So you want to learn about the different types of guards in Muay Thai. Playing around with your guard type until you find the one that fits you best—is critical for your fighting skills. You might dislike the traditional guard, which we’ll cover in this article. So you’ll choose another one and find more success with it.
It’s all about finding the one that fits you best. It’s just about you, and this is why this article will be valuable to you. What we’ll do is cover the main types but also give you step-by-step instructions to perform them, including each guard’s weaknesses and strengths. This will allow you to choose the one you like most.
So what does finding your chosen guard and perfecting it give you?
- Better defense
- Creating more openings easily
- Striking more powerfully
- Diversify your Muay Thai skills
- Make you an all-around better fighter
Hopefully, this got you excited to research the different guard types in Muay Thai. Without further introduction, let’s dive into the best ones you want to learn.
#1 – Long Guard
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Keeps your opponent in your range | Creates openings for your opponent |
| Keeps your opponent from attacking | Tires your arms quicker |
| Better for tall fighters | Not suitable for shorter fighters |
| Creates openings easily |
The first type of guard we’ll review is the long guard. This is more suitable for tall fighters with bigger hand reach. That’s because it utilizes a very simple technique, which is to place your gloves on top of the opponent’s gloves and play around. But before we cover the more advanced techniques, let’s review its very basics.
The long guard is when you’re in your traditional Muay Thai stance but extend your arms further. While this creates many openings from the sides and both to your head and body, it also allows you to hit your opponent much easier, create openings, and defend yourself.
A great technique with the long guard is to place your gloves on top of your opponent’s gloves. Then, you can play around with it by baiting him to hit you, pushing his gloves down, or even moving forward while pulling him toward you to go for the clinch or Knee Strike.
For instance, You can push the opponent’s hands down to create openings for strikes. For example, you can push the opponent’s gloves down and follow up with a cross. You can also throw an Elbow and cause tons of damage.
Another great option with the long guard is to place your gloves on top of your opponent’s forearms and pull him while throwing a Knee Strike. The primary goal here is to play around with it.
#2 – Dutch Guard
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Perfect for punching | Creates openings for your opponent |
| Perfect for combinations | Not suitable for kicking |
| Doesn’t tire your arm | Is meant to be used in Kickboxing |
| Aggressive guard |
The Dutch guard is definitely one of my favorites because it uses a simple approach to fighting. It originates from Kickboxing and is all about combinations. You’ll be able to start punching and combining punches while also incorporating kicks, typically at the end of the combination.
For example, the jab–cross–hook–low kick is one of the best combinations you can go for when using the Dutch guard.
The thing that makes the Dutch guard that much more unique is the fact that you’ll utilize a high guard, which is often used in Boxing. You want to be compressed and tuck your chin in. Furthermore, you want your elbows to point down, not to the sides. That’s a main part of the Dutch guard, both in Kickboing and Muay Thai.
The emphasis in the Dutch guard is combinations. You want to utilize combinations to get inside your opponent’s safe zone and hurt him. You want to do that by starting with powerful punches and finishing with kicks. Then, you’ll also be able to continue by clinching and throwing knee strikes and elbows. These are all viable options with this guard type.
#3 – Traditional Guard
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great for blocking kicks and punches | Not as good for punching |
| Perfect for combinations | Not suitable for takedowns and grappling |
| Great for kicking | Inefficient head and body protection |
| Aggressive guard |
The third, and last, guard type in Muay Thai we’ll review in this article is the traditional guard, which also utilizes the traditional stance. This is the one you’ll see most often in your Muay Thai gym. So how do you get into the traditional guard?
Let’s start with the legs. Your lead foot (left if right-handed) should be pointing straight. The rear foot (right if right-handed) should be slightly behind the lead foot and at an angle of 45 degrees. This is your lower body.
Upper-body-wise, you want to have your guard up high and stand tall. You don’t want to lean backward or forward, as that’ll hurt your balance and ability to block certain attacks, such as the low kick by using a check. If you were to hold a focus mitt with your hands, someone standing in front of you shouldn’t be able to see your face. This is how you know you have the guard positioning right.
If you notice, you’re much more squared to your opponent than you are in an angle. That’s because it allows you to (1) throw more kicks more effectively and (2) block kicks. It’s a much more suitable stance to Muay Thai than the traditional Boxing stance, where you’re at an angle to your opponent. In Boxing, this is fantastic because it puts you in a less vulnerable position to get hit with hooks to the body and other strikes.
Experiment With All 3 Guards
The key point of this article is to give you knowledge that will allow you to start practicing and experimenting with more than one guard type. This will allow you to see what works best for you, not someone else. You.
This is why taking action after you finish reading this article—is critical. You want to make sure you understand how these work and start using them. See how they play out with your footwork. See how they fit your striking style.
Do you like punching more often, the Dutch guard might just be more suitable than the traditional one. Do you prefer kicks over punches? In that case, the traditional style is more suitable. Experiment to see which one you like most.
But once you find the most suitable guard, invest everything you have into it until perfection.
Final Words
These were the essential guard types to know about in Muay Thai. If you want to become a much better fighter, it’s important you find the type that fits you. In this instance, you can choose the one you prefer using if you truly believe it’ll be better than the traditional one.
The guard is one of the best defensive moves in Muay Thai. It’s often overlooked by novice trainees who don’t seem to understand the importance of keeping your hands up.
If you want to learn more about defensive moves, such as the guard, in Muay Thai and how to perform each one flawlessly, follow this link!
Here are other articles you’d enjoy reading:
How to Catch Kicks in Muay Thai – It’s Actually Simple!
Slip 101 (Muay Thai) – How to Slip and Follow-Up
Is the Bob and Weave Used in Muay Thai and MMA?
Check 101 – A Complete Muay Thai Technique Breakdown
Muay Thai Basic Head Movement – Techniques, Drills, and Tips