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Elbow strikes

Muay Thai

Horizontal, uppercut and spinning elbows at close range.

What coaches agree on

  • Power comes from rotating your hips, shoulders and torso together as one unit, not from swinging the arm on its own.
  • Keep your free hand up guarding your head for the whole strike, because elbow range cuts both ways — whatever you can hit, your opponent can hit back.
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  • An elbow lands best when it's disguised behind another strike or feint, like a jab left hanging in the opponent's face, that closes the distance and hides it from view.

Common mistakes

  • A common mistake is reaching for the target by leaning the upper body forward instead of stepping the feet in, which leaves the elbow short and off balance.
  • Landing on the fleshy part of the forearm instead of the point of the elbow bone turns a sharp, cutting strike into a soft push.