The sport
The eight limbs explained
Fists, elbows, knees and shins: what the Art of Eight Limbs means, which strikes you will see at a Patong fight, and which ones score.
Book your ringside seat ↗Quick answer
The nickname Art of Eight Limbs counts two fists, two elbows, two knees and two shins as weapons. At a fight night you will see punches, round kicks, foot-thrusts called teep, knee strikes and elbows, plus the clinch, where fighters grapple at close range. Body kicks and knees to the centre of the body score well under traditional stadium scoring.
Why eight limbs
Wikipedia explains the nickname by the fists, elbows, knees and shins that fighters use together, and defines Muay Thai as a full-contact Thai combat sport built on stand-up striking, sweeps and clinching. It adds that almost all techniques use the entire body, rotating the hip with each kick, punch, elbow and block. That rotation is what you will notice from ringside: the whole body turns into each strike.
Punches
Punching is called muay mat. Wikipedia says body punching is used less in Muay Thai than in most other striking sports, to avoid exposing the attacker's head to counters from knees or elbows. So expect hands to work as part of a mix, often to set up kicks and knees rather than to finish alone. Watch how fighters keep their guard high while they move forward.
Kicks and the teep
Wikipedia says the two most common kicks are the thip, literally foot jab, and the te chiang, the roundhouse kick, which uses a rotation of the entire body and draws its power from the hips. Fighters check an incoming kick with the outside of the lower leg and are trained to strike with the shin, not the foot. The foot-thrust, or teep, is mainly used to control distance or knock an opponent off balance.
Knees and elbows
Knee strikes are called ti khao, and Wikipedia lists jumping, flying and straight versions. Elbows are thrown in several ways, from horizontal to downward, and Wikipedia says the elbow strike is considered the most dangerous form of attack in the sport. It also says an elbow can cut an opponent's eyebrow so that blood blocks his vision. Both are most often used at close range, where there is little space for a hook.
The clinch
In Western boxing, Wikipedia notes, fighters are separated when they clinch, but in Muay Thai they are not. Clinching, chap kho, is stand-up grappling at close range, and knee and elbow techniques are often thrown from it. Watching two fighters fight for clinch control is a good way to see the sport's balance of strength and technique. Under stadium scoring, a guide says, clinch dominance scores highly.
What scores
A published scoring guide says body kicks and knees to the centre of the body always score, and clinch dominance scores highly. Wikipedia adds that under IFMA rules a strike counts as a point score only if it connects without being blocked. Each round's winner typically gets 10 points and the loser 9 or fewer, and later rounds weigh more. Rules and round lengths vary between promotions.
Injuries and respect
Wikipedia says injuries are quite common at every level of Muay Thai, because eight different parts of the body are used, and that many go unreported. It also describes the sport's heavy focus on body conditioning, with daily training in rounds of three to five minutes. That is why the ritual and the respect shown to opponents matter: you are watching trained athletes who take real risks, and the booking asks everyone at the stadium to respect them.
Who this isn't for
Nobody follows every exchange at first, and nobody expects you to. Watch the ritual, listen to the music and follow the rounds. If you would rather learn by doing, a one-hour all-levels class in Patong is available on the same booking site. If you dislike full-contact fighting, a fight night will not change your mind.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the Art of Eight Limbs?
Wikipedia says it points to fists, elbows, knees and shins used together.
What is a teep?
A foot-thrust, or foot jab, mainly used to control distance or knock an opponent off balance, Wikipedia says.
Are elbows allowed?
Yes. Wikipedia describes several elbow strikes and calls the elbow the most dangerous form of attack in the sport.
What is the clinch?
Stand-up grappling at close range, from which knees and elbows are often thrown. Fighters are not separated in a clinch.
Which strikes score?
A scoring guide says body kicks and knees to the centre of the body score, and clinch dominance scores highly.
Sources