Front knee - Muai Tai
A Muay Thai front knee uses the knee in a spear like movement designed for mid-range striking.
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Description of Front knee - Muai Tai
There are essentially two steps to achieve proper performance of the knee: Standing in left guard, the fighter should raise his/her right knee toward the opponent and aim for the mid-section while leaning back at the waist to evade any punches.
It is important to be up on the toes of the left foot for maximum range, balance and leverage. Second, from the raised knee position, the fighter should thrust his knee forward into his/her opponent's midsection, extending from the hips. While this is a two-step process, ideally, the two steps should be combined into one fluid motion in which the right knee is raised from the left guard position and thrust forward into the opponent's midsection. One must not forget the hip thrust at the end of the knee-raise motion, as this is where the fighter generates most of his power.
Balance
After the blow is delivered, the fighter should return to a left guard stance. The fighter should not land with his/her right leg forward, as this creates a strategic difficulty in a fight scenario, forcing the fighter to enter close quarters with his/her opponent, which may not always be desirable. Landing with the right foot forward would also force a right-handed fighter into a right-guarded stance, which may not be comfortable.
The hand position
For a right knee, the left hand should remain steady at the left temple to block punches. The right hand can be used to throw a cross at the same time the right knee blow is being delivered. This forces the opponent to focus on the cross punch to the head, as most fighters instinctively protect their faces rather than their midsection. A fighter who covers up his face to avoid your cross will leave his/her midsection open for the right knee.