Muay Lao
Muay Lao boxers training during the colonial period | |
| Also known as | Lao Boxing, Lao Kickboxing |
|---|---|
| Focus | Striking, Clinching |
| Hardness | Full contact |
| Country of origin | Laos |
| Famous practitioners | Soukna Keotalat, Atthaxay Sihabut, Subin Chandanaed |
| Olympic sport | No |
Muay Lao (Lao: ມວຍລາວ, lit. "Lao boxing") is a combat sport from Laos based on ancient Lao martial arts. It incorporates punches, kicks, elbow, and knee strikes. It can be traced back to the 15th century when it was used for military combat during the Lan Xang dynasty. It is similar to Muay Thai from Thailand and Pradal Serey from Cambodia. Muay Lao was an event at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane.
The bouts are five rounds and each round is three minutes.
The martial art is related to other forms of martial arts found in other parts of the Angkor cultural sphere including Pradal Serey in Cambodia and Muay Thai in Thailand.