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![]() Muay Lao boxers training during the colonial period | |
Also known as | Lao Boxing, Lao Kickboxing |
---|---|
Focus | Striking, Clinching |
Hardness | Full contact |
Country of origin | ![]() |
Olympic sport | No |
Muay Lao (Lao: ມວຍລາວ, lit. "Lao boxing") is an ancient combat sport from Laos.[1] It incorporates punches, kicks, elbow, and knee strikes. It can be traced back to the 15th century[2] when it was used for military combat during the Lan Xang dynasty. It is similar to Muay Thai from Thailand and Pradal Serey from Cambodia.[3] [4] Muay Lao was an event at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane.
The bouts are five rounds and each round is three minutes.[5]
The martial art is related to other forms of martial arts found in other parts of the Angkor cultural sphere including Pradal Serey in Cambodia [6][7]