MUAY Submissions, Breaks & Locks of Muay Thai & Muay Boran

A compendium of nasty, often simple, and hard-hitting techniques. Many martial arts books that advertise as much. Few deliver to this extent. Full disclosure: I'm not a Muay Thai practitioner. I do have a varied martial arts and boxing background. I've sparred with people who train Muay Thai. For all the talk about "dirty boxing," this is "dirty Muay Thai," complementing an already vicious eight-points-of-contact martial art that already possesses sufficient tools and and requisite conditioning to end a fight. The techniques in this book adapt well to (careful) free or technique-based sparring. They're much easier and more practical to apply than a lot of the joint lock systems you see, and these don't require compliant partners to execute. (The best joint lock person I know, who has trained police, also had a Sombo background and was willing to trade a broken nose to pop an elbow or a shoulder.)The author clearly spells out variations, the need for set-ups and misdirection to execute, and the consequences of applying these techniques with full force. The spinning motions are executed at short range, using elbow or backhand techniques. Even a poorly executed application of these techniques can knock someone down or wrench their elbow or knee beyond use. Some 54 core techniques and variations offer arm and leg breaks, neck cranks, rising headbutts from the clinch, and agonizing counters to kicking and punching attacks.The cover alone offers a useful application from a passive stance, great for self-defense if you see the punch coming.Illustrations include black and white photos that appear to have been rendered as illustrations. The movements are very clear. The author also conveys a pithy how-to methodology for each technique consisting of: 1.) Purpose, 2.) Vulnerability, 3.) How, 4.) Focus and 5.) Variation, an excellent departure from lesser texts that don't clearly explain how to actually execute given techniques. Descriptions offer insights into how to maintain defense while applying techniques.This is an "information purposes only" book. It doesn't explore the legal implications of breaking an attacker's neck or crippling him for trying to punch or kick you. That's for a responsible reader to consider. Some of the photographs show applications to armed attackers, scenarios fortunately beyond my experiences.All told, I appreciate the quick-and-dirty methods provided through an accomplished instructor's careful study. He extends lesser-known techniques from 10 branches within a proven, devastating martial art. The author specifies effective applications, with "hidden" techniques that begin in reality and end in blunt-force trauma.

First time ever reviewing a book on Amazon. I have been learning Muay Thai for six years and have read and watched everything I can find on the topic. This book is a god send for learning the hard to find techniques of Muay your typical Muay Thai teacher has no idea about (or if they do know it they would refuse to teach you). The great things about this book is it demonstrates what I will call for lack of a better term "core Muay Boran techniques" (it does not teach *the style* of Muay Boran of which footwork and guard position is a totally different animal that takes years to master) you will see in Thai movies like Ong Bak, Tony Jaa films, and the older Muay Boran/Chaiya movies on youtube.With that said the content of the book can be divided into a few sections. Unfortunately the first 50 pages is largely fluff/filler information but the inclusion of Thai cultural references throughout the book is a welcome addition.The techniques are true to what you pay for: joint traps and breaks and Muay style sweeps. Some of the techniques are very low probability of success moves but like all of Muay Thai it is knowing you have unexpected tools in your arsenal which makes it powerful and some of these I am certain you have never seen your Muay Thai teachers train you in.Some of the moves are no joke and really dangerous and I have to laugh at the authors introduction that in accordance with his Kru's (teachers) wishes he does not demonstrate any deadly moves. In catch wrestling terms they are "hooks" moves that can produce a life altering injury. Never spar/try with any force neck cranks, elbow submissions or sweeping an opponents back onto your knee pinned to the ground.I would love to see a second volume in this series on the authors favorite combinations and a third on Krabi Krabong with a focus on knife, short sword, and or staff Muay techniqes.

Where to start.First off as the author states this book is TO THE POINT. Which I believe will make a bad read for someone looking for a history lesson. But this book is not about that. This is about the lesser known strikes and moves in Muay. The author breaks it down to its essence : what the move does, what you are to focus on when you do the move, what to do more of. If you have ever seen The Protector then you will be pleased to know some of the jaw dropping joint breaks of the last brutal scene are described in the book. Also this book is not just about the moves and strikes. The author took the time to provide vital training advice and basics to Muay in its many forms (Muay Boran, Muay Chaiyuth, Muay Thai, among others) This book is basically a reference guide to most of the need to know basics of Muay training with lesser known moves and strikes of the art of Muay. This os one of the few MA books that I am actually excited to own.I can only hope for a vol 2

I thought the warning of deadly moves on this book was a gimmick but I was wrong. I have done martial arts off and on for about 24 years. I have done several different styles but in 2006 I fell in love with Muay Thai, a style I always wanted to learn.This book is written extremely well and its illustration is second to none in any martial arts book I have seen. Out of the 54 techniques I already knew 22 of them. This book is basically a mercenary handbook on how to break your opponents bones or severely hurt them in a fight. Some of the moves are strictly for killing in an urban warfare hand to hand combat setting. Some of the moves are good for the ring also.You are definitely getting your moneys worth.If you do learn any of these techniques please be a responsible human being

Muay is absolutely brilliant. It provides an excellent insight in the techniques of the Thai martial arts. I doubt very much that a student of Muay Thai would be exposed to the wide array of techniques, principles, explanations and background knowledge that is contained in this book in many western Muay Thai gyms. Clearly a lot of research and experience has gone into preparing and writing it. From what I've seen, this is the only book of its kind on the market and is an absolute treasure trove of technical information on the subject. For anyone who trains in Muay Thai, or has a foundation in it, the contents of this book, if trained hard, would take them to a very high level, especially from a non sporting perspective, in the context of self protection and learning the art, and not simply the ring aspect which seems to be most prevalent.In addition to anyone who is a Muay Thai practitioner/enthusiast I feel Muay would greatly benefit practitioners of Kali and Silat. From my own research and observations, I've found quite a bit of overlap between the techniques in the Thai martial arts and those in Kali and Silat. In fact, I would even include Burmese Bando, e.g. all the arts mentioned have a fair amout of limb destructions in their repertoire, and there seems to be some common resemblance between the techniques as well.Master Lee's book has proved absolutely invaluable to me and provided me with an encyclopedia of techniques and knowledge, as well as an excellent platform to further research and investigate Muay Boran and Lerdrit. I have highly recommmended Muay to friends and hope to purchase further copies of this fantastic book.

This book communicates the techniques and philosophies of Muay in a balanced, connected, and thoughtful way. The power and energy of Master Lee's teaching is balanced with a light sense of humour and good-natured positivity, which I think is crucial to showing Muay the respect it deserves.These techniques have triggered some deep and fundamental (and very, very positive) changes in my understanding of my self - and as I've grown and changed over the years of learning Muay, its influence has given me a sense of spiritual calmness, balance and strength that I think my journey so far would have been impossible without.So I just wanted so say thankyou - not only for the physical training that has made me stronger, fitter, and healthier, but also for the deeper sense of one-ness I can now see in my life.

Owning the only other books available, I would hope this is an informed review, there are very few books that describe the arts of Muay Boran. This book is very well detailed, Master Lee gives well described and illustrated instruction to each of the techniques.This isn't a just a book with collated Muay Boran facts or joined together Martial Arts magazine excerpts, this is a manual of usable techniques. It is clear a lot of thought and effort has gone into making the techniques easy as possible to understand for the reader. Master Lee gives good written descriptions of each techniques. From my experience the other books I have read on the art, seem to just give a series of photographs you have to try to decipher what's going on and risk interpreting incorrectly.Having the translated traditional Thai names for the techniques, such as 'Belting with Trunk and Thrusting with Tusk', helps give a unique insight into the art, the origin of the techniques and helps the reader give the art some of the respect it deserves.This book will get you using all eight of your limbs and I am sure will be a great addition if you are looking to move beyond conventional Muay Thai or are looking for some advantage over other MMA fighters.If you are looking to further your knowledge of the art behind Muay Thai or learn some unique submissions then this is the book to read.

i brought this book as 1) I am interested in other arts and 2) to have ideas to use for karate kata applications. Very well structured. This is in my opinion one of the few complete manuals as it explains the names of the techniques and little known facts. he techniques are obviously practical for self defence although a few are lethal (despite the statement that lethal methods have been excluded.) . The diagrams could be made slightly clearer by using bold outlines however a bonus is the close-up detail of the techniques for most of the methods.

This is an excellent book, clear and easy to follow instructions introducing a variety of techniques and moves. Brilliantly illustrated and clear concise direction with every technique this is an excellent guide to either pick up and read cover to cover, or as a reference point to help with your training.Master Lee also introduces humour and fun, having trained in a number of martial arts over the years, I cannot recommend this book enough for all levels of expertise.