Become Fighter
The rear elbow: Muay Thai guide
The cross turned into an elbow: powerful, and for shadow work first.
The rear elbow works like a cross that bends at the end. It travels farther than the lead elbow, so it carries more weight, and it follows well after a hook or a cross.
The same safety rule applies. Train it alone, on a bag or in the air. A partner only comes into it with a coach there to supervise.
Key points
- Start the movement from the rear foot, like a cross.
- Turn the hip and shoulder, bending the arm so the elbow leads.
- The elbow travels flat across, with the point forward.
- Keep the lead hand up to cover your chin.
- Step in first. Do not reach for it.
- Never with a partner unless a coach is supervising.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Winding up the elbow. Start from the chin and go directly. A wind-up is easy to see and slow.
- Reaching with the elbow. Step first. The elbow only works at close range.
- Dropping the lead hand. Lead hand at the cheek on every rep.
- Losing balance after the turn. Stop the turn at the target and reset the stance.
Combinations that use it
- mt-in-rear-elbow: Step in, Rear elbow
- mt-3-rear-elbow: Lead hook, Rear elbow
- mt-2-3-rear-elbow: Cross, Lead hook, Rear elbow
- mt-elbow-elbow: Lead elbow, Rear elbow
- mt-knee-elbow-back: Straight knee, Rear elbow, Step back
Related techniques
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Elbows and the clinch module of Muay Thai foundations.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
More from Elbows and the clinch
- The lead elbow: Muay Thai guide
- The plum clinch: Muay Thai guide
- Knees from the clinch: Muay Thai guide
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.