Basic Muay Chaiya Exercises

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Article Index
Basic Muay Chaiya Exercises
Starting Out
1. Bun Mut
2. Phan Kaen
3. Phan Mut
4. Phan Mut Yok Khao
5. Phan Mut Yok Khao Yaw Yeud
6. Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod
Break
7. Phan Mut Yok Khao Deed Kaeng
8. Phan Mut Prik Liam Deed Kaeng Sallap Kaa
9. Phan Mut Prik Liam
10. Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod Deed Kaeng
All Pages

Leading Thai Airforce through basic Muay Chaiya basic exercises at Baan Chang Thai in BangkokMuay Chaiya can take a long time to master, because of the way that the techniques work and flow together. Practicing the basics regularly gives a huge advantage when learning, and the basic exercises help to strengthen the body instill proper form and good habits that will make your techniques strong and instinctive.

 

Students training the Muay Chaiya basic exercises at Sukko Spa in Phuket

Introduction

There are ten basic exercises, and these are used as a warm up at the start of all classes. As well as a great way of keeping fit, they are the best way for you to become competent at the basic moves including the Tha Kru, Yok Khao Guard, Phan Mut and Prik Liam. For more advanced students there are more advanced exercises, but the basics are enough for anyone up to an advanced level.

 

The first six techniques are a good warm up to the more demanding final four, and each technique should be practiced for three minutes, with a break after the sixth exercise.

Check out the video below to get an idea of timing and how to perform the moves. Check out the detail pages for a good description of each move.

 


Starting Out

Exercises 1 and 2 start differently than the rest of the moves which start in the basic Cross-arm Guard or in the standard Yok Khao Guard.

The Cross-arm Guard, starting position for exercises 3, 4, 8 and 9

Cross-arm Guard

This is used to start techniques 3, 4, 8 and 9.

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel to eah other facing forward.
  • Bend the knees (the amount you bend is optional).
  • Cross your arms in front of you with the left arm in front. Arms should be at 45 degrees, and cross in the middle of the fore arm.
  • Make your hands into fists at eye level.
Yok Khao Guard - starting position for exercises 5, 6 ,7 and 10

Yok Khao Guard

This is used to start techniques 5, 6, 7 and 10.

  • Start in the Cross-arm Guard.
  • Raise the right knee straight out in front (not centered) no lower than waist level (the higher the better).
  • As you raise the knee, your arms should form the basic Tha Kru Guard with the right arm on top.
  • Your left (standing) leg should be bent.

Please check the article on the Yok Khao Guard for a more detailed explanation.


Muay Chaiya Exercises - Bun Mut part 1

1. Bun Mut

Used to warm up the legs and arms, and also strengthen the hands Bun Mut is a nice easy way to start training.

As mentioned above this move will start slightly differently from the other techniques:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel to eah other facing forward.
  • Bend the knees (the amount you bend is optional).
  • Hold your arms by your sides, bent at the elbows at 90 degrees so that your fore arms are parallel to the ground.
  • Open your hands with your fingers spread.
Muay Chaiya Exercises - Bun Mut part 2

The exercise:

  1. Straighten your legs and at the same time clench your fists tight.
  2. Bend your legs and open your hands hard spreading your fingers.
  3. Repeat

After a minute or so, you should feel your fore arms starting to ache, this is a good sign. If you don't feel them aching, then you're not opening and closing your hands hard enough!

 


2. Phan Kaen

Muay Chaiya Exercises - Phan Kaen part 1Again, this techniques starts a little differently:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel to eah other facing forward.
  • Bend the knees (the amount you bend is optional).
  • Hold your arms out in front at shoulder level, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees
  • Your left arm should be infront of the right.
  • Clench your fists with you palms facing down.
  • Your right fist should almost be touching your left bicep.

Muay Chaiya Exercises - Phan Kaen part 2The exercise:

  1. Straighten your legs, rasing your right fore arm to your brow, and droping you left for arm to your navel.
  2. Bend your legs, raising your left fore arm to your brow and dropping your right forearm to your navel. Your left arm should pass on the inside.
  3. Straighten your legs, rasing your right fore arm to your brow, and droping you left for arm to your navel. Your right arm should pass on the inside.
  4. Repeat from 2 and 3.

Muay Chaiya Exercises - Phan Kaen part 3Notes:

  • Your fore arms should always be parallel to the floor.
  • Your fists should be clenched so that your palms are always facing down.
  • When raising your arm to your brow, you should be able to see straight forward (don't stop infront of your eyes!)


Muay Chaiya Exercises - Phan Mut part 1Muay Chaiya Exercises - Phan Mut part 2Muay Chaiya Exercises - Phan Mut part 3

3. Phan Mut

This is the first exercise that utilises the Tha Kru, so please read the article on the Chaiya Tha Kru and Phan Mut before starting.

  1. Start in the Cross-arm Guard
  2. Straighten your legs, changing your arms into the right Tha Kru Guard.
  3. Bend your legs, changing your arms to the left Tha Kru Guard.
  4. Repeat 2 and 3.

Notes:

  • When changing guard, the rising hand always passes on the inside.
  • You may feel natural for your shoulders to move during Phan Mut, this is natural and should be encouraged.


4. Phan Mut Yok Khao

Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao part 1Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao part 2 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao part 3 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao part 4 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao part 5

This is a great way of practicing the Yok Khao Guard and transitioning from side to side. Please check out the article on the Yok Khao Guard for more details onthis exercise.

  1. Start in the Cross-arm Guard
  2. Lift the right knee and Phan Mut into the right Tha Kru Guard.
  3. Hold for a second, maintaning balance.
  4. Drop the leg back to center stance, then lift the left knee and Phan Mut into the left Tha Kru.
  5. Hold for a second, maintaning balance.
  6. Drop the leg back to center stance, then lift the right knee and Phan Mut into the left Tha Kru.
  7. Repeat 3 to 6.

Notes:

  • Remember to pause in between raising the knee, it's not a run!
  • Lift the knee into the Yok Khao Guard as quickly as possible.
  • Concentrate on balance at all times.
  • Only Phan Mut when lifting the knee.


Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Yaw Yeud part 1 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Yaw Yeud part 2

5. Phan Mut Yok Khao Yaw Yeud

This move is great for strengthening your knees and practicing your Yok Khao Guard balance.

  1. Start in the right Yok Khao Guard.
  2. Straighten the knee and Phan Mut so that you're in the left Phan Mut Guard.
  3. Bend the leg and Phan Mut so that you're in the left Phan Mut Guard.
  4. Repeat 2 and 3 for 10 reps.
  5. Change stance (like in 4. Phan Mut Yok Khao)
  6. Do 10 reps.
  7. Repeat, 10 reps on each side.

Notes:

  • Start with small bends of the knee, increase if you find it too easy.
  • Keep the knee up, at least waist level.


Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod part 1 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod part 2 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod part 3

6. Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod

This move is great for strengthening your calves, ankles and feet.

  1. Start in the right Yok Khao Guard.
  2. Hop on one foot and Phan Mut.
  3. Do 10 reps.
  4. Jump and swap sides.
  5. Change stance (like in 4. Phan Mut Yok Khao)
  6. Do 10 reps.
  7. Repeat, 10 reps on each side.

Notes:

  • Don't jump to high.
  • Keep a steady rhythm
  • When you swap sides, jump high and wide, as if you're jumping over something.
  • Keep the knee up, at least waist level.


Break

Take a short break of about 5 to 10 minutes. Take the opportunity to stretch out your legs, ready for the next set of exercises. If you feel ready to start again, don't wait, push yourself!


Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Deed Kaeng part 1Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Deed Kaeng part 2

7. Phan Mut Yok Khao Deed Kaeng

The kicking moves are great for practicing the "body rock" that Muay Chaiya uses to get more power from the front kick techniques.

  1. Start in the right Yok Khao Guard.
  2. Kick out with the foot at about waist height (or higher) and Phan Mut.
  3. Bring the foot back and Phan Mut, you should now be back in the correct Yok Khao Guard.
  4. Repeat 10 times
  5. Change sides as in 4.Phan Mut Yok Khao.
  6. Kick out with the foot at about waist height (or higher) and Phan Mut.
  7. Bring the foot back and Phan Mut, you should now be back in the correct Yok Khao Guard.
  8. Repeat 10 times
  9. Change sides as in 4.Phan Mut Yok Khao.
  10. Repeat

Notes:

  • Kick out with th heel
  • Remember to keep your toes pointing up when in Yok Khao Guard.
  • Kick straight
  • Keep a steady rhythm
  • Remember to rock your body back with each kick, to gain more power and really work those abs!


Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Prik Liam Deed Kaen Sallap Kaa part 1 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Prik Liam Deed Kaen Sallap Kaa part 2 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Prik Liam Deed Kaen Sallap Kaa part 3

8. Phan Mut Prik Liam Deed Kaeng Sallap Kaa

This is good for practicing your stop kicks (Ham Thap).

This technique uses both Phan Mut and Prik Liam, so please check out those articles first for more detail.

  1. Start in the Cross-arm Guard.
  2. Phan Mut Prik Liam to the left
  3. Front kick with the right leg at 45 degrees. from the front.
  4. Bring the foot back.
  5. Phan Mut Prik Liam to the right.
  6. Front kick with the left leg at 45 degrees. from the front.
  7. Bring the foot back.
  8. Repeat.

Notes:

  • Don't forget to rock the body back to get more power in the kick.
  • Imagine that you're doing a stop kick to the opposite leg of the opponent.
  • Kick as High as you can - waist high is fine, but the higher the better as long as you still have power and use the body rock.
  • Use the Phan Mut Prik Liam to help you change sides and keep your momentum.
  • Don't look where you're kicking, look straight in front (at your opponent).


Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Prik Liam part 1 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Prik Liam part 2 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Prik Liam part 3

9. Phan Mut Prik Liam

Practice this move, as it may seem easy, but it's one of the foundation moves that will make all of you Muay Chaiya stronger.

This technique uses both Phan Mut and Prik Liam, so please check out those articles first for more detail.
  1. Start in the Cross-arm Guard.
  2. Phan Mut Prik Liam to the left.
  3. Phan Mut Prik Liam to the right.
  4. Repeat.


Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod Deed Kaeng part 1 Muay Chaiya Basic Exercises - Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod Deed Kaeng part 2

10. Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod Deed Kaeng

Ok, the last move, try and keep a steady rhythm, keep your knee and kicks as high as possible and keep your guard up!

  1. Start in the right Yok Khao Guard.
  2. Kick out with the foot at about waist height (or higher), hop and Phan Mut at the same time.
  3. Bring the foot back, hop and Phan Mut, you should now be back in the correct Yok Khao Guard.
  4. Repeat 10 times
  5. Change sides as in 6.Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod
  6. Kick out with the foot at about waist height (or higher), hop and Phan Mut at the same time.
  7. Bring the foot back, hop and Phan Mut, you should now be back in the correct Yok Khao Guard.
  8. Repeat 10 times
  9. Change sides as in 6.Phan Mut Yok Khao Dod.
  10. Repeat

Notes:

  • Kick out with th heel
  • Remember to keep your toes pointing up when in Yok Khao Guard.
  • Kick straight
  • Keep a steady rhythm
  • Remember to rock your body back with each kick, to gain more power and really work those abs!
  • When changing sides, jump high and wide.
Comments
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Tony  - Learning   |2009-06-07 00:24:36
I intend to start staying in Thailand a month out of the year and attending Muay
Chaiya classes in Bangkok. I would like to be able to watch your video of the
ten basic excercises so I can be some what prepared once I start my training.
Is it possible for me to obtain a downloaded copy of your video. I need this so
I can take the laptop in the gym and work on each of the ten moves.

Thank you
for your time
SMARTCHAI / สมรรถชัย  - "Efficient Exercises Of Chaiya Boxing"     |2010-08-13 23:54:23
I just love the ten basic exercises of Muay Chaiya ! It's a very efficient
method of getting into shape and... simultaneously... learning very important
fundamentals within the style at the same time ! It's way, way better than doing
ordinary exercises (i.e. squats) which only focuses on the fitness part of the
equation !
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