Savate vs. Muay Thai: Pros and Cons

**MrMcFu** · Posted On: 1/17/2004 6:03am

Don't make fun of the Danish. The scandanavians have some hard core MA schools. I think SBG just got a Danish affliate if I am not mistaken.

Also I heard there is a kick ass Savate teacher at the Insanto Academy who teaches once a week. Other than that, I heard the footwork is great, and it has an undeserved reputation for not using the hands enough. Suppossedly there is alot of handwork involved.

**drunkenj** · Posted On: 1/17/2004 6:32am

the traditional savate hand positions have pretty much gone out the window, which is good

**Gezere** · Posted On: 1/18/2004 10:21pm

Well it sort of had to. The low hand gaurd was supposed to help deal with another savatuer kicks but that soon left when punching was involved. Previously the just slapped at each other, how French.:D This is how it was explained to me at my old Salle.

**Phrost** · Posted On: 1/18/2004 10:43pm

Originally posted by Osiris
Ok, the french bashing is getting VERY old. That **** is retarded.

Anyway, watch UFC 1. The savate guy isnt bad at all. He fights Royce with a broken hand I think.

Dunno if this has already been posted, but that was just a marketing job (ala Kimo's TKD black belt) if you're talking about Gerard Gordeau(sp?).

He's a Kyokushin guy from what I've heard. Anyone have better info on this?

**shemfu** · Posted On: 1/18/2004 11:16pm

Personally, I think that Savate has some very good merits. Though primarily a MT fighter, I advocate the use of Savate in conjunction with Muay Thai. Muay Thai has some very powerful kicks, some violent-as-**** knees, and some holy-****-that-really-hurt elbows, but Savate is designed to be a more precision sport. There are some very good strategies that I use from Savate, as well as some very good kicks. For instance, there is a variation on the side kick called a sache'. It is merely extending the rear arm completely to the back, but doing this adds 3 or 4 inches to your range on your kick, which is good if the other guy has longer legs than you do. Also, the oblique kick (rear leg fired straight in to the shin, with the side of the foot making contact with the shin) has some merits. It's a good check, and it's good to set up head kicks. From a strictly self-defense point of view, this probably isn't a very plausible tactic, but I've used it marvelously in the ring.

**BiggieSmalls** · Posted On: 1/22/2004 9:12pm

question, although it might be kinda stupid,
how does san shou compare to these two?

**IronBuddha** · Posted On: 1/22/2004 9:16pm

San Shou has some really killer throws. Very good counters. Fast strikers. Although they don't hit as hard as the Thai's nor are as conditioned. Basically, good throws (in a full contact striking environment) and speed.

As to who wins...depends on the rules and the judges. San Shou rules and judges, San Shou wins. Thai judges and rules, San Shou guys get KO'ed.

**IronBuddha** · Posted On: 1/22/2004 9:17pm

I've never seen a Savate guy fight a San Shou guy although I do have a VCD of France vs. China. Maybe someone was Savate from there. All i know is that it was under SS rules and France lost pretty badly.