Czech Muaythai Ensuring Muaythai’s Traditions
The Czech Muaythai Association organised a special seminar for the young nak muays and aspiring future champions. Czech superstar Karolina Klusova delivered the seminar which imparted knowledge on the different elements of Muaythai’s rich cultural and traditional aspects.
The first seminar of wai khru teaching under the guidance of Karolina Klusova took place in the middle of March in the Sports Centre Třebíč, organized under the auspices of the Czech Muaythai Association club THAI BOX DEVILS TŘEBÍČ for members of Youth Sports Centre, i.e. for athletes from the home club and catchment areas.
“I prepared a presentation in which I explained to the children what is wai khru, mongkon, the meaning of individual rituals or when are the important days in Thailand. They learned the basic principles of wai khru and its meanings. We also played various games, which included quiz questions where correct answers were rewarded with various prizes,” said Klusová.
However, the teaching also consisted of a practical part. “I divided the children into groups in which they repeated the techniques of wai khru and then tried to create their own wai khru, to which they had to add their element for the club or for themselves. At the end, there was a competition to evaluate the creative elements of the whole performance,” Karolina noted.
The seminar at the Sports Centre Třebíč was the first under her leadership, but it seems that it will not be the last. She definitely wants to continue, as there are already other offers from C.M.T.A. member clubs.
Wai khru was also a separate competition discipline at the last World Championships in Thailand. “Every muaythai fighter should know it. In most cases nowadays, competitors just go around the ring before a fight and that’s the end of it, which is not right and in the cradle of muaythai in Thailand, it would be very strange to say the least. The IFMA already assesses this element as a separate competition, which has been done at the World Championships where I won a bronze medal,” said Klusova.