Muay Thai Combos: Explained

Muay Thai is one of the most complex striking combat sports, not the “sweet science” of boxing that utilizes angles and movement to create openings or Taekwondo which neglects half the body in order to allow the execution of spectacular spinning kicks. Muay Thai known as the art of 8 limbs relies on the successful utilization of all tools available, the elbows, knees kicks and punches to wear opponents down, set traps and deliver devastating strikes to debilitate and or incapacitate to secure the victory, this article looks into breaking down some effective Muay Thai combos ranging from the basics to more style specific techniques.

Basic Muay Thai Combos

It is a well-known phrase in the majority of combat sports; “basics win fights” this is because the basics of striking set the foundations for all techniques from the simple but crucial jab to the more extravagant spinning back elbows. 

The very best Muay Thai coaches in Thailand will ruthlessly drill their fighters, throwing the same kick or punch over and over critiquing technique until it is air-tight and thrown with perfect efficiency and streamlined footwork, so that when the time comes to move onto more complicated striking combinations the balance and the biomechanics of rotation, counter-rotation and force production throughout the kinetic chain is perfect, allowing the fighters to throw with power while remaining safe and expending only the energy required for the strike and nothing more.

Some of the very first Muay Thai combos taught are:

• Jab – Cross
• Jab – Cross – Rear Roundhouse
• Jab – Cross – Rear Hook
• Jab – Cross – Rear Hook – Cross
• Jab – Cross – Rear Hook – Cross – Roundhouse
• Lead Leg Check – Switch Kick

As you can see the majority of the basic Muay Thai combos start rooted in the jab,  the most utilized punch in Muay Thai, arguably more important than in many other combat sports the jab; it serves to measure distance, test their opponent’s defenses and obstruct vision the latter being very important when looking to land powerful follow-up shots. The jab serves to teach beginners the importance of weight distribution as well as being a catalyst for learning lateral movement a staple for more advanced combinations.

Intermediate Muay Thai Combos

Once the basics have been established a fledgling Muay Thai fighter will begin to focus on both forward and lateral movement, beginning to chain together strikes, changing levels in an attempt to create an opening in their opponents guard. With more experience and the understanding of range cultivated by drilling the use of the jab, Muay Thai fighters begin to start using the palms of their gloves to parry the jabs and guard of their opponents allowing for slight lateral steps opening up space for powerful kicks.

Some examples of Intermediate Muay Thai combos:

• Jab – Cross – Lead Body Hook – Rear Low Kick
• Jab – Cross – Step in Rear Elbow – Rear Overhand Elbow
• Jab – Cross – Parry Guard – Double Rear Round house 
• Fake Jab – Body Cross 
• Jab – Lead Leg Teep – Fake Teep – Step In Knee
• Inside Lead Low Kick – Switch Kick
• Jab – Cross – Slip – Uppercut – Hook – Rear Low Kick
• Slip Jab – Lead Uppercut – Cross – Lead Body Hook – Rear Low Kick

Advanced Muay Thai Combo

In the heat of competitive combat, it becomes very difficult to string together combinations, what may have at one point been a 5 strike combo shrinks to a single punch and a kick due to the pressure and complexity of all the moving parts in the ring. As such many advanced combinations are significantly longer, accounting for changes in direction and strikes from opponents, meaning that the combination should allow for the pressures of combat as well as being effective regardless of how many of the strikes were able to be put together. 

Another key factor in the more advanced of Muay Thai combos is the intuition that starts to be cultivated, Muay Thai coaches at this point will begin to no longer tell their students what to do but hold the pads in their respective locations to allow the fighters to begin analyzing their surroundings and openings and strike accordingly. 

The more advanced combos will involve momentary changes in stance from orthodox to southpaw, shifting the weight and balance to allow for quicker power shots before changing back during the same combo as well as moving away from the typical left strike right strike left strike rhythm to prevent the opponents from telegraphing strikes.

Some examples of Advanced Muay Thai combos:

• Lead Check – Lead Teep – Fake Teep – Rear Roundhouse 
• Double Jab while stepping to the side – Rear roundhouse
• Lead hook with pivot – Cross – Rear Roundhouse (land forward in switched stance) – Lead Hook – Cross  – Rear Kick (land forward back into preferred stance)
• Lead Check – Lead Teep – Fake Teep – Step in Rear Knee – Overhand Elbow – Rear Hand Parry – Switch Kick
• Fake Jab – Cross – Step in Rear Elbow – Rear Overhand Elbow – Rear Spear Elbow 
• Jab – Cross – Hook – Cross – Rear Roundhouse with hold – Rear teep (land forward in switched stance) – Rear Teep (land forward in preferred stance) – Fake Lead Teep – Step in switch knee – Rear Overhand Elbow – Clinch – Rear Knee – Rear Elbow – Push – Rear Roundhouse

Controlling Range in Muay Thai

Depending on your fighting style you will typically have a preferred range in which you like to engage your opponent, and once advanced enough you will begin drilling combinations that are effective at allowing you to either create or close distance making your opponent fight in the range in which you will be able to dominate.

Examples of Muay Thai combos that can help control distance:

Closing range:

• Jab – Cross – Fake Lead Teep – Step In Spear Elbow
• Fake Lead Teep – Step in Rear Knee
• Jab – Slip – Uppercut (side depending on opponents strike) – Engage Clinch
• Jab – Fake Cross – Lead Body Hook – Fake Rear Roundhouse – Step in rear Elbow
• Jab – Parry Teep (hand depending on opponents kicking leg) – Step in – Cross – Lead hook to body – Rear Uppercut

Creating Distance:  

• Jab – Lead Teep
• Double Jab – Lead Teep – Fake Lead Teep – Rear Teep
• Jab – Rear Teep to Head
• Lead Uppercut – Cross – Step back into Switch Stance – Immediate Rear Teep (landing back into preferred stance) 
• Lead Teep – Lead Teep – Fake Lead Teep – Rear Teep

Counter Striking in Muay Thai

Popular with the Muay Femur Styles of Muay Thai counter striking is an effective way of damaging your opponents when they feel safest when they are applying forward pressure. Setting up traps by using recurring strikes and waiting for the opponent to attempt a counter with your own waiting in return; essential when fighting Muay Mat, Muay Khao, Muay Bouk and forward moving Muay Tae fighters.

Some examples of common counter striking combos.

• Jab – Jab – Slip counter – Uppercut (side depending on opponents strike) – Cross  – Rear Hook
• Jab – Cross – Side Step and Catch Kick – Body Punch – Sweep
• Jab – Cross – Rear Roundhouse – Check – Rear Roundhouse –  Side Step and Catch Kick – Sweep
• Jab – Teep – Catch Teep – Pull Opponent Towards You – Step out – Spinning back elbow
• Jab – Teep – Catch Teep – Pull Opponent Towards You – Jump Knee
• Jab – Teep – Catch Teep – Pull Opponent Towards You – Jump Rear Roundhouse
• Jab – Cross – Rear Round House – Immediate Rear Low Kick (opponent will usually fire off return kick)
• Jab – Parry Teep (side depending on opponents strike) – Step to side of kick – Switch kick or Rear Roundhouse
• (In clinch) Lead Elbow – Rear Knee – Catch returning Knee – Sweep

Working to develop fluid and effective combinations with coaches during pad work or through heavy bag Muay Thai drills is essential for performing at a fighters peak on the day of competition and of course there are far too many Muay Thai combos to list in one article. 

The depth of the sport of Muay Thai becomes deeper and more nuanced as the fighters experience grows. Champions of the sport perfectly demonstrate the effectiveness of the many different Muay Thai combos month in month out on the biggest stages in the world from Saenchai perfectly creating distance, Superbon Banchamek utilizing the basics to perfection or Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s devastating heavy handed combinations to close distance.