The Art of Thai Grappling: Close range combat techniques - IMBA Technical Syllabus - Level 1

By Marco De Cesaris

This book is a journey through the History, the Mythology, the Art and the Science of the discipline of Thai Grappling. Starting from a detailed and rigorous analysis of the technical pillars of ancient Siamese Grappling, the author guides the reader through the principles of Physics, Anatomy and Physiology to fully understand the original Siamese style of seizing and holding. A comparative analysis of the foundations of Western and Eastern (Ayurvedic) Medicine is used to decode the secrets of an ancestral combat system that is still perfectly up-to-date and suitable for the needs of modern martial arts practitioners.
Thai Grappling technical components, how to seize and hold, joint locking maneuvers, throwing techniques and vital points striking are just a few of the many subjects covered in this volume.
Forward by Prof. Chaisawat Tienviboon
560 photos and colour plates

• Language: English
• Publisher: Edizioni Mediterranee
• Release date: Mar 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9788827230381

Marco De Cesaris

Bramarjan Marco De Cesaris è praticante di Muay Thai dal 1978 ed è insegnante di Muay diplomato presso il Ministero dell’ Educazione in Thailandia (nel anno 1991), allievo diretto del Gran Maestro Thailandese Chinawooth Sirisompan (Master Woody), del Gran Maestro Paosawath Saengsawan a del Gran Maestro Sane Tubtimtong. Ha ricevuto dalla Commissione Cultura del Ministro dell’Educazione della Thailandia il grado di ‘’Bramarjan’’(mongkon D’oro),il massimo livello tecnico per un insegnante di Muay Thai. E’ stato il fondatore dell’ International Muay Boran Academy(IMBA) nell’ anno 1993, ed è stato delegato dalla Kru Muay Thai Association (KMA) e dalla Association Institute of Thai Martial Arts (AITMA),entrambe con sede a Bangkok, a diffondere l’Arte della Muay Thai Boran,disciplina che ha collaborato a codificare in Thailandia e che ha introdotto in Italia, in Europa e in America Latina. Nel corso dei Campionati Mondiali di Muay Boran 2007 si è aggiudicato la Medaglia d’ oro nella gara di forme individuali, per la prima volta inserite nella competizione. Con Edizioni Mediterranee ha già pubblicato Muay Boran e Thai Boxing.

Book preview

Foreword by Grand Master

Chaisawat Tienviboon

คำนำ

หลักวิชาการต่อสู้ด้วยมือเปล่าของไทย หรือ ที่รู้จักกันในนาม มวยไทย แบ่งออกเป็นกลุ่มวิชาใหญ่ๆสองกลุ่มคือ กลุ่มที่ใช้ความแรงและความคมของกายาวุธ เป็นหลักในการต่อสู้ ซึ่งเรียกว่ากลุ่มต่อย เตะ ศอก เข่า และกลุ่มที่ใช้หลักในการหัก ข้อต่อต่างๆของร่างกาย รวมทั้งการทำให้ล้มฟาดลงกับพื้น ซึ่งเรียกว่า กลุ่มทุ่ม ทับ จับหัก กอด รัด ฟัดเหวี่ยง หรือ เรียกว่ากลุ่มการปล้ำ

ในการเรียนการสอนและตำราที่ใช้ในการสอนทั่วไป สอนหลักวิชาต่างๆคละเคล้ากันไป ไม่ได้แยกออกมา เป็นส่วนๆเด็ดขาด

อาจารย์ มาร์โก้ เดอ ซีซ่าลิส ได้ศึกษาค้นคว้าหลักวิชาการปล้ำของไทย ตั้งแต่ดั้งเดิม เปรียบเทียบหลักวิชาการปล้ำของชาติต่างๆ สร้างสรรค์ในส่วนที่น่าจะเป็นขึ้นมาบางส่วน ได้หลักวิชาการปล้ำที่สมบูรณ์แบบ และได้ทำเป็นตำราแยกส่วนของการปล้ำ ออกมาต่างหาก ซึ่งสะดวกต่อการศึกษา นับว่าเป็นประโยชน์ต่อผู้ที่ใฝ่หาความรู้ในเรื่องมวยไทยเป็นอย่างยิ่ง

ขอชื่นชม ในความรักในวิชามวยไทยของอาจารย์มาร์โก้ เดอ ซีซ่าลิส ที่พยายามทุ่มเทเวลาส่วนใหญ่ในชีวิตให้แก่วิชามวยไทย ขอให้มีความสำเร็จยิ่งๆขึ้นไป

ชัยสวัสดิ์ เทียนวิบูลย์

๑ มิถุนายน ๒๕๖๒

Thai hand-to-hand combat principles, also known as Muay Thai, are divided into two major groups: the first group uses the strength and sharpness of Gayawoot (Body Weapons) primarily in the fight. This part is called the group of Strikes (punch, kick, knee, elbow). The second group uses as core strategy the techniques to break various body joints and to knock down to the ground; this is called the group of throwing, fall on, breaking, catching, swinging or in general it is called the group of Wrestling.

In teaching and in textbooks generally used, the various subjects are mixed together, not separated. Arjarn Marco De Cesaris has studied the principles of Thai wrestling from the original sources and compared the principles of academic wrestling styles of various nations. Creative in the now lost parts, he produced the perfect academic text. He has made a separate textbook of Thai wrestling that is convenient for education and it will be very beneficial to those who are pursuing knowledge of Muay Thai.

I want to express all my admiration for the love of Muay Thai Master Marco De Cesaris for this Martial Art. In fact, he is devoting most of his life to Muay Thai subjects. I wish him to have more and more success.

Chaisawat Tienviboon

June 1, 2019

Prof. Chaisawat Tienviboon has spent almost 60 years studying the principles of Muay Thai back to the roots of the Art. He started to teach in 1968 at Chulalongkorn University. In the course of his research about ancient Muay, he found that over the centuries some important techniques and fighting principles had been forgotten and disappeared from modern practice. Therefore, he tried to restore those missing parts, bringing Muay Thai techniques back to their original efficiency. He combined, as it was the ancient custom, bare handed fighting with the use of weapons, blending both skills into a modern-traditional style. This complete Siamese Martial Art is based on 3 technical branches: Muay Thai Chaisawat (Bare hands fighting), Dap Thai Chaisawat (Thai fencing) and Siam Aikido (GM Chaisawat is a leading Aikido teacher in Thailand having started to practice this Japanese Art in 1965).

At present he is Head of Curriculum Design Working Group of the Muay Thai Strategy Subcommittee appointed by the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sport.

What is IMBA Muay Pram?

The Art of Siamese Grappling, Sillapha Kan Pram¹, is regarded by many experts as one of the secrets of the technical background of Thai Martial Arts (Sillapha Kan Tosu Kon Thai). Therefore, most of the traditional grappling² strategies and maneuvers are kept hidden by knowledgeable Masters, today as in the past.

A small part of the techniques of ancient Siamese Grappling or Muay Pram are implemented in these times by skillful thai boxers whenever they fight in the ring. The best thai boxers are exceptional strikers as well as formidable stand up grapplers. Smartly combining a vast arsenal of holds with upper and lower limbs strikes and with powerful throws, this simplified version of ancient Siamese Grappling proved to be one of the strongest tools in the hands of skillful ring fighters.

In recent years there has been a growing worldwide interest in effective Grappling based disciplines stimulated by the diffusion of mixed fights, in which most of the times the grapplers emerged victorious. Moreover, since most street fights end up at grappling range, knowing how to grab and strike at the same time, how to lock a limb in order to dislocate a joint, how to throw and finish the opponent on the ground, are fundamental technical attributes that every serious student interested in real fighting truly needs.

For years, the author of this book has been working on a detailed technical program that brings together, under common principles, the best traditional and modern combat Grappling strategies, tactics and techniques handed down by the Thai Masters with whom he has cooperated in the past years. Extensive archaeological research exposed the ancient origins of these techniques, proving that they are part of archaic fighting systems dating back hundreds of years.

All of these techniques and combat methodologies gave life to an updated and scientific version of traditional Muay Pram, the ancient system of Siamese Combat Grappling.

IMBA Muay Pram, Combat Muay Boran (the most combative interpretation of the original Thai martial art’s fighting skills) and IMBA Lert Rit (a Siamese military Close Combat style adapted to civilian use) represent the three technical pillars of Muay Boran IMBA, the modern and scientific version of original Muay Thai Boran, developed since 2005.

The interested readers will find in this volume the fundamental elements of IMBA Muay Pram: however, a book is not meant to be a substitute for personal tuition given by a Master. Any serious student should look for the teachings provided personally by a qualified instructor even if this would mean searching for quite some time. It is known that in Martial Arts a year spent in the search for a real Master, is never a wasted year.

A final note: given the considerable amount of information contained in the technical programs of IMBA Muay Pram, this book is hopefully the first of a series. In the next books the topics that, for reasons of space, are not analyzed in this first volume will be treated in detail.

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1. In this book the transliteration Muay Pram has been used on purpose to indicate a style of Grappling that is uniquely Siamese. At present, it is common practice to use alternative forms of transliteration such as Muay Plam or Muay Plum to refer to western grappling styles such as Olympic or Professional Wrestling. The author’s choice has been motivated by the desire to make a clear distinction between Siamese and European or American traditions.

2. In this volume the English term Grappling is used to indicate a fighting style based on holds, locks, takedowns and strikes performed at a very short distance from the opponent. Grappling does not exactly coincide with the sport of Wrestling even if it incorporates many of its technical peculiarities. The sport of Wrestling in its Olympic forms (Greco Roman or Free Style) or in the hundreds of local and folk styles existing in the world, generally does not include in its technical background strikes, joint breaking maneuvers or chokes that are instead part of the syllabus of many Grappling styles (often referred to as Combat Grappling styles).

Chapter 1: Introduction

Grappling in world history

Why grappling?

Grabbing an enemy to control him and strike him, breaking his joints, throwing or choking him is a superior fighting strategy. Grappling is an extremely efficient and safe-for-the-executor combat system, ideal to quickly control most fighting situations. Military personnel around the world have employed for centuries grappling techniques (locks, throws, chokes) combined with short range strikes to subdue enemies in hand to hand combat on the battlefields.

Scholars consider grappling as the oldest form of bare handed fighting: cave drawings dating 15,000 years ago, show evidence of how human beings have always resorted to grappling as an efficient and instinctive way of fighting.

The application of grappling techniques in the Mediterranean is clearly demonstrated in ancient Egyptian frescos like the world famous Tomb 15 in Beni Hassan (dated 2000 BC): the tomb belonged to Baqet III, an Egyptian high official during the 11th Dynasty (image 1).

1. Frescos: Egypt (Beni Hassan, Tomb 15- Baqet III, 11th Dynasty 2000 BC). In this small selection of the 220 grappling positions shown on the walls on Baqet’s tomb, the figures show a great variety of holds and throws: depicted with amazing accuracy, the paintings show all the technical details of each offensive or defensive maneuver.

On one of the tomb’s walls two fighters performing a great number of grappling techniques are depicted; all of those techniques are still in use today.

Similarly, in Greek vase paintings and bas reliefs (dating back more than 2,500 years) athletes and legendary characters engaged in close range combat are depicted (image 2). Characters displaying techniques of grappling arts such as Pale Wrestling and Pankration, are immortalized in their efforts to submit the opponent with holds and strikes³.

2. Vase painting: Greece, 5th Century BC. The two athletes depicted show admirably a front head-and-arm lock. This effective hold is still in use today: in fact many grappling styles such as Greco Roman wrestling specialize in throws that start from this position or one of its many possible variations.

Grappling and striking arts were extensively practiced by soldiers and professional athletes even in the ancient Roman Empire as witnessed by statuettes, frescos, reliefs and written documents (image 3). Lucta Erecta (standing grappling) was considered for a long time a basic preparatory exercise for military, even before becoming a certamen or competition sport⁴.

3. Bas relief: Roma, 3rd Century. These two Roman grapplers convey an impression of muscular power and focused aggressiveness. Both are naked and engaged in a close range exchange of blows. The fighter on the left apparently tried to punch the opponent’s head. The fighter on the right, blocked the punch and grasped the attacking arm at the wrist: his vicious counterattack consisted of a hammer punch to the face and a knee blow to the groin. This technique is one of the basic maneuvers of Muay Lert Rit: the translation of its Thai name is Stabbing the Naka (Dragon Snake).

In ancient Persia as well as in the Indian sub-continent, athletes and soldiers practiced and were well versed in grappling-based combat techniques.

Indian epics like the Ramayana (around 400 BC) and the Mahabharata (400 BC) contain descriptions of grappling contests where knee strikes, punches and strangleholds were also employed (deadly Malla Yuddha or Indian combat wrestling incorporated grappling, joint-breaking, punching, biting, choking and pressure point striking) (image 4).

4. Painting: India, circa 1650 AD. Krishna and Balarama fight the evil king Kamsa’s wrestlers. The legend told that Kamsa sent Canura and Mushthika, two mountain-like wrestlers who had limbs as powerful as lightning, to confront the youthful Krishna and Balarama. The climactic moment of the fight is statically presented here with great formal drama. (courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).

In China, murals dating back to the 5th century BC show how the sophisticated grappling art of Shuai Jiao was practiced since then (image 5). An old Chinese proverb about the effectiveness of the various martial arts states that "three years of Boxing are not worth a year of Wrestling". This demonstrates how high the esteem for the grappling arts was, in ancient China.

5. Mural: China, 5th Century BC. This Han Dinasty mural entitled Chiao Ti (or Shuai Jiao) was unearthed in Shanhsi Province. It shows two fighters engaged in a grappling contest: both are shirtless, wearing long trousers and a large belt. The fighter on the left has managed to establish a single leg hold on his opponent. This is a favourable position to start a lift and throw.

Japan’s most ancient unarmed fighting system was Sumo, a grappling based combat Art that predates other noted traditional martial systems such as Ju Jitsu. The origins of Sumo wrestling are connected to the legendary fight between Taima-no-Kuyehaya and Nomi-no-Sukune, that took place in front of the Emperor Suinin (29 BC-70 AD). Before becoming a ritualized combat form, Sumo was used as a basic hand to hand combat style by Japanese military (image 6).

6. Woodblock print: Japan. This is a re-curved edition of an Edo Era original Mokuhanga made by Utagawa Kunisada in late 20th century, representing a Sumo match. The Edo or (as it is also called) Tokugawa Era, (1603 AD–1867 AD), is the final period of traditional Japan, a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the Shogunate founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

During the Middle Ages grappling techniques were extensively employed by military personnel and civilians all over the European Countries: in Germany several very detailed fechtbücher or combat manuals containing descriptions of sophisticated grappling maneuvers (pertaining to the ancient art of Ringen) were redacted by such luminaries as Albrecht Durers (whose manual was written in 1246 AD) (images 7, 8, 9),

7. Fight book: Albrecht Durers Fechtbuch - Germany, 1246 AD. The genius of Albrecht Durers, painter, printmaker, geometry, anatomy and architecture expert is evident in these 3 drawings pertaining to the hand to hand combat section of his fight book. The first drawing shows an arm lock that leads to a broken elbow; the resemblance with joint breaking techniques still used today in many Martial Arts and in Muay Pram, too, is astonishing (see the application of PaksaWaeg Rang on page 182 for a similar interpretation, in Muay Pram).t

8. Fight book: Albrecht Durers Fechtbuch - Germany, 1246 AD. In this illustration a punching or pushing arm has been grasped by the fighter on the left. The over hook hold and the follow up open hand attack to the solar plexus has many resemblances with Muay Pram’s Sadayu Ching Nang technique shown on page 175 .

9. Fight book: Albrecht Durers Fechtbuch - Germany, 1246 AD. Leg locks can be applied following an attempted hold from the back or, like it is more often the case in Muay, against a body kick. The final position is the same in both cases: the defender sits on the attacker’s knee and pulling up on his ankle breaks the trapped joint. This same technique is part of the classic arsenal of leg locks of Muay Pram fighters: the translation of its traditional name is Breaking the Diamond Pillar (see illustration on page 36)

Hans Talhoffer (who produced several manuals dating around 1450 AD) (images 10a, 10b) and Fabian von Auerswald (whose manual dates back to the year 1539 AD) (image 11). Fiore de’ Liberi from Italy, renowned fencing master and diplomat, authored one of the oldest martial arts manuals of the Italian school, the famous Flos Duellatorum written in the year 1409 AD. In the opening section of his manuscript he defines grappling (abraçar in old Italian language) as the first Art that knights had to become proficient at, even before learning to fight with weapons (image 12).

10a-b. Fight book: Hans Talhofer Fechtbuch – Germany, 1459 AD. The fighting expert Hans Talhofer presents in his book a variety of European Martial Arts of his time, giving a colourful picture of the Renaissance German warriors’ life and duties. His detailed analysis spans from War Engineering to Judicial Combat. In the 3rd part of the book Wrestling and Dagger Fighting many grappling techniques are described and admirably illustrated. Some of those techniques are still used in grappling based Martial Arts today. For example, the neck hold shown in image 10a is amazingly similar to one of the basic Chap Ko positions typical of Siamese Muay Pram fighting style. Even the arm break illustrated in image 10b is clearly a variation of Hak Pik Paksi technique shown on page 187.

11. Fight book: Fabian von Auerswald Fechtbuch - Germany, 1539 AD. Master Von Auerswald produced an extremely detailed book on the Art of Combat Wrestling, destined to Lord John Frederick Elector of Saxony. In the book’s introduction he explained his most important teachings: The greatest companion is good balance, wrestling boldly and never faint hearted. In this illustration, he personally shows how to counter a belt (waist) hold with a double over hook and a kick (or sweep) to the opponent’s lower leg. The same kind of defence is part of Muay Pram’s traditional syllabus, as shown on page 179 (Aiyara Mop technique).

12. Fight book: Fiore de’ Liberi- Flos Duellatorum – Italia, 1409 AD. Master Fiore de’ Liberi composed a treatise on Scrimia (medieval fencing) in Ferrara, Italy, following the request of Marquis Niccolò III d’Este. In his manual of medieval combat Master de’ Liberi illustrated the basic elements of a knight’s martial instruction: hand to hand combat was a substantial skill that every medieval knight needed to possess. In this illustration the figure on the left has seized the opponent’s wrist and has locked his elbow under the armpit. Lowering his center of gravity the executor can bring his foe to the ground or break his elbow joint. For an identical application in Muay Pram see Rakkrae Hak Kaen technique on page 188.

Moreover, due to their extreme effectiveness, grappling techniques were extensively employed in conjunction with swords, knives and spears, to prevail over enemies both unarmoured and armoured, all over medieval Europe.

Grappling in Asia

Among the many existing forms of combat wrestling, some