Jump to content

Making the Teep work


Recommended Posts

I'm listening to the latest Muay Thai Bones Podcast right now and I thought this time I'll post questions right away before I listen to the rest (still have about 2,5 hours to go) and forget what I was gonna ask by the time I've gone through the whole of it 😉

 

You were talking about the importance of the teep. How to use it to improve different aspects of your style or how what you're doing is perceived from the outside.

I haven't been in sparring for quite a while but I remember that when I was, I was having some problems with the teep. I do teep quite a lot. It's kind of my "standard response" to increase distance, get/keep someone off me or whatever. Especially with me having no experience in boxing (I don't trust my fists a lot yet). I'm a very tall fighter, too. I did however get my teep caught a lot or sometimes used against me in a way that redirects it so I end up more open to the following attack.

Thinking about it I think it made me a bit insecure about using it which also made me teep lower, towards the leg or maybe hip, as this is a tad quicker (less distance to cover for my foot) and generally less prone to being caught (further away from my opponents hands).

What should I do, train or focus on to improve my teep and make it more usable? Is it just a question of doing it enough to develop more trust in it? Get used to having the leg caught (also happens with kicks) and how to counter in a situation like this? Committing to it more so it makes my opponents respect it more because it's "scarier" to them?

I'm not a terribly flexible person either. Because of how tall I am I can easily kick/teep most of my opponents upper body though I do struggle with headkicks (unless, of course, if my opponent is considerably smaller than me). However, this makes it more troublesome for me if my leg gets caught. I just don't have much flex left to flick my foot out of a hold or something.

  • Nak Muay 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first thing is probably doing 100s of teeps each day, just to get more and more comfortable with the elementary action. As you get more habituated you become both more grounded (balanced) and quicker too. The second thing is to learn to pull that teep back after contact, a little like the jab is pulled back. Your teep is like a jab, its not a power shot, and all power comes from the body weight transfer, so getting the feeling of that little "pop" will just improve over time. Pretty awesome that you are listening to the Muay Thai Bones podcast!

If you keep having trouble with your teep being caught, one thing to do to get a partner every day and have them hold your teep, and work on your balance and counters to the catch. A quick turn of your leg "in", with the knee turning to point toward the floor, should free almost any catch, if you do it quickly. You can also do a "heavy leg" counter, which is you just lean forward and just weight the leg directly downward, while it remains straight. It's surprisingly effective, most do not prepare for that weight transfer. And lastly, you might be more comfortable with more of a side on teep, like the one favored by Samart at times. A straight on teep gives your heel to the opponent, as a handle to cup from below. If you teep quickly it shouldn't be a problem, but turning the foot with a side angle removes this handle. You can see Samart using his side teep in this fight:

 

Just a few thoughts.

If anyone is wondering about the podcast in question, here is the episode, we talk about the teep in the first segment:

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently heard (in a Muay Thai class in the US) that some are recommending higher teeps ( ? Maybe chest height) to avoid the problems you mention ( it’s harder to catch a high teep)

Note-I’m just repeating what I heard. I am hoping more knowledgeable and experienced people will weigh in. I’m am newer to Muay Thai and not experienced enough to advise.

  • Nak Muay 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, MadelineGrace said:

I recently heard (in a Muay Thai class in the US) that some are recommending higher teeps ( ? Maybe chest height) to avoid the problems you mention ( it’s harder to catch a high teep)

Note-I’m just repeating what I heard. I am hoping more knowledgeable and experienced people will weigh in. I’m am newer to Muay Thai and not experienced enough to advise.

In general, I think it's pretty good practice to learn to get comfortable throwing techniques higher because it kind of moves your baseline. When you get stressed, your teep might lose elevation. If you are used to throwing higher teeps mid-teeps will feel easier. As to ideal teeping height, this is the way the Dieselnoi explained it, if I recall. If facing a puncher, teep high. If facing a kicker, teep mid (controlling the hips).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks!
Your're right Kevin, I remember Dieselnoi saying that in some video! That said I should really learn to teep high as from what I'm seeing most people here are more punchers than kickers. I myself don't punch a lot though since I'm not comfortable with using my hands yet. I've practiced frontkicks, lowkicks, knees, elbows and whatnot before but never much boxing, so I tend to fall back to what I know a bit better.

I've also done the "Samart-style" side-teep a few times already (to the best of my newbie ability 😉 ) and yes, I feel pretty fine doing that as well. I just have to be very careful not to overturn when doing it because people will make me pay for that.

 

Actually one sparring-partner once advised me to not use those front kicks/teeps as much as he felt they got me into trouble. He said a good option for me would be long straight punches since I have good reach (I just can't use it (in my hands) very well yet)

Another one said that he felt it's quite hard to close in on me which I took as a compliment of sorts as he is much more experienced than I am. As far as I remember I was using mainly teeps and some kicks that day, probably with a few punches and long guard mixed in (though I have to work on that a lot more as well). Well, I try to make the best of what I can do and if that is keeping people off of me than that's a start at least. 😉

  • Respect 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Most Recent Topics

  • Latest Comments

    • This will be one of the significant challenges of trad Thai fighters going forward. They are increasingly not within the discipline and authority of the kaimuay system which developed them when young (socio-economic changes are creating a new autonomy and a cross-mix of progressive motivations) and Thailand's Muay Thai is being bent toward Western style weight cutting with new weigh-in processes. The Science of weight cutting of the trad kaimuay is made for the trad fighting system, and of the kaimuay subculture. As those disciplines become loosened they will find the new world of weight cutting competition quite difficult. There will be a lot of missed weights in the New Muay Thai that is coming. I don't know about his particular situation, but it does provoke these thoughts I've had about an increasing trend. Thais in trad Muay Thai really seldom missed weight by custom. Trad fighters near the top of the sport are going to be caught between (non-rigorously applied) Thai cutting practices, Western cutting practice suggestions (a bad combination because Thai & Western cutting is very different), amid bigger weight cutting demands. They'll find themselves chasing down big cuts late (or just deciding not to make weight like Superlek vs Rodtang), which could incur not only bad or weak cuts, but also real risk.  As I've written about before..."professionalism", which is a Western concept and identity trait, is not Thai, especially in the fighter subculture. The motivations and shapes of training as fighters - that which produced the best fighters in the world - are not those of "the professional". "Be professional" is not a Thai prescription. The cultural bounds of the kaimuay, its hierarchies, social obligation and shame are often what held a fighter's weight in check...these things are loosening, if not in some cases becoming undone all together. Khunsueklek (the purported best Muay Thai fighter in Thailand) misses weight, gives up his Raja belt.   
    • ONE didn't invent giving bonuses on top of fight pay in Thailand. In fact it took a long tradition of gamblers providing injections during fights to inspire fighters. When you hear about traditional fight pay you are missing out on the "injection" bonuses which can be substantial. Here today a fighter winning 500,000 injection bonus ($15,000+ USD) and being guided into the stands to thank the gamblers (who are often portrayed in simplistic caricatured ways). It's an ecosystem out of balance, but its still an ecosystem, in which parts support parts. Instead in ONE this bonus tradition has been transferred to only ONE big boss, being handed out on the preference of a single man, who is attempting to steer the aesthetic of Muay Thai itself...away from tradition.  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=791304983340912&rdid=mUWvMklDzJ4i3xa6  
    • Watched this fight yesterday, and was really moved by Devy. Looking back at Bill's skills he's everything Entertainment Muay Thai dreams of for a fighter, mixing combinations with Thai techniques, eyes and timing. Beautiful stuff. But Devy is incredible...in such a subtle way. He's like: I'm take your pyrotechniques and just hold position and cover, then move the set, take, hold blast a lowkick to your back thigh. It's like watching a chef cook a masterpiece with 3 ingredients. It really doesn't matter who won this fight, its up over 150 lbs, its the art of this cloistered, minimalist fighting, and his shrug-offs of the aggression and attempts to intimidate. Bill probably the most skilled Western fighter in history, but something deeper and older going on here with Devy. Something that is almost painful to receive beamed across the decades to here and now, as everyone is trying to push Muay Thai into Entertainment and Westernization, Globalization.   
  • The Latest From Open Topics Forum

    • Hi all, Does anyone know of any suppliers for blanks (Plain items to design and print a logo on) that are a good quality? Or put me in the right direction? thanks all  
    • The first fight between Poot Lorlek and Posai Sittiboonlert was recently uploaded to youtube. Posai is one of the earliest great Muay Khao fighters and influential to Dieselnoi, but there's very little footage of him. Poot is one of the GOATs and one of Posai's best wins, it's really cool to see how Posai's style looked against another elite fighter.
    • Yeah, this is certainly possible. Thanks! I just like the idea of a training camp pre-fight because of focus and getting more "locked in".. Do you know of any high level gyms in europe you would recommend? 
    • You could just pick a high-level gym in a European city, just live and train there for however long you want (a month?). Lots of gyms have morning and evening classes.
    • Hi, i have a general question concerning Muay-Thai training camps, are there any serious ones in Europe at all? I know there are some for kickboxing in the Netherlands, but that's not interesting to me or what i aim for. I have found some regarding Muay-Thai in google searches, but what iv'e found seem to be only "retreats" with Muay-Thai on a level compareable to fitness-boxing, yoga or mindfullness.. So what i look for, but can't seem to find anywhere, are camps similar to those in Thailand. Grueling, high-intensity workouts with trainers who have actually fought and don't just do this as a hobby/fitness regime. A place where you can actually grow, improve technique and build strength and gas-tank with high intensity, not a vacation... No hate whatsoever to those who do fitness-boxing and attend retreats like these, i just find it VERY ODD that there ain't any training camps like those in Thailand out there, or perhaps i haven't looked good enough?..  Appericiate all responses, thank you! 
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      1.4k
    • Total Posts
      11.5k
×
×
  • Create New...