Dr. JK said:
I agree with you on Muay Thai (did it for 4 years)..The only drawback is the lack of movement/flat footed...Movement is key---it's a lot harder to hit a moving target than a staitonary one
When I went back to full contact Karate I was a stationary punching bag for the guys who moved like "cats"..That's when I was forced to learn real quickly how move around and use foot work...
Just my experience
May just have been the instructor you had didnt prefer to teach movement. If you train in Thailand, you will quickly see how hard it is to hit them. I ahve lived and fought in thaialnd many times over the years and usually spend 1 - 3 months a year in Thailand. Do keep in mind though, Muay Thai is meant as a battlefield fighting form, and with that, comes a more grounded approach. You will rarely find flying techniques. There are a few, but not many use them. With muay Thai its about making small movement to avoid being hit, while staying in range to delever a devastating return. Alot simply pull their head back, wihtout movingthe feet to avoid a neck kick, and fire themselves back in after the kick passes, as they remained in range.
The other point would be that muay thai is more a system of give and take. Less emphasis is on getting out of the way, and more is on blocking or striking a strike prior to its impact. If you are going to be hit say by a rear legged roundhouse, you can step the front foot back fort a second as it comes in, then fire it back in as a kick, you may block, or you can simply use your right arm and punch him. once the contact is made,( prior to the kick landing ) you will have stripped the kicks power a large amount, making it usless. You may use a tease kick on the front leg innner thigh prior to the kick, etc etc.. you see my point.
Id have to say muay thai is more about who can deliver the most damage in the shortest time, while minimizing the opponents damage through blocks, feints, sidesteps, shifting of weight and counter-striking.
Muay Thai, is without doubt the King of the Ring for striking, and I would hazard a guess BJJ would probably be the grappling quivalent. I have done pretty much most mainstream forms to a middle level or higher, such as brown belt in Sho Rin Ryu, Kickboxed in PKA era, etc. I do believe though, that the martial must match the persons personality and match its intended use. All Arts are beautiful, in their own special way.
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