Not much different than American boxers aspiring to get out of the ghetto, young Thai's see Muay Thai as a way to a better life. Often the boxer's amass hundreds of fights before the age of 18. Recently gaining well deserved notoriety in the USA, Muay Thai has long been hailed as a brutally effective self-defense art. Kicks performed with the shin instead of the foot have been known on a regular basis to break legs and arms, or anything else in their path. The Thai's also include strong knee and elbow strikes in their repertoire along with western boxing techniques.
Students start by learning the individual tools and then in combination.
Offense is taught first with proper form being the primary goal, only after the form is developed comes the power and then the speed. Once offensive technique is acquired then the defenses and sparring drills are taught. Conditioning is stressed and of primary importance. Muay Thai is a ring sport with the contests lasting 5 three-minute rounds. Only the best conditioned fighters can retain any kind of form and composure.