Ranking System in Muay Thai !!

I have this topic from another forum. And i did see something similar here. Under black belts in Muay Thai. ''LOL''

What do you guys think about this ?

That them destroy the MA it self. And start using belts and ranking system in Muay Thai. There is no ranking system in Muay Thai. So why try to make something new. And destroy the whole Martial Art and style it self ??

All the gyms who do use this method. Not even training Muay Thai. It looks more like TKD or some strange drunken style of Kickboxing..

I not get the point. And think it disrespect to the Thai peoples. And to the style it self.

SHAME ON YOU ALL !!

 

I don't see how belts can destroy arts?

Sport gym will be sport gym and marti arts dojo will be martial arts dojo, without or with belts.

 

Lets talk about Karate for example. This is a Martial Art that is respected. And practiced in many different countries. Lets say i did open a gym/dojo in Hong Kong. And i was teaching Karate but with out gi and ranking system. And i would let my students use MMA shorts instead. And what i was teaching was not even near the style of Karate. Would this be ok for you ?? I guess so.

What i try to say. Is that you can not change a Martial Art. And the style of Muay Thai with a ranking system. When the style it self have never ever used it. If you guys in the UK or America want to change the style. Ok and you are welcome to do so. But not call it Muay Thai. Because what you guys are doing. Is not even near to be Muay Thai.

Was reading about a gym in America. The teacher/trainer did give new belts/ranks to all students. After about 20 classes or so. In Karate or TKD you have to earn that belt/rank. And that's how it suppose to be.

Anyway Muay Thai have nothing to do with ranking or belts. So why try to fix something that is not broken ?? The wheel is already invented. So why try to make a new one. And if do please not call in Muay Thai. A word like Chicken style or Aero-Kick would be better.

 

It is my understanding that belts in Asian styles have only been around for one to two hundred years. Adding belts to arts is nothing new, and if we follow your logic to it's natural conclusion, then we should be calling karate "deep banana" or some other inane name.

I've seen coloured shirts used for ranking in kickboxing with decent effect, although no one word then outside of the grading...

It sucks, to see muay thai trained like this, but this is a result of the teacher, not the belt.

 

I think what ChangNam tries to say is that it's a shame to give up on traditions for a traditional martial art. I agree, if this leads to dropping or replacing certain aspects of the art. But the ranking system is probably just an add-on to the art, to be able to differentiate the level or skills of the fighters, maybe to better pair them up in fights, I don't know. Doesn't seem very wrong to me. But obviously a Karate class in shorts is not a Karate class anymore.

 

I understand what you say. But belts in Kickboxing and Muay Thai. Looks and sound so bad. Where did this idea come from ??

I understand the ranking system in Karate and TKD. Because i have done it my self. But Muay Thai have never used it. And now them guys try to invent something new. To the style and art of Muay Thai. And using belts and ranking systems. This is so wrong !!

Everyone who support this. Is helping to destroy the style and art of Muay Thai. I look at you guys like ''TERRORISTS''

Bring one of your black belts over here to Thailand. And you guys going to be beaten up by a taxi driver. I forget to say that the taxi driver is a alcoholic !!

 

Exactly my friend... A Karate class in shorts is not a Karate class anymore...
And Muay Thai fighters jumping around with black belts. Not even know what them do. Just looks ''RETARDED'' Why be proud of your black belt. If you not know jack **** about what you are doing ??

Hope some day someone will wake up and understand it. But now it sounds like the new trend. And what i have seen is not good.

You did mention belts. And that it would be more easy to match them up. But them guys are not even fighting. So whats the deal ?? I really not get it.

 

Meh. Tempest in a teapot really. I wouldn't want to add belts to muay thai. I haven't got much interest in ranking systems. That said, I've trained in FMA for about 20 years now. And belt ranking systems aren't a universal in FMA. I've trained with groups that use them and groups that don't. There hasn't been any real fallout one way or another. Belt systems are a way to organize people and information. There are other ways that can work just as well. But belts are hardly the death of a martial art.

That said, a belt over muay thai shorts does look powerful stupid.

 

Doesn't matter what you wear, it's what you do. But I agree, belts in Muay Thai is unnecessary because belts should be used for gauging progression levels, whereas Muay Thai has fight records instead.

Karate in shorts is still karate if what they're practicing is karate though. IMO.

 

Anyone here who is a black belt in Muay thai or what ?? I just like to know

 

I do know a fighter here from the UK that did all his gradings for Muay Thai in the UK. He's a decent fighter and a competent coach for Muay Thai. He's lived on and off for years in Thailand and speaks fluent Thai. I asked him about them and he gave me a rundown how all of the gradings worked. Interesting. I was at first skeptical but according to what he said it didn't come off as hokey at all. He's not a 'blackbelt' but had certs to show that he'd passed such and such a level. I can understand how it works to a certain extent. Not something I've ever had to go through... but nothing that's going to destroy Muay Thai either.

In the UK he was training with Jompop and in Thailand if I recall he trained lots at Kiampontip and... hmm... can't recall it right off now. If anyones interested I'll find out more details on the whole grading/cert thing and who runs their gym that way out of the UK.

 

So let me get this straight. Many schools has a Japanese belt system to mark your progress in Muay Thai?!?

I don't know what's more ridiculous, a Japanese belt system in Thailand's national sport or ****ing all over Thai culture by making the prajioud a grading marker and charging money for it!?

People are retarded. You do muay thai to fight. If you want to get in shape audition for the biggest loser. Stop being part of the watering down process of another martial art in America or UK.

 

Relax. Seriously.

Muay Thai is not in danger of fading away or being devolved into a belt factory any time soon. Go back and read my post. I didn't mention belts. According to what I found out from my mate it's a series of gradings to make sure one is competent in a set of given techniques. Given that he represented his gym in Thailand in fights it's not as if he was only training to get some sort of black belt. He's been there, lived it, fought it and speaks the language.

Like I said I will ask him for details... in fact he's in Bangkok right now and back on next Sunday. So chill out.

 

Relax. Seriously.

Muay Thai is not in danger of fading away or being devolved into a belt factory any time soon. Go back and read my post. I didn't mention belts. According to what I found out from my mate it's a series of gradings to make sure one is competent in a set of given techniques. Given that he represented his gym in Thailand in fights it's not as if he was only training to get some sort of black belt. He's been there, lived it, fought it and speaks the language.

Like I said I will ask him for details... in fact he's in Bangkok right now and back on next Sunday. So chill out.

 

The top three things ruining Muay Thai all over the world:

1. Ranking systems imposed by schools for people who don't fight.
2. Kru Certification programs (don't get me started on this one).
3. Instructors with NO actual ring experience.

I have some fights and none of my trainers in Thailand have Kru certification papers from anywhere despite having fought hundreds of times each. So, how is it that someone with NO ring experience outranks me because they got a black belt or quadruple platinum prajioud from a "Certified Kru" who doesn't have any ring experience either?!

Like I said, SO RETARDED! If you hold a belt, prajioud or colored shorts rank in Muay Thai or you train under a Certified Kru who has never fought, you are part of the problem and I have no respect for you or your school.

 

Changnam,

We get that you don't like belts, but
1) relax about it - Muay Thai is a ring sport. You don't wear a belt into the ring, so it doesn't matter as much as you suggest.
2) How do these people outrank you? If belts aren't internationally recognised (unlike some MA organisations), then they don't. Real esteem in Thai Boxing is based on ability and record. It doesn't matter that someone else is wearing a belt.
3) Please stop using the word 'retarded' it has negative associations for the world of disability and using is casually in conversation does not help this.

 

Is it just me or did your grasp of English just get, like, a thousand times better than usual?

 

I rank this as "no big deal." A similar thing is going on in modern fencing with armband ranks, which some salles are awarding for learning technique, refereeing (hard to learn and not very fun to learn, but you always need more referees for local tournaments), and armory skills (i.e., repairing weapons and electronic scoring equipment). I don't care one whit either way if I ever train at a club with armband ranks. At the end of the day, it's still a competitive sport, and real success is determined in competition. If having some ranking system helps some people motivate themselves to learn the theory at first, or gives them objective yardsticks of progress before they're ready to start seriously competing, that's fine. It doesn't take anything away from the competition itself.

I don't see why the analysis would be any different for Muay Thai.

I think most karate people here would disagree. It's not the gi that makes it karate.

 

Wearing a belt and uniform is one thing.

Kicking absolute behind is another.

My personal opinion is that a ranking system in Muay Thai would be okay, depending on who you are talking to. As long as you don't turn it into a belt factory and actually have decent expectations, then it should be okay. A belt is more of a marking point in how much the student has known. And even then, a belt doesn't really define who you are or how skillful you can be. It just kinda looks cool.

Crimson red around your waist yeah!!