Martial Arts and striking have become one of the most popular forms of fitness over the past few years. However with so many different forms of martial arts and striking how are you supposed to know the difference between styles. In this article we break down some of the key difference between Kickboxing and Muay Thai, two styles with many similarities, yet some key differences.
What is Kickboxing:
Kickboxing: This is a general term that often refers to any martial art which incorporates punching and kicking in a ring style setting. Kickboxing practitioners can come from a variety of different martial arts styles including tae kwon do, karate, kung fu etc. and combine this with boxing to create a style of kickboxing. In a sport setting there different types of kickboxing including traditional Kickboxing (no kicks above the waist), Low Kick (kicks below the waist allowed), and K1 (low kicks and knees allowed, and one strike from the clinch). Without getting in to too much detail, kickboxing refers to any style of martial art which incorporates both punching and kicking.
What is Muay Thai:
Muay Thai has rapidly grown in popularity as both a fitness activity and competitive sport. Translating roughly to “Thai Practical Fighting Art,” Muay Thai is also commonly referred to as Thai Boxing or the “art of eight limbs.” This martial art incorporates punches, elbows, kicks, knees, and a distinct upper-body grappling technique called clinching.
Why train Muay Thai for Fitness:
Muay Thai for fitness training has recently exploded in popularity. Due to all the variations of strikes from punches, to elbows, to kicks and knees, every part of the body is worked during this training. Using all of these different techniques on the heavy bags drives up the heart rate bringing the body in to its anaerobic state where it rapidly burns fat and improves endurance, exercise capacity and athletic conditioning. A typical 1 hour Muay Thai class will typically burn close to 900 calories for an adult male.