Do you want to learn how to use your elbows like punches? This comprehensive guide will teach all that you need to know to get started doing so!
They’re arguably the most under-utilized weapon in all of martial arts and certainly so in the UFC. Only recently have we begun to see them used to their fullest potential in mixed martial arts competition, most notably by former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and current women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
The video below will not only go over the many different kinds of elbow strikes that can be used, but also the strategies used behind them. Even if you don’t intend on employing them as a main weapon in your arsenal their value is undeniable whether standing or on the ground.
And just in case you happen to be unfamiliar with either elbow strikes or Muay Thai as a whole..
An elbow strike (commonly referred to as simply an “elbow”) is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow. Elbows can be thrown sideways similarly to a hook, upwards similarly to an uppercut, downwards with the point of the elbow, diagonally or in direct movement and in several other ways like during a jump etc. Elbowing is a disallowed practice in most combat sports. However, Muay Thai and several mixed martial arts (MMA) organizations do allow elbowing, or allow elbowing in a specific manner.
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About Muay Thai:
Muay Thai is a combat sport of Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This physical and mental discipline which includes combat on shins is known as “the art of eight limbs” because it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins, being associated with a good physical preparation that makes a full-contact fighter very efficient. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the twentieth century, when practitioners defeated notable practitioners of other martial arts[Source: Wikipedia]
Have you ever given elbows a try in training? If not, might you give them a try after watching the video above? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
