Yaang Sam Khum/Kun, what and why ?

**honest_truth** · Posted On: 10/25/2009 11:12pm

I am almost ashamed to ask this, but what is the 3 step walk / shuffle, are there tutorials or pics of it and why are they considered important ?

Shark/Spatula/Others ?

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 10/26/2009 11:49am

My Thai is terrible so I assume you are asking about the "Thai March" ? The footwork and rolling walk that you see Thai fighters do? Here is a video witht he same name. YouTube - Muay Thai Learning: The Muay Shuffle

I was taught to do mine a little differently then discovered that it hurt my mobility against boxers with really good footwork or fighters that want to be evasive. I learned regular boxing footwork and tend to use that instead now with the caveat that I am much lighter on my front leg than a typical boxer.

**honest_truth** · Posted On: 10/26/2009 12:41pm

My thai is non existent so i assume what you assume, i have seen that video before posting this topic, dont know if that is exactly it and why its considered that important.

It just hit me that at my club nearly nobody stands like a thai fighter and instead are quite flat footed most of the time (also eat a lot of leg kicks from me), we never learned this march thing and thats why i dont understand the importance.

sometimes i would stand typical thai style because it makes switch kicking and checking with the front leg easier since it has little weight on it, but why is the march important and i cant just slide or walk forward with it keeping the same stance (although i am very comfortable being ortho/south and switching up).

but i do tend to keep my hands boxer style instead of thai style, dont know what are the pro/cons of each, other than easier clinching, which isnt trained well at my club anyway and we end up being good K-1 type kickboxers instead.

This is what i read:
Yaang Sam Kun – The three-step walk

The famous Thai boxer’s walk is one of the most important Muay Thai techniques to master. It is the basis of all footwork in Muay Thai boxing and is of such crucial importance that without mastering it completely you will never be able to move on to an advanced level. During the Ram Muay pre-fight ritual dance the walk is stylistic and graceful. Different styles of the Yaang Sam Kun developed differently, in different areas, under different masters. But the basic movement is the same and is designed to maintain balance.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 10/26/2009 3:13pm

I don't know about all that. Plenty of gyms don't use t3h R34L thai walk. I think you can use a slightly modified boxing footwork very easily as long as you regularly spar with people who will mess up you front leg. It's the only way to keep you honest.

The thai march as I was taught has a few key features.
1) Your feet stay on the same "train tracks" my coach actually painted 2 long long lines down the gym floor and you were supposed to keep your feet on the lines as you step forward.
2) there is a rising rhythm to the steps and you pantomime a leg block in between each step.
3) different from the above video I used to actually switch sides as a stepped with a sort of hand roll as you move.

Again YMMV but thats basically what I learned and I think it is important for knowing how to step and block and kick with the same motion. But unless there is some higher awareness version I never graduated to I felt very vulnerable to evasive punchers. If both fighters are straight ahead Thai style fighters it works fine. As soon as someone decides to "cheat" and not run into your punches I think it gets a little limited.

**riccweee** · Posted On: 10/27/2009 11:47pm

Regarding The boxing guard v.s Thai style guard, you dont cover for neck kicks/shins to neck kicks with a boxing guard as much as you do with the Thai style, This is what my Kru has told me. Boxers can block a punch with their forehead while the kicks will wrap around the side where the lower guard wont protect you
my .02 cents >D (and possibly my first post actually about fighting >D)

**honest_truth** · Posted On: 10/28/2009 9:06pm

how my coach explained is that the palms facing forward stance was used because a really hard kick can break the fore arm bone, while if you block it with your inner side of fore arm (the way the pads are held) you will be blocking it with the meatier part which will partially absorb the impact, also that stance makes for easier leg grabbing and clinching.

If i will be fighting i will probably keep a boxing guard, because from my experience sparring (like said by ... shark ? .... WTF HAPPENED WHILE I WAS AWAY ?) that those who box will not play by the rules and find opening to crack you around.

If i fight a thai, i will quickly GTFO before he buakaw-chain-kicks my ribs into calcium powder

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 10/29/2009 5:09am

I broke my arm blocking palm out. The right way to block a big kick is "answering the phone".

**Sang** · Posted On: 10/29/2009 5:25am

I'm a big fan of using upper body movement to dodge headkicks, it's pretty easy to lean back to dodge them then counter with a leg kick while they're unstable. See Soren Mongontong for a perfect example of this. Doesn't work for everyone though, Brazilian WS has the correct for blocking them.

**Kru J** · Posted On: 10/29/2009 8:33am

Hey,

Don't be ashamed... You know what's wierd? When I bow out my classes. I bow and say Sawadeekha, the Thai greeting. I was at another gym... and the guy said Yaam san khun or whatever. I have no idea why he says that. Does he think it's a greeting?

It sounds like what you are talking about is the golden step. That's what my Ajahn translated it to. It's either that or the tiger step.

Im not really sure right now. Must ask Ajahn.

Will let you know.

**Kru J** · Posted On: 10/29/2009 8:46am

Oh and yes Soren is ace at the lean back. Also, Lamsongkram uses it a lot. I like the lean back technique all depends on how good the fighters' eyes are and how effectively they can counter.

i agree no double arm block... dangerbay!