I've been thinking about this for a while and some of the differences started to come up in the horrible Vertical V Horizontal fist thread. Without further ado:
Do you think directly comparing MT hand techniques with Boxing techniques is fair or even a good idea?
I'm starting to think it is not. There just seem to be too many different nuances to compare them. A common thing that I hear (read) is that MT is a good striking art but boxing has better hands. I don't think that boxing actually has better hands (for Muay Thai). The differences in the clinch alone invalidate some of boxing's strategies. Part of the problem is that the more rules are restricted and the more MT becomes kick boxing the more boxing works just fine. If you can't use elbows to the head and you can't throw from the clinch or knee the head then boxing techniques especially defense start to make more sense.
One good example is bobbing and weaving. When knees to the head are allowed this is a terrible idea. Sometimes it's not a good idea even when they aren't allowed. Often less experienced fighters lean at the waist when bobbing and weaving. This leaves them open for knees to the body and being pulled off balance in the clinch.
So are the individual strikes from boxing the only part that is comparable to Muay Thai? I think even the striking techniques require enough adapting that a direct comparison isn't fair. A good cross in boxing requires a lot of weight transfer to the front leg and ideally a flat front foot and a lifted turned-out rear heel. Freeze frame that position and think of the many kicking counters from there. If you can't use the full footwork and body movement of Boxing You start to see why MT punches look like boxing arm-only punches.
Do you think directly comparing MT hand techniques with Boxing techniques is fair or even a good idea?
I'm starting to think it is not. There just seem to be too many different nuances to compare them. A common thing that I hear (read) is that MT is a good striking art but boxing has better hands. I don't think that boxing actually has better hands (for Muay Thai). The differences in the clinch alone invalidate some of boxing's strategies. Part of the problem is that the more rules are restricted and the more MT becomes kick boxing the more boxing works just fine. If you can't use elbows to the head and you can't throw from the clinch or knee the head then boxing techniques especially defense start to make more sense.
One good example is bobbing and weaving. When knees to the head are allowed this is a terrible idea. Sometimes it's not a good idea even when they aren't allowed. Often less experienced fighters lean at the waist when bobbing and weaving. This leaves them open for knees to the body and being pulled off balance in the clinch.
So are the individual strikes from boxing the only part that is comparable to Muay Thai? I think even the striking techniques require enough adapting that a direct comparison isn't fair. A good cross in boxing requires a lot of weight transfer to the front leg and ideally a flat front foot and a lifted turned-out rear heel. Freeze frame that position and think of the many kicking counters from there. If you can't use the full footwork and body movement of Boxing You start to see why MT punches look like boxing arm-only punches.
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