Honestly, I've always wondered this, is kickboxing just muay thai without the knees and elbows? Or is it something totally different?
Well there's Japanese Kickboxing- designed to compete with Muay Thai, but uses mostly Karate type kicks, kicking with the instep etc, there's no elbows or knees allowed. link-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kickboxing American Kickboxing- No elbows/knees allowed, influenced by western boxing with karate style kicks thrown in. link- http://whitecollarboxing.com/kckbxhis.htm Muay Thai- kicks are completely different, doesn't traditionally use western boxing style punches but most people cross train nowadays, roundhouse kicks done with the shin. link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_Thai Savate- French style, don't know much about. link-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savate
Most kickboxing styles don't use elbows and knees, tho some kikcboxing styles allow elbows. Some kickboxing styles throws roundhouse kicks and hit with the instep.
I'v been to two different kick boxing clubs. And they actually tought their kicks differently. In one of them, they say use your shins to kick, which i think is what they also do in muay tai But in my other kick boxing club they use the top of their feet to kick. And I never know which to believe... I can understand how shins would do alot more damage. But feet just seems more practical to me and its alot easier to snap the kick. ...ok, im going off topic now... erm...yeah, thats it.
it depends on what the teacher is like the club i go to the trainer teaches us MT style kicking i.e. roundhosue wiht the shin as well as clinching and knees,..etc BUT he also teaches us the side kicks and axe kicks,..etc its only when it coems down to the fight nights,... for example there Full contact fight nights where you have to kick above the waist and thaiboxing where you can low kick and use the knees he gets us ready for who ever is doing which fight some fight some dont
yes, the footwork in muay thai is actualy quite different to kickboxing- since you cant kick the legs you dont have to worry about defending them so kickboxers use more of a boxing stance (that would get you killed in muay thai) muay thai uses a fairly unique foot in a bucket stepping method, the strategies are different, the attacks allowed are more varied, and the kicks are often taught differently.