Muay Thai vs kickboxing and taekwondo question

Question

I know that Muay Thai and kickboxing are different. However I just wanted to know how different they are.

I kno in Muay Thai you can use knees and elbows and in kickboxing you cant, but is that all?

Also, in taekwondo, do they use arms or is it feet only?

Thanks

Vasta

Answer 1

I am so sick of all the ignorance on this board about TKD.

Let's get something clear.

Muay Thai is a sport.

Kickboxing is a sport.

Tae Kwon Do has a sporting aspect and is an Olympic sport.

Tae Kwon Do also has self defense aspects, and forms and is currently used by the Korean military and secret police for practical combat application.  The Olympic style TKD is but one aspect of the total martial art.  Tae Kwon Do techniques and forms include punching, elbows, knees, etc.  However, at the highest Olympic level, you see very few hand techniques.  Hand techniques are only allowed to the body and most judges won't score points for hand techniques unless there is "a visible physical change" in the opponents position or momentum.  

As for kickboxing, there are more than 1 set of rules for kickboxing.  Some sets of rules allow sweeps and kicks below the waist (San Shou).  Others only allow kicks above the waist (traditional).

Tae Kwon Do is a predominant kicking art.  We spend more time practicing kicks than any other techniques.  Most TKD schools will have a curriculum in order to advance in belts, and that curriculum includes self defense, punching defense, basics, forms and a physical test.

Muay Thai perhaps has more a more physical training regime, but that really depends on the place.  It has a reputation of being "tougher" than most other martial arts.

All three of these martial arts have similar basic kicks.  However, kickboxing and TKD will have a wider variety of kicks and more spinning and jumping kicks.

All three of the martial arts are good martial arts.  I'm not saying that TKD is superior to the others.  Just correcting the previous post's misconceptions.

James

Answer 2

I agree, forget TKD.  I recommend Kickboxing or Muay Thai.  My personal preference is Muay Thai because I feel it is a more well rounded martial art.  It is a very brutal and intense martial art, but it will teach you a level of self defense that is pretty unattainable in other martial arts.

Answer 3

Muay Thai is has a lot of differences from kick boxing. The way kick are executed to the way the defense is also performed. Two different styles they way they punch are also much different. Forget about taekwondo that  sport is not really good for self defense.  

Answer 4

be careful with taekwondo, the movement in the martial arts is very stiff and unnatural to the body, later cases have shown to have an increased chanc in arthritis. Muay Thai are both very strength based sports. If i had the physical strength, i would prefer Muay Thai. It is much more adaptable in the streets than kickboxing. If say you needed to defend yourself Muay Thai will allow you to adapt to certain situations, it is also very close combat aswell and right into your face. Where as kickboxing is still close combat but once you are inside your opponents guard, then the advantage will go straight to the person with Muay Thai

Answer 5

Technically speaking, Muay Thai is Kickboxing.  As already stated, it all depends on the rules being used as to what it is called.  For that matter, Taekwondo is kickboxing also ('kick' = using your feet to score points, 'boxing' = using your hands to do the same).

Tae = Strike with Foot

Kwon = Strike with hand

Do = The Way; the mind; the knowledge to never misuse the art

You can't go by "Olympic" TKD when it comes to sparring.  Punches are not scored often, even when they technically should be scored (clean, unblocked, with trembling shock, etc.).  So, a fighter in the Olympics isn't going to waste energy or space to punch a target that won't net them any points.  Afterall, the Olympics is a POINT tournament, not a knock-out tournament.  Knock-outs are legal, but they aren't the point of the match (in fact they are discouraged because it shows a lack of control on the part of the one doing the knock-out).