Comments on: Differences between Kickboxing and Thai Boxing http://www.martialwhat.com/differences-between-kickboxing-and-thai-boxing/ What, how and about martial arts Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:46:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: massimo http://www.martialwhat.com/differences-between-kickboxing-and-thai-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-392 massimo Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:39:36 +0000 http://www.martialwhat.com/?p=249#comment-392 @Wim it would be interesting to have some statistics and compare numbers about this topic: when I was still in Italy (1994), Wako Italy had about 30,000 members, all practicing American Kickboxing, between semi, light and full contact. Just in the last 10 or so years they started to add low kick and other styles that also includes Muay Thai. @Wim it would be interesting to have some statistics and compare numbers about this topic: when I was still in Italy (1994), Wako Italy had about 30,000 members, all practicing American Kickboxing, between semi, light and full contact. Just in the last 10 or so years they started to add low kick and other styles that also includes Muay Thai.

]]> By: Wim http://www.martialwhat.com/differences-between-kickboxing-and-thai-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-391 Wim Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:22:53 +0000 http://www.martialwhat.com/?p=249#comment-391 Perhaps it is, I don't know. That said, there quickly came a rift between the practitioners of the US version and the Japanese/Thai camps in the 80s. Simply because the latter are compatible with each other and not with the US version: many Japanese style kickboxers fought in muay Thai matches and vice versa. But only very few American style fighters crossed over to the other versions. So they ended up evolving into different directions, with the Japanese/Thai versions becoming more popular. Mind you, the US version is still alive today, I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't. Only that you find a lot less US style practitioners and galas today. Now it's mostly Thai and MMA. Wim Perhaps it is, I don’t know. That said, there quickly came a rift between the practitioners of the US version and the Japanese/Thai camps in the 80s. Simply because the latter are compatible with each other and not with the US version:
many Japanese style kickboxers fought in muay Thai matches and vice versa. But only very few American style fighters crossed over to the other versions. So they ended up evolving into different directions, with the Japanese/Thai versions becoming more popular.

Mind you, the US version is still alive today, I didn’t mean to imply that it wasn’t. Only that you find a lot less US style practitioners and galas today. Now it’s mostly Thai and MMA.

Wim

]]> By: massimo http://www.martialwhat.com/differences-between-kickboxing-and-thai-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-390 massimo Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:45:28 +0000 http://www.martialwhat.com/?p=249#comment-390 @Wim thanks for your comment and for the description you added to my article: I am aware of the different history that Holland had in the development of Kickboxing and how it managed to develop some of the top Thai Boxers in the world. I wasn't aware of the intricacies of the Japanese kickboxing being developed. At the same time I have to say that in my experience I found, in the various European countries I have trained and with the variety of students that arrive in my club from overseas, many schools and associations of American Kickboxing while very few of the Japanese one. Perhaps it's just a coincidence. @Wim thanks for your comment and for the description you added to my article: I am aware of the different history that Holland had in the development of Kickboxing and how it managed to develop some of the top Thai Boxers in the world. I wasn’t aware of the intricacies of the Japanese kickboxing being developed. At the same time I have to say that in my experience I found, in the various European countries I have trained and with the variety of students that arrive in my club from overseas, many schools and associations of American Kickboxing while very few of the Japanese one. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence.

]]> By: Wim http://www.martialwhat.com/differences-between-kickboxing-and-thai-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-389 Wim Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:23:02 +0000 http://www.martialwhat.com/?p=249#comment-389 I agree for the most part with your article but I think your article isn't entirely accurate. The Japanese developed their own brand of kickboxing in the early 60's. Several karateka (I think from Oyama's school) went to fight in Thailand and the sport grew even more popular then. There were other technical differences but the main one with American kickboxing is the use of the leg kick. In the US version, you had to kick above the waist all the time. The Japanese also incorporated the leg kick like the Thais do. This changes the whole game, as many US kickboxers experienced when they fought in Japan and Europe in the late 70's and 80's. Benny Urquidez was one of the few US fighters who also fought under those rules. Kenji Kurosaki, one of the fighters to go to Thailand in the early 60's, established his Mejiro Gym and trained a lot of excellent fighters (the legendary Fujiwara amongst others) but also foreigners. Dutchman Jan Plas studied with him and brought kickboxing to Europe, where it took off and then paved the way for muay Thai. American kickboxing (no low kicks) was popular here during that era but it was overtaken by the Japanese version and then muay Thai. It took the US more than a decade to catch up to this evolution, as it continued to promote it's own version where as in most other continents, the Japanese one and muay Thai kept replacing it. The whole evolution of the sport is something I've always been interested in. It's changed a lot in the 20 years I've been following it. Wim I agree for the most part with your article but I think your article isn’t entirely accurate.
The Japanese developed their own brand of kickboxing in the early 60’s. Several karateka (I think from Oyama’s school) went to fight in Thailand and the sport grew even more popular then.
There were other technical differences but the main one with American kickboxing is the use of the leg kick. In the US version, you had to kick above the waist all the time. The Japanese also incorporated the leg kick like the Thais do. This changes the whole game, as many US kickboxers experienced when they fought in Japan and Europe in the late 70’s and 80’s. Benny Urquidez was one of the few US fighters who also fought under those rules.

Kenji Kurosaki, one of the fighters to go to Thailand in the early 60’s, established his Mejiro Gym and trained a lot of excellent fighters (the legendary Fujiwara amongst others) but also foreigners. Dutchman Jan Plas studied with him and brought kickboxing to Europe, where it took off and then paved the way for muay Thai.
American kickboxing (no low kicks) was popular here during that era but it was overtaken by the Japanese version and then muay Thai.
It took the US more than a decade to catch up to this evolution, as it continued to promote it’s own version where as in most other continents, the Japanese one and muay Thai kept replacing it.

The whole evolution of the sport is something I’ve always been interested in. It’s changed a lot in the 20 years I’ve been following it.

Wim

]]> By: Matt "Ikigai" http://www.martialwhat.com/differences-between-kickboxing-and-thai-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Matt "Ikigai" Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:39:51 +0000 http://www.martialwhat.com/?p=249#comment-275 Great overview here. I personally wasn't aware of some of the intricacies you laid out. Cool videos as well! Great overview here. I personally wasn’t aware of some of the intricacies you laid out. Cool videos as well!

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