Blog Posts
What’s the difference between muay thai and kickboxing?
-By Gene Byard
It’s easy to understand why the average observer would assume kickboxing and Muay Thai are the same. Both martial arts are contested on the feet and involve punching and kicking. Both happen inside a ring or cage. And both have a standardized rule set that includes gloves and set rounds with time limits. But, if you were to watch a little more closely, you’d see they are quite different.
When it comes to rules and what’s allowed, the differences between the two sports start to show right away. Kickboxers may use kicks, punches, and in some rule sets limited knees. Muay Thai uses the same kicking and punching tools, but adds in the use of knees and elbows. One other significant departure in rules is that Muay Thai allows for the fight to continue when fighters get their upper bodies tied up at close range, or in what is known as the clinch. When fighters clinch in kickboxing, the referee will separate them immediately and the action will pause briefly. When fighters clinch in Muay Thai the fight will continue as long as both fighters are active, and elbows, knees, trips, and sweeps are allowed and even encouraged.
When it comes to pacing and action in kickboxing and Muay Thai, both sports can deliver plenty of it, but in slightly different ways. Most kickboxing fights are composed of three rounds unless a title or belt is on the line, in which case it would generally be a five round fight. These shorter fights encourage more action and place a heavier emphasis on damage and knockouts. Kickboxing scoring generally favors visible damage and high volume striking.
The majority of Muay Thai fights are five rounds, which allows for slightly more nuance and finesse across the fight. Thai fighters will often use the first two rounds to feel their opponent out by throwing low volume strikes while probing for weaknesses. Rounds three, four, and five are where the heaviest action usually takes place in a Muay Thai fight. While winning by knockout is certainly a guaranteed win, the scorecards will usually reflect which fighter had the better use of tactics, balance, and who represented the art form better.
Both kickboxing and Muay Thai are exciting combat sports that require their athletes to be in top physical shape. Both are going to involve training that will help with cardiovascular endurance, strength, and hand eye coordination. Training in either for any prolonged amount of time will also almost certainly help boost self confidence.
While one is more aggressive and one is more nuanced, Kickboxing and Muay Thai both have a lot to offer when it comes to real world martial arts that have practical applications, especially when it comes to self-defense. Being able to breathe, remain calm, and move your body in high stress situations is a huge carryover benefit from combat training.
Is one better than the other? That’s a hard question to answer. It would be like asking which type of car racing is better? Drag racing or Formula One? Both involve cars on a track, and the winner is determined by who’s faster, but that’s where the similarities end.
When trying to decide between the two, what it comes down to is what’s best for you and your particular goals and what is readily available to you. What gyms are in your area? Do they specialize in one martial art over another? Do their instructors have competition experience?
If you’re looking for tried and true Muay Thai taught in a safe welcoming environment, then we’d love to have you try us out here at 10 Kicks. We only do Muay Thai, and we have been helping people reach their particular goals for years. Contact us at the email or phone number below and let’s get you on your way to meeting your goals!
