MUAY THAI RESSOURCES
Understand the Art of eight limbs
Muay Thai, known as the “Art of Eight Limbs,” is a striking martial art rooted in Thai boxing tradition, using fists, elbows, knees, and shins to devastating effect. At Brother Kick Muay Thai, our gym in Shah Alam, Malaysia, we deliver authentic martial arts training for fighters and fitness enthusiasts of every level, from complete beginners to competitive fighters preparing for their next bouts.
Whether you’re just discovering this martial art or looking to deepen your technical knowledge, this page will help you understand the different fighting styles that make Muay Thai one of the most complete combat sports in the world.
Why Understand Fighting Styles?
Every martial artist develops a distinct approach in the ring, shaped by body type, temperament, and training background. At Brother Kick, our coaches study these styles closely so we can tailor martial arts training to bring out the best in every student, whether your goal is fitness, self-defense, or stepping into real bouts.
Muay Thai, atau “Seni Lapan Anggota,” adalah seni mempertahankan diri yang menggunakan tumbukan, siku, lutut dan tulang kering. Di Brother Kick Muay Thai, gim kami di Shah Alam, kami melatih petinju dari semua peringkat.
THE DIFFERENT FIGHTING STYLES OF MUAY THAI
Every Muay Thai fighter develops a personal fighting style shaped by their body type, strengths, and strategy, refined through countless hours of sparring and dedicated practice. Understanding these seven traditional styles, Femur, Khao, Mat, Dtae, Sok, Plam, and Bouk, gives you a deeper appreciation for the art of muay thai kickboxing, whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned amateur competitor.
Let’s help you recognize the techniques used in the ring and identify which style resonates with your own training at Brother Kick Muay Thai. Unlike many traditional gyms that focus on just one approach, we expose every student to the full spectrum of Muay Thai, from powerful striking to precise footwork, so you can discover the style that truly fits who you are.
What’s your Fighting style ?
THE TECHNICIAN
Muay Femur fighters are technical Muay Thai boxing practitioners who possess a high fight IQ and master all the techniques and weapons of Muay Thai. This style relies on intelligence, anticipation and precision rather than brute force, controlling the pace of the fight with fluidity inside the ring. That is a philosophy we emphasize in our muay thai training classes at Brother Kick.
Notable fighters: Samart Payakaroon, Saenchai, Lerdsila, Tawanchai PK Saenchai.
THE KNEE FIGHTER
Muay Khao fighters rely on powerful knee strikes and excel in knee techniques delivered at different ranges. Knees can cause considerable damage to the torso and can even end bouts outright in brutal fashion.
This knee fighting Muay Thai style is complemented by superior clinching, allowing close range knees to the body. It is a very technical style that also requires great strength and stamina built through demanding workouts. One common strategy is to wear down opponents through extensive clinching while scoring with knees to the body. Today, Muay Khao is a dominant style that has produced many stadium champions in full contact competition in Thailand.
THE PUNCHER
Muay Mat is an aggressive and explosive Muay Thai boxing style known for This is a relentless forward moving style built around hard punches and low kicks. Muay Mat fighters can trade blow for blow in the ring, as many of them have a strong chin to back them up, which often makes them dangerous kickboxers at mid and close range. The strategy is simple: go for the knockout. They do not always win by judges decision but they will do whatever it takes to finish the bout. Many Muay Mat fighters also perform equally well as a boxer in boxing or kickboxing, thanks to countless hours on the heavy bag.
Notable fighters: Sagat Petchyindee and Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
THE KICKER
This Muay Thai kicking style is built on years of strong foundations through nothing but consistent, hard muay thai training. Muay Dtae fighters generate immense kicking power through solid form, great balance, stamina and steel like shins developed through relentless workouts on the heavy bag. Muay Thai roundhouse kicks are known to be among the hardest in martial arts, so breaking ribs or arms is not uncommon in full contact bouts.
THE ELBOW FIGHTER
To land elbows, Muay Sok fighters need to get past all of their opponent's ranged weapons in the ring. They hunt their opponent with a tight guard, seemingly impervious to punching and long range attacks, until they have them cornered. They then create openings for brutal elbow strikes through punches or by stripping their opponent's guard. This is one of the most technical Muay Thai styles to master, and one of the most feared in full contact competition.
THE CLINCH SPECIALIST
While Muay Thai is often associated with kicks, punching, elbows and knees, not all styles focus on long range striking. Muay Plam is a lesser known style that thrives in the clinch, where fighters stay chest to chest inside the ring, fight for grips and use leverage to wear down and dominate their opponent. Similar techniques can be found in grappling or MMA mixed martial arts.
Key areas of focus in Muay Plam are posture control, off balancing and close range striking such as knees and elbows. The style requires strong grips, solid hip positioning, excellent stamina and constant pressure, making it one of the most physically demanding forms of Muay Thai boxing. Muay Plam fighters excel at breaking rhythm, controlling the inside space and using clinch transitions to create high scoring, high impact moments during bouts. This is exactly the kind of intensity we build through our warm up and workouts at Brother Kick.
THE PRESSURE FIGHTER
Another lesser known Muay Thai style, Muay Bouk is about being a relentless forward moving machine that constantly puts pressure on the opponent in the ring. This brutal, full contact style is unpredictable and dangerous, and can be especially favored by a kickboxer who fully embodies it through years of muay thai training and workouts improving srength, stamina and their overall cardio.
Notable fighters: Buakaw Banchamek, Liam Harrison, Jacob Smith.
