I read that while it sometimes varies from person to person, it generally takes about 4 and a half to 5 years to get a black belt in Shotokan or kyokushin karate. I was just curious. I know muay thai doesn't have belts, but how long does it generally take before you are the equivalent of a black belt in Shotokan karate in muay thai.
muay thai folks are usually ranked the same as boxing - fights won and losts there are different coloured armbands but no one really cares
because I want to learn a grappling art at the same time and be well rounded. I just thought if it only takes 5 years to get a black belt in karate. I can learn 2 forms of karate in 10 years while taking up brazilin jiu jitsu. Then after that time is up I can learn 2 more karate arts. And get a lot of knowledge.
Well let me rephrase the question then. How long do you train in muay thai before you learn just about all the techniques you can learn.
Well let me rephrase the question then. How long do you train in muay thai before you've learned just about all the techniques you can learn.:bang:
I'm pretty sure i learnt most the techniques in muay thai in 2 years. However i couldnt pull them off very well. I guess in Shotokan they'd give me a black belt for that? probably not.
Learning techniques is a very different thing from using them to fight someone How many techniques are there in boxing? How long before you could do them? How long before you could win an amateur bout? String together results to turn pro? Win a title? Mitch
ok I learned something new today. But I still didn't get my question answered. People here are really good at telling you everything but the answer to your question. (the original question)
It's because you're asking the wrong question. If it takes you 5 years to get a black belt in Shotokan, it will also take you 5 years to get 5 years experience in Muay Thai. There is no other equivalence.
Learning all the techniques is not of major importance in Muay Thai, it is far more important to be able to execute basic techniques well. Generally from what I understand, a Muay Thai class focuses on teaching and refining the basics. Beginners in Muay Thai do not necessarily have a dramatically different range of techniques from beginners, the difference is in the level of refinement of the basic techniques and ability to execute them. An advanced Thai boxer will have been in the ring a number of times, and will have developed a personal style/gameplan that they are comfortable with. I don't know how you could possibly compare skill levels in Muay Thai to the skill level of a Shotokan blackbelt, it would be like comparing apples and oranges.
The problem is that your original question doesn't really make sense. As Kave says you're not comparing like with like. Even comparing a Shotokan black belt with a Kyokushin black belt doesn't really work. Plus it's not as simple as 4-5 years to get a black belt. My Enshin sensei used to say, "How long does it take the average person to get a black belt? Never. The average person is not capable of getting a black belt in Enshin." When people give you answers that go off in different directions they're using their experience to try and help you, not dodging the question. Mitch
Depends on what you mean by 'Muay Thai'. Ideally you'll go to a camp that'll teach you all the basic ring rules techniques. And also teach you the Mae Mai and Luk Mai (Major and Minor 'Tricks')...These are the technical sequences of the Thai Martial Arts. That show you the key principles of said arts. From what I see around...IF you're concentrating on teaching ring fighters then you'll want to keep it whittled down to the most ring-applicable techniques. And so most Ring-Orientated schools won't teach many 'banned' or 'grey area' techniques. And as most of the Mae Mai and Luk Mai techniques aren't applicable in the ring..."Smash somebody head first into the deck"...Then they don't get taught. Generally and generalising - in most ring-rules schools - you'll learn a basic of a coupla different front kicks, a couple of Versions of the roundhouse, maybe 7 to 9 basic elbow strikes, 5 or 6 knee strikes, basic punching and hand striking, parrying, slipping etc, some chap ko - clinchwork including neck, shoulder and body clinching etc etc. If you can find a more indepth school then you get a lifetime of learning. Either way, all good fun.
I think it's extremely difficult to compare the two that simply. You've probably got to compare them in other ways. I think you attain fighting ability faster in Muay Thai. Statistically (i.e. with most people) Thai Boxer probably have a quicker start and can apply their training more efficiently. At black belt level, like for like, with training time a Shotokan guy is probably more accurate and pragmatic, especially with situations like multiple opponents.
In my own experience with Thai Boxing, anything that came about as street related was almost purely happen-chance. Occasionally we'd string together a 14 strike combination, under the suggestion that "on the street 1 punch won't cut it" - but there was usually some competition cross-over. 90% of training was competition focused, and single opponent engaging. Partly what I was eluding to above i.e. the Shotokan guy is thinking about street situations more than competition, and partly footwork and switching/turning.
