Question for MT School

**Aero** · Posted On: 11/30/2006 4:33pm

I'm investigating a school that offers BJJ and Muay Thai -- I wanted to figure out how it sounded compared to others..

When questioned about full contact sparring, they remarked that they do full contact padded sparring, and that they are into partner preservation (a good thing) so they train elbows but do not throw them in sparring. Is this common in MT schools?

That's basically the only thing, although I may post some follow up questions after I get more involved.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 11/30/2006 4:50pm

Originally Posted by Aero

I'm investigating a school that offers BJJ and Muay Thai -- I wanted to figure out how it sounded compared to others..

When questioned about full contact sparring, they remarked that they do full contact padded sparring, and that they are into partner preservation (a good thing) so they train elbows but do not throw them in sparring. Is this common in MT schools?

That's basically the only thing, although I may post some follow up questions after I get more involved.

I honestly have never heard of a muay thai school that allows elbows during sparring, though I imagine if you got a pair of elbow pads to prevent cuts instructors would probably consider it (back at Nashville MMA we were told we could use elbows if we had elbow pads).

**alex** · Posted On: 11/30/2006 6:26pm

we use elbows in clinch sparring occasionally but only the more advanced people and only with a lot of care. badly placed elbow strikes get ugly real fast

**feral** · Posted On: 11/30/2006 6:50pm

The school's i've been to didn't allow elbow strikes in sparring, but California just started to allow full rules muay thai, so that may change soon.

**Khun Kao** · Posted On: 12/02/2006 8:02pm

The rule of thumb in a MuayThai gym is "NO ELBOWS" when you're sparring. There are some gyms that make certain exceptions, but you'll find that even with exceptions, there are strict guidelines for their use in place. The risk simply isn't worth it.

For instance, I allow my most experienced fighters to use elbows to the body or limbs in sparring, but only because they have proven their judgement and respect for one another (and the damage they could cause). They throw them in such a way that they only "go through the motions" of the elbow and are careful to only "place" the elbow or lightly "touch" with it. Novices are banned from using elbows in sparring.

**spirez** · Posted On: 12/03/2006 6:00am

Yeah last thing you wanna do is catch an elbow to the face and get split open in training, especialy if you've got a fight coming up!

I train elbows on the pads but never throw them in sparring. I'm only at an intermediate level at the moment too so not at the stage where i can realy control myself 100%.

You could always buy one of those bob punchbag things!

**Tonuzaba** · Posted On: 12/03/2006 7:42am

Hmm... Honestly, without any disrespect, but this thread makes me wonder: where do these statements on "no elbows" stand in our nice little dispute on alive training?
Or are you proving other opinions right (not mine though...) when stating that ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T TRAIN the technique in sparring, YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY USE IT in a fight? Can you see the point, thai brothers?
Tonuzaba

**spirez** · Posted On: 12/03/2006 7:46am

I also don't train to physically choke someone out in my grappling class, yet i know how to choke them out...

**Tonuzaba** · Posted On: 12/03/2006 8:16am

Originally Posted by spirez

I also don't train to physically choke someone out in my grappling class, yet i know how to choke them out...

There is a difference between alive training of a choking technique not involving a real choking of your training partner and of an alive training of an elbow strike not involving an elbow strike, don't you think?
Tonuzaba

**octaviousbp** · Posted On: 12/03/2006 8:48am

Originally Posted by Tonuzaba

Hmm... Honestly, without any disrespect, but this thread makes me wonder: where do these statements on "no elbows" stand in our nice little dispute on alive training?
Or are you proving other opinions right (not mine though...) when stating that ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T TRAIN the technique in sparring, YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY USE IT in a fight? Can you see the point, thai brothers?
Tonuzaba

I can honestly say, I never use elbows in sparring, though it was an elbow that put down my last opponent. I train the elbows plenty "alive" on the pads though, I would say.