Muay Thai or Boxing

Muay Thai and Boxing are similar, but they’re also drastically different.

It’s important to know what the differences between both sports are if you’re decided between which one to train in.a

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What’s the Difference Between Muay Thai and Boxing?

On the surface, Muay Thai and Boxing are similar.

Dig deep enough and you’ll start to see the differences.

For example, the fighting stances in Muay Thai and Boxing couldn’t be any more different. Instead of placing feet slightly wider than hip-width apart for more even weight distribution to make it easier to evade punches, in Muay Thai, fighters usually keep their fight closer together. This is because it allows them to better defend against, not just punches, but also kicks.

At the same time, this kind of closer stance makes it easier to retaliate. This is because the legs are already close enough to set up check kicks, among others.

Even the way fighters position their hands isn’t the same in both sports.

In boxing, fighters are taught to put their hands in front to defend against punches to the head and torso. In Muay Thai, fighters are taught to angle their forearms towards their opponents, with their gloves closer to their faces. The main reason for this is it that it makes it easier to defend against elbows and head kicks while opening up the possibility of retaliation.

Lastly, fighters use different equipment in both sports.

Muay Thai gloves are usually thicker on the backhand to account for elbow strikes and kicks. They also offer better freedom of movement, as grappling and clinching are an integral part of fighting in Muay Thai. Also, the shorts are usually cut shorter to allow better freedom of movement around the ring.

The Pros and Cons of Muay Thai

Pros:

• Muay Thai is one of the most well-rounded striking martial arts that teaches you numerous fighting techniques that can be used offensively and defensively
• Teaches you to use parts of your body as a weapon
• Battle-tested by the Thai army

Cons:

• You’re not really taught actual self-defense in Muay Thai. Instead, you’re taught how to fight and take down opponents
• Although grappling and clinching are part of Muay Thai, fighters aren’t generally taught how to fight on the ground

Conclusion

One thing that Muay Thai and Boxing have in common that’s notably absent in other martial arts is how you train and learn.

Sparring is integral in both sports. In others, this isn’t the case. Sparring is used, but, in general, fighters usually focus more on repeating movements and polishing their own moves. Although there is some benefit to mastering certain techniques, not constantly applying them against real opponents can make it difficult to adjust to a real fight.

If you’re learning for self-defense, either Muay Thai or Boxing can do wonders for you.

The kind of training you get from both sports teaches you how to adjust accordingly to your opponent in a real fight, should you ever find yourself in such a situation.