jl52800@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (The Incredible Mr.Wong) writes:
>Hello there. I've got a few questions for anyone proficient in Muay Thai.
>
>1. When you lift up your leg to block a kick, what do you try to block with?
> Is it the muscle in front of your shin, the whole side of the calf, or most
> unlikely, the bone?
The bone. You'd better be really, really conditioned. My shin isn't
anywhere near hard enough to do full-power shin-on-shin contact yet, but
I've watched a few Thai ringfighters do it in my gym, and the crack of
their shins is pretty gross!
Getting hit in the muscle can lead to cramping, then you're in real
trouble.
>2. What is the most efficient way to block elbows coming straight up? Same with
> uppercuts.
For me, I find evading and parrying work better than blocking for blows
coming up. Move that head out of the way! I also use boxing-type
blocks -- keeping the arm parallel to the ground, I put it under my
chin. If you do this, you'd better be sure you're blocking with the
same side arm that the attack is coming from, or it's lights out for
you.
>3. Any suggestions for someone who feels COMPLETELY awkward doing anything with the left side of his body? I feel totally wrong when I try to kick or elbow
> with my left side.
When I first started boxing, my coach watched me a while, then
told me, "for every strike with your right hand, I want you to do
three with your left". Pretty soon my left side felt really good. In
some ways now, it's stronger than my right.
There's a lot more weapons to practice with in muay Thai, but the
advice stays the same. When you're practicing a certain strike,
do lots more left than right. When you're working combinations,
