Kickboxing has always been a very important element in hand to hand combat.  The feet have often come into play to supplement the use of hand weapons in war.  They function as powerful and weighty clubs.  Ancient chroniclers documented the use of Kickboxing in many battles, most famously that of the defense of the Thermopylae pass in Greece.  The Spartan warriors, being outnumbered, and having damaged most of their weapons beyond repair in the heavy fighting, continued the battle using only their shields and their legs as offensive weapons.  Kickboxing was popular through Greek and Roman times as the 'Ano Pankration' (standing-only striking competition) and as an important (possibly the most important) element in the Pankration (Mixed Martial Arts) competitions, and it is looking like modern MMA is moving in the same direction as its ancient forebear.  In the civilizations of Thailand, Cambodia, China and Korea, there is a great deal of evidence for the refinement of Kickboxing as a form of training for war and as a sport.  Modern forms of Muay Thai, Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Taekkyon, for example, are all forms of Kickboxing.  The sport was popular in Europe through the centuries following the breakup of the Roman Empire into the modern states of Europe (France, Spain, England etc), and eventually came to be known as 'French Boxing' since the French were particularly well-known for their Kickboxing prowess.  The techniques of Kickboxing, used in war for millennia, have proved themselves the most deadly too in the modern MMA ring, with most matches being won with knockouts or decision victories due to blows of the hand and foot.  Training in Kickboxing is absolutely essential for the serious martial artist.

 

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We recommend Erich Krauss' book "Muay Thai Unleashed" (McGraw-Hill: 2006) for a full treatment of the sport.