YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PUSH YOURSELF BEFORE
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR LIMITS
Muay Thai is a martial art, a combat sport and a deadly form of self-defense. It is deeply rooted in Thai culture and has a history dating back to the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767).
ABOUT MUAY THAI
Muay Thai training offers combative techniques necessary for real self-defense. Common techniques include high kicks to the neck, elbow thrusts to the face and head, knee hooks to the ribs and low-cut kicks to the legs. Most conditioning, consisting of punching, knees, elbows, kicking and grappling is done using focus mitts, Thai pads, heavy bags, and sparring.
Unlike other martial arts, whose kicks utilize the foot, Muay Thai kicks utilize the shins, which are far more effective for striking the outer thigh, ribs, and neck. Skipping, push ups, sit ups, squats, and shadow boxing help to develop good stamina and reflexes, which keep you in peak condition for a lifetime.
Elbows and knees are great equalizers against heavier and stronger opponents, which makes them particularly effective weapons for women.
The key to Muay Thai is learning to relax under pressure. Unlike most martial systems, the techniques are always taught in a state of relaxation.
TKO PHILOSOPHY
BODY PROTECT
MIND STRONG
HEART POWERFUL
BODY PROTECT
The first thing we see when looking at others and ourselves is the physical self. This represents who we are. It is the vessel we use to carry out our life's work. We must maintain a healthy and strong body to be able to succeed day to day.
Through Muay Thai, you must learn physical movement. This means learning physical education, health discipline and self defense. This will result in building your body strong, maintaining your health and guarding yourself from physical harm. These qualities become essential in being able to protect ourselves, and protect those important to us.
Only once we have taken the time to protect our own body are we able to protect others. This is why Body Protect is of most importance, and why it comes first.
MIND STRONG
As we train Muay Thai, we are always pushing our physical body. By pushing our body to the limit, we can then encourage our mind to go further. To progress past the perceived limits of our body and mind, we must have discipline; the discipline to make the choices to improve ones Muay Thai and oneself. This takes great strength of the mind.
We must first learn Muay Thai's physical form: punch, kick, knee, elbow. Through daily practice, we learn the movements of the body and how to make these movements effective. It is with constant reflection and refinement of these tools that they become useful, providing us with confidence with our Muay Thai and ourselves.
We are now Mind Strong, able to take on any opponent and situation with confidence.
HEART POWERFUL
The heart; the depths of a person we cannot see. It can only be felt but often affects us the most.
When talking about the heart in this manner, it is beyond the physical attributes of a strong and healthy heart. We are referring to the heart that is able to sustain you through your daily rituals of Muay Thai and life. This also includes the 'spirit' or 'will' of a person. The pursuit of Muay Thai takes countless hours to forge, sharpen and perfect. One must develop the fire (or 'spirit') and burning desire (or 'will') to succeed.
Together at TKO, we push our bodies to go further, and our techniques to become more effective. Day after day it is our 'will' to succeed that keeps us in our pursuits along with our 'spirit' that can never be crushed.
In Muay Thai, it is our 'spirit' and 'will' that make our Heart Powerful.
