Why is there no footwork in Muay Thai?

Il n'y a pas de phrase qui répond directement à la question « Why is there no footwork in Muay Thai ? » car le texte présente en fait l'importance du footwork dans le Muay Thai. Cependant, voici une réponse basée sur le texte fourni : But these four athletes are sure to showcase another facet of Muay Thai that is often overlooked — footwork. That said, let’s look at how footwork can improve your Muay Thai game. Defense And Countering It can be difficult to successfully strike a target that is moving, but having good footwork makes it even more challenging to be hit with a punch or kick. Former ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title challenger Jackie Buntan has demonstrated this in numerous fights by using her strategic footwork to deftly evade blows before countering with shots of her own. This has allowed the American strawweight star to stay light on her feet while remaining out of harm’s way. Buntan’s ability to read her opponents’ game plan and adjust her footwork accordingly has made her a formidable opponent in the Circle. Control And Positioning ONE Championship is home to some of the world’s best strikers, including ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon. The Thai superstar is famous for his distinct footwork, which allows him to aggressively attack but effectively evade without absorbing too much damage. Whatever your fighting style, having excellent footwork allows you to plan your attack and score effectively. Knowing the proper angles to move at and how to adjust to the movements of your opponent are essential skills for any martial artist. Accuracy And Force If there’s one fighter who knows something about precision and power, it’s former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama. The Thai legend employs his footwork to put weight behind his strikes while remaining perfectly positioned to land his finishing blows effectively. By stunning opponents with his lightning-fast but dynamic punches and kicks, Nong-O has demonstrated that being in the right place at the right time is a surefire way to entertain in the Circle. Composure And Stability Having good footwork enhances athletes’ balancing skills because it enables them to shift their feet quickly and precisely. ONE Women’s Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Janet Todd has repeatedly established her poise in the Circle with her quick footwork. In fact, “JT” can adjust her body to maintain balance and stability in a variety of circumstances. The American superstar has proven that having well-rounded footwork allows her to anticipate and react to changes in the Circle, giving her the upper hand in fights. Coordination And Athleticism ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai has used his footwork to his advantage, picking up one victory after another. The World Champion has demonstrated agility and coordination between his feet and the rest of his body, moving quickly and efficiently to end the majority of his bouts early. Competitors with superior footwork are more aware of their body’s positioning within a given space, allowing them to increase their strength and speed, which in turn increases their chance of victory.

People try to analyze muay Thai through the lens of boxing and don't consider or don't care that boxers only have to worry about two things: the left hand and the right hand. You're not afforded massive drastic slips and bobs because you'll be punished for it. As far as the criticism of footwork goes, I think it's again people trying to analyze muay Thai through a boxing lens because the footwork in muay Thai is definitely not bad or worse imo. There's tons of stance-switching, angling, attacking while moving, etc. Furthermore a lot of it is stylistic and matchup dependent. I don't think it's fair to compare footwork and head movement in a sport like boxing to something like muay Thai where it's simply not viable to fight the same way.

Footwork is more associated with Western boxing than it is with Muay Thai. That is a misconception that needs to be corrected. Those in the know understand what footwork means to "the Art of Eight Limbs." Make no mistake about it, footwork is just as essential in Muay Thai. The classic image that most casual observers have of Muay Thai is two combatants standing right in front of the other and trading power shots. Muay Thai and footwork are not exactly synonymous. You don't really think of one and instantly think of the other. No, it just does not work that way for Muay Thai and footwork.