Muay Thai (มวยไทย) is the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand. It's name translates to “Thai Boxing” and is commonly known as “the art of eight limbs” because it makes use of eight points of contact namely punches, kicks, elbows and knees utilizing the entire body as a weapon.

The history of Muay Thai is deeply rooted in the land and the people with the earliest physical evidence  found dating to the 13th century during the time of the Sukhothai Kingdom.

Developed from Muay Boran (มวยโบราณ), which translates to “Ancient Boxing,” a broad term used for martial arts of Thailand before modernizing into the sport that we know today.

Muay Boran was developed and perfected for hand-to-hand combat during warfare so that warriors could use it to defend their homeland.

A warfare manual known as the “Chupasart” was believed to have been created to serve as the basis for Muay Boran.

The manual emphasized the use of various parts of the body to mimic the weapons of war. The hands became the sword and dagger; the shins and forearms were hardened in training to act as armor against blows, and the elbow to fell opponents like a mace or hammer; the legs and knees became the axe and staff. The body operated as one cohesive unit. Constantly searching and testing for an opening while making the use of grappling to bring an enemy to the ground and subdue them.