Muay Thai 101: Introduction to Clinch Wrestling | WEST LA MUAY THAI
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Khao Tat·Coach Vic·Added by Admin
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Khao Tat
Genusเข่าตัด（カオ・タット）(Kao Tatto)
TransliterationTranslation: horizontal knee
Overview
History & Origin
Khao Tat (เข่าตัด), the horizontal or cutting knee, derives its Thai name from 'tat' meaning 'to cut' or 'to slice,' reflecting the lateral sweeping motion of the technique. [1] Kraitus and Rennehan classify Khao Tat among the curved knee family, noting that it was developed to attack opponents from the side when direct forward knee strikes were blocked or unavailable. [1] The technique requires strong hip rotation and is traditionally trained on heavy bags and Thai pads held at the side, a training method documented in Thai camps since the early 20th century. [2]
Effectiveness
Khao tat (horizontal knee) strikes sideways. [1]
Lineage
A traditional Muay Thai knee. [1]
Competition Record
Used in Muay Thai. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Driving the knee upward or diagonally into the target using hip flexion and body weight
Joints Involved — Hip (powerful flexion drive), knee (point of impact, flexed), core (posture and power transfer)
Force Vector — Upward (straight knee to body/head), diagonal (round knee from the side), or clinch-pull driven
Clinch Integration — Most effective when combined with clinch control — pulling the opponent's head down into the rising knee multiplies impact force
Position & Entry
From Muay Thai clinch — Secure the plum (double collar tie), pull the opponent's head down, drive the knee up into the body or head
From clinch (collar-and-bicep) — Control one side, pull the opponent into the rising knee
As counter (opponent shoots) — When the opponent level changes for a takedown, drive the knee up into their face or chest
Variants
Straight knee — driving the knee straight upward into the body or head
Curved knee (round knee) — swinging the knee from the side in a circular path
Flying knee — leaping forward and driving the knee at the apex of the jump
Clinch knee — pulling the opponent into the knee from Muay Thai plum position
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
Muay Thai khao khong; diagonal knee to ribs/thigh
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
WBC/Boxing — All knee strikes prohibited {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
— WKF — Prohibited in sport karate
WKF Competition Rules 2024PDF— WT — Prohibited
WT Competition Rules 2024PDF— ITF — Prohibited
ITF Competition RulesPDF— WAKO — Prohibited in most formats
WAKO Competition RulesPDFRestricted
— Unified MMA — Knees to standing opponent legal, knees to ...
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFK-1/GLORY — One clinch knee allowed before referee break {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
Legal
Kyokushin — Legal to body {src— IKO Kyokushin Tournament Rules}
— IFMA — Legal — knees are a core Muay Thai weapon, clinch ...
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Khao tat is the Muay Thai horizontal knee — a lateral sweeping knee strike thrown from the clinch
✓Drive the knee sideways across the opponent's midsection or thigh in a scything motion
✓The power comes from the lateral hip thrust — push the hip into the knee's trajectory
✓Control the opponent's posture with both hands while delivering the horizontal strike
✓The khao tat targets the floating ribs from a lateral angle that standard vertical guards do not cover
✓Use it when the opponent successfully defends straight and diagonal knees — the horizontal angle is the third option
✓Rise onto the ball of the support foot and rotate the hip forcefully to drive the knee through the target
Common Mistakes
!Swinging the knee loosely without hip commitment — the horizontal knee needs strong lateral hip drive
!Hitting with the top of the thigh instead of the inside of the knee
!Losing balance from the lateral shift of bodyweight
!Not controlling the opponent in the clinch — the horizontal knee is ineffective if they can step away
!Over-committing the lateral motion and falling sideways
!Using the khao tat from too far away — it requires clinch distance
!Not following up: the horizontal knee disrupts the opponent's guard and creates openings for straight knees or elbows
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Assume Fighting Stance — begin from a balanced position with guard up
2Generate Power — use hip rotation and weight transfer for maximum force
3Execute Strike — deliver the technique to the target with correct form
4Recover to Guard — return immediately to defensive position
Sources & References
Primary Source
Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Yod Ruerngsa, Khun Kao Charuad & James Cartmell, 2002)
1BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [2] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [3] Muay Thai: A Living Legacy (Vail, 2014)
2BookMuay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
History sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Rennehan, 2002) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [2] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [3] Muay Thai: A Living Legacy (Vail, 2014)
5CitationMuay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
History sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Rennehan, 2002) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip flexion power, clinch control ability, close-range comfort
Favours
long thigh for greater leverage, strong hip flexors
Key muscles
hip flexors, quadriceps, core, grip (for clinch)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proper hand position for the double collar tie in Muay Thai clinch?
According to Coach Vic, you hold the clinch by placing one palm over the other and holding either the neck or, better yet, the top of the head or crown of the head.
How often should I train the clinch to become proficient?
Coach Vic recommends training clinch work consistently, anywhere between five or six days a week for proficiency, noting that the Thai Boxing Institute clinches primarily four days a week.
What basic knee techniques should I practice in the clinch?
Coach Vic recommends working two basic knee techniques: a side knee (with palm slapping) or a skipping side knee, always driving with the thigh, and practicing pushing and pulling movements to move your opponent forward and backward.
When can I safely use elbows in clinch training?
Coach Vic emphasizes that you should only use elbows when you know proper controlled technique, understand correct training targets, know how to defend against them, and are wearing elbow pads—otherwise you should not attempt them.
How does the Khao Tat work?
A Muay Thai horizontal knee strike swinging the knee in a lateral arc parallel to the ground, attacking the opponent's side or thigh with a sweeping motion.
Where does the Khao Tat come from?
Khao Tat (เข่าตัด), the horizontal or cutting knee, derives its Thai name from 'tat' meaning 'to cut' or 'to slice,' reflecting the lateral sweeping motion of the technique. Kraitus and Rennehan classify Khao Tat among the curved knee family, noting that it was developed to attack opponents from the side when direct forward knee strikes were blocked or unavailable.
Is the Khao Tat legal in competition?
Unified MMA: restricted — Knees to standing opponent legal, knees to head of grounded opponent banned; WBC/Boxing: banned — All knee strikes prohibited; WKF: banned — Prohibited in sport karate; Kyokushin: legal — Legal to body; WT: banned — Prohibited; ITF: banned — Prohibited; WAKO: banned — Prohibited in most formats; K: restricted — 1/GLORY — One clinch knee allowed before referee break; IFMA: legal — Legal — knees are a core Muay Thai weapon, clinch knees highly scored
How dangerous is the Khao Tat?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — Muay Thai khao khong; diagonal knee to ribs/thigh
How do I set up the Khao Tat?
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
How do I defend against the Khao Tat?
Standard counters include: Block — absorb the strike with a protective guard position / Evasion — move the target out of the strike's path / Counter-Attack — time an offensive response during the recovery phase of the strike.
What are the variants of the Khao Tat?
Common variants: Straight knee (driving the knee straight upward into the body or head); Curved knee (round knee) (swinging the knee from the side in a circular path); Flying knee (leaping forward and driving the knee at the apex of the jump); Clinch knee (pulling the opponent into the knee from Muay Thai plum po…).
How effective is the Khao Tat in competition?
Used in Muay Thai.
What are common mistakes when doing the Khao Tat?
Top errors to watch for: Swinging the knee loosely without hip commitment — the horizontal knee needs strong lateral hip drive / Hitting with the top of the thigh instead of the inside of the knee / Losing balance from the lateral shift of bodyweight / Not controlling the opponent in the clinch — the horizontal knee is ineffective if they can step away.
What are other names for the Khao Tat?
The Khao Tat is also known as Kao Tatto, Horizontal Knee, Sweeping Knee, Lateral Knee.