Wai Kru

Wai khru ram muay (Thai: ไหว้ครูรำมวย) is an action of respect in Thai culture that is performed by participants in Muay Thai competitions. Wai is an action of Thais to show respect to others by putting the hands together like in prayer. 'Khru means teacher. Ram means dance in the old Thai traditional style. Muay means boxing. Usually Thais prefer to call it short Ram Muay or Wai Khru. Ram Muay is the way to show respect to the teachers and the trainers. Also, in past muay Thai was usually fought in front of the king, so Ram Muay was also to apologize to the King for the brutality in fighting.

The fighter first performs the Wai Khru, circling the ring three times before kneeling and bowing three times as a sign of respect to god and man. He also bows to Buddha to ask for protection for himself and his opponent and for an honourable fight.

The fighter then performs the Ram Muay, whose simple movements demonstrate a fighter's control and style. Each fighter performs the Ram Muay on each side of the ring to demonstrate his prowess to the audience. The Ram Muay is a personal ritual, ranging from the very complex to the very simple, and often contains clues about who trained the fighter and where the fighter is from.

The practitioner may wear a headband called a Mong Kon and armbands known as Pra Jiad during the ceremony, and the Ram Muay may be accompanied by music.

~Wikipedia~

Wai Kru ceremony video by YouTube!!!

Tony Jaa - Ong Bak

An old video of Tony Jaa. Enjoy!!!

Tomoi tanpa elemen bergaduh

Sukan tomoi atau Muay Thai dianggap seni mempertahankan diri yang dapat membentuk nilai peribadi seorang remaja. Wartawan, NOOR HASLIZA NUSI melaporkan.

SUKAN tomoi kembali mendapat suntikan semangat baru sekitar lewat tahun 1990-an di Malaysia.

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SESUDAH meletakkan mong kong (seutas ikatan tali) di atas kepala, badan dialun mengikut rentak secara perlahan, bersama iringan irama muzik gamelan dan tiupan serunai.

Langkah disembah di setiap penjuru gelanggang mengikut gerak bebas anggota badan, sebagai penghormatan kepada sang guru.

Begitulah senarionya ritual langkah sembah, iaitu adegan yang dilakukan peninju sebelum memulakan sesebuah perlawanan. Ketika itu jugalah, peninju akan memperkenalkan kelab atau perguruan masing-masing kepada pengadil.

Mungkin cerita mengenai sejarah perkembangan sukan tersebut sudah lama disebarkan kepada umum. Namun, hanya sebilangan daripada kita masih tertanya-tanya tentang asal-usul sukan tradisi masyarakat Thailand ini.

Sukan tomoi atau Muay Thai ini merupakan salah satu cabang seni mempertahankan diri yang menggunakan kepantasan anggota badan seperti tangan, siku, kaki dan lutut dalam mencari sasaran untuk menjatuhkan lawan.

ANTARA peralatan sukan tomoi yang diperlukan oleh setiap peninju.

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Tempoh perlawanan yang diambil adalah selama lima pusingan. Setiap satu pusingan mengambil masa selama tiga minit dan dua minit untuk berehat.

Sekiranya salah seorang peninju didapati tumbang atau rebah sebelum tamat masa perlawanan, pihak lawannya secara automatik akan diisytiharkan sebagai pemenang.

Berbanding dengan sukan tinju, ia melibatkan satu pergerakan tangan sahaja.

Menurut ketua pengadil, Ahmad Sowhini Harun, seorang pengadil berhak membatalkan perlawanan atau memberi amaran kepada peninju sekiranya didapati peninju tersebut melakukan kesalahan dalam perlawanan.

“Antaranya ialah membuat serangan di bahagian alat sulit, belakang kepala hingga ke paras tengkuk dan semasa lawan terjatuh sama ada disebabkan oleh pukulan atau bukan pukulan. Namun peninju boleh menyerang semasa lawan dalam kedudukan melayang sebelum jatuh.

“Peninju juga tidak dibenarkan mengangkat dan menghempas lawan ke lantai, tidak dibenarkan menggigit dan mengeluarkan kata-kata kesat kepada pihak lawan.

“Sekiranya berlaku dalam perlawanan, peninju akan diberi amaran sebanyak dua kali (mata akan ditolak dan dua mata percuma diberikan kepada pihak lawan).

“Manakala apabila peninju didapati melakukan kesalahan untuk kali ketiga, dia boleh disingkirkan daripada perlawanan jika tindakan tersebut disengajakan,” jelasnya.

SUKAN ini lebih membangkitkan semangat kesukanan dan perpaduan dalam kalangan peninju dan tenaga pengajar.

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Sukan yang berasal dari Thailand ini telah banyak melahirkan jaguh yang mampu memberi tentangan ketika beraksi di gelanggang.

Nama-nama seperti Chepa Somadi, Wan Jaafar Tok Raja Geting, Husin Bidah, Cikgu Harun Pohon Tanjung, Dollah Kuda Kayu dan ramai lagi, adalah antara anak muay atau peninju yang digeruni lawan terutama dari negara jiran pada tahun 1970-an.

“Setelah hampir suku abad berkubur, sukan ini kembali mendapat suntikan semangat sekitar lewat tahun 1990-an.

“Ia mula mendapat tempat di hati masyarakat, apabila gelanggang-gelanggang dan pusat latihan tomoi tumbuh bagaikan cendawan selepas hujan di seluruh negeri.

“Setiap minggu, perlawanan tomoi yang dianjurkan mendapat sambutan hangat daripada masyarakat setempat, terutama di tengah-tengah kota metropolitan, Kuala Lumpur,” tambahnya.

Kunjungan Kosmo! ke salah sebuah gelanggang di ibu kota, baru-baru ini, begitu menarik perhatian memandangkan ramai dalam kalangan pemain terdiri daripada golongan remaja dan belia.

Apakah sukan tersebut signifikan terhadap jiwa dan personaliti para pemain?

“Tomoi mengutamakan ketahanan fizikal, manakala tinju lebih kepada kepantasan menumbuk. Kedua-dua elemen ini boleh digabung bersama ke arah mencapai satu matlamat, bergelar juara, demi kecemerlangan masa depan sukan tinju.

“Selain meningkatkan semangat kesukanan, sukan tomoi juga dapat mengubah sikap dan mentaliti seseorang peninju,” kata juara Malaysia dalam Contender Asia 2008, Tengku Shahrizal Tengku Abdul Rahman, 23.

Menurutnya, sebelum ini, dia seorang yang bersikap panas baran, tetapi setelah menyertai sukan tomoi sejak usia 17 tahun, dia berjaya mengurus kemarahannya dengan lebih baik.

Di samping mengenengahkan kemantapan diri dalam sukan tomoi, Tengku Shahrizal, berkata, pemain juga akan diasuh cara menghormati saudara yang lebih tua, termasuk guru, ibu bapa dan masyarakat di sekeliling.

Sementara itu, Ketua Jurulatih Tomoi, Rosli Yaacob berkata: “Tidak pernah wujud elemen pergaduhan dalam sesebuah perlawanan. Sebaliknya, sukan ini lebih membangkitkan semangat kesukanan dan perpaduan dalam kalangan peninju dan tenaga pengajar”.

“Jelas terbukti, sukan tomoi bukan sekadar aksi sukan di arena perlawanan, tetapi ia juga dianggap satu platform bagi membentuk nilai peribadi seseorang remaja,” tambahnya.

Hafiszudin Hamdan, 17, pula memberitahu, dia mula meminati sukan tomoi sewaktu menonton filem tinju, Ong Bak.

“Sejak berusia 16 tahun, saya sudah mula menggemari aksi yang ditunjukkan oleh peninju handalan, Tong Ja.

“Saya teruja melihat pergerakan kaki dan tangan serta cara menumbuk. Ini membangkitkan semangat saya untuk menyertai sukan tersebut,” katanya.

Menurutnya, pengalaman yang dilalui dalam sukan ini juga mampu mematangkan diri seseorang.

“Saya menyertai sukan ini bukan sekadar sebagai hobi masa lapang, tetapi sukan ini begitu mencabar minda.

“Menerusinya, saya berpeluang bermain dengan minda pihak lawan sekali gus mengasah dan memantapkan lagi corak pemikiran peninju,” katanya.

Badruddin Razak, 22, mengakui berjaya menghentikan tabiat merokok yang menjadi rutin hariannya setelah menyertai sukan tomoi.

“Seperti seni mempertahankan diri yang lain, tomoi mempunyai impak yang tersendiri dalam membentuk sahsiah remaja berdisiplin sekali gus menjauhi perbuatan yang tidak bermoral seperti melepak, mengambil dadah, menghisap rokok dan merewang pada waktu malam.

“Ini kerana, selepas tamat latihan, badan akan terasa letih, membuatkan seseorang itu mengantuk dan mahu berehat di rumah sahaja,” kata anak kelahiran Besut, Terengganu ini.

~Kosmo~ 26 Julai 2008

Sharizal wins after three-minute bout ends prematurely

By NG WEI LOON
Photos by GLENN GUAN

THE crowd's favourite, Tengku Sharizal, emerged the winner at the Malaysian edition of The Contender Asia qualifier at the Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam on Saturday.

In the final, the 25-year-old from Royal Malaysian Police Force (PDRM) knocked out his younger opponent Hashim Ramli.

As both fighters stepped up the tempo in the second of the three-round encounter, the three-minute bout ended prematurely when the 20-year-old Hashim failed to recover.

Getting into the rhythm: Sharizal (right) attacking Bernard in the first semi-final bout at the Malaysian edition of The Contender Asia qualifier.

Tengku said he had scrutinised Hashim’s weakness during his opponent’s earlier fight against Khoo Meng Yang (“Red Dragon”).

“I knew that he was feeling uncomfortable with his leg injury. I kept on pressuring him on his weak spot and just struck it right with the constant attack,” he added.

Four Malaysian exponents competed in the Malaysia Super Four Fights endorsed by the World Muay Thai Council (WMC) to have a shot in making a debut in the second season of the reality show.

Exchanging blows: Abbas (left) taking on Dominik in the curtain raiser for the International Muay Thai Superfights.

Bernard “Headhunter” Radin, who won the Malaysia Ultimate Warrior title last year, was the other fighter in the fray.

In the semi-finals, the finalists – Tengku and Hashim – needed an extra fourth round to eliminate their challengers.

Sharizal warded off the threat from Bernard while Hashim showed better endurance to overcome Khoo to set up the final showdown.

“It was my first time going up against Bernard. He is a worthy competitor and he had trained with The Contender Asia first season winner (Yodsaenklai) from Thailand to prepare for this event. I took awhile to settle down because I was a bit cautious at the beginning of the bout,” said Sharizal.

In the curtain raiser for the International Muay Thai Superfights, the match up between Zidov “Akuma” Dominik of Switzerland and Abbas Ahmadi from Iran went the full distance.

Abbas, who entertained the crowd with his rotational swing, prevailed at the end of the fifth and final round.

However, South African part-time model Olivia Jackson had a punishing time when Tiana “Tiger” Caverley of Australia stamped her dominance to clinch the WMC women’s inter-continental title bout.

In addition, two other battles were also decided by technical knockout.

Brazillian Leornardo Monteiro needed only two rounds to force Kim Khan Zaki (“Zig Zag”) to retire and take the WMC Against Drugs title.

Meanwhile, the referee decided to stop the contest for the WMC International Challenge when Thailand's Sirichai (“Singha Siri”) bled profusely in the fifth and final round of an intense match-up against Sean Wright of Scotland.

~The Star~ - Tuesday July 8, 2008

Tomoi, Etymology, & History

Tomoi
Tomoi is the Malaysian name for a South-East Asian martial art known in Thailand as Muay Thai, in Cambodia as Pradal Serey, in Laos as Muay Lao and as a similar art from Myanmar known as Lethwei. Tomoi refers to siku lutut, which in Malay is translated literally as "elbows knees".

Etymology
The word tomoi derives from dhoi muay or dhee muay which is a Thai word for pugilism and fist fighting in general. It was the original term of reference for the old bare-fisted form of Muay Thai now known as Muay Boran (ancient boxing).

History
It's not clear exactly where the various Indo-Chinese forms of kickboxing originated but they are known to share a common ancestry having been based on Chinese techniques with some influence from Indian martial arts. Tomoi was brought into peninsular Malaysia by the Thais and Khmers who share close cultural, historic, ethnic and linguistic links with the Malays. The ancient Funan empire, based in modern-day Cambodia and Vietnam once encompassed what are now Thailand, Kedah, Perlis and Pahang. Nearby Langkasuka, The kingdom of Lembah Bujang traded extensively with the Khmers which eventually led to Perlis and parts of Kedah being ruled by Angkor in the 1400s. It's possible that some form of bokator or early Pradal Serey was introduced during this time which would account for the former's similarity to silat. However, it was the ethnic Thais, who have long existed side by side with the Malay people, that were mostly responsible for tomoi's practice in Malaysia. After the fall of Srivijaya, virtually all of Malaysia's northern states came under Thai sovereignty until the 15th century when Melaka was founded following a Siamese attack. Trengganu had already been paying tribute to Siam during this time and they coninued trading with each other even after the state became a vassal of Melaka. Both Kedah and Trengganu were either controlled or influenced by Siam from the 1800s until power was passed to British colonists in the early 20th century.

Tomoi's practice was focused mainly in Kelantan and a few states nearby. Like neighbouring Trengganu, Kelantan's geographic location led to its strong links with Cambodia and especially Thailand. The area was heavily influenced by the Indianised kingdom of Funan whose farming methods it adopted. The ancient kingdom of Langkasuka, based in present-day Kelantan, Trengganu and Pattani, was described in Chinese accounts of having a culture similar to Funan and this may have included martial arts. Kelantan was under Siamese influence throughout the 1800s until the British came into power. During the Japanese occupation, control of Kelantan was passed to Thailand again until the state became part of the Malayan Federation. Because of these close geographic, ethnic and historical ties, Malaysia and Thailand are linguistically and culturally very similar. Kelantan, Trengganu and Thailand's southern provinces in particular share a distinct Malayan-Thai culture and language. One of the practices they have in common was the boxing form of dhoi muay (now called Muay Boran) from where the term tomoi derives. It was practiced not only the local Thais but other races as well, especially Malays. The Malays didn't do so for its effectiveness in the ring but leaned more toward the cultural aspect.

Even before British colonization tomoi was a popular pastime. It remained so until 1990 when the Kelantan government under the administration of PAS banned a number of Malay arts including traditional attire, dances, shadow puppetry and tomoi along with them. Although it was still practiced by a few, tomoi's popularity among Malays began to wane. In 2006 the ban was abolished and the art was again allowed to be practiced under the proposed name of "Muay Kelate". The preferred name used by promoters is freestyle kickboxing but most Malay-speakers still call it tomoi.
~Wikipedia~