under the toes; the foot is expanded, fingers point up. The moment the foot touches the target, it tenses to the maximum, all joints are blocked. In the end of the kick, the torso is turned to the opponent with its right side, the right shoulder is drawn forward. Left palm or left elbow cover the head from a counter-punch.

Left front kick YouTube.com →

can be done in two ways: when lead leg starts moving from the right stance, or without changing the stance.

When done from the right stance, the boxer makes a step forward with his right foot, or changes the fighting stance through the jump. Left kick technique is similar to the right one.

When done without changing the stance, the boxer transfers his bodyweight to the right leg. Then left thigh moves up together with unbending the knee, and foot travels up-forward towards the target. In the end of the kick, the leg is straightened, the torso is turned with its left side to the opponent, left shoulder is drawn forward, right hand palm covers the head from a potential punch.

Defense against front kick:

Step to the side (usually together with leg gripping or picking up);