These foundations include:
THA KRU
The Tha Kru is the standard guard of Muay Chaiya. All style of Muay Thai havea Tha Kru, and you can easily identify the style being used simply by looking at the guard being employed. The Muay Chaiya guard is primarily used to guard the face, covering it at all times, but with both arms angled at 45°, the elbows are exposed and readily available to block incomming attacks. Most techniques in Muay Chaiya start from the Tha Kru, ensuring that there is minimal telegraphing ('show' or 'tell') of moves.
PHAN MUT
This fundamental technique plays a vital role in both the Muay Chaiya defense and in the mechanics of more advanced moves. Phan Mut literally means 'Pass fist' and primarily employed when changing guard (e.g. from right to left), but is also used to parry incoming attacks. A fundamental technique, it is practiced throughout training, including most of the Borihaan Feug Rang-gai (10 moves to train power).
YANG SAM KHUM
The cornerstone technique of Muay Chaiya the Step of the Three Treasures, teaches many of the main aspects of Muay Chaiya defense including:
Footwork
Posture
Yok Khao (rising knee)
Tha Kru (Guard)
Phan Mut
Used constantly in training, it is a technique that must be mastered, missing the details of this technique leads to bad form and bad habits. Taught in stages (feet first then hands) there are several variations including the long step and the hop step.
PRIK LIAM
Something like a cross better Wing Chun's body swivel and boxing's rotation from the feet, Prik Liam is essential for getting maximum speed and power for all of the Chaiya hand techniques, attack and defense alike. Muay Chaiya is effective for people of all body types, and Prik Liam enables power and speed to be developed from the use of good technique and not just size and strength, by using the weight of the body as a driving force behind both attack and defense.
THE FOUR BAW BLAA'S OF MUAY CHAIYA
Baw Blaa is the Thai character ป (blaa means fish) and is the first character of the 4 main techniques for defense in Muay Chaiya:
Bong - Guard
Bat - Slap/swat
Bit - Close
Beurt - Open
These techniques are used throughout training, and can often be seen being utilised in the training Bat Malang Waan (swatting flies) and Dop Hoo (slapping ears), which train students in correct timing and distancing so that they can guard themselves from a wide variety of attacks.