Muay Leert Rit
Lerdrit, also known as Muay Leert Rit, is a military martial arts system predominantly used by the Royal Thai Army. Lerdrit can be simply described as Muay Thai kickboxing without rules or protections with some military-specific weapons training thrown in for good measure.
The art is centred around close-range striking and emphasises aggressively attacking ...
Muay Thai is known as “King of the Ring” in kickboxing circles.
These fights feature punches, kicks, elbows, knees, standing grappling and head-butts to wear down and knock out their opponent.
The Birth of Kickboxing in Japan
Kickboxing emerged in the late 1950s in Japan, where martial arts enthusiasts wanted to create a hybrid sport that would combine the striking techniques of karate with the full-contact sparring of Western boxing.
The idea was to create a sport that would showcase the beauty, power, and precision of different martial arts styles while also providing a thrilling and entertaining experience for spectators. The first kickboxing matches were held in small venues, with few rules and regulations, and often attracted a rowdy and passionate crowd.
As the sport gained popularity, organisers began to formalise the rules and structure of kickboxing. The term "kickboxing" was coined by Osamu Noguchi, a Japanese boxing promoter, who organised the first official kickboxing championship in Tokyo in 1966.
The rules of this early style of kickboxing were quite different from modern kickboxing, as fighters were allowed to strike each other with elbows and knees, and the matches could last up to 15 rounds.
Nonetheless, kickboxing quickly gained popularity in Japan and other parts of the world as a thrilling and entertaining sport that showcased both the beauty and the brutality of unarmed combat.
