Muay Thai for Sport versus Muay Thai for Self-Defense

Combat sports and self defense are two totally different things. One is about strategy, endurance, and technicality. The other is about survival, quick thinking, and impulsive acting. In self-defense anything goes and you often don’t know much about who you are up against, there is no fight card, there is no referee, there are no points. Each style of fighting requires a completely different mindset. Though skills can be transferable from one to the other, what makes you successful in one arena could be your downfall in another.

One thing that sport and self-defense share is the fact that technique will help you succeed. Even in a street fight, understanding basic movements and practicing them enough will provide more awareness for how your body moves in certain spaces. Awareness is everything in the streets!

1. FistsIn competitive Muay Thai events, the first obvious difference is that fighters wear gloves. Beyond that, in sport, fighters are also required to maintain a closed fist. When fighting for self defense, any type of fist that will cause the most destruction is welcomed. Check out the video below to see how the traditional closed fist differs from hammer fists and open hand strikes. Open hand strikes can tear the skin off of a face are excellent for hitting hard surfaces like the head, and help to prevent broken bones in the hand. However, learn the proper technique for an open hand strike to prevent any damage to your wrists. [Related: 6 Impulses Every NEW Muay Thai Fighter Must Overcome]

1. Special movesBy special moves, we mean headbutts, eye-gouging, groin strikes, ear rips, biting, etc. In a self-defense scenario, you have to do whatever it takes to protect yourself, and cause significant damage in a short amount of time.
2. Stand up grapplingMuay Thai for sport is methodical while Muay Thai for self-defense is more violent and explosive. In Muay Thai, timing is everything. We aim to match the pace of our opponents. In sport, both fighters have time to come up with a game plan. In a street fight, your opponent will likely not pace themselves and move impulsively. In a competitive fight, you can not take the fight to the ground (unless it is an MMA fight). As we all know, in a street fight, if you don’t make an impact quickly, you can be taken down to the ground where it can be a struggle to get back up (here’s where an eye gouge, headbutt, or elbow can save you). [Related: Transitioning from BJJ to Muay Thai]
3. Goal The goal in self-defense is not to “win” a fight, it is to protect yourself and the ultimate goal is to get away! In Muay Thai for sport, points are added up AND deducted to calculate a win. A headbutt that might help you succeed in a street fight is NOT okay in a Muay Thai match. [Related:7 Deadly Sins of Street Fights]

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