TAIJIQUAN TECHNIQUE AGAINST MUAI THAI ROUND-HOUSE KICKS
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How would a Taijiquan exponent defend against a round-house kick of a Muai Thai kickboxer?
Have a look at the Taijiquan pattern called "High Patting Horse" shown above. Many Taiji students would not know how to use it for combat. Most would be surprised that it is an excellent counter against a ferocious round-house kick of a Muai Thai kickboxer. The following pictures illustrate how this is done.
In the picture I use the typical Taijiquan poise pattern "Lifting Hands", and my disciple Goh Kok Hin poses as a Muai Thai fighter.
As Goh attacks me with a round-house kick, I shift my body slightly to my right to avoid the full force of his attack. Without interrupting my momentum, I simultaneously move my left leg and my left arm diagonally forward, with my left arm bent at my elbow, beneath and holding Goh's thigh. Goh's ferocious kick cannot hurt me because by moving diagonally forward I have actually moved away from his attacking shin.
Continuing the momentum I place my right leg behind Goh's standing leg, and with my right palm I push Goh to fall backward onto the ground, with me still holding his left leg. If I squart down I could smash Gohs gentials with my right knee, but I wuld not do that, but place my right knee on his abdominal dan tian keeping him under control.
One should note that merely knowing the above techniques is insufficent to defend against a ferocious Muai Thai round-house attack -- a mis-conception not uncommon among kungfu students. He must have other combat factors like force, timing and temperament, and must have practised the techniques in conjuction with these other factors many, many times before he can effectively put them into real life situations.
