1. KNEES
   All Knee strikes shall be determined during event matchmaking with each fighter of each fight and the event matchmaker.
   The following techniques are what are "ALLOWED" in IKF Amateur Muay Thai.
   Please CONFIRM with the Event Matchmaker & The IKF Event Representative what will be ALLOWED in your bout.
   • REGULAR EVENTS
     • Knees are allowed to the legs, body and the head.
     • No strikes are allowed to the Groin, Knees or Spine.
   • AMATEUR TOURNAMENT COMPETITION
     • Knees are allowed to the body and legs below the shoulder line but NOT to the Head.
     • No strikes are allowed to the Groin, Knees or Spine.
     
     
     
2. ELBOWS
   All Elbow strikes shall be determined during event matchmaking with each fighter of each fight and the event matchmaker.
   Please CONFIRM with the Event Matchmaker & The IKF Event Representative what will be ALLOWED in your bout.
   • REGULAR EVENTS
     • Elbows are allowed to the legs, body and the head.
     • "STRAIGHT 12-6" Dropping or Spiking Downward Elbows (Where the fist is ABOVE the Elbow on Impact) are Illegal.
     • No strikes are allowed to the Groin, Knees or Spine.
   • AMATEUR TOURNAMENT COMPETITION
     • Elbows are allowed to the body and legs below the shoulder line but NOT to the Head.
     • No strikes are allowed to the Groin, Knees or Spine.
     
     
     
3. FLASH KNOCKDOWNS
   • In TRUE Muay Thai as with these rules, FLASH KNOCKDOWNS where the knocked down fighter rises up immediately after being knocked down are NOT COUNTED AS A KNOCKDOWN OR STANDING 8 COUNTS.
     
     
4. NO HIP THROWS
   • Over the hip throws such as in Japanese arts like Judo, Jutitsu, Karate, Sambo, or San Shou are illegal. You can NOT use the hip or shoulder to throw an opponent in any kind of judo throw or reap. No stepping across, or in front of, your opponents leg with your leg and bringing your opponent over your hip.
     
     
5. NECK WRESTLING
   • If in a clinch with arms around each others shoulder, as to deliver or defend from an elbow strike, twisting the opponent using the upper body in such a way that you will fall to the ground is allowed. By using neck and shoulder manipulation, you can spin and throw/dump an opponent to the canvas without using any part of your body as a barrier. This is fully legal.
     
     
6. PLOWING
   • Fighters are allowed to catch their opponents leg and take 1 step forward. After 1 step, the fighter holding the leg must STRIKE before taking a second step or more or let go! You can not hold a leg and charge an opponent to the ropes. You can "dump" a person if you catch their leg and throw it back towards them causing them to fall backwards but must do so within 2 steps (see previous). You can also catch under their knee while they are doing a swing knee and topple them over backwards but must do so within 2 steps (see previous).
     
     
7. ILLEGAL TRIP
   • If you position your foot next to your opponent and twist them over your foot you must clear the leg as your opponent falls or it is an illegal trip. An athlete CAN spin or pull an opponent over the inside or outside of the leg and dump him on the ground. However the leg being used to manipulate and dump the opponent to the ground can NOT stay in that position as the opponent goes to the floor. If it is set and stays in that position, that too is an illegal throw (tripping). In other words, the leg must clear immediately after the opponent is pulled or tripped over the knee. Clear means that the leg must be moved out of the way BEFORE the opponent hits the canvas. This means skipping the leg or slightly jumping to the side (as long as it is moved from the original position). Strangely, this means an athlete can trip over a leg but must move the tripping leg while the opponent falls to the ground, or it will be deemed illegal and called a trip.
     
     
8. SWEEPING
   • Sweeps (With instep of foot) are not allowed but a fighter may "KICK" his/her opponents supporting leg with the top of their foot or shin, NOT the instep as in a karate style sweep. You can not grab an opponent in the clinch and then sweep their legs out. Common example is to kick the back of the supporting leg out of the opponent using the back of one's own leg or calf, this is illegal. All you can do is KICK (roundhouse or using the top of your foot) an opponents legs out (shin, instep).
     
     
9. LIFTING
   • You can NOT in any way lift an opponent off of the ground to throw them. Common to see an athlete clinch their opponent around the waist, lift their opponent off the canvas and then twist and throw them around to the side and onto the canvas. This is illegal and points could be deducted of continues use this move.
     
     
10. Direct (Side Kick Style) kicks to the front of a fighters legs are NOT ALLOWED.
    
    
11. Clinching is allowed as long as 1 fighter is ACTIVE WITHIN the clinch. If there is inactivity for a period of 3 seconds, the referee will break the fighters.
    
    
12. Chest Pads are "MANDATORY FOR JUNIORS" and Fighters Must Supply Their Own.
    
    
13. Taking an opponent around the waist with both arms and twisting them off balance so they will fall is legal.
    
    
14. Stepping on a fallen opponent is illegal. Commonly one sees an athlete twist and pull an opponent over the side of their body (and then land on top), this is illegal.
    
    
15. It is considered an Intentional foul is when a fighter plans, with the sole intention, of falling on top of their opponent to either strike with their knee or to intentionally hurt their opponent, by making it look like an accident.
    
    

ADDITION TO IKF AMATEUR MTR GENERAL RULES
NOT FOR TOURNAMENT COMPETITION

1. ELBOWS: When Elbow Strikes are allowed to the head, IKF Approved or Endorsed Elbow Pads are MANDATORY. Otherwise, bouts with elbow strikes to the body do not require elbow pads. Strikes with elbows and knees are allowed. However, some State Athletic Commissions may not allow knees to the head or elbows at all. Under these circumstances, these Muay Thai Bouts will be called "MODIFIED MUAY THAI". To be a Muay Thai bout at all, there must be at least Knee Strikes to the body. Please CONFIRM with the event Matchmaker what will be ALLOWED in your bout. Knees to the Head, Elbows, etc.
   
   
2. KNEES: Knees may strike to the Legs, Body and Head. However, as noted above. Sometimes Knees to the HEAD will not be allowed. Please CONFIRM with the event Matchmaker what will be ALLOWED in your bout.

PRO
MUAY THAI
GENERAL RULES

1. No strikes are allowed to the groin or joints of the leg.
   
   
2. Elbow Strikes are allowed but OPTIONAL in IKF PRO Muay Thai Bouts. HOWEVER, Elbow Strikes to the head but MUST BE CONFIRMED IN MATCHMAKING with BOTH Fighters. Please CONFIRM with the event Matchmaker what will be ALLOWED in your bout.
   
   
3. Fighters may strike with Punches, Kicks, Knees and SOMETIMES ELBOWS;
   • Strikes with elbows and knees are allowed. However, some State Athletic Commissions may not allow knees to the head or elbows at all. Under these circumstances, these Muay Thai Bouts will be called "MODIFIED MUAY THAI". To be a Muay Thai bout at all, there must be at least Knee and Elbow Strikes to the body. Please CONFIRM with the event Matchmaker what will be ALLOWED in your bout, Knees to the Head, Elbows, etc.
   • KICKS (Shin or Foot) & KNEES are allowed to BOTH legs (Not the Knees) of each fighter.
   • KICKS may strike body and head as well.
   • KNEES may strike to the legs, body and head.
     
     
4. Clinching is allowed as long as 1 fighter is ACTIVE WITHIN the clinch.
   
   
5. MUAY THAI Throws are Allowed. NOT HIP THROWS.
   
   
6. Fighters are allowed to catch their opponents leg and take 1 step forward. After 1 step, the fighter holding the leg must STRIKE before taking a second step or more.
   
   
7. Sweeps (With instep of foot) are not allowed but a fighter may "KICK" his/her opponents supporting leg with the top of their foot or shin, NOT the instep as in a karate style sweep.
   
   
8. No strikes are allowed to the groin or joints of the leg.
   
   
9. In TRUE Muay Thai as with these rules, FLASH KNOCKDOWNS where the knocked down fighter rises up immediately after being knocked down are NOT COUNTED AS A KNOCKDOWN OR STANDING 8 COUNT.
   
   
10. Direct (Side Kick Style) kicks to the front of a fighters legs Are NOT ALLOWED.
    
    
11. Kicks (shin or foot) may strike the inside and outside of each fighters legs.

ROUND LENGTHS

Muay Thai Rules DRESS CODE
Shorts are MANDATORY to clearly designate that this is a leg kick bout as well.

Muay Thai Rules
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
FOR EQUIPMENT - CLICK HERE!

• AMATEUR Safety Equipment
  • Headgear Is Optional Except in the United Kingdom.
    • June 20th, 2005: Optional Headgear Rule - CLICK HERE!
  • Shin Pads - Shin-n-instep padding
    • Are Not Mandatory in single event bouts but may be used.
    • However, For SAFETY Reasons these are mandatory in all "AMATEUR TOURNAMENT" competitions.
    • Fighters must supply their own Shin Pads. However, in some events, these are provided by the promoter.
  • Groin Cup is Mandatory.
  • Mouthpiece is Mandatory.
  • Handwraps are Mandatory.
  • Fight Gloves (That will be supplied by all IKF Event Promoters) are Mandatory.
    • 8 & 10 Ounce Gloves. See Weight Classes For Glove Sizes.
    • 10 & 12 ounce size used in Amateur Tournament Competition.

• PRO Safety Equipment
  • Headgear Is Not Allowed in PRO IKF Bouts.
  • Groin Cup is Mandatory.
  • Mouthpiece is Mandatory.
  • Shin-n-instep pads Are Not Allowed in the Pro MTR Divisions of the IKF.
  • Hand Wraps are Mandatory.
  • Fight Gloves
    • That will be supplied by all IKF Event Promoters are Mandatory.
    • 8 & 10 Ounce Gloves. See Weight Classes

A Brief Lesson In Muay Thai 101

As we here at the IKF have always done for our fans of these pages, we always try to educate "EVERYONE" on aspects of our sport and maybe a short class here in Muay Thai 101 will help to form where this article is going. Some of you may know most if not all we will teach in this class while others will answer honestly, "Oh, I didn't know that." So let the class begin…

Nearly every weekend around the world there's a kickboxing event that advertises they will feature the long honored fighting art of Thailand known as Muay Thai. If these fighters are both following true MuayThai tradition, they will both enter the ring over the top rope. Why? In MuayThai tradition, the Mongkon (headpiece wore around the top of each fighters head prior to their bout) is blessed for good luck by each fighters respected religion. Going over the top rope is symbolic that God is Above All Things such as the ring ropes. The spectators and their peers see 2 fighters dressed in the traditional Muay Thai shorts with their Mongkon wore proudly on their head. Once in the ring the traditional MuayThai music begins and a fighter has their first options of the bout. However in Thailand, this is NOT an option and SHOULD NOT be an option even in other parts of the world. These options are not fighting options such as "Should I throw a Jab or a knee etc." these options are the ones of long and honored traditions of Muay Thai. To seal the ring (The walk around the ring which symbolizes the sealing of evil spirits from the ring), begin their Wai Kru (Wai means Bow and Kru means Teacher. When the fighter bows down paying homage to their teacher, club and family) and or a Ram Muay. (Which translates into boxer dance) or to simply stand and await for their opponent to be ready and the referee to begin the bout. Keep in mind that not all MuayThai fighters perform these things. Even in Thailand, they are a fighters choice.

If a fighter decides to seal the ring we'll see them stopping to pray in each corner. In Thailand, the Wai Khre is paying homage to their Buddha. This pray continues at each corner during their walk to all four corners. Once again, a fighter may now choose to perform a Wai Khre followed by their own version of their Ram Muay. Often during a fighters Ram Muay, many true fans of Muay Thai fighting may not know what the dance is for. To answer this question, the dance expresses a fighters balance and agility. Sometimes at it's end, it may be followed by a show of confidence or challenge towards their opponents corner such as a stomping of their feet or an imitation of shooting an arrow at their opponent. To true fans of the sport, this is all part of the bout as well. As each fighters rituals ends, the trainer removes their Mongkon and turns to face their opponent.

BACK TO THE RULES PAGE CLICK HERE!