MUAY THAI TECHNIQUES
The complete encyclopedia of Muay Thai techniques — from fundamental punches and kicks to advanced elbow strikes, knee techniques, clinch work, and defensive systems. New to all of this? Start with our Thai boxing moves guide for a full walkthrough organized by category.
JAB
Mud Trong / หมัดตรง
The jab, known in Thai as Mud Trong, is the most fundamental punch in Muay Thai and serves as the foundation upon which virtually every offensive combination is built. Translated l...
CROSS
Mud Tawad / หมัดตวัด
The cross, known in Thai as Mud Tawad, is the rear hand straight punch and is one of the most powerful punching weapons in the Muay Thai arsenal. While Muay Thai is often associate...
HOOK
Mud Wiang San / หมัดเหวี่ยงสั้น
The hook, called Mud Wiang San in Thai, is a short-range arcing punch that targets the side of the opponent's head or body. The Thai name translates roughly to "short swinging punc...
UPPERCUT
Mud Seuy / หมัดเสย
The uppercut, known as Mud Seuy in Thai, is a vertical punching technique that travels upward from below the opponent's line of sight to strike the chin, jaw, or solar plexus. The ...
OVERHAND
Mud Khoang / หมัดโค้ง
The overhand, known as Mud Khoang in Thai, is a looping rear-hand punch that travels in a high arcing trajectory over the opponent's guard to land on the top or side of the head. T...
SUPERMAN PUNCH
Mud Kra-dod / หมัดกระโดด
The Superman punch, known as Mud Kra-dod in Thai, is a dramatic and powerful flying rear-hand punch that involves launching the body forward off the ground to deliver a cross-like ...
BODY CROSS
Mud Tawad Lam Tua / หมัดตวัดลำตัว
The body cross, known in Thai as Mud Tawad Lam Tua, is a powerful rear-hand straight punch directed downward into the opponent's midsection, targeting the solar plexus or the liver...
LEAD UPPERCUT
Mud Seuy Nam / หมัดเสยนำ
The lead uppercut, known as Mud Seuy Nam in Thai, is a rising punch thrown from the front hand that travels vertically upward to strike the opponent's chin, jaw, or solar plexus fr...
REAR UPPERCUT
Mud Seuy Lang / หมัดเสยหลัง
The rear uppercut, known as Mud Seuy Lang in Thai, is the power version of the rising punch, thrown from the rear hand to deliver devastating upward force into the opponent's chin,...
BODY HOOK
Mud Wiang Lam Tua / หมัดเหวี่ยงลำตัว
The body hook, known as Mud Wiang Lam Tua in Thai, is a short-range arcing punch delivered from the lead hand to the opponent's midsection, targeting the floating ribs, liver, or s...
ROUNDHOUSE KICK
Te Tad / เตะตัด
The roundhouse kick, known as Te Tad in Thai, is widely regarded as the single most iconic and devastating weapon in the entire Muay Thai arsenal. Unlike roundhouse kicks found in ...
PUSH KICK / TEEP
Te Trong / เตะตรง
The teep, or push kick, known in Thai as Te Trong, is one of the most versatile and frequently used techniques in Muay Thai. Often compared to the jab in boxing for its utility and...
SIDE KICK
Te Kang / เตะข้าง
The side kick, known as Te Kang in Thai, is a lateral kicking technique that uses the bottom or edge of the foot to strike an opponent from a sideways angle. While not as commonly ...
BACK KICK
Te Klap Lang / เตะกลับหลัง
The back kick, known as Te Klap Lang in Thai, is a powerful spinning technique in which the fighter rotates the body away from the opponent and drives the heel backward into the ta...
SPINNING HEEL KICK
Te Klap Lang Wiang / เตะกลับหลังเหวี่ยง
The spinning heel kick, known as Te Klap Lang Wiang in Thai, is one of the most spectacular and high-risk techniques in Muay Thai, capable of producing instant knockouts when it co...
AXE KICK
Te Khao / เตะเข่า
The axe kick, referred to as Te Khao in some Thai training contexts, is an overhead chopping technique in which the fighter raises the leg high and brings the heel crashing downwar...
LOW KICK
Te Kha / เตะขา
The low kick, known as Te Kha in Thai, is a fundamental Muay Thai weapon that targets the opponent's thigh, specifically the outer quadriceps, the inner thigh, or the back of the l...
SWITCH KICK
เตะสลับ (Te Salab)
The switch kick is an intermediate Muay Thai technique that involves rapidly switching the stance — hopping the feet so the lead foot becomes the rear foot and vice versa — and the...
QUESTION MARK KICK
เตะล่อ (Te Lor)
The question mark kick is an advanced deceptive technique in which the fighter initiates a roundhouse kick that appears to target the body, then redirects the trajectory of the kic...
FLYING KNEE WITH KICK SETUP
เข่าลอยเตะ (Khao Loi Te)
The flying knee with kick setup is an advanced combination technique in which the fighter uses a kick feint — typically a roundhouse kick or teep — to close distance and disguise t...
HORIZONTAL ELBOW
Sok Tad / ศอกตัด
The horizontal elbow, known as Sok Tad in Thai, is widely regarded as the foundational elbow strike in Muay Thai and the most commonly used elbow technique in competitive fighting....
DIAGONAL ELBOW UP
Sok Chieng / ศอกเฉียง
The diagonal elbow up, called Sok Chieng in Thai, is one of the most versatile and frequently utilized elbow techniques in Muay Thai competition. The name translates to "slanting e...
DIAGONAL ELBOW DOWN
Sok Sab / ศอกสับ
The diagonal elbow down, known as Sok Sab in Thai, is a devastating chopping elbow strike that travels on a downward diagonal trajectory, mimicking the motion of a butcher's cleave...
UPPERCUT ELBOW
Sok Ngad / ศอกงัด
The uppercut elbow, called Sok Ngad in Thai, is a vertically rising elbow strike that attacks directly upward from below the opponent's line of sight, targeting the chin, the under...
REVERSE HORIZONTAL ELBOW
Sok Glap / ศอกกลับ
The reverse horizontal elbow, known as Sok Glap in Thai, is an unorthodox and deceptive elbow strike that travels in the reverse direction of a standard horizontal elbow, catching ...
SPINNING ELBOW
Sok Klap / ศอกกลับหลัง
The spinning elbow, called Sok Klap or Sok Glap Lang in Thai, is one of the most spectacular and devastating techniques in the entire Muay Thai arsenal. The name translates to "rea...
ELBOW SLASH
Sok Tad Na / ศอกตัดหน้า
The elbow slash, known as Sok Tad Na in Thai, is a forward-directed slashing elbow specifically designed for close-range exchanges where fighters are toe-to-toe trading strikes. Th...
MID-FIGHT ELBOW FROM CLINCH
Sok Klap Khu / ศอกกลับคู่
The mid-fight elbow from the clinch, sometimes referred to as the clinch-break elbow or Sok Klap Khu in Thai, is an advanced technique that involves separating from the Muay Thai c...
STRAIGHT KNEE
Khao Trong / เข่าตรง
The straight knee, known as Khao Trong in Thai, is the foundational knee strike in Muay Thai and serves as the entry point for all knee technique development. This powerful linear ...
DIAGONAL KNEE
Khao Chieng / เข่าเฉียง
The diagonal knee, called Khao Chieng in Thai, is a versatile and often underestimated knee technique that attacks from an angular trajectory, targeting the ribs, floating ribs, an...
FLYING KNEE
Khao Loi / เข่าลอย
The flying knee, known as Khao Loi in Thai, is one of the most spectacular and devastating techniques in all of Muay Thai. This advanced strike involves launching the entire body o...
JUMPING KNEE
Khao Youw / เข่ายาว
The jumping knee, called Khao Youw in Thai, which translates loosely to the long knee, is a dynamic distance-closing technique that combines forward momentum with an explosive upwa...
KNEE BOMB / SMALL KNEE
Khao Noi / เข่าน้อย
The knee bomb, or small knee known as Khao Noi in Thai, is a short-range knee technique designed for close-quarters combat and tight clinch exchanges. Unlike the dramatic power str...
KNEE SLAP
Khao Tob / เข่าตบ
The knee slap, known as Khao Tob in Thai, is a lateral knee technique that attacks the outside of the opponent's thighs, the quadriceps, and the hip area using a swinging, slapping...
CLINCH KNEES
Khao Khao Plam / เข่าในปล้ำ
Clinch knees refer to the entire system of knee strikes delivered from the Thai clinch position, representing the bread and butter of Muay Thai's close-range fighting game. Rather ...
SIDE KNEE
เข่าด้านข้าง / Khao Dan Khang
The side knee is an oblique-angle knee strike that travels diagonally rather than straight up or directly across. Thrown from clinch range, it slips between the opponent's frame an...
STEP-UP KNEE
เข่ายันก้าว / Khao Yan Kao
The step-up knee is an advancing knee strike thrown from outside clinch range. Where the clinch knee requires already controlling the opponent, the step-up knee closes the distance...
PULL-DOWN KNEE
เข่ากดหัว / Khao Kot Hua
The pull-down knee is the highest-percentage knee strike in the clinch and the technique that often decides clinch-heavy rounds. The fighter secures a deep double collar tie, snaps...
STANDARD CLINCH
Plam Matum / ปล้ำมัดหมู
The standard clinch, known in Thai as Plam Matum, is the most fundamental clinch position in Muay Thai and serves as the foundation upon which all other clinch techniques are built...
SIDE CLINCH
Plam Khang / ปล้ำข้าง
The side clinch is an essential intermediate-level clinch position in Muay Thai that involves controlling the opponent from a perpendicular angle rather than the traditional face-t...
LONG GUARD CLINCH
Kra-Dohd Plam / กระโดดปล้ำ
The long guard clinch is a distinctive intermediate-level technique that bridges the gap between striking range and full clinch engagement. It is built upon the long guard, a defen...
ARM TRAP
Khaw Khaen / คว้าแขน
The arm trap is an intermediate clinch technique in Muay Thai that involves isolating and controlling one of the opponent's arms to neutralize half of their offensive capability wh...
CLINCH THROWS
Tum / ทุ่ม
Clinch throws, known broadly as Tum in Thai, encompass the full range of off-balancing and throwing techniques executed from the Muay Thai clinch. These are advanced techniques tha...
CLINCH SWEEPS
Ped Laan / เปิดล้าน
Clinch sweeps represent an advanced category of techniques in Muay Thai that involve using the legs and feet to trip, sweep, or uproot the opponent from the clinch position, sendin...
NECK WRESTLING
Plam / ปล้ำ
Neck wrestling, referred to simply as Plam in Thai, is the overarching art of fighting for dominant position in the Muay Thai clinch through superior neck control, grip fighting, a...
SWIMMING ARMS
มือว่าย / Mue Wai
Swimming arms — sometimes called pummeling in Western combat sports — is the continuous fight for inside hand position in the clinch. From a neutral over-under tie-up (one arm in, ...
BODY LOCK
รัดเอว / Rat Ew
The body lock is a clinch position where the fighter wraps both arms around the opponent's torso at or below the rib line, with hands clasped at the back. Unlike the double collar ...
CLINCH BREAK
หลุดคลินช์ / Lut Khlinch
Breaking the clinch — the deliberate, controlled exit from a disadvantageous tie-up — is as important as winning position in the first place. A fighter trapped in a strong double c...
ORTHODOX STANCE
ท่ามวย (Thaa Muay)
The orthodox stance is the foundational fighting position in Muay Thai for right-handed fighters, serving as the starting point from which all offensive and defensive techniques or...
SOUTHPAW STANCE
ท่ามวยซ้าย (Thaa Muay Sai)
The southpaw stance is the mirror image of the orthodox stance, designed primarily for left-handed fighters who place their right foot forward and their left foot to the rear. In t...
SWITCH STANCE
สลับท่า (Salab Thaa)
The switch stance is a dynamic footwork technique in Muay Thai where a fighter rapidly transitions between orthodox and southpaw stances, typically by hopping or stepping to revers...
LATERAL MOVEMENT
ก้าวข้าง (Kaao Khaang)
Lateral movement in Muay Thai refers to the technique of stepping side to side rather than simply moving forward and backward along a straight line. This fundamental footwork skill...
ANGLED STEPPING
ก้าวเฉียง (Kaao Chiang)
Angled stepping in Muay Thai is the practice of moving at diagonal angles, typically forty-five degrees off the center line, to gain superior positioning relative to the opponent. ...
PIVOTING
หมุนตัว (Mun Tua)
Pivoting in Muay Thai is the technique of rotating the body on the ball of the lead foot to change the fighter's facing angle while remaining in striking range of the opponent. Unl...
LEVEL CHANGES
เปลี่ยนระดับ (Plian Radab)
Level changes in Muay Thai refer to the technique of altering the height of the head and upper body by bending at the knees and hips to create defensive elusiveness, set up attacks...
CUTTING ANGLE
ตัดมุม / Tat Mum
Cutting an angle is the act of stepping off the opponent's centerline to a position where you can strike them but they cannot easily strike you back. Rather than retreating in a st...
LINEAR RETREAT-PIVOT
ถอยและหมุน / Thoi Lae Mun
The retreat-pivot is the answer to being walked down by an aggressive pressure fighter. Pure backward retreat is a losing pattern — the pressure fighter walks faster than you can r...
CIRCLE STEP
ก้าววนรอบ / Kao Wun Rop
Circle stepping is the continuous lateral movement that prevents an opponent from setting up combinations against a stationary target. Rather than standing still or moving in strai...
HIGH GUARD
การ์ดสูง (Guard Sung)
The high guard is the foundational defensive posture in Muay Thai, forming the bedrock upon which all other defensive techniques are built. In Thai boxing, it is referred to as Gua...
LONG GUARD
การ์ดยาว (Guard Yao)
The long guard, known in Thai as Guard Yao, is one of the most distinctive and strategically valuable defensive tools in Muay Thai. Unlike the compact high guard, the long guard in...
COVER BLOCK
ป้องกัน (Pong Kan)
The cover block is one of the most essential and frequently used defensive techniques in Muay Thai, representing the art of absorbing incoming strikes through a tight defensive she...
SHIN BLOCK / CHECK
เช็ค (Check)
The shin block, universally known in Muay Thai as the check, is the primary and most important defense against kicks in the entire art of Thai boxing. Referred to simply as Check i...
CATCH AND RETURN
จับแล้วตอบ (Jap Laew Top)
Catch and return is a highly effective intermediate defensive technique in Muay Thai that transforms the opponent's offense into an immediate scoring opportunity. This technique in...
PARRY
ปัด (Pat)
The parry is a refined and energy-efficient defensive technique in Muay Thai that involves using small, precise hand movements to redirect incoming punches away from their intended...
LEAN BACK / MATADOR DEFENSE
หลบหลัง (Lop Lang)
The lean back, often called the matador defense due to its resemblance to a bullfighter elegantly avoiding the charging bull, is an evasive defensive technique in Muay Thai that in...
BOB AND WEAVE
หลบล่าง (Lop Lang)
The bob and weave is an advanced evasive defensive technique borrowed from Western boxing and carefully adapted for the unique demands and dangers of Muay Thai. This technique invo...
CLINCH AS DEFENSE
เข้าคลินช์ป้องกัน (Khao Clinch Pong Kan)
Using the clinch as a defensive tool is one of the most distinctively Thai aspects of Muay Thai defense, representing a strategy that has no direct equivalent in Western boxing or ...
TEEP AS DEFENSE
ถีบป้องกัน (Teep Pong Kan)
The teep as defense is the use of Muay Thai's signature push kick specifically as a defensive tool to stop an opponent's forward pressure, maintain fighting distance, and disrupt t...
JAB-CROSS
หมัดตรงคู่
The jab-cross, or 1-2, is the foundational punching combination in Muay Thai and almost every striking art. The jab sets up the cross by blinding the opponent and creating a small ...
JAB-CROSS-LEFT HOOK
หมัดตรงและฮุค
The 1-2-3 adds a lead hook to the jab-cross, giving you a three-punch combination that covers the centerline then wraps around the opponent's guard. It is the most-used punching co...
JAB-CROSS-LEFT ROUND KICK
หมัดและเตะ
Perhaps the single most practical combination in Muay Thai. The jab-cross draws the opponent's hands forward and plants their weight, then the lead round kick arrives on the expose...
TEEP-CROSS-ROUND KICK
เตะถีบและเตะ
A classic Muay Thai setup that uses distance and angles. The teep disrupts the opponent's balance or base, the cross closes the gap on a disoriented opponent, and the round kick fi...
CROSS-LEFT ROUND KICK-LEFT LOW KICK
หมัดและเตะคู่
The classic Thai triple: a strong cross plants the opponent's weight, the left round kick to the body follows on the exposed side, and before the kicking leg resets a low kick wrap...
LOW KICK-BODY KICK-HEAD KICK (KICK LADDER)
เตะบันได
The kick ladder climbs the three target zones in sequence. Each kick earns the next: the low kick drops the opponent's guard downward as they check, the body kick pulls the elbows ...
JAB-CROSS-LEFT ELBOW
หมัดและศอก
When the 1-2 pressures the opponent into a tight guard, the lead elbow arrives at the seam. The elbow is thrown at punching range, not clinch range, and becomes available because t...
TEEP-BODY KICK-HEAD KICK
เตะถีบและเตะ
A distance-based ladder used by tall, rangy fighters. The teep controls distance and disrupts the opponent's rhythm. The body kick forces the elbows down to cover the ribs. When th...
CATCH KICK-CROSS-ROUND KICK
จับเตะและเตะสวน
A defensive-to-offensive sequence. When the opponent throws a round kick, you catch the leg under the armpit, step forward into cross range, land a clean cross on the trapped oppon...
ELBOW-ELBOW-KNEE
ศอกและเข่า
A short-range clinch combination that transitions from striking to grappling. Two elbows drive the opponent's guard up, creating the space and reaction to wrap behind the neck and ...
COUNTER TO LOW KICK WITH CHECK AND CROSS
ป้องและสวน
The most fundamental counter in Muay Thai. When the opponent throws a low kick at your lead leg, raise the shin to check the kick — which both absorbs the impact and hurts the kick...
COUNTER JAB
หมัดสวน
Slip outside the opponent's jab and fire your own jab down the same line. The defensive slip takes your head off the centerline while your jab travels straight back on the line you...
COUNTER TO LEAD ROUND KICK WITH TEEP
เตะถีบสวน
When the opponent throws a lead round kick, teep the planted leg. Their weight is already committed to the kicking action, so a teep to the hip, thigh, or standing leg disrupts bal...
COUNTER TO REAR ROUND KICK WITH CATCH
จับและโยน
When the opponent throws a rear round kick to your body, catch the shin under your armpit rather than blocking. The catch traps the leg, shifts the opponent's balance entirely onto...
COUNTER TO TEEP WITH CATCH-SWEEP
จับถีบและโยน
When the opponent teeps you, catch the foot with your lead hand, step to the side, and sweep the standing leg with your own kick. The sweep ends with the opponent on the canvas — e...
COUNTER TO CROSS WITH SLIP AND LIVER HOOK
หลบหมัดและฮุคตับ
Slip inside the opponent's cross — moving your head to the outside of the punch — and return with a left hook to the liver. The liver shot is one of the most debilitating strikes i...
COUNTER TO KNEE IN CLINCH WITH ELBOW
ศอกสวนเข่า
When an opponent attempts to knee you in the clinch, frame off their hips with your forearm to break the knee's trajectory, then fire an upward elbow between their arms to the chin...
COUNTER TO JUMPING KNEE WITH TEEP
ถีบสวนเข่าลอย
A well-timed teep can interrupt an opponent's jumping knee mid-flight. As they commit to the jump, their body is fully extended and cannot change direction. A hard teep to the ches...