KHAN 4 KNEEING

KHAN 4 KNEEING

Defending Knee

The use of the knee, as well as the use of the elbow, in Muaythai is a unique art by which anyone seeing the fight will immediately identify it as Thai boxing. Practicing the use of the knees in a fight involves some difficulties and though it is not hard to learn is hard to execute properly and effectively. With successful practice it can be a great weapon for close-range engagement. The animation presents the art of knee work in a variety of forms, which can be divided in two categories, namely, hand-free/arm-free knee use and knee use with the aid of the hand or arm. Knee use has to be practiced in pairs. Hence, the student should thoroughly learn the theory before practical application in order to prevent any possible injury or accident. Each item of knee work is precisely described step-by-step, with animated illustrations and useful tips to ensure clear understanding and visualization.

1. Khao Trong

Is to move the knee to hit the target straightforwardly. You can use both the front leg knee and the back leg knee to attack your opponent. Knee striking is good when one is in close-quarters with the opponent such as during infighting and clinching. The targets for the knees are to strike the stomach, navel, lower abdomen, ribs, and thighs or sometimes we could knee strike to their chin or face as well. In addition to the knees being a strong weapon,

it can also be used as a shield for preventing the opponent’s attack. Knee striking can be done by putting the weight onto the back foot and transfer to the front leg and thrusting the knee straight upwards. Putting the weight to the back foot will help to transfer more weight to the front leg’s knee. Make sure to harden the muscles around the abdomen, bend the knee and push the body out is a good knee striking posture.

2. Khao Chiang

Striking from the position where you start by lifting the knees up and hitting the target at a diagonal. If striking with left knee, it will hit the right side of the target and if striking with right knee, it will hit the left side of the target. If the opponent approaches from the front, this diagonal knee strike will hit the opponent at their thighs or the side of the body. This is a similar to the straight knee strike but the difference is that the direction of the strike is not vertical. You would normally sway when striking or swaying to the left and to the right of the opponent to launch a diagonal knee strike.

If the opponent dodges to the right then you should strike with the left knee, but if the opponent dodges to the left then the boxer should strike with the right knee. You should always keep your chin in, keep your guards up to protect the face and the stomach at all times. Diagonal knee strike is best to do when the opponent is approaching in and you should try to step back, sway, clinch, hold, swing, or yank then you can launch the diagonal knee strike at the stomach or chest of the opponent. This strike will stop the opponent’s approach and give you an advantage.

3. Khao Khong

The direction of Curved Knee Strike is to strike from the top to bottom. You will need to twist your hip and turn the leg upside down to hit the target with the knee. The foot is extended straight out, same as the leg and the knee.

The turning of the hip will put the weight to the knee to create a strong impact since your includes your weight from the middle part of your body into the impact zone.

4. Khao Tad

Striking from the left to the right, or from the right to the left with the knee, leg and the foot paralleled to the ground. The target of horizontal knee strike is to the upper body, stomach, and rib area of the opponent. By twisting or hardening your abdominal will create firmer impact to the strike.

5. Khao Nhep

When the opponent charges into the kneeing range or move forward incautiously, then, boxers can use the kneeing techniques to attack and injure them. Khao Nhep is to strike a knee along parallel with the ground or

to strike the knee diagonally toward the target such as the ribs or the back. By twisting the body and using the driving force to hit the target, it will increase the attacking force for the kneeing technique.

6. Khao Noy

Khao Noy is called “Khao Lai Mod” or “Khao Jok Jak” and is used to distract the opponent when approaching or clinching which would cause discomfort to the upper thigh, the bottom or the abdomen, also, to drop off the opponent tactics and strength. Whilst intertwining involves the neck, chest and cross clinching, boxers are supposed to use the sharp part of the kneecap to hit these body parts as stated above.

7. Khao La

It is a knee strike that is almost like kicking. It is a half combination of a knee kick and a half kick. Striking with the knees, while folding the leg at the same time and in the lower and upper part of the leg to make a 45-90 degree angle. Normally, when doing this Knee Drop Strike,
both legs should be folded similarly and closely situated together. You can use the Knee Drop Kick when the opponent is approaching from afar to stop their attacks. Sometimes it can also be used as weapon to attack the opponent as well.

8. Khao Hone

This is the strike that uses the hands or arms to hold the neck or the shoulder or head of the opponent and striking upwards. The force of holding the opponent’s head down and striking upwards with your knees at the same time can cause serious injuries to your opponent, especially hitting the face or the chest.

9. Khao Kod

With your body weight, strike down with your knees and using the knees to press down onto the target. A tall boxer will have an advantage doing this strike. When striking and pressing down, it will create a strong impact to the target, but when doing this make sure to hold your position and stance, it will help to protect yourself right after.

10. Khao Yon

For times when the opponent is in a disadvantaged circumstance. For example, when the opponent is off balance from the attack or when they are in an ungaurded position, boxers can strike the knee upward to the chin or the chest to cause more injury for the opponent (to hurt the opponent more/to injure the opponent more effectively). Khao Yon is to jump uprightly and then directly hit the target which will cause massive pain for the opponent.

11. Khao Yor

This strike uses your hands to push the body of your opponent down in order to lift your knee to strike. The momentum of the lift will be greater with this strike causing a powerful hit. For example, pressing your hands at the knees of your opponent and jump to launch the knee strike or you can start by pressing down on the lap or the upper groin of your opponent.

12. Khao Yeap

The strike that uses one foot to step onto your opponent and use the other knee to strike at the head, temple, neck, face, chin, chest or stomach. This stepping knee strike is a classic ancient Muay Thai move that you can use your opponent’s leg to be the stepping base,
which is very different from the modern Muay Thai moves used today and is difficult to master. This strike is considered to be very dangerous and the result could cause trauma to the brain, therefore today, this move is only used for demonstrations only.

13. Khao Kuu

The strike that uses both knees to hit the chin and chest of your opponent and is considered to be a dangerous strike as well. Because the weight of the approaching opponent is combined with the momentum of the impact of both knees could cause serious injuries to the opponent to the lungs or the ribs. Therefore this move is only used for demonstrations by a well-trained boxer.

14. Khao Loi

Striking with both of your feet by jumping off the ground with the weight of the body behind it and striking with one knee. Either lunging upwards or straightforward can be an option when doing this strike. A good flying knee strike uses the force of the hind knee because of its higher force impact, rather than using the force of the knee from the front leg. The targets of the flying knee strike are the abdominal, stomach, pit of the stomach, chest, chin and the face. Practice this strike by running or jumping towards the target and push the body forward with the knee of the back leg to strike.

The front leg is kept straight and then bent when striking or approaching the targets. The left and the right arms should always be covering the chin closely to protect you if the opponent happens to counter attacks. Look for the chance to use the flying knee strike when the opponent loses balance, not aware of it, or if your very skilled at it, you can use it to fight back when the opponent approaches you with a miss hit.

15. Gan Duay Khan

Defending with arms means to protect the weak points of the body with arms like using elbow to protect the chest, but however, after using this blocking technique, boxers should be in a ready position to strike back at once.

16. Jaap Thum

There are many tactics to take down the opponent, but according to the boxing rule, boxers are not allowed to cross the opponent’s leg. Therefore, boxers can use the “Bang Kho Jab” tactic and push or throw the opponent down without using too much strength.

17. Gan Duay Khao

Gan duay Khao means to cover up all the weak parts by kneeing. However, most blocking tactics usually get a lot of massive impacts from the opponent’s attacks, therefore, boxers must use stronger body parts to defend their body than the parts that the opponent uses to attack, for example, using knee to block the attack from the chest and the ribs. However, as boxers are blocking, also, they must be ready to make a counter-strike.

18. Plak Hai Seay Lhak

First, boxers use “Bang Koh Jhab” strategy which means to block the attack from the opponent, then grab and trap the opponent’s body parts like arms or legs. After using “Bang Koh Jhab” tactic, boxers must take the opponent down by pushing with full strength on both upper arms. After blocking, boxers must be in a ready position to strike back at once.