Muay Thai: A Living Legacy

Rating:
Summary: nice pictures, good history, techniuqe so basic it amazes!
Review: After much hype I bought this book, it is NOT a bad book, it has beautiful pictures, lots of historical info and top guys doing the demonstrations

But the technique is so basic it is painful to have to look out, I paid $40 for "the most low level idiot's guide to punches and kicks"??

For an art whose #1 strength is the clinch, there is NO clinch work in this book....

It is just "punch with left, punch with fight, hook with left, hook with right"

TURN PAGE

knee with right, knee with left
front kick with left, front kick with right

There is also barely ANY defense taught!!!

If you love Muay Thai you will want this book, if you want good technical instruction, you are wasting your time

Rating:
Summary: Best martial arts book ever!
Review: I have been practicing muay-thai for 10 years. I never come close to a quality book like Muay Thai by Kat Prayukvong. I love how the author represents each move and technique, shot by shot. I was so amzed how much more stuff I have asorbed after reading through this book. I would recommended Muay Thai and Kickboxing fans to at least have this book....I love it!

Rating:
Summary: Best martial arts book ever!
Review: I have been practicing muay-thai for 10 years. I never come close to a quality book like Muay Thai by Kat Prayukvong. I love how the author represents each move and technique, shot by shot. I was so amzed how much more stuff I have asorbed after reading through this book. I would recommended Muay Thai and Kickboxing fans to at least have this book....I love it!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book for the Muay Thai fan!
Review: I recently started training in Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) and this is the first book I ever bought on the subject. I've looked at several other books on Muay Thai and this one is one of the best. It has clear photographs and step by step instructions for using the techniques. For those who are interested in learning an easy yet effective fighting system, you should look into Muay Thai. This book is a great starting point for getting to know this fighting style and the techniques it uses. It also discusses the origins of Muay Thai as well as some famous Thais who contributed to this style. It goes over basic rituals and it also includes a chapter which shows some tricks which can be employed in the ring. I highly recommend this book for ANY martial arts fan, regardless of your particular style but if you train in Muay Thai or are thinking about starting, then you should definitely get this book, you'll be happy you did. Also, there is another Muay Thai book that is equally good and this is "Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art Of Fighting" by Panya Kraitus. Happy punching!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent quality with great information.
Review: This book is beautiful, the quality is superb, all of the
pages are 'color-glossy.' It reminds me of a coffee table
book.

Where this book is most valuable is in giving a good overview
of Muay Thai. For example some reviewers wrote that this book
provides NO reference to defense. I will agree that it is
indeed a shortcoming. However, there are plenty of good
things to say.

'Living Legacy' provides a brief history of "Muay," it also
provides information on the rites and rituals involved in Muay
Thai --which is great for the Western enthusiast.

A great example is that "wai" or the Thai bow is thoroughly
explained: when to use it, to whom, etc. Things like the
ritual dance "Wai Khru" is also explained in detail, along
with instructions for performing the 'dance.'

As far as the criticism mentioned above, I think it is
important to realize that this books covers in great detail
the "basics." For example it describes exactly how high to
hold your hands in the "fighting position." It does not
cover everything (like defense, and clench work). It is not
a "fight strategy" guide by any means.

What it DOES do is explain in great detail all of the
offenses (7-10 of each: punches, elbows, knees, kicks).

It gives great examples of the Thai language (including
glossary) and gives the Thai words/phrases for all moves.

This book is beautiful, with great pictures, and is an
excellent resource for anyone wanting to know more about Muay
Thai. For practictioners of Muay Thai, it does a great job
of explaining basic technique-- important because everything
is built from these.

Rating:
Summary: An extensively practical resource
Review: Written and edited by Lesley D. Junlakan, as well as coordinated and researched by Kat Prayukvong, Muay Thai: A Living Legacy is an expertly informative and stunningly presented introduction, survey, and guide to the martial art of Muay Thai in an instructional manual which is illustrated with full-color photographs on every page in an unforgettable visual display. An extensively practical resource, as well as a pictorial and emotional celebration of this ancient traditional style, Muay Thai is a unique and welcome addition to the growing library of Martial Arts literature.