All Things Burmese - Traditions - Recreation

History	People	Places
Traditions	Product Catalogue	Contact Us

Recreation - Lethwei

Lethwei also known as Burmese Boxing and Myanmar Traditional Boxing, is a form of kickboxing which originated in Burma (Myanmar). Lethwei is in many ways similar to its siblings from neighboring Southeast Asian countries such as Tomoi from Malaysia, Pradal Serey from Cambodia, Muay Lao from Laos and Muay Thai from Thailand. Muay Thai is referred to as the science of 8 limbs, so Lethwei can be called the science of 9 limbs, due to the allowance of head-butts. In comparison, Lethwei can be interpreted as being bolder and more extreme. The techniques are a bit slower and stronger than in the other Southeast Asian kickboxing forms, possibly because it has more Indian influence than the other styles. There are records recording Lethwei style matches dating back to the Pyu Empire in Burma. Ancient Burma armies successfully used Lethwei, Bando and its armed sibling Banshay in winning many wars against neighbouring countries. Participants fight without gloves only wrapping their hands in hemp or gauze cloth , rules are similar to Muay Thai but allow and encourage all manner of takedowns along with head butts. Traditionally held outdoors in sandpits instead of rings but in modern times are now held in rings. Popular technique in Lethwei include leg kicks, knees, elbows, head butts, raking knuckle strikes and ballistic takedowns.

	Poster
Matches traditionally would go until a fighter can no longer continue. If a knockout occurs the boxer is revived and has the option of continuing as a result defence, conditioning and learning to absorb punishment are very important. Burmese boxers spend a great deal of time preparing the body to absorb impact and conditioning their weapons to dish it out. Matches today are carried out in both the traditional manner and a more modern offshoot started in 1996 the Myanma Traditional Boxing. The modern style has changed to make the contests more of an organized sport under the government organizations. The goal seems to be to make it a more marketable sport. Many of the ethnic groups within Burma have their own variant of the indigenous martial arts giving them sometimes distinctly different styles of Lethwei that make for exciting action packed matches.
The Kachin variant of Lethwei is referred to as soft (relaxed) there is very little wasted motion or effort. Lethwei matches usually start in long range with kicks to the legs and raking punches to the face in an effort to draw blood as matches continue the fighters end up in the in the clinch and the primary weapons used are standing grappling with various takedowns and sweeps along with the preferred finishing weapons of head-butts, elbows and knees. The Kachin Practitioner generally prefers to fight from the clinch and tends not to fall after missing with a long distance strike opting to follow low line kicks and raking punches into close range. If the sport is viewed in the context of preparing one for battle you can see that it not only teaches timing, distance and movement but also the ability to absorb and deliver punishment thereby winning a war of attrition. The goal is not so much the winning and losing but fighting hard and learning lessons.
	Poster