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The following information is quite valuable to give a full understanding and deep respect for our study. Much of the information is historical in nature and some of the Ancient Traditions are no longer in use. I.M.A.C. prides itself on keeping the vital and important components of study while improving ourselves with modern kinesiology, physiology, and sport specific training techniques.

Muay Thai actually was a derivation of a martial art style native to Southeast Asian, and most likely not the original, it was the first to be popularized outside of Southeast Asia . Traditional Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand as a martial art used by the military. The military style of Muay Thai is called Lerdrit, while today's "sport Muay Thai" slightly varies from the original art and uses kicks and punches in a ring and with gloves similar to those used in boxing.

Muay Thai started way back in the medieval ages when wars were fought with bows and arrows, swords, and pikes. And in hand-to-hand combat arms, legs, knees, and elbows were also used as weapons. This sport, which was included in military training, was made famous by King Nareusan 1560 A.D. During one of the many battles between Burma and Siam he was captured. The Burmese knew of his prowess as the best-unarmed fighter in the realm and gave him a chance to fight with their best for his freedom. Upon his return to Siam he was hailed as a hero and Siamese-style boxing, as it was called then, was soon recognized as a national sport. Boxing in this style reached its zenith of popularity about two hundred years ago, i.e., in the reign of Prachao Sua (King Tiger), when it was indulged in by all classes of the population.

The development of Muay Thai saw the transformation of the human body into a multifaceted weapon inspired by the weapons common to the time. The shin became the staff of the pike, used to block and strike. The arms became the raised twin swords of defense. The fist functioned as the jabbing tip of the spear. The elbow developed into the battle-axe, used to smash and to crush. The knee, too, axed its way through enemy's defenses. Finally, there was the transformation of the flashing foot into pike, arrow, and knife. As each part of the body became a weapon unto itself, a new close-combat fighting skill was born: MuayThai. Since its initial development, Muay Thai has changed in many ways. It is now a modern sport, rather than a battlefield skill. But in its heart are carried old traditions and an ancient fighting spirit.

Often called the art of eight weapons. Practitioners of Muay Thai learn Punching, Kicking, Elbowing, Kneeing, and upright grappling! Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand and is widely considered to be the most realistic and practical self-defense Art. This ancient Martial Art is based on solid principles of power and speed. Muay Thai is still developing, but what remains unchanged is the use of the pipe and drums as musical accompaniments for the matches, and is considered a unique characteristic of Muay Thai.

Muay Thai truly has evolved from a battlefield art into a popular sport. It has recently been accepted as an official sport in Asian Games competition and the push is on to have it accepted as an official Olympic sport. It is becoming increasingly popular outside of Thailand and has enthusiasts and practitioners in the Americas , Australia , Africa, Japan , and Europe . The fighting tradition continues to be passed on and is spreading wide and far. The illustrious history of MuayThai is on a path to greater recognition and international popularity.

Why learn Muay Thai kickboxing?
On a physical level regular Muay Thai training will give you a well-proportioned physique, build stamina and get you in excellent shape. Fat will disappear and your complexion will improve. Muay Thai boxing teaches you to defend yourself and toughens you up. You will gain greater strength and agility, and will benefit from an immune system boost. On a mental level the study of Muay Thai kickboxing will improve your self-confidence and self-awareness.

Who can learn Muay Thai kickboxing?
Muay Thai boxing is a form of unarmed combat accessible to all people everywhere, children and adults, male and female. Nowadays people from all walks of life are turning to Muay Thai boxing for myriad different reasons.

The Value of Muay Thai Boxing
Muay Thai boxing has enriched the physical and moral well being of the Thai people for hundreds of generations. It has brought fame, honor and wealth, and strikes fear in the hearts of opponents. A genuine Muay Thai boxer will lead a virtuous life with kindness and modesty, and respect to law and traditions. Muay Thai kickboxing consists of the qualities of true knowledge, endurance, compassion, patience, courage, gratitude and honesty.

Ceremonies & Traditions
Muay Thai ceremonies are accessible to all for anyone wishing to learn Muay Thai boxing some knowledge at least of the art's unique and rich traditions is essential. For those intent on becoming professional fighters or trainers the precepts and ethics involved must become an integral part of their daily lives. These traditions are devout but independent of any specific religion and so they are accessible to all. The precise details of the ceremonies differ according to the traditions of the Muay Thai training camp or teacher involved. In whatever form, these ceremonies are very powerful and moving. They are designed to make a permanent impression on the minds of participants, helping to stiffen their resolve.

Wai Kru or paying respect to your teachers
Muay Thai students always hold their teachers to very high esteem, no matter what discipline they have embarked on. Parents are believed to be everyone's original teachers and a special bond is believed to exist between those who study under the same teacher, which is regarded as being parallel to kinship. Wai Kru is an ancient Thai custom. It is a demonstration of respect and gratitude. There are a number of forms of the Wai Kru ceremony in Muay Thai.

Initiation as a trainee fighter
A boxer's Muay Thai training and his relationship with his trainer are highly ritualized. When students seek knowledge from their teacher they first offer symbols of respect such as candles, incense and flowers. During the ritual Muay Thai fighters raise their hands in a Wai (as you would in the West to pray). Students pledge in front of their teacher that they will be diligent, hardworking and will respect and obey their teacher. The teacher officially accepts the student and promises to instruct them to the best of his abilities.

A Muay Thai boxer's oath
I will ensure that I am clean, strong and behave with honesty and integrity.

I will not bully those weaker than myself.

I will undertake good deeds to the benefit of others and be loyal to my instructors,
fellow students and the school.

I will avoid causing trouble of any kind.

We will be united and help one another whenever possible.

I vow to give 100% in my efforts and I will help and support the other students whenever possible.

Annual Homage Paying Ceremony
This ceremony is held annually throughout Thailand in schools, universities and other places of learning. Teachers and students gather together inviting past teachers to attend. The ceremony involves all the usual symbols of honor and respect. For Muay Thai the ceremony, which requires trainee fighters to show their respect and gratitude for their trainers, is usually held on Muay Thai day (17th March).

Fighters get a new name
When a Muay Thai boxer is considered ready for the ring, he is given a new name, usually with the name of his Muay Thai training camp as his surname.

Approaching the ring
Thai people traditionally believe that unseen spirits inhabit everywhere. For this reason it is necessary to perform special rites before entering a Muay Thai boxing ring asking the spirits permission to do so, propitiating them and destroying any evil that may be lurking their. The ritual is thought to protect the fighter and lead him to victory. During this ritual a fighter will determine through which nostril the breath is flowing more freely. He will take his first step (avoiding the bottom stair) with the foot of that side, for good luck.

The Ram Muay ritual dance
The special relationship between a Muay Thai boxer and his trainer are gracefully expressed during the Ram Muay (a Muay Thai boxing dance) that precedes every Muay Thai match. This tradition goes back to ancient times and is a further demonstration of the fighter's respect and gratitude. Official Muay Thai regulations specify that both fighters must perform the Ram Muay before every bout. The Ram Muay is an aesthetic, dance-like ritual, which usually lasts about five minutes and is done through a series of gestures and movements performed in rhythm to ringside musical accompaniment. The Ram Muay developed differently in various regions under different teachers. Two fighters performing identical Ram Muay rituals would know they studied under the same teacher or came from the same school, and so would not fight together. There are no rigid rules regarding the performance of the Ram Muay. You should stick to your teacher's guidelines.

The Muay Thai contest begins
After the ritual dances Muay Thai fighters return to their own corners. They go to the centre of the ring to be briefed by the referee regarding the rules and then return to their own corners for removal of the head circlet (mongkon). On completion of this ritual the Muay Thai contest can begin.

Musical accompaniment
The sarama or musical accompaniment is a sound recognized as a symbol of deference and respect. This rhythmic music accompanies the Ram Muay as well as the contest itself. The music is performed by four musicians each playing either one of two kinds of oboe, a pair of Thai drums or symbols. The tempo of the music varies. During the Ram Muay it is slow and stately to match the mood of the smooth and flowing ritual. When the fight commences the tempo is increased. At moments of excitement during a match it becomes frenetic. The music increases the atmosphere of the event and urges fighters to try even harder.

Muay Thai amulets
Amulets are sacred and highly respected items believed to bestow blessings and protection. All Muay Thai fighters must use the mongkon, a head circlet, which is worn until completion of the Ram Muay ritual dance, and the prajed, a woven armband. The prajed contains a small Buddha image and is worn throughout the match.

Early Muay Thai Boxing competitions
In the beginning Muay Thai boxers fought bare-fisted. Early competitive forms of Muay Thai had no grappling; fighters moved in, and then quickly withdrew again. There was no attempt to pair opponents based on their weight. They needed only to express a willingness to fight. Sometimes fighters on a winning streak could be matched against several opponents in succession. There were no real rules. The head was used as a weapon and the groin was an acceptable target. The ring was a bare patch of earth. At some point came the division of the contest into rounds. Time for these was measured by placing a coconut shell with a hole bored through the bottom into water. When the coconut was filled with water and thus submerged the round was over. Tree bark, seashells, and later kapok-stuffed triangular cushions were used to protect the groin.

Modern Muay Thai history
As late as 1920s kaad chuek was still in use. In a tragic event fighter Jia Kaegkhmen died in the ring of the Lak Muang Arena after being punched by Pae Lieng Prasert. He clung to the ropes dying but refused to give up. After this a new rule was introduced that fighters should wear gloves and kaad chuek was slowly phased out. The sport took the name Muay Thai post 1920s after the introduction of gloves and other elements of Thai Boxing. In 1928 a rudimentary ranking system was introduced. There was a title fight held in November of that year and people flocked to see the fight. The following year, modern groin protectors were used in Siam for the first time. The convenience and safety of these quickly caught on. The groin was a legal move until the 1930s. In 1950 a fully developed ranking system was implemented with eight weight divisions. Rajadamnoen and Lumpinee Muay Thai boxing stadiums were erected in Bangkok and standard regulations adopted by the sport.

Introduction of modern training methods
During the late 1920s and 30s Muay Thai training was developed. Gyms were constructed and punch bags and balls became widely available. The use of training gloves and contest gloves became the norm. Muay Thai became a favorite sport and pastime. Every village staged prizefights and people from all walks of life flocked to training camps.

Muay Thai Boxing today
After WWII Muay Thai boxers headed to the capital for fame and fortune. The glory is still to be found at Rajadamnoen or Lumpinee boxing stadiums in Bangkok . Today in the villages in the provinces people can be seen clustered around available TV sets to see televised matches. All professional fighters have official ring names. The first part of the name is generally their own, while the second is the name of the training camp to which they belong. Today many men and women of all ages enjoy regular training sessions. There is now a World Championship for Muay Thai and it has become an accepted amateur sport in many countries. Muay Thai boxing is an essential part of Thai culture. Thais have a fiery belief in the lethal effectiveness of their fighting art and have proved it time and again

The Muay Thai Boxing Stadium
Nowadays the Muay Thai ring is the same size as that used for Western boxing, 24 foot square. The floor of the ring is wooden with canvas-covered matting. Traditionally the four sides of the ring are aligned with the points of a compass. The red corner points NW, the blue SE. The other two corners are white. These colors are derived from Western boxing and were introduced in the 1920s. The red corner is assigned to the defending champion or the contestant thought to have the advantage.

The betting tradition of Muay Thai Boxing
From the earliest competitions each bout became a betting contest as well as a contest of local pride. The betting tradition has remained and today large sums of money are wagered on the outcome of fights. A trip to watch a Muay Thai match in Thailand is worth it for the spectacle of the frenzied betting alone.