Muay Thai knee techniques is an important technique in Muay Thai. Knee (Kao) is one of the lethal weapons in Muay Thai. The violence of the knee is equal to that of the elbow if the boxer used it properly with a good technique and timing.
The knee kick can be done by raising the knee to attack which may a bit harder for beginners because this requires proper balance maintain when attack. The main characteristic of using knee-kick is you gnerally have to be at close-quarter with opponent, but sometimes we can use knee kick to attack opponent while you are in long range such as flying knee kick. In most case, to use knee kick, you have to try to grab the opponent's neck, in order to "lock" and attack. However, when you do the clinch and knee kick, you may be attacked by opponent's elbow strike, as some time you may lose your concentration and defense.
How to use the knee?
The good way to use Muay Thai knee techniques properly is by thrusting it straight upwards. The targets for the knees are the area around the body upwards towards the chin. The knee attack has to be straight, powerful, and sharp. The knee also should easily turn into a kick for pushing the opponent away in order to prevent the counter attack and double up the pain to the opponent.
To increase the agility of Muay Thai knees, the boxer should practice knee throwing frequently against the punching bag. The boxer should mislead the opponent by the weapon and angle of attack before using the weapons.
The proper Muay Thai knee techniques thrust must move straight, not wavering towards other directions. The tip of the foot must point up to be ready to use a kick. The boxer can use the knee in the following circumstances.
Muay Thai Knee Techniques 7 Categories:
- Kao Tone (Straight knee) - Thrusting the knee straight upward
- Kao Dode (Jumping knee) - Thrusting the knee towards the target when the boxer springs up
- Kao Nui (Small knee) – Kao Noi is used to counter when the opponent lift his leg for a knee throw
- Kao Kratai (Rabbit knee) – Using when the boxers are in the corner or the middle of the ring to drain strength and stamina from the opponent.
- Kao La (Farewell knee) – Using after the clinch to disengage yourself from the clinch by thrusting a knee parallel to the floor
- Kao Lod (Lower knee) – Using when your Kao Tone misses the target by lower the thrust to prevent the opponent from attacking
- Kao Loi (Flying knee) – This is the most powerful knee technique if the boxer uses it well. The opponent can be finished easily by this move.
