If you're better than average: which One is better in a street fight, Tae kwon doe or Muay Thai?

Answer 1

better than average?

That doesn't mean much for TKD as the "average" tkd gym only spars with point sparring and doesn't train you for fighting.

Want to do a real style analysis?

What it all comes down to really is what style trains realistically. No matter how many high roundhouse kicks or spinning back kicks you throw, if you don't do it against a live opponent in a realistic situation, you aren't going to be able to do it for a real fight. Muai thai, even training in sport rules, is infinately more realistic for "street" than tkd. MT trains under closer conditions with limited stand up rules. What is missing from both- is ground and grappling game (not including the MT clinch)- but as this is missing from both, it can't count against either. techniques. Ok, TKD has it in a wider variety of kicing techniques, however MT has more practical and powerfull ones, and when looking at this situation, you also have to look at the conditions they are trained under. TKD guys mostly might train for point sparring with specific rules about not being able to attack the supproting leg, or punch to the head- wait? Ding I think we have a winner here. Maybe they both have roundhouse kicks, but before we even get caught up in that analysis- and the practicality or lack thereof of TKD blocking-
WHAT WHAT WHAT!

No punches to the head in training? does that sound like something better to apply to a street situation to you?

Ok how about counterpunching and combos?
Tkd rules don't permit you to repeatedly hit an opponent with force? MT rules do? In fact that is the GOAL of them.

Does tkd have an answer for the clinch? where you are held so your body has no give, and struck with a knee to the chest/rib area? Isn't this situation one of the easiest to get into in a real fight. when they stop doing the peacock and start pushing?

It would seem when it comes down to it MT trains more realistically, and that given the methods of mt, then wouldn't it be wiser to train and learn to fight under conditions that are closer to reality than a game of tag? (point sparring).

Answer 2

for better than average person, i think muay thai takes the win.

TKD uses mainly kicks and thus TKD person would have practiced their kicks a lot. with that kind of practice, it would develope strength, speed, and timing in the kicking department. Muay Thai person on the other hand had to train all of their weapons (hand, elbow, feet, and knee) equally and thus they have more weapons, but they have divided their power and speed development to four different parts.

With this TKD person would have the advantage at the long distance fights, however for a level of fight slightly higher than average, Muay Thai person should know how to get threw the kicks and close up the distance to clinches, knees and elbows.

Now if these were really good TKDist and Muay Thai person, TKD person would have a pretty solid punches to keep the Muay Thai person from dominating, so that TKDist could back up and go for long distance again. And Muay Thai person would have good long distance game to keep up with TKDist until they can get in and start using those hands, elbows and knees. at this level it's really about who is more balanced and well rounded in their train. (and when i say balanced, i mean keeping the stregth of the style, but also not leaving gaps to be taken advantage of.)

Answer 3

i say muay thai. more weapons. never seen a tae kwon do artist use thier elbows or knees to any degree of competancy.

cant see how tae kwon do would be better against multiple opponents. if anything, muay thai's leg kick is FAR more efficient than any tae kwon do kick, as most tae kwon do schools dont allow kicks below the waist. good for sport, bad for real life.

simple line measuring shows the lower the target is for a kick, the faster you will reach the target. the faster a technique is, the more useful it is when you are dealing with multiple opponents where you have to hit as fast as possible. you need the right target of course...and muay thai's leg kick to the sciatic nerve is a wonderfully painful place to aim a kick.

it also depends on the artist as well. scared hearts get beat no matter what they study.

Answer 4

its been more or less proven that muay Thai is more effective in one on one competition the tkd and I'm not bias as i practice Brazilian jiu jitsu it a fact. but a great tkd guy is gonna thrash an average muay Thai, but i would say muay Thai 9 time out of ten i gonna win

my reasons=

thia boxing are simply tough as nails they are taught from a young age to kick sh.it out of each over with no padding apart from gloves

they throw devastating elbows knees and low kick without doing anything to fancy

tkd seem to jump into and spin into there kicks alto more which i believe is to risky especially if Ur opponent is gonna wanna take u to the floor

i suggest u look at muay Thai vs tkd on youtube or daily motion

can u think of any champion tkd guys ?? i cant but i can name some legend of muay Thai

rob kaman
diamond dekker
.pormuk
kianorsing
wanderlie Silva
shogun rua

like i said i ain't bias i just have a strong opinion

Answer 5

Muay Thai all the way. Nothing against you TKD guys / girls, but most situations I've found myself in involve small spaces. It's a little difficult to use TKD in a small space. In addition, TKD's strength is in its kicks. Take out the legs, and that's no longer a problem. If you are successful in taking out a Muay Thai guy's (hardened & conditioned) legs, you only solved half the problem because he's just as deadly with his upper-body strikes.

We're talking about the streets, right?

Answer 6

I would say Muay Thai for the simple reason that it teaches extremely powerful kicks to the legs, which is something that most street fighters don't think about defending against.

Personally, I pity anyone who takes on a better than average martial artist period!

Answer 7

Muay Thai.

Answer 8

Both martial arts have merit, and as with everything it depends on the level and/or still of the fighter. However, I give the edge to muay thai, since there are more tools to use (body parts), you not only use kicks and punches, but also knees and elbows. Elbows are extremely effective when used properly as they provide with a quick K.O. and cut your opponent's face with ease. Kicking in a street fight is not adviceable unless you are very proficient with them (low kicks are less risky though), and TKD is known for many flashy kicks (some are devastating).

Answer 9

That would be a nice fight to see, Both have very strong basics and it would depend on the person. I believe it would depend more on the person than the Style. But that being said Muay Thai ROCKS.

Answer 10

Muay thai