While the previous post was an introduction to knee strikes, this one focuses on a second set of powerful knee attacks that’ll be useful in any fight. Muay Thai is a sport where you have to be constantly mindful of the opponent’s attacks and adjust your strategy accordingly. If you find yourself caught in a clinch, you need to think fast and create some distance before the opponent’s hold on you grows stronger. 

This is where the side knee comes handy. By thrusting your knee sideways, you can stop the opponent and even cause damage to his midsection. However, if there’s some distance between you two, then a variation of the side knee can prove even more effective. The half knee half shin will hit your opponent really hard and the impact will be explosive. 

Coming to the slap knee, this involves a rotational motion using the side of the knee to connect with the opponent’s kidney area. Picture this like slapping someone, but using the side of the knee instead of the palm. 

Finally, there’s the flying knee. True to its name, the movement can almost be thought of like Lord Hanuman jumping high and smashing his opponent in the face, an iconic move that’s hard to forget. Needless to say, the flying knee is extremely lethal and can potentially break the skull if it connects properly and with the right force. 

That wraps up the eight variations of knee strikes in Muay Thai. Each has a role to play during the fight and it’s up to the fighter to choose which one to employ. This is usually based on multiple parameters such as distance between the attacker and defender, whether the blow is aimed at slowing down the opponent or ending the fight, and so on. Choose wisely and claim your victory! The next post introduces blocks in Muay Thai, starting with the Pong and Pud.