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One of the three pillars of the IMBA Muay Boran Programs is IMBA Lert Rit.This Art is a fighting system adapted to the self-protection demands of any person

A spectacular counterattack against a power swing kick to the midsection.As the opponent throws a roundhouse kick aimed at your ribcage jump and spin around .

Among the various traditional styles of Muay Thai original of specific geographic areas of Siam, one of the most renowned is Muay Chaiya. Its origins can be found in southern Thailand.

Muay boran combination of strikes can be executed both offensively and defensively. The defensive combination can be used against a neck tie and knee attack

Muay Thai is the science of the rational use of the 9 main natural weapons. Muay Korat is one of the Muay Boran styles.

Pao San Koo impact training drill shown here, the pad man makes use of the small mitts (Pao San Koo) like in the previous Muay Boran learning pills.

The IMBA International Academy never stops; Our Director and the Founder of IMBA, Marco de Cesaris, is a Master in every sense.

The head twist throw can be considered as the most dangerous maneuver a Nak Muay Boran can employ against a dangerous opponent (enemy).

The muay boran combination shown in this video is a Mai Rook Si Chawa (series of 4 blows). The series starts with a fake rear straight punch to the midsection.

Mexico land of warriors. Mexican boxers are famous worldwide. My host was a pro fighter, Gustavo Perez Hernandez. The first Muay Boran seminar was a big success

This Combat Mai Kred can be applied with good results against a typical Boxing offensive combination. he first elbow counter is aimed at the chin.

Mexico land of warriors. Mexican boxers are famous worldwide. My host was a pro fighter, Gustavo Perez Hernandez. The first Muay Boran seminar was a big success

Muay Boran Spinning Back-Fist or Mahd Glab Lang is a spinning blow with the back of the hand that utilizes full body rotation and a deceptive trajectory

Students of Muay Boran must study the history, customs and ancestral traditions of the Thais. The best starting point is the Siamese Epic, the Ramakien, the war of Phra Ram

Offensive combinations can be listed according to various criteria: in this series we will consider the number of strokes executed.

Sillapha Kan Tob Toh or the Art of Counter Attack. An efficient counter attack is delivered to an opponent immediately after his strike, usually exploiting a temporary gap in his defense.

Combat Mai Kred Counter against a Middle Kick What This application of the combat strategy called “countering on a counter” is used against a roundhouse kick. In this case the defender starts the action with a “half hearted” rear leg diagonal swing kick aimed at the opponent’s ribs. This kick is actually a fake attack […]

The IMBA Encyclopedia for the study of Muay Boran’s fundamentals. By Marco De Cesaris Encyclopedia: a work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge. The three technical pillars of Muay Boran IMBA (Combat Muay Boran, Muay Lert Rit and Muay Pram) can only be built on […]

The Muay Thai low kick: combat sport technique or martial art technique? By Marco De Cesaris The Muay Thai roundhouse kicks (Tae Wiang) have always been one of the trademarks of this fighting style. Among the various types of these powerful leg techniques, the Muay Thai low swing kick (Tae Laan) found its place in […]

Unlocking Muay Boran IMBA’s 7 doors. Offensive strategy. by Marco De Cesaris Siamese Martial Arts (Sillapha Kan Tosu Kon Thai) have a long and rich history. Along the years, Thai Masters and warriors developed a great number of combat strategies, tactics and techniques that allowed them to survive on the battlefield. In 1929 the “old […]

Muay Chaisawat for the street. Three techniques every martial artist should know. By Marco De Cesaris Translation in Thai language by Grand Master Chaisawat Tienviboon Muay Thai Chaisawat is a renowned modern-traditional combat system that is getting more and more recognition among thai martial arts enthusiasts. Some of the most distinct features of this style […]

Samart Payakaroon, the Muay Thai artist. By Marco De Cesaris I met Samart Payakaroon several times, both in Thailand and in Europe. He is considered by many as the best thai boxer of modern era. Much has been said and written about this great Nak Muay: I can only add my personal experience to further […]

The wisdom of Muay Chaisawat defensive system. By Marco De Cesaris After years of practice, research and meditation, Arjarn Chaisawat Tienviboon created one of the most innovative and at the same time traditional styles of Muay. How can a style be modern and traditional at the same time? The problem can be solved easily if […]

Prof. Phosawat Saengsawan and the rebirth of ancient Muay (part 1). By Marco De Cesaris In 1995 the Office of National Culture Commission of Thailand (a department of the Ministry of Education) selected a panel of experts to create a traditional Muay Thai syllabus that could help to preserve the ancient styles of Siamese barehanded […]

Top 5 Muay Thai fighters who succeeded in International Boxing. By Marco De Cesaris In 1929 a Thai Government’s Act ordered that Muay Thai had to be changed from fighting with hands wrapped with raw cotton ropes (Kard Chiek) to fighting with Western Boxing gloves. In other words, the ancient fighting style devised to be […]

Pol Prapradaeng, the genius of Sok Glab Lang. By Marco De Cesaris Pol Prapradaeng was setting a trap. By repeatedly sidestepping and apparently avoiding the fight, he induced his powerful opponent Suwan Janmee-on to chase him. All of a sudden Pol stopped running and nailed fiery Suwan with a lightning fast elbow strike. That blow […]

How to watch a Muay Thai fight. By Marco De Cesaris Muay is the traditional form of barehanded fighting developed by Thai people over time to protect their land from enemies. At the beginning of the 20th Century, traditional Muay started to be combined with Western Boxing: the result was the “creation” of a new […]

Diesel Noi Chor Thanasukarn, master of Muay Kao. By Marco De Cesaris I met Diesel Noi Chor Thanasukarn in 1991(6 years after his official retirement). My Muay Thai teacher Khru Chokechaichana Krutsuwan and a French friend of mine monsieur Kuider Abdelmoumeni (former European Muay Thai Champion and International Referee, at the time) insisted that it […]

Pud Pad Noi Worawoot, king of Muay Thai kicks by Marco De Cesaris. His nickname was Golden Leg, because of the deadly efficiency of his roundhouse kick. His overpowering Tae Ken Ko (neck kick) made him climb speedily the top ten ranking of Rajadamnern stadium. His fighting style was characterized by a clever combination of […]

Muay Taweesit, Western Boxing and the development of modern Muay Thai. by Marco De Cesaris Master Kimseng Taweesit was one of the most prominent figures of Muay in modern times. Born in Bangkok in 1890 he was sent to Singapore by his parents to attend school there when he was 14 years old. Singapore in […]

Exclusive interview with Muay Thai Grand Master Chaisawat Tienviboon. by Marco De Cesaris Grand Master Chaisawat Tienviboon has spent almost 60 years studying the principles of Muay Thai back to the roots of the Art. He started to teach Muay in 1968 at Chulalongkorn University. In the course of his research about ancient Muay, he […]

Learning original Muay Thai: the power of team work. Chapter 4.The cobra and the pit-bull: a comparison of Muay Thai styles. By Marco De Cesaris During the days spent at Pinsinchai Boxing Gym between 1986 an 1995 I met and trained with some of the best fighters of the so-called Golden Era of Muay Thai. […]

Learning original Muay Thai: the power of team work. Chapter 3. The lessons of two experts in Thai Grappling By Marco De Cesaris The classic dichotomy between grapplers (fighters who use wrestling as their primary combat tool) and strikers (those who use blows to defeat their opponents) has been in use in Muay Thai since […]

Learning original Muay Thai: the power of team work. Chapter 2 the Art of counterattack of Boglek Pinsinchai. By Marco De Cesaris Rajamnern Muay Thai Stadium, Bangkok. The fighter in the blue corner charges like a raging bull: he knows he is behind on points because he has been floored several times by the fighter […]

Learning original Muay Thai: the power of team work. Chapter 1: Pinsinchai boxing camp. By Marco De Cesaris From the end of the ’80 to the second half of the ’90 I had the privilege to train in one of the foremost Muay Thai camps in Thailand, the renowned Pinsinchai Gym. Headed by Police General […]

All-in-one training method for martial arts? By Dani Warnicki While it is difficult to train simultaneously all the various qualities a martial artist needs, there is an undervalued training method that may get closer to an all-in-one solution than the rest. This training method improves your skills, agility, condition and several other qualities that I […]

IMBA Lert Rit’s 3 fatal attacks Siamese Kings’ safety in Ayuddhaya Era was guaranteed by selected groups of soldiers with a sound Muay background. Those strong combatants were commonly called Thanai Luak or Elite Servants and were specifically trained by senior soldiers belonging to the Royal Guard. Their role in defending the King and the […]

Combat Mai Kred video Muay Boran techniques (Mai Muay Boran) are battle born skills that, in past Eras, helped Siamese warriors to survive in countless clashes with enemy soldiers both armed and barehanded. After some training in basic fighting concepts, Mae Mai (mother techniques), all trainees are instructed in the advanced fighting strategies (Mai Kred) […]

The elbow: Muay Thai’s bladed weapon (part 1) The elbow strike is perhaps the most feared weapon by all martial arts and combat sports professionals. Many consider it too dangerous a technique to be used in ring fighting: in fact, most martial artists believe elbow strikes should only be studied for self defense situations, not […]

Paksa Waeg Rang: the ancient combat strategy of breaking into the opponent’s centreline Paksa, ปักษา Waeg, แหวก Rang, รัง means “the bird peeps through or breaks into the nest”. The key word here is Waeg, แหวก that means to break into or to part. When you break into the opponent’s defense or guard, you open […]

Traditional Muay Thai fighting stances: the Art’s bedrock Jot Muay or fighting stance is the foundation of all Muay Thai maneuvers; from a good solid stance comes a strong foundation to develop high level combat skills. Nowadays, with the development of the sport of Thai boxing, the many variations of Muay fighting posture that were […]

Salab Fan Pla: footwork, counter technique, life style Muay Thai is the Art of fighting with the main body weapons. Hands, feet, legs, knees, elbows and head are used to skilfully attack and defend in hundreds of effective ways. Muay Thai’s attacking system is renowned worldwide: a thai boxer’s kicks, knee and elbow strikes are […]

The deep meaning of Combat Muay Boran Form “A Form is a book that is read with the body” Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952) The thai word rai ram, ร่ายรำ means to dance. In Siamese armed or unarmed martial arts this same word has a broader meaning: in fact, it refers to a sequence of prearranged offensive […]

Chern Muay: the hidden treasure of Muay Boran (part 2) Chern, เชิง artifice; finesse; maneuver. Master Sintusan’s textbook classifies Chern Muay techniques according to the main body weapon used to attack or counterattack. Therefore, he identifies the following four groups: • Chern Mahd, the techniques of punches • Chern Thao, the techniques of kicks • […]

Is Muay Lert Rit a Martial Art for women? In recent years Muay Lert Rit went from total oblivion to being one of the fastest growing fighting arts. Based on ancient Siamese military strategies and close combat techniques, Lert Rit is now ranked among the world’s “deadliest martial arts” by many bloggers and martial artists. […]

Vintage Muay Thai Vintage: denoting something from the past of high quality, especially something representing the best of its kind. Vintage is a word that can have several meanings. Its primary definition is “of old, recognized and enduring interest, importance or quality.” It is usually associated with the quality of aging, enduring or improving over […]

When elephants clash The description of elephants’ relaxed power appears in many a tale of the Siamese tradition like a symbol of functional strength. In Thailand, elephants have been employed for many decades for both civilian and military purposes. A typical example of the latter category are the famed war elephants (yuttha hatthi, ยุทธหัตถี). In […]

The ancient wisdom of Ta Yukapti Muay, the ancestral Siamese martial art is based on the application of mathematical and geometrical principles to the art of combat. The main component of a good posture is the position of the fighter’s feet on the ground. This fundamental element represent an efficient application of mathematical and geometrical […]

Phasom Muay: the secret weapon of Combat Muay Boran Combat Muay Boran is a modern-traditional style of Siamese fighting that combines ancient thai traditions with modern scientific methods. The final goal is to teach men and women of all physical and psychological conditions to fight, on the ring or in the street. The training systems […]

Style makes fighters: the 5 types of Thai Boxer Muay Thai at its highest level may be compared to a chess game: both contestants make use of their bodies and minds to out-smart each other. Body and mind must work as one if a fighter’s full potential is to be developed. Every Nak Muay (Muay […]

Muay Boran

Muay Thai Boran (traditional Thai fighting) is the mother Martial Art that has recently developed, from 1932, into a combat sport known as Thai Boxing or Muay Thai which is nowadays appreciated worldwide.
Originally Muay, มวย was the art and science of fighting the fight, as visualized and developed by the ancient Siamese Masters. Traditional Muay owes its origins to ancestral fighting methods of the people of Siam, elaborated and refined thanks to a continuous process of trial and correction. Pichaiyuth, Dti Muay, Pahuyuth, Sillapha Muay, Mai Muay Thai and Muay Kard Chiek: under these and other labels the gruelling Siamese bare handed techniques of hand to hand combat have been practised for centuries, unified today under the umbrella name of Muay Boran.
Muay is a Siamese martial art that developed during more than 1000 years, going through different “eras” (Pre-historic, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Thonburi, Rattanakosin). Along the years it has been practised as a hand to hand combat system, a popular past time and a professional sport.

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That is to say what is generally labelled as Muay Boran is actually a masterly mix of elements characteristic of different technical settings defined by scholars as Regional Styles (i.e.Muay Chaiya, Muay Korat, Muay Lopburi, Muay Uttaraditt or Muay Ta Sao) and fighting principles that follow a common logic (like the deceptive techniques of the Monkey Style or Muay Wanorn) made actual and usable by a modern western student thanks to a well-structured system of teaching. In this sense it is correct to say that present-day Muay Boran is at the same time both an ancient and modern discipline: ancient because of its combat strategies and traditional techniques which date back to ancient times and modern due to the codification of a varied and structured technical background created in modern times by experts and scholars of Siamese martial traditions, totally immersed in the reality of today and directed towards future developments.

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Contemporary Muay Boran adapts traditional Siamese Martial Arts to the realistic requirements of western practitioners: self-defence, fitness, self-confidence building, Thai culture learning. When East and West meet, with mutual respect, the best of both worlds emerges.
From a technical stand point Muay Boran is based on the scientific use of the nine body weapons or Nawarthawoot(2 fists, 2 legs, 2 knees, 2 elbows and the head) to attack and defend. Attacks are executed by striking all parts of the opponent’s body, moreover additional techniques include grappling maneuvers (Kod Rad Fad Wiang), throwing and pinning (Tum Tap), gripping and twisting the opponent’s limbs to break or damage his joints (Chap Hak).