What Is This Strike Called? A Visual Glossary of Muay Thai Techniques

You’re three weeks into Muay Thai classes, watching a training video, and the instructor throws something at the 1:32 mark that drops his pad holder’s guard wide open. You rewind it four times. You can’t replicate it. You can’t even name it. So you post a clip to Reddit and type: “What is this strike called?”

That question gets asked on r/MuayThai constantly, and for good reason. Muay Thai has a dense library of techniques drawn from centuries of Thai military and sport fighting tradition, and the Thai names don’t map cleanly onto any Western fighting vocabulary. A teep and a push kick are the same thing, except when coaches use them differently. A sok is just the Thai word for elbow, but trainers use it as a prefix for a dozen distinct strikes. Beginners stall out because they can’t identify what they’re watching, let alone drill it.

This glossary covers every major Muay Thai strike category with the Thai name, the common English translation, a short mechanics description, and where it fits in a real fight or training session. Use it as a reference you come back to, not a one-read article.

Why the Names Actually Matter

Knowing technique names isn’t just trivia. It changes how fast you improve. When your trainer calls out “teep to the hip” in a pad round and you already have a mental model of what that means, you can react in the moment instead of freezing. When you watch a fight or a technique breakdown and the names are familiar, the technique sticks in your memory faster because it has a label attached.

There’s also a respect dimension. Muay Thai is a Thai martial art with its own language and history. Learning the terminology is a small but genuine way of engaging with that tradition rather than just extracting the fighting system from it. Most good gyms use Thai names interchangeably with English ones, and knowing both makes you easier to coach.

For anyone drilling solo rounds on the bag, naming techniques also helps with programming. A round structured around “teep, body kick, push off” is more memorable and trackable than “kick-ish thing, side-kick thing, shove.” If you use a structured round timer to program your bag work, building rounds around named techniques makes the session easier to design and repeat.

Punches: Mat (มัด) and the Hand Strikes

Muay Thai punches are generally called mat, and while boxing has four primary punches, Muay Thai uses a smaller punching vocabulary, since the hands share real estate with elbows, knees, kicks, and clinch work. The key hand strikes you’ll hear named in class:

• Mat trong (Straight punch / Cross): The direct straight punch. Mechanically similar to a boxing cross, though Muay Thai versions are often thrown less extended to protect the chin when reengaging range after a kick.
• Mat wiang san (Short hook / Hook): The looping horizontal punch. Called “short” to distinguish it from a swinging hay-maker that leaves you exposed.
• Mat wiang yao (Long hook / Swing): The wider looping punch, sometimes a deliberate overhand or a cover-distance shot. Used more situationally than the short hook.
• Mat upper (Uppercut): Borrowed directly from English boxing. The vertical punch driving upward into the chin or body. Usually inside the clinch or at close range after a slip.
• Mat klab lang (Backfist / Spinning backfist): A spinning strike using the back of the fist. Flashy and used situationally, often to punish a ducking or circling opponent.

In most gym contexts, trainers will simply say “jab,” “cross,” or “hook,” using boxing terminology. The Thai names show up more in formal instruction, in Thai-language training environments, and in discussions of traditional style.

Kicks: Tae (เตะ)

Kicks in Muay Thai are tae, and this is where the vocabulary expands considerably. The kick is the most powerful strike in the arsenal, and the variety reflects how central kicking is to the sport.

• Tae tad (Round kick / Low kick or body kick): The foundational Muay Thai kick. Thrown with the shin, rotating the entire body from the hip. “Tad” means “to cut” — this kick is designed to chop rather than push. Directed at the thigh (low kick), ribs, or head depending on elevation.
• Tae trong (Straight kick / Teep): Often called the teep in English. A linear pushing kick using the ball of the foot or heel, thrown to create distance, check the opponent’s advance, or disrupt their rhythm. Directed at the midsection most commonly, though also thrown at the face or hip.
• Teep (Push kick / Front kick): Technically a subset of tae trong, but so commonly used as its own term in English instruction that it deserves its own entry. The teep is Muay Thai’s most versatile long-range tool. A good teep has destroyed more charging opponents than any other single technique.
• Tae klab (Spinning heel kick / Spinning back kick): A rotating strike using the heel, delivered by spinning away from the opponent and making contact with the back heel. Requires precise distance management and timing.
• Kao loi (Jumping knee / Flying knee): Technically categorized under knees but often discussed alongside spinning and jumping kicks. A running or jumping strike driving the knee forward into the opponent’s chin or chest. High risk, high spectacle, and legitimately effective in the right moment.

The round kick’s mechanics deserve special emphasis because they’re different from karate or kickboxing kicks in ways that trip up new students. In Muay Thai, the foot is relaxed (not pointed or flexed), the shin drives through the target, the standing heel drops as the hip rotates, and you follow through past the target. The arm swings down and back to generate torque. If your coach keeps telling you to “swing your arm,” they’re cuing the hip rotation sequence through the upper body movement.

For a full breakdown of the round kick specifically, these five kick-power drills work through the mechanics from the ground up.

Elbows: Sok (ศอก)

Sok is the Thai word for elbow, and Muay Thai has more elbow variations than most combat sports combined. Elbow strikes are used almost exclusively at close range, inside the clinch, or when an opponent ducks or shoots in. In Thailand, they’re a primary tool for cutting opponents above the eye. In gyms that restrict elbow-to-head contact in sparring, sok work still shows up on pads and bags.

• Sok tad (Horizontal elbow): The most common elbow strike. The arm swings in a horizontal arc, making contact with the point of the elbow. Directed at the temple, nose, or jaw.
• Sok ngad (Uppercut elbow / Upward elbow): Driven upward from below, similar to an uppercut but using the elbow. Targets the chin or nose at close range.
• Sok klap (Spinning elbow / Back elbow): A spinning strike using the elbow, driven by a full body rotation. Requires commitment and distance accuracy, but makes contact with tremendous force when it lands cleanly.
• Sok saw (Diagonal elbow): A diagonal drop from above at roughly 45 degrees, coming over the opponent’s guard. “Saw” means to chop with a saw motion — the strike mimics that downward cutting angle.
• Sok ku (Double elbow): Both elbows thrown in a sequence or simultaneously, typically in the clinch as a defensive or offensive burst. Also called a “double elbow” in English instruction.
• Sok glab (Rear elbow): Driven backward using the elbow to make contact behind the fighter, used when an opponent is in a rear clinch or headlock.

For a longer breakdown of elbow mechanics and variations, this elbow strikes guide covers setup, distance, and which variations to drill first as a beginner.

Knees: Kao (เข่า)

Kao is the Thai word for knee, and knee strikes are one of Muay Thai’s defining features relative to boxing and kickboxing. Knees are primarily deployed inside the clinch, making them inseparable from Muay Thai’s grappling dimension.

• Kao trong (Straight knee): Driven directly forward into the midsection or sternum. The most common knee in the clinch. The hip drives forward as the knee lifts, not upward in a ramp.
• Kao tad (Round knee / Horizontal knee): The knee swings in a horizontal arc, similar to a round kick but with the knee. Targets the ribs, floating ribs, or thigh of a bent-over opponent.
• Kao noi (Small knee / Knee dig): A short, tight knee strike using minimal space, driven into the thigh or inner thigh. Used inside tight clinch positions where longer strikes have no room.
• Kao loi (Flying knee): A running or jumping knee, usually to the chin or chest, thrown from outside clinch range. Iconic in highlight reels; requires commitment and accurate distance reads.
• Kao dode (Jumping knee): Similar to kao loi but sometimes distinguished by the take-off mechanics. Some coaches use the terms interchangeably; others reserve kao loi for the running-jump variation and kao dode for a stationary jump.

Knee strikes become dramatically more dangerous when combined with a neck clinch. The clinch lets you control head position and angle, then drive a straight knee with the opponent unable to move away. This combination is one reason the Muay Thai clinch is so different from a boxing clinch, where you’re mostly just waiting for a referee to break you.

The Clinch: Chap Kho and What Happens Inside It

The chap kho, or neck clinch, is the position most associated with Muay Thai’s inside game. “Chap” means to grab, “kho” means neck. The classic two-handed neck clinch involves both hands wrapped around the back of the opponent’s head, fingers interlocked or crossing, pulling the head downward to expose the body to knee strikes.

Inside the clinch, you’ll hear several terms for what happens next:

• Kwang (Deer play / The sweeping motion): A tilting hip move used inside the clinch to unbalance the opponent by pivoting and pulling them sideways off their base.
• Tim (Clinch sweep / Trip): A foot or leg trip from the clinch, using hip rotation to dump the opponent. Trips and throws are legal in Muay Thai, making the clinch a full wrestling and sweeping zone.
• Pong (Clinch break): Used by coaches to cue the defensive break from the clinch, often by framing the opponent’s biceps and pushing to create space for long weapons.

The clinch is its own discipline. If you’ve come from boxing, you’ll find it disorienting that the referee doesn’t immediately break you when you get inside. Learning to do anything useful inside the chap kho takes dedicated drilling, and most beginners get swept or kneed without understanding why.

If you’re a boxer making the transition, the clinch work is one of the sharpest skill gaps, right alongside checking low kicks. This breakdown of the first 30 days switching from boxing to Muay Thai goes into what specifically changes and what transfers.

Defensive Techniques and Their Names

Defense in Muay Thai has its own vocabulary, though trainers often default to descriptive English cues. The terms worth knowing:

• Rap (Block / Catch): A generic term for a blocking or catching defense. “Rap kick” means catch the kick; “rap jun” means catch or block the punch.
• Phak (Cross-arm block / Shell): The crossed-arm block covering the face, typical of blocking a hook or cross by crossing the arms in front of the head.
• Gard (Guard): Borrowed from English. Your defensive posture. Trainers will say “gard!” when they want you to reset your hands to defensive position.
• Check (Leg check): Lifting the lead shin to intercept an incoming low kick. Proper checks aim to land the opponent’s shin on the point of yours. A well-executed check is one of the most painful experiences a kicker has.
• Tap (Parry): A redirecting hand strike, deflecting the opponent’s punch rather than absorbing it. Common against the jab.

The Wai Kru and Ram Muay: The Ritual Opening

Not a fighting technique, but included because beginners often ask about it. The wai kru ram muay is the pre-fight ritual dance performed before every traditional Muay Thai bout. “Wai kru” means “paying respect to the teacher” — an expression of gratitude to coaches and the tradition. “Ram muay” refers to the dance itself, with movements varying by gym and region.

Understanding its existence and meaning helps contextualize the cultural dimension of what you’re learning. It also signals to anyone watching that this is not just a fighting sport but a tradition with deep roots in Thai history. A useful primer on this cultural side of Muay Thai is available through Thailand Muay Thai’s history overview.

Stance and Movement Terms

A few positional terms come up regularly enough to include:

• Cheing (Stance / Position): Your fighting stance. Trainers will cue “cheing!” to reset you to a proper guard position.
• Na tae (Front leg / Lead leg): The front leg, closer to the opponent. The target of low kick attacks and the platform for the teep.
• Lang tae (Rear leg / Back leg): The rear leg, the primary power source for round kicks and many knee strikes.
• Dern (Advance / Step forward): A cue to step forward, often to enter range for a knee or elbow.
• Thoi (Backward / Retreat): Retreat or step back. A common defensive cue after countering.

How to Actually Learn These in the Gym

Reading a glossary helps. Training with it helps more. A few practical suggestions for absorbing technique names faster:

Ask during shadow rounds. Shadow boxing is the best time to ask your trainer “what was that thing you just did?” without interrupting live pad work or sparring. Most trainers are happy to name and demonstrate during shadow rounds.

Watch fights with subtitles or commentary. Thai fight commentary uses these names constantly. You don’t need to understand everything — just hear “teep” or “sok” and watch what follows on screen.

Build named combos into your bag rounds. Instead of “punch kick combo,” program a round around “jab, cross, teep” or “double jab, body kick, check.” Using Heavy Bag Pro lets you structure rounds by technique focus, which reinforces vocabulary and muscle memory at the same time. It’s especially useful when you’re drilling specific weapon categories solo, like a full round of only teep variations.

Don’t try to memorize everything at once. Focus on the technique category you’re actively drilling. If your trainer is working your elbows this week, learn the sok vocabulary this week. Trying to absorb 40 new Thai terms in a day is how you retain zero of them.

A Note on Regional Variation

Muay Thai technique names are not perfectly standardized. Different regions of Thailand, different gym lineages, and different eras of the sport produce slight name variations. A technique one gym calls “kao noi” another might call “kao short.” The same spinning elbow gets called “sok klap” or “sok wiang glab” depending on who you ask.

This doesn’t mean the names are wrong or unreliable — it means Muay Thai is a living tradition with regional dialects. If you encounter a technique name in this article that your trainer uses differently, trust your trainer. They know their lineage. The important thing is having a vocabulary to communicate about technique, not achieving perfect standardization of Thai martial terminology.

The same principle applies when watching fights from different eras. Golden-era Muay Thai (1970s to 1990s) emphasized clinch work, sweeps, and teeps far more than modern stadium Muay Thai, which trends toward more boxing and high kicks. Both are Muay Thai. Neither is “more correct.” Understanding the technique names across both styles lets you appreciate the tactical differences instead of just seeing “different kickboxing.”

Quick Reference: The Strikes at a Glance

Punches: Mat trong (straight), Mat wiang san (hook), Mat upper (uppercut), Mat klab lang (spinning backfist)

Kicks: Tae tad (round kick/shin kick), Teep or Tae trong (push kick/front kick), Tae klab (spinning heel kick)

Elbows: Sok tad (horizontal), Sok ngad (uppercut elbow), Sok saw (diagonal), Sok klap (spinning), Sok ku (double)

Knees: Kao trong (straight), Kao tad (round), Kao noi (short/dig), Kao loi (flying)

Clinch: Chap kho (neck clinch), Tim (sweep/trip), Pong (break)

Defense: Check (leg check), Phak (cross-arm block), Tap (parry), Gard (guard reset)

If you’re building structured bag rounds using technique-focused drills, the free boxing round timer at heavybag.pro/boxingtimer/ makes it easy to program rounds around specific technique categories from this glossary. Set a teep-only round, a clinch-entry round, or an elbow-and-knee combo round, and drill the names alongside the movements.

Muay Thai rewards people who are curious enough to understand what they’re learning, not just imitate it. Knowing what a technique is called is how you start owning it instead of just copying it.