#138 Detduang Por. Pongsawang - Close Range Counter Power (91 min) (Patreon)

We were so happy to finally film with Detduang who is a kru at PK Saenchai, and who fought all the top names of the Golden Age, contesting for stadium belts several times. He has a powerful, closing style that is made for shorter fighters who don't want to dance around and be evasive. The principles of his fighting are for anyone who wants to stand in, especially if you want to use the lowkick. I hope you enjoy! 

What To Look Out For:

1) Progression of Rounds: this isn't something that Detduang ever explicitly states or instructs, but it's so illustrative, informative, and helpful; he uses our padwork to progress from offense and closing distance, to defense and maintaining distance, just like one would in a standard, 5 round, narratively scored fight in Thailand. Padwork informs a great deal about how a fighter will fight, and this is a brilliant example of how that works. Also, as a short fighter, how he uses defense within his offense to close distance and stay close is so helpful.

2) Leg Kicks, Get the Lead Pipe: there are different ways of throwing leg kicks, equally effective but to very different ends. Detduang is in the "do damage" camp, not the stinging camp, and he accomplishes this by targeting the IT Band with the center of his shin, and chopping with his kicking leg very straight.

3) Weight Transfer for Counters, Weight Transfer for Offense: this, again, is not explicitly instructed but it is very clearly illustrated and I try to bring it out in my voiceover. The ways in which Detduang transfers his weight between his feet and through his torso off of defensive moves, so that he can land counters, and offensive strikes, is really efficient and powerful.

4) Body Cross from Longer: similar to how Wangchannoi insists that uppercuts and hooks need to be longer in Muay Thai because of elbows, body punches are often longer as well for the same reasons, as well as because of knees. Detduang's body punch is very long, aims at the diaphragm, and doesn't bring his head forward at all.

5) Short Range Spear Knee: this sucks to be on the receiving end of, and while it's excellent for short fighters, it isn't exclusive to them. You need to make space for knees regardless of what kind they are, but in the case that your opponent pushes their hips very deeply toward you to stifle your knees, this one you just tuck your knee straight up between the two of you and then fold your opponent over it. Once their bent, you can do a standard step-back for one straight to the face or chest.

6) Matador as an In-Fighter: I will admit that I often think of the "matador and bull" dynamic as being between a backwards fighter and a forward fighter; but Detduang's progression through his rounds that I described in article 1 of what to look out for illustrates how even forward fighters can be the matador, and this, again, is excellent for short fighters but equally great for everyone. It's about cutting angles while staying close, pivoting, interrupting and parrying the opponent's guard to stay close.

7) Take a Beat: this concept was first taught to me by Kru Khorat and it changed a great deal about how I think about, view, and experience Muay Thai. A lot of us rush without realizing it. We think being "fast" means minimizing the time between our own movements, rather than being explosive with room to breathe between the explosions. Detduang will catch a kick and hold it, pause, "take a beat" before executing an off-balancing move and counter. This is so good for so many reasons, perhaps the most of which is that it makes the moves so legible, but it also makes sure that you don't spoil the technique or power on the counter move by rushing.

Other Sessions Referenced:

these are the deep study footnotes from my commentary. Look up the references and see the parallels in other fighters. 

#69 Sagat Petchyindee 4 - Muay Maat Tigers & Snakes (67 min) watch it here

#93 Wangchannoi Palangchai #1 - Deadly Step Counter Fighting (70 min)

#61 Arjan Surat 1 - Old School Master (37 min) watch it here

#46 Bluksek "Kru Noi" Sityodtong - Internal Knees & Elbows (59 min) watch it here

#136 Lamnammoon Sor. Sumalee | Relentless, Spearing, Ripping Muay Khao (92 mins)

#65 Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn 1 - Sharking The Angles (67 min) watch it here

#14 Chatchai Sasakul 1 - Perfecting Hands (106 min) watch it here

#39 Khorat Saknarin - Precise Tensions (97 min) watch it here

#103 Metprik Silachai - Lost Techniques of Old School Muay Maat Lowkick Pressure (81 min) watch it here

Dokmaibaa and Detduang

Detduang, already at age 26, fighting a young Oley.

Detduang (left) and Parnpetch (right)

Some of Kevin's photos from the session:

If you enjoyed this session, these are sessions on similar themes you might enjoy:

#43 Kongsamut Sor. Thanikul - Muay Mat Style (74 min) watch it here

This Lumpinee champion is perhaps most notable for when he lost a fight for the 102 lb Lumpinee belt, against famed Samart. Samart winning his first belt of many. Kongsamut has a beautiful Muay Mat (punchers) style that he mixes with low kicks, very differently than the Pornsanae style. He fights in close, and is constantly twisting, hitting high and low. Any Muay Thai puncher would benefit from the principles in his style.

#103 Metprik Silachai - Lost Techniques of Old School Muay Maat Lowkick Pressure (81 min) watch it here

Wow what a session. Arjan Metprik was not only a great fighter of the Silver Age of Muay Thai, he created the relentless fighting style of 2001 Fighter of the Year Thongchai Tor. Silachai. It's just an amazing lowkick, knee and Muay Maat style full of pressure and toughness. See how he trains his fighters in this Old School Khorat gym.

#29 Pornsanae Sitmonchai - The Power of Hooks & Low Kicks (74 min) watch it here

A whole system of low kick and hook attacks is taught in this one session. Rajadamnren and 2x Lumpinee Champion Pornsanae is known for his brutal power fighting and this is how he gets it done. Cutting angles, lead arm control, invading space. Pornsanae teaches his philosophy.

#39 Khorat Saknarin - Precise Tensions (97 min) watch it here

The muay of Kru Khorat is kind of incredible. I've been in front of a lot of legends and krus but this hidden gem kru was just bristling with techniques and a dynamic, violent Muay Thai. And it felt like it could go on for hours. He's a kru who has thought a lot about his Muay Thai and probably sharpened it even after his retirement from fighting. This session is a treasure trove.

#37 Kongtoranee Payakaroon - Power In The Hands (89 min) watch it here

5x Lumpinee Champion, 2x Fighter of the Year, Kongtoranee teaches the fundamental grounding of strikes that made him one of the most feared heavy-handed fighters in Thailand. Such economy of movement expresses the true beauty in his style, quite different than - but no less admirable - that of his young brother Samart.

#131 Panomtuanlek Hapalang - The Secret of Tidal Knees (100 min) watch it here

Called Mr. Tidal Knees, Panomtuanlek completes the trinity of Muay Khao greatness documented from the famed Hapalang gym. This is such a rare and beautiful session, perhaps Top 10 in the entire Library. Panomtuanlek teaches his base of movement and postures which allowed him to become one of the most dominant Muay Khao fighters of the Golden Age.

The 36 DONT miss sessions in the Library

The Library is huge so Kevin and I picked the 36 don't miss sessions, our favorites and just best overall:

#131 Panomtuanlek Hapalang - The Secret of Tidal Knees

#130 Sagat Petchyindee 5 - The Coil and the Uppercut

#129 Cherry Sor Wanich - Unbreakable Lock Muay Thai

#128 Samingnoom Sitboontam - Femeu Timing & Dominance

#114 Kru Diesel 2 - The Beauty of Building a Muay Khao Fighter

#112 Chatchainoi Chaoraioi - The Best Padman in Thailand

#111 The Karuhat Rosetta Stone 7 - The Secrets of the Matador 

#104 Yodkhunpon Sittraipum 4 - The Art of Shadowboxing

#103 Metprik Silachai - Old School Muay Maat Lowkick Pressure

#96 Hippy Singmanee 3 - Basics of Balance, Rhythm & Footwork

#95 Wangchannoi Palangchai 2 - Powers of a Cool Heart

#94 Wangchannoi Palangchai 1 - Deadly Step Counter Fighting

#90 Arjan Surat 2 - His Old School Tough & Defensive Style

#89 Arjan Pipa JockyGym - The Roots of Femeu

#82 Chanchai Sor. Tummarungsri - The King of Teeps

#81 Chamuakpet Hapalang 2 - Muay Khao Internal Attacks

#77 Kru Diesel F.A. Group 1 - The Art of Knees

#76 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 4 - How to Fight Tall

#74 Samson Isaan 2 - Muay Khao & Western Boxing Excellence

#73 Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn 2 - Overcoming Distance

#65 Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn 1 - Sharking The Angles

#64 Chatchai Sasakul 2 - Elements of Boxing

#57 Boonlai Sor. Thanikul - Kicking Excellence

#56 Tanadet Tor. Pran49 - Mastering Long Clinch

#55 Manop Manop Gym 1 - The Art of the Teep

#49 Chamuakpet Hapalang 1 - Devastating Knee in Combination

#45 Langsuan Panyutapum - Monster Muay Khao Training

#41 Samson Isaan 1 - The Art of Dern Fighting

#36 General Tunwakom 1 - Lertrit Military Muay

#34 Samart Payakaroon - Balance, Balance, Balance! 

#33 Kru San Sitmonchai 1 - Control of Pace & Distance when Advancing

#26 Sagat Petchyindee 1 - Explosive Power

#20 Karuhat Sor Supawan 3 - Switching To Southpaw

#14 Chatchai Sasakul 1 - Perfecting Hands

#8 Sangtiennoi Sor Rungroj - Advanced Clinch

#B7 Karuhat Sor. Supawan - Forward Check