Ranking System in Muay Thai

erznana said:
First of all just want to say hello. I've been lurking for a while on here. I've been training Muay Thai for close to a year now and have a background in boxing. Competed in one boxing event and lost. Love them both though I have to say that my strength is definitely in my hands. Anyway....

My school will soon be implementing a ranking system similar to belts in TKD, BJJ, etc, but using the prajoud in place of a belt. Right now we are split up in a punchers group for beginners, then front kick for semi-intermediate, roundhouse kick for intermediate, combination of all techniques for advanced, and a fighters group. Can someone tell me what the rankings are, how they work and how it is attained?
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If u ask me. Do this have nothing to do with Muay Thai. Ranking system is so fucked up !! Lets say u come over here to Thailand. And u go around saying that u have a blue,red or black belt in Thai boxing. Will them all laugh at u believe me.

If guys like ur kru/teacher wants to have some ting like that. Why not change the name to Aero-Kick or something ? Muay Thai is not what it used to be. Now u see allot jerks. Training and teaching Muay Thai classes. But what them learn u is more like Kickboxing..

And after a trip to Thailand. Will many peoples understand the differences. From ur training back home and here in Thailand. It is like day and night if u ask me. And this ranking thing u was talking about. Is so twisted to me. It have nothing to do with Muay Thai. And i find it disrespect full to the art of Muay Thai !!

I will add a link so u guys can take a look. And them black belts u are about to see. Not even do one technique right. So u have a black belt in Thai boxing. But u not know jack shit about what u are doing. Then whats the deal ??

Anyway i not want to talk about it. It makes me angry !! If my gym back home would say or do some ting like that. Then i would have changed gym from day 1.

Chek out the link !!

YouTube - Muay Thai Kata 73010
 
I had to add one more link. The guys are red and black belts. And everything them do is 50% or less. If u using a Gi and ranking system please not call it Thai boxing. And there is no power/strength behind the kicks. Because them not step out when them kick.

YouTube - Muay Thai forms
 
Wish i was allover this thread when it started. And not now !! LOL !!

What is next guys. Ranking and belts in Boxing or what ?? Is it only me or is the ranking and belts in Muay Thai totally RETARDED ??
 
ChangNam said:
Wish i was allover this thread when it started. And not now !! LOL !!

What is next guys. Ranking and belts in Boxing or what ?? Is it only me or is the ranking and belts in Muay Thai totally RETARDED ??
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Relax, dude. You already made your point.
 
ChangNam said:
Wish i was allover this thread when it started. And not now !! LOL !!

What is next guys. Ranking and belts in Boxing or what ?? Is it only me or is the ranking and belts in Muay Thai totally RETARDED ??
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yeah i think you're taking it a little too seriously/extremely. the videos you posted are valid and a great example of the worst case scenario - i.e. "black belt" muay thai practitioners who obviously can't even throw a kick properly.

but you can't make the assumption this will happen every single time, and i don't think you can just brush off there is no benefit to this at all. this is too much of a generalisation. although having grades in a traditionally non-graded art/sport can be a sign of McDojoism it does not instantly make a club a McDojo.

there are gyms which have legitimate muay thai teachers and fighters implementing a rank system, there are also gyms like the videos you posted. you can't tell me that you wouldn't train at the legitimate gyms just because they have the rank system..

if we go by your thought process, why should ANY martial art have a grading system? we've all seen the vids of black belts in karate who can't do jack, doesn't mean the whole belt system is worthless (although i 100% agree, i would never say i have X color band/belt in MT)

ok - having played the devi's advocate, i just youtubed this video, it's not quite as bad as what ChangNam posted, but the dude in the middle looks like he's raising the roof when he throws his kicks LOL

YouTube - GMA East Lyme - Muay Thai Gold Belt Test
 
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ChangNam said:
I had to add one more link. The guys are red and black belts. And everything them do is 50% or less. If u using a Gi and ranking system please not call it Thai boxing. And there is no power/strength behind the kicks. Because them not step out when them kick.

YouTube - Muay Thai forms
Click to expand...


This is the future.
 
You're not legit until you get a black belt in Boxing & Muay Thai!!
 
caneca said:
yeah i think you're taking it a little too seriously/extremely. the videos you posted are valid and a great example of the worst case scenario - i.e. "black belt" muay thai practitioners who obviously can't even throw a kick properly.

but you can't make the assumption this will happen every single time, and i don't think you can just brush off there is no benefit to this at all. this is too much of a generalisation. although having grades in a traditionally non-graded art/sport can be a sign of McDojoism it does not instantly make a club a McDojo.

there are gyms which have legitimate muay thai teachers and fighters implementing a rank system, there are also gyms like the videos you posted. you can't tell me that you wouldn't train at the legitimate gyms just because they have the rank system..

if we go by your thought process, why should ANY martial art have a grading system? we've all seen the vids of black belts in karate who can't do jack, doesn't mean the whole belt system is worthless (although i 100% agree, i would never say i have X color band/belt in MT)

ok - having played the devi's advocate, i just youtubed this video, it's not quite as bad as what ChangNam posted, but the dude in the middle looks like he's raising the roof when he throws his kicks LOL

YouTube - GMA East Lyme - Muay Thai Gold Belt Test
Click to expand...

Well the gym I used to train muay thai at (Extreme Power in Oceanside) recently implemented a ranking system, I'm told. The primary reason that I stopped training there was because it was slowly becoming less and less about producing fighters and more about the money. The guy wouldn't hold mitts/pads for you unless you paid him, even if you were the only guy in the gym at that moment. It eventually just turned into a gym filled with people doing their own thing, and no guided instruction unless you paid extra for it.

He produced some great fighters, but now it's all about making money and thus he threw in the ranking system. It was bizarre because he was a former pro fighter, had trained in Thailand and was all into traditional muay thai at first. He had us do whatever that bow with your hands up at your face is called every time we walked in and out of the gym as well as say sawadee krup each time. I love muay thai but I had to eventually stop training there and start focusing only on BJJ and submission wrestling because of the way he was running his gym. He thought, because he was the only "legit" muay thai instructor in the area with the only full muay thai gym, he could run the place however the fuck he wanted but a lot of his fighters ended up leaving as a result.
 
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caneca said:
yeah i think you're taking it a little too seriously/extremely. the videos you posted are valid and a great example of the worst case scenario - i.e. "black belt" muay thai practitioners who obviously can't even throw a kick properly.

but you can't make the assumption this will happen every single time, and i don't think you can just brush off there is no benefit to this at all. this is too much of a generalisation. although having grades in a traditionally non-graded art/sport can be a sign of McDojoism it does not instantly make a club a McDojo.

there are gyms which have legitimate muay thai teachers and fighters implementing a rank system, there are also gyms like the videos you posted. you can't tell me that you wouldn't train at the legitimate gyms just because they have the rank system..

if we go by your thought process, why should ANY martial art have a grading system? we've all seen the vids of black belts in karate who can't do jack, doesn't mean the whole belt system is worthless (although i 100% agree, i would never say i have X color band/belt in MT)

ok - having played the devi's advocate, i just youtubed this video, it's not quite as bad as what ChangNam posted, but the dude in the middle looks like he's raising the roof when he throws his kicks LOL

YouTube - GMA East Lyme - Muay Thai Gold Belt Test
Click to expand...

you can't tell me that you wouldn't train at the legitimate gyms just because they have the rank system.. Did you write. And yes i would tel my teacher to go to fuck him self. And ask what the fuck is wrong with you. Muay Thai have all ywas been what it is. And now them jerks strat using ranking system and belts. It have nothing to do with Muay Thai. And again what is next. Ranking and belts in Boxing. So to all u guys here who really like this. Do i wish u all good luck with the new style u are helping to be created. Aero-Kick is a better name then Muay Thai.

Guess Taekwondo and Karate soon stop using gi,belts and ranking system. And change to MMA or Muay Thai shorts. If this ever happens. Will it be a big fiasco for the whole Martial Art and the style it self.
 
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Having a 'ranking system' is one thing but what governing body would oversee it? I'm sure stuff like judo and kyokushin etc have official governing bodies to sort shit out.
 
Holy shit!

If you can't see that a ranking system in a North American Muay Thai gym is not ridiculous, then you are part of the problem. Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are both destined to die a slow death like every other martial art that has found it's way to the good 'ole US of A.

I am telling you now, you are a spoke in the wheel on the road to ruination if you are actually buying into the whole 'oh, you don't have to fight to learn true Muay Thai in this gym' bullshit.

How easily duped are you? Train at a real gym and FIGHT you pussies!
 
ArchAngelos said:
Holy shit!

If you can't see that a ranking system in a North American Muay Thai gym is not ridiculous, then you are part of the problem. Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are both destined to die a slow death like every other martial art that has found it's way to the good 'ole US of A.

I am telling you now, you are a spoke in the wheel on the road to ruination if you are actually buying into the whole 'oh, you don't have to fight to learn true Muay Thai in this gym' bullshit.

How easily duped are you? Train at a real gym and FIGHT you pussies!
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I agree this thread is BUNK !! And everyone who supports it. Is a part of it in one way or another.. This is like TERRORISM to me and others.. I can not find words for it. And to you guys with a black belt in Muay Thai. I give you all the finger. Just come one and suck on it. Know you all like it.

All you need is motivation a heavy bag and some mitts/pads. And you can be a champion in any MA. Ranking systems in Karate and others is respected. But not try to change the style of Muay Thai. In to something new and call it Muay Thai. Because it is not..
 
Why not allow a ranking system that is partially or completely controlled by fighting / sparring much like jiu jitus where u are given a belt partially based on the ability to beat people at your current belt. Karate is mostly about Kata's and I am sure many white / low belts could beat up high belts...not so much in jiu jitsu. I have a free week to fairtex which is 5 minutes from my house and I plan on taking many beginner classes....I am not sure how I feel about fighting later when I improve, but I know you need a sparring license which requires many hours in the gym. I respect that u have to have a certain skill set to spar, makes me feel like when I am ready to spar it will be because I have at least intermediate MT skills....I think just letting people spar right off the bat is a bad idea. Problem for me is that I am traditionally around 170 pounds but have blown up lately and am around 210....id like to at least get to MW b4 i spar...
 
ShotokanSuppes said:
Why not allow a ranking system that is partially or completely controlled by fighting / sparring much like jiu jitus where u are given a belt partially based on the ability to beat people at your current belt. Karate is mostly about Kata's and I am sure many white / low belts could beat up high belts...not so much in jiu jitsu. I have a free week to fairtex which is 5 minutes from my house and I plan on taking many beginner classes....I am not sure how I feel about fighting later when I improve, but I know you need a sparring license which requires many hours in the gym. I respect that u have to have a certain skill set to spar, makes me feel like when I am ready to spar it will be because I have at least intermediate MT skills....I think just letting people spar right off the bat is a bad idea. Problem for me is that I am traditionally around 170 pounds but have blown up lately and am around 210....id like to at least get to MW b4 i spar...
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Sparring is a whole different thing from working technique. And it's a symbiotic relationship in that it gives you a context for the skill-work you do.


I jumped into sparring as quickly as a could for a couple reasons:

1) Fighting is what MT is about. It's not some abstracted TMA where you focus on forms, or pretend you can kill someone with a single mighty blow (too powerful to practice on eachother). If I was going to do MT, I really wanted to do it. Some people HATE being hit. That's just the way it is. Some people can't deal with it and don't enjoy that. And even the context matters (some peopel don't mind having their arm cranked to the moon, but don't hit them in the face). So I wanted to get in their and see if 'real' trainign was something I could even deal with before investing time and money in something I'd never want to do "for realz".

2) Is the context thing: you just improve so much faster when you're actually learning for yourself what works and what doesn't. It allows you to frame bag/mitt techniques in terms of sparring/fighting, and not just abstractly or against a bag/mitt.
 
Why don't they have belt rankings in western boxing and MMA? MT is a ring sport like boxing and mma not a traditional martial art where you sit around and memorize katas and different animal styles.
 
I had a dream where my MT teacher left the gym and some meathead took over and started charging $200 for gi uniforms and belts... I said F this and left..

thanks thread, giving me nightmares
 
The prajiad should not be used as a tool to show rank.
It has spiritial meaning, the prajiad is very important.
Anyway rank nis not an indicator of ability, same high ranking artists cannot perform in real combat.
 
heyyouduh said:
I had a dream where my MT teacher left the gym and some meathead took over and started charging $200 for gi uniforms and belts... I said F this and left..

thanks thread, giving me nightmares
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Finally someone who gets it. Respect bro i would have done the same...
 
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