The term striking in martial arts generally refers to stand up fighting, which means everything that’s not grappling (even though strikes can be performed on the ground as well). Therefore, striking better encompasses what they do on their feet than terms like karate or Muay Thai. Striking is often used in MMA because MMA fighters try to combine some of the best striking techniques from different martial arts.

Kickboxing is a modern martial art that includes several sports/disciplines, namely: Semi contact, Light contact, Kick light, Full contact, Low kick, K-1, Thai kickboxing similar rules to Thai boxing), Musical Forms and Aero-kickboxing.

Except in disciplines where knock-outs are allowed, fights for the world and European professional titles are held in semi and light contact.

Kickboxing was created on the basis of boxing, karate, taekwondo, kung fu and other more or less famous oriental and western martial arts.

The main goal of every fighter is to overcome his opponent with better technique, speed, and strength while using maximum security, tolerance, honesty, and honor of each competitor.

In a word, Kickboxing is a Western sport – a unique answer to a large number of Eastern martial arts.

In the broad sense, kickboxing is a group of stand-up combat sports that include kicking and punching.

Even thou kickboxing is not so effective hand striking technique as boxing, it does have boxing in its name, and that is not without reason, it relies heavily on boxing skills.

Kickboxers could stand on their own in a boxing match, which cannot be said for the best and most effective striking martial art in the world since they rely more on kicks and leg techniques than kickboxers. Kickboxing also uses more punch combos, includes more headwork (just like boxing) and its footwork is much more similar to regular boxing.

Typical kickboxing kicks rely heavily on bending and withdrawing the foot after the kick and rely more on the use of kicks. It demands faster, more aggressive footwork that is aimed at attacking the opponent.

Kickboxers tend to start very strongly, very aggressively from the first sound of the bell (or street fight) and the pace slows down as the rounds (fights) pass because the energy level of the fighters decreases.

Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand. It was developed several hundred years ago as a form of close-combat that utilizes the entire body as a weapon.

According to the rules, punches, and kicks are allowed with the use of knees, elbows, and holding, pushing and throwing (without the use of locks), which makes it different from other similar sports (K1, kickboxing).

Such rules require fighters a great degree of endurance and polyvalence in the way of fighting. The level of workload in fights is extremely high, so the top competitors of this sport have a reputation as fighting “supermans”.

Unlike Kickboxing, classical Muay Thai, as practiced in Thailand, usually has five rounds and it is normal for fighters to use the first two rounds to “examine” each other before the real fighting begins in round three. This is, of course, mostly limited to Asian Muay Thai; Western practitioners usually start fighting from the beginning of the fight.

Muay Thai kicks usually come from the ground in an explosive manner and the fighter’s leg doesn’t bend while kicking. Muay Thai is an art that requires patience. Thus, a fighter has to adapt his footwork to patiently follow the opponent and his movements in order to find the right moment to strike.

Muay Thai fighters rely more on kicks and leg techniques than kickboxers, while not so much on hand techniques.

Even thou kickboxing and Muay Thai are pretty similar martial arts, to well-known fighters they are completely different, and if you would like to find out more about Muay Thai and Kickboxing differences, check out our article.

Muay Thai is the best striking martial art in the world, but it has a big rival in ‘similar’ kickboxing.