No JKD student or instructor would take the art of Muay Thai lightly. It is one of the biggest pillars on which JKD is built on. Without Muay Thai, JKD would have been [insubstantial]. It has cemented the JKD all the way from its hardcore kicking to its devastating and dynamic clinching. It has also, facilitated one of the major portals needed to cinch the clinch with other grappling arts. It also acts as one of the buffers for our Wing Chun and assists us better with Judo. It also provides us with several good routes in head-butting, as well as take downs.
Muay Thai’s major contributions, in my humble opinion are the very dynamics of its all-out calm and determined killer instinct, as well as whipping, crashing, torquing, penetrating, and dragging. The success of which ever techniques Muay Thai uses, depends largely on the elements mentioned above. There is no doubt about that. Every art has its own dynamics------take them away and the art would [malfunction]. Culture, language, history and art are the four master keys to unlocking the secrets of not only physical movements, but also the hearts and the minds of the people. Indeed, Muay Thai, as one of the historical art heritages of Thailand provides us with an exemplary glimpse into the beauty of all four master keys.
In short, without Muay Thai, JKD would have, NOT only been deprived of many of its necessary qualities, but also, it would have been deprived of the beauty of Thai culture, history, and heritages.
Stay humble my friend!
SHAHRAM MOOSAVI