Muay Thai - Day 533 - PT with Seven - Becoming Muay Femeu

Day 533
Lamai Muaythai, 16th August 2023
Today’s PT with Seven - becoming Muay Femeu.
Started off with some shadow boxing. Seven told me to move around more, which felt good, though I think in the footage looks a touch uncontrolled. Also worth it to shadow box in shin guards, perhaps, since they add a bit more load to my legs for conditioning purposes. Not sure if this ultimately messes up my kinesthetics.
On the pads and an immediate correction on movement. I’m very linear, back and forward; but it’s important, as with the shadow boxing, to move laterally here and there, to get the opponent to reset when I move, think harder. In general the momentum in this style is backwards, on the back foot.
Now, when to throw inside leg kicks, sweeps, or lead leg teeps? Do it when the opponent advances. In particular the timing of the sweep is just as the opponent is about to put weight on a front step. Sweep at the ankle, using the ball of the foot (not the toes).
How to get them to advance? Move backwards once, then on the second backwards move as they follow, sweep, teep the lead leg. There’s also an opportunity when they put the leg down from a check or if they’re bouncing the front leg.
Another way of controlling an advance is to simply control their hands and raise the lead knee, keep it interposed in the space between you to interrupt all attacks and forward movement. This knee can be moved left and right to protect against different shots - keep the cross check available, or the cross deflection for teeps. It is akin to Seven’s recommendation to use primarily the lead hand for defence, parries, deflections, catches; use now the lead leg for defence and interception.
If they come in for a knee, the chest push is always available. Seven was clear to point out this time that the palm must be properly flat on the middle of the chest - a firmer push is available this way. When pushing, keep the rear hand up on the head. No need to turn the whole body into the push - just the arm is enough. Once they’re reeling, follow up with low kicks etc. Never miss the opportunity for the followup attack if it’s there. Note the difference in momenta here versus the knee up. The knee up halts them, and enables you to close in if you choose. The chest push reverses the direction you’re flowing in, and opens up the range. Both are better in many cases than simply running away out of range and regaining the status quo ante bellum, but having given up ring control. Don’t just move backwards when threatened without gaining anything.
Generally with this long guard and knee small steps and moments of control, don’t leave it up for too long - the leg bounces up and down in rhythm with the opponent’s threats. Or, immediately after a teep to control counter attacks - generally to control pace and spacing without yourself moving. But It can also be used to advance and take space, by placing the knee down further forward each time - or to retreat, by placing it down in the same spot and stepping back with the rear leg.
There was a discussion in the middle of this training about what style I am. Seven asked me what I thought my style was. To be honest, I don’t know, but I said Muay Khao, since I have often assumed my body is suited for clinching and wrestling. But Seven thinks Muay Femeu. I did not believe I was tricky and quick enough for this style, and after all everyone claims they’re femeu. The question came, how do I know what my style is? I guess I just need to keep on sparring and training to see but upon further discussion with Pure, the body type seems to matter also. They compared my body type to Nong-O and Saenchai - high praise! But I guess the shorter, stockier types need to be tricky in order to get inside and outside of longer fighters. A tall fighter like Pure, who is Muay Khao, has long limbs and therefore long knees, good leverages for getting above his opponents in the clinch.
Anyway, for finding one’s style, it’s probably important to spar with people at the same level as yourself (or slightly better). If they’re too crap, anything works, if they’re too good, you’ll be smothered and suppressed. Shadow boxing also for smoothing out motions.
Chapters
0:00 Shadow boxing
1:50 Movement
3:55 The timing of kicking or sweeping the front leg
9:40 Which style am I?
12:40 Pads beginning to flow
18:55 Chats
20:15 Tawanchai v. Superbon chats
22:05 The chest push
24:25 Catch left kick into left hook, right low kick punish
26:30 Right kick catch (lean back, shove and follow)
30:40 Long guard and knee motion
36:25 Escaping a catch
37:55 Getting schooled
46:15 Thai pads
49:35 Fixing my atrocious left kick
51:30 Properly extending the push kick