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Writer's pictureKing Calisthenics

Is Muay Thai Good To Learn For Self-Defense In A Street Fight?

Have you found yourself wondering if Muay Thai is good to learn for self-defense in a street fight or not?


Maybe you are looking for a new self-defense method in street fighting and are wondering if Muay Thai is the right fit for you? Or are you curious and want to know more?


Whatever the question is that brought you here today, we have the answer for you! 


When it comes to street fighting, we often hear the phrase, there are no rules. So how can you best prepare for a street fight?


It can be hard to know what the best way to defend yourself is when you don’t know what moves your opponent will throw at you. 


You might have heard people say that Muay Thai is good for self-defense in a street fight. So let’s find out today if it is true or not!


Keep reading to find out if Muay Thai is good for self-defense in a street fight and everything else you need to know! 


What Is Muay Thai?


Before we get into today’s article, let’s have a quick recap for those that need it! Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a type of martial art and combat sport that uses a range of clinching techniques and stand-up striking. 


Known as the Art of 8 Limbs, Muay Thai makes use of 8 contact points with kicks, knees, elbows, and punches. You can also use throws, sweeps, and clinches to take your opponent down. 


Muay Thai has a long history from its start in the 14th century. The martial art has evolved over time, and has since become a combat sport practiced worldwide.


The sport is popular outside of Thailand too, with many professional fighters taking part at local and foregun stadiums, like the prestigious Rajadamnern in Bangkok. 


This is just a brief overview of course, but now that we have established what Muay Thai is, let’s move on and find out if Muay Thai is good for self-defense in a street fight or not! 


Is Muay Thai Good To Learn For Self-Defense In A Street Fight?


Let’s get straight into it! Yes, Muay Thai is good to learn self-defense in a street fight!


As Muay Thai fighters use a range of hand and feet movements, they can be prepared for anything that their opponent throws at them in a street fight!


If you regularly train with Muay Thai, then the chances are you can hold your own in a street fight, which is welcome news we are sure! 


But why is Muay Thai good to learn for self-defense in a street fight? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons now! 


Muay Thai Is Fairly Straightforward 


Compared to other sports and martial arts, Muay Thai is a fairly straightforward way of fighting. Sure it can seem quite brutal compared to other martial arts, but if you need to defend yourself, it is a good martial art to be trained in! 


You are taught to use your fists, elbows, knees, and legs to strike your attacker, which means no matter what is thrown at you, you will have the skills to defend yourself!


Your opponent might throw a good punch, but if they aren’t steady on their feet, you can disarm them easily with a sweep of their knees or ankles, leaving you victorious. 


You Have Eight Limbs To Choose From 


As we mentioned earlier, Muay Thai teaches you to use eight limbs. This gives you a wide arsenal to choose from and should make you quite a formidable opponent.


And as part of Muay Thai training is defense, you should have some techniques that you can use to defend yourself should you need to. 


It can be hard to prepare yourself for street fighting, as you won’t know what your opponent will throw at you.


But if you have a good range of techniques in your arsenal, you have a better chance of defending yourself, especially after you have caught a glimpse of your opponent’s moves so you know a little more about what to expect! 


Are There Downsides To Using Muay Thai As Self-Defense In Street Fighting?


Although it sounds like Muay Thai is excellent for self-defense in street fighting, there are some drawbacks that you should consider. The first is that instead of teaching you self-defense, Muay Thai teaches you how to fight.


While that is excellent and can help you defend yourself in a fight, if you are simply looking for a few moves that can keep you safe should you end up in a street fight, then it might not be the best option for you! 


We suggest learning Muay Thai for more than just self-defense. Yes, you will learn some defensive moves, but you will also learn how to attack and counter your opponent.


If you only want to learn self-defense moves, then we think you are better off with a different method of fighting! 


Another downside to Muay Thai is that you aren’t taught any ground fighting.


So if your opponent manages to get you on the ground in a street fight, you are going to struggle to defend yourself with just Muay Thai techniques, you would need to rely on other fighting techniques. 


When deciding if Muay Thai is good to learn for self-defense, you should consider these downsides too.


These downsides might not be important to you, especially if you already have some ground fighting training, but if you don’t, you will want to make your consideration carefully to avoid ending up at a disadvantage during the street fight. 


Final Thoughts 


And there you have it! Muay Thai can be good to learn for self-defense in street fighting if you are looking to learn some new skills. However, there are some downsides that you should carefully consider before deciding if it is the right choice for you or not!

 


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