Muay Thai, or Thai Boxing is the national sport of Thailand. Muay
Thai is generally regarded as the most devastating of the striking arts. Fists, elbows, knees and kicks can all be used
in Muay Thai. Because of the 2 fists, 2 elbows, 2 knees and 2 feet, Muay Thai is often referred to as "the science of
eight limbs". In kickboxing circles, due to its brutal and devastating nature, Muay Thai is often referred to as "king
of the ring".
Thai Boxing has its origins in the hand to hand battlefield tactics
of the Siamese (Thai) Army. Early Muay Thai bouts pitted soldiers from different companies within the Thai army against
one another without weight or time limits. In these early bouts combatants wrapped their hands in leather, dipped them
in tar, and rolled them in broken glass to insure a crowd pleasing and bloody fight. In the early 20th century, weight
limits, time limits, gloves and standardized rules were introduced.
