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| Muay Thai
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Traditional Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand as a martial art used by the military. The military style of Muay Thai is called Lerdrit, while today's "Sport Muay Thai" slightly varies from the original art and uses kicks and punches in a ring and with gloves similar to those used in western boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A master practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight "points of contact," as opposed to "two points" (fists) in boxing and "four points" (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts.
Starting in the 1990s, Muay Thai has enjoyed a boost in popularity worldwide as it has been very effective in mixed martial arts fights, such as those held by the PRIDE Fighting Championships and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Mixed martial artists such as Marco Ruas (of Ruas Vale Tudo) and Wanderlei Silva (of the Chute Boxe Academy) have combined many striking elements of Muay Thai with grappling, submission, and choking elements from Judo, Wrestling, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into a hybrid synthesis that has been highly effective in defeating practitioners of "pure" martial arts. Shoot-fighters and professional wrestlers who have trained and influenced by Muay Thai include Satoru Sayama (the original Tiger Mask and founder of shooto) and Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Muay Thai is a versatile, brutal, straightforward martial art.
About the Instructors
Kru John
Kru John's exposure to mixed martial arts began with wrestling and progressed on to Muay Thai kickboxing. After wrestling at Worcester Poly-Tech, John transfered to Boston College, where he wrestled as well. It was at this point John began his Muay Thai training.
After four years of training in the US, he traveled to Japan, Brazil and Thailand to continue his training. John then moved to Thailand, where he lived and trained for more than another three years along side some of Thailand and the world's toughest fighters. Making Muay Thai his life, and visiting some 20 training camps from Loas to Thailand, John exposed himself to both very well known as well as obscure boxing camps and each of their techniques.
Kru Mark Nardone
Kru Mark Nardone began his training in the United Kingdom under Kru Ian Cocks and the auspices of Master Sken, Master Woody (now known as Grand Master Chinawut Sirisompan) and the British Thai Boxing Council. Over several years he trained and fought under both Rama and Sitnarong camps, and in 1990 after receiving his Brown III Krang Ruang from Master Woody, came to the US to study Sports Medicine and after finding few people who had even heard of Thai Boxing, opened what was Boston's first authentic Muay Thai camp.
Kru Mark became part of Khai Muay Lug Sitnarong when he found an old friend, Kru Phil Nurse had established the school in NYC. Kru Mark opened a Boston branch in 1996 and produced several successful fighters who competed in both the US and Thailand. However due to time constraints and an ankle injury, the school closed in 2001 and Kru Mark concentrated on finishing his Masters degree. However Mark still kept training, spending time at Fairtex in San Francisco with Gangyao, Boonkerd, Jongsanon and the late Alex Gong.
We are pleased to announce that Kru Mark Nardone has agreed to donate his time and talents to teaching at Wai Kru.
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