MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED - Muay Chaiya Baanchangthai Camp

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How does Muay Chaiya differ from modern day Muay Thai?

         Muay Chaiya is one of many complete styles within authentic & original Muay Thai.
It contains various methods of simultaneous defense and immediate counterattack. These methods in addition to delivering techniques in a careful & concise manner  have been cut off from practice in modern day Muay Thai. Modern day Muay Thai is not interested in using durable techniques, but instead chooses ones which only focus on the use of physical strength alone. As a result, we lose the beautiful aspects of the martial art.
        
        Therefore, the difference lies within the techniques themselves.

So is Muay Chaiya primarily a defensive art only?

         It is a complete style of fighting. There are various methods of attack as well as defense. If we don’t give importance to defense, then we cannot survive no matter how fast or strong our attacks might be. If we practice Muay Chaiya correctly, then we can achieve a perfect means of self-defense which would be the ability to attack while defending both at the same moment.

         So when Muay Chaiya gives great importance to defense, many people would wrongly assume that it is only a defensive style of combat. But, in actuality, it is a complete fighting art with everything you would need in a given situation.


Can I use this fighting style in ring competitions?

         It depends upon the intention(s) of the student. If one is learning for health & fitness, then they will obtain health & fitness along with self-defense skills. But… if one wants to fight in the ring, then Muay Chaiya will have a syllabus specifically designed for ring competition and all.

         Many of our own martial arts students have competed in amateur as well as professional fights given the necessary changes required to meet with the rules & regulations of the game.
How long must I learn until I master the art?
      
         It depends upon whether the student has the right amount of determination to keep on learning and diligence to keep on honing one’s skills according to what the teacher has laid out for him or her. Whoever has diligence combined with determination must also have a sufficient amount of aptitude and/or intelligence. It isn’t the same case with each individual, though. If one is simply training to acquire the self-defense aspects of the art and has only practiced for about 12 sessions (2 hours per session) with the desire to continue learning more about it all, then one must be willing enough to make the time and practice wholeheartedly each time.

         There isn’t anyone out there who can tell you exactly when you’ll meet with success. It’s similar to when we’re eating. Only we, ourselves, know when we’ve had enough to eat. Many of our students have obtained a certain amount of success within their own individual levels (beginner, intermediate, and advance).

What are some of the things
that you teach there at the school?

         We teach every single element and existing component within the martial arts.

1.We train certain muscles that are needed for the job at hand in order to strengthen them.  We help to build a style of defense and develop better balance via a set of exercises that  were specifically designed for Muay Chaiya (practiced every single time for each individual  class).

2.We do the "YANG SAM KHUM" (or "Three Treasure Steps") which is movement in the way of upper and lower body defense (practiced every single time for each individual class).

3.We practice delivering attacks concisely following the manuscripts that form the heart of Muay Chaiya (practiced every single time for each individual class and adding a few new techniques for every following session until the student can execute continuous rapid-fire combinations in a smooth & harmonious manner).

4.We train our defense skills by working alongside a partner or two. Alternately, one person slaps while the other person defends against the slap attacks.

5.We practice delivering attacks using the Thai pads and sandbags.

6.We do a type of "defense training" where the trainer will kick, punch, push kick, etc. and allow the student to defend using the methods that were taught wherein the attacking opponent gets hurt.

7.We practice ‘no-holds-barred’ street defense wherein KRU LEK will demonstrate the techniques that will be done for the day. Afterwards, the trainer will attack the student during which the student will defend using the technique(s) that KRU LEK showed beforehand.

8.We do "LUK MAI" (or defense & counterattack moves) training wherein KRU LEK will be the demonstrator. From there, students will be divided into pairs wherein each pair will practice the moves specifically assigned to them.

         Items 4-8 will alternate in a circuit every week. For example, this week we’ll do item #4 and next week we’ll do item #5 until we reach item #8 and then we go back to doing item #4 all over again.

         During the first 12 lessons, the student will learn everything from how to do the basic exercises, the various ways of doing the "YANG SAM KHUM" (or "Three Treasure Steps"), how to defend, how to deliver attacks, and how to use a few "LUK MAI" (or defense & counterattack moves) wherein something new will… gradually… be added according to each individual person.

         The right way to practice is to practice something repeatedly until it becomes "second nature" and learning a little at a time. Knowing a little bit, but being able to apply what little you know in a real life situation is way better than knowing a lot, but not being able to use any of it when needing to do so.



After I've completed all 12 lessons,
do I know all there is to know about the style?

         There is no finite point when it comes to studying the art of fighting. You could learn up to a whole year or even an entire lifetime and there would be no end to speak of. That’s because Muay Thai is a science. The more you learn, the more knowledge you’ll obtain and the more spontaneous & fluent you’ll become in a given situation. You’ll get stronger and healthier (in accordance with age). It’s largely up to the students to decide for themselves as to whether they feel satisfied about what they already know so far or want to continue learning more about it all.
Can older people learn?


         It depends on your level of health. So far, we’ve had students as young as 5 (nowadays, we only allow students as young as 8 years) and as old as 70 years. Each person mustn’t have any serious health issues and each person must know themselves during training and all. When they’re too tired or exhausted, then they must give themselves a brief moment to rest until they gather enough strength to continue practicing and all. Don’t overexert and don’t overdo it ! The body will… gradually… adjust itself. Listen to what your body tells you. These days, people on the average between the ages of 40-70 years come and learn the art. 10-15 people learn continuously on a weekly basis.

Are there a lot of girls and or women
who go to learn Muay Chaiya?

         Both men AND women can learn the art. There are many women and girls who train at “Baanchangthai”. There are children, teenagers, students, and adults in which there is a reasonable amount of women.

If I have no background in martial arts,
then can I still learn the style?

         Yes, you can learn it because we at “Baanchangthai” emphasize the importance of teaching the basics. Anyone who doesn’t think that practicing as well as mastering the basics is important will become an impediment to others when they begin training at the more advanced levels. Therefore, students need not be worried or concerned that they didn’t learn much of anything. Will we make you practice harder than someone who has already learned and/or mastered the basics ? The answer is that learning other things beforehand does NOT mean that it’ll speed up your progress in relation to Muay Chaiya ! But… diligence, hard work, perseverance, and persistence will allow you to meet with success sooner rather than later.

If i already have a background in other fighting styles,
then will it impede my progress in Muay Chaiya?

         There are some hindrances depending on how much or how little you’ve trained in that other fighting style and all. Therefore, you must allow time for your mind to get used to the new way of doing things. But… if you have the ability to separate the two, then it won’t be much of an obstacle.

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