The Art of Eight Limbs|泰拳之道

The Art of Eight Limbs

by Marcus Maurice

Muay Thai is not only popular where it was invented.

　　In boxing, fighters use two points, which are their fists, to make contact with their opponents. In kickboxing, combatants use four points, fists and feet, to hit their rivals. In Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing or the art of eight limbs, brawlers can use punches, elbows, kicks, and knee strikes to overpower their opponents. Muay Thai originated as a practical fighting technique during wars because it used the whole body as a weapon, and then it caught on with the nation of Thailand. Now, Muay Thai is a big part of many festivals and celebrations in Thailand, not to mention one of the roughest workouts of any martial arts.

　　For centuries, wars between Thailand, Cambodia, and Burma prompted young warriors to learn hand-to-hand combat techniques. It was survival of the fittest, and the best fighters taught the younger generations what they knew. Within the last 100 years, Muay Thai has come a long way towards becoming a safer sport because referees were introduced during matches and King Rama VII pushed for universal rules and protective gear.

　　The popularity of Muay Thai has also gotten a boost from another closely related sport. With mixed martial arts (MMA) on its way to becoming the dominant combat sport, many athletes are training in Muay Thai as a way to learn stand-up fighting. In Muay Thai, when combatants get close together, they clinch. This sets up punching, kneeing, and elbowing. These types of strikes are all very important in MMA. Also, fighters that train in Muay Thai are in tip-top condition because the training regimens are very strict. While Muay Thai isn't the only skill top MMA fighters need to learn, it's one of the best to know.

 

 

泰拳之道

泰拳不仅在其发源地受欢迎，在其他地方也是。

　　在拳击运动里，拳击手会使用两个地方来与对手接触，那就是他们的双拳。而在跆拳道中，参赛选手会使用四个地方来打击他们的对手，就是双拳与双脚。而在泰拳（Muay Thai）中，它也被称为泰国拳（Thai boxing）或是八肢的艺术（the art of eight limbs），搏斗者可以运用拳打、肘击、踢腿及膝技来击倒对手。泰拳起源于战争时期的一种实用格斗技，因为它需要运用全身当成武器，后来泰拳就在泰国境内变得十分流行。泰拳目前是泰国许多节日和庆典很重要的一部份，更不用提它是最严苛的武术锻练方式之一。

　　几个世纪以来，泰国、柬埔寨及缅甸之间的战事造就了许多年轻战士都得要学习这种徒手博斗的技巧。适者生存，留下来最好的战士就教导年轻一代他们所知道的东西。近百年来，由于在比赛中引进了裁判，泰拳有了很大的转变，变成比较安全的运动，而当时的国王拉玛七世极力敦促要有一套通用的规则以及穿戴护具。

　　另一项与泰拳紧密相关的运动推动了泰拳的普及。随着综合格斗逐渐在搏斗运动中取得主导地位，许多运动员将泰拳的训练视为一种学习立技格斗的方式。在泰拳中，两名选手接近时，会开始扭打。这包括了拳打、膝击还有肘击。这些类型的攻击在综合格斗上都是非常重要的。此外，接受泰拳训练的选手都维持在最佳的状态中，因为泰拳的训练方式是非常严格的。虽然泰拳并不是顶尖的综合格斗选手需要学习的唯一技巧，但却是其中一项最为人所知的技巧。