![]() ![]() Kung Fu vs Muay Thai Match-ups Over the Years If you want to learn more about the history of Muay Thai, please check out this comprehensive article, “Blessed with Venom: History of Muay Thai”. Muay Thai training focuses on developing devastating striking power and sparring practice which in contrast with Kung Fu. So Muay Thai was intended to be a fighting art from the very start. Muay Boran transitioned into Muay Thai around the 1920s with the introduction of gloves, referees, rounds, time limits and boxing ring. And even ordinary folk practiced the art as a form of self-defense. Head butts were also part of the original arsenal but it has been restricted in the modern sport.Ĭompetitions were also held using the art to determine who would be qualified to be among the King of Siam’s guards. It is an umbrella term for all the martial arts of Thailand before modernizing into the sport that we know today.įists, elbows, knees, and shins/feet substituted for weapons in Muay Boran. The traditional Thai martial art is now referred to as Muay Boran. Thai martial arts’ origins date back to about 600 years ago and it was created out of a need for a fighting art on the battlefield. It combines traditional martial arts with modern kickboxing techniques. The one exception is Sanda, the Chinese kickboxing style developed by the Chinese military. Kung Fu styles like Taichi (Chinese: 太极) and Qigong (Chinese: 气功) are practised as a mainstream fitness/health exercise. These days, Shaolin Kung Fu is largely practised for performance and entertainment. In modern Kung Fu, there is often more focus on the beauty of techniques and forms more than its application in real world situations. Competitions where Chinese martial artists tested themselves against practitioners of other martial arts were regularly held in the region and even around the world. Outside of China, Kung Fu continued to flourish in Taiwan and Hong Kong through the cultural revolution. Kung Fu and “Lei Tai” fights suffered a setback in China during the Cultural revolution when martial arts were allowed only for performance. ![]() These tournaments allowed Kung Fu practitioners to pit their skills against each other of different styles with no protection or weight class. Throughout Kung Fu history, “Lei Tai” (Chinese: 擂台 translation: elevated boxing stage) full-contact competitions were held. ![]() Chinese martial arts academies and associations were formed throughout the country during this period. Kung Fu became more accessible and widely practised in the late-19th to early-20th century. But over time, monks and lay practitioners adapted it for combative and self-defense purposes. The main aim of Shaolin Kung Fu was to help provide a stronger body that can endure long hours of meditation each day. He thus developed the physical exercises that he based on Yoga which would later become the basis for Kung Fu. Shaolin Kung Fu is believed to have started when an Indian Buddhist monk named Bodhidarma arrived in China around the 6th century CE.īodhidarma found that the monks there were not in peak physical shape. It is the largest system among Kung Fu styles with the widest range of sub-styles and techniques. There are hundreds of fighting styles in Kung Fu with Shaolin being the most widely-practised and well-known style around the world. References of hand-to-hand combat was found during this period including striking systems and sportive wrestling. The fact is that Kung Fu originated almost 3,000 years ago, dating back to the 5th century BCE. There is a popular saying in Chinese folklore that “All martial arts originated from Shaolin”. Tradition has it that the art of Kung Fu (Chinese: 功夫) was created and developed in the Shaolin Temple. How Kung-Fu StartedĪs everyone knows, Kung Fu started in China. It might even give us a clue as to which will prevail. Perhaps it will help us understand how they arrived at their present state. Most importantly, it is always fun to discuss and dissect these types of match-ups.īefore we pit the two arts against one another, it’s important to look at each one’s origin. It’s Kung Fu vs Muay Thai – which is better? Take your pick as we look at the arguments for each art. But the style’s got to matter, right? It has to play a role in determining which martial art is more effective in actual combat situations. That makes a lot of sense and maybe the best explanation for any combat art comparison. Some would argue that it’s not the martial arts style that matters but the person practicing it that does. One represents traditional martial arts while one is arguably the more practical and competitive style. In the past, we have compared Muay Thai against kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It’s the proverbial “style versus style” match-up. Martial arts fans love pitting one fighting style against another. ![]()
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