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THE Bokator is a martial art of Khmer origin practiced in Cambodia. The ancient Angkorian warriors practiced this art of self -defense. He was allegedly invented in the third century. It belongs to the history and tradition of Cambodia. Discovering this art allows you to enter the Khmer tradition and Cambodian culture.
Crossed by several conflicts over the centuries, Cambodia is today divided into 20 provinces. The official language is the Khmer. We speak French there in several sectors. The current Cambodia is the heir to the Khmer Empire, under which the Bokator technique was developed. It was the scene of several conflicts over the centuries, hence the need to develop combat techniquesFor all situations.
Cambodia has a very long tradition in martial arts. Combat techniques have played an important role in the history of the Khmer Empire. On important sites like Angkor, several bas-reliefs show the important role played by warriors capable of facing adversaries in any way possible.
The Bokator is a very old art. The bas-reliefs attest to its presence from the third century. The word bokator means lion. Legend has it that at the beginning of our era, a fearless warrior would have succeeded in defeating a lion with bare hands. The legendary nature of this story is obvious since the Lions are absent from this part of Asia. The legend, however, reflects the strong influence of India on this culture.
Originally, the Bokator was intended to teach how to win a fight on the battlefield. At the time of Angkor, the fighters learned to strike with all the parts of the body. Warriors also used weapons like bamboo spears and sticks. Some warriors even used the krama, a Cambodian scarf.
Indian influence appears all the more in the art of the bokator as the fighters begin their practice by paying tribute to Brahma. The practice of bokator has long been repressed by the invaders. It was also prohibited during the Vietnamese occupation. There are always representations of the bokator in the temples of Angkor.
When the Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia, a master in bokator, San Kim Sean, went into exile in the United States. He taught his art there, which gained popularity. This is why we consider him the father of the modern Bokator. He returned to his country in 1992, where he continued to teach his art, which became famous throughout the planet. He transformed the bokator into a competition sport when it was originally intended for warriors on the battlefield.
The Bokator is now part of the sports world in Cambodia. Modern fighters focus more on the mind than on the body. This art is now based on meditation, declined in three levels: physical level, mental level and energy level. The conflicts that led many Cambodians to exile have made the bokator have been taught in several countries.
The state of Cambodia is currently taking steps to have the bokator recognized as an art forming part of the heritage of humanity.
Even today, the athletes who practice bokator have the traditional costume that the Khmer army warriors wore. They attach silk cords around their biceps. It seems that, originally, these cords were supposed to bring the fighters a chance. To avoid injuries, today’s fighters are on boxing gloves. There is Over 341 possible strokes During combat, deemed difficult and dangerous.
As a sign of belonging to the Khmer tradition, the fighters sometimes carry the krama, the traditional scarf of Cambodia, around the front. Another is rolled around the waist. It is often the color of the national flag. Krama is an important emblem in the Cambodian tradition. It is carried as much by men and women as by children.
When rolled up around the waist, the krama reveals the level of the fighter. There are seven colors that correspond to the seven degrees of mastery of the Bokator. The belt also reveals the animal that corresponds to the style of the athlete. White represents the duck, the horse, the bird and the dragon. Green Corresponds to the style of the monkey, the elephant, the apsara, the lion and the crocodile.
The black belt represents a higher level. To be entitled to it, you have to master 1,000 Bokator techniques. There are nearly 10,000 techniques in this martial art. The yellow belt represents the ultimate level. To have the right to wear it, the fighter must first wear the black belt for 10 years and continue to perfect his style. Wearing the yellow belt means that we master all the techniques and that you are entirely dedicated to your art.
The bokator has this particular that its technique is Movement -based animals Like the lion, the bird and the horse. This very ancient art involves the use of weapons as well as combat with hand-to-body. There are 341 sets of movements in the bokator. This martial art is often confused with another combat art, the Kun Khmer, but this is a misleading perception.
Indeed, the bokator was originally intended for warriors and it retains traces of this origin. This art is also harsher than Kun Khmer. It also involves knowledge of many more movements and techniques.
All parts of the body are used for the practice of bokator. The elbows are often used, but also the feet and fists from any position. There are several elbow techniques in this martial art. A fighter who masters elbows can use it as well as fists. It is possible to practice jab, uppercut and hook only with the elbow, which turns out to be a formidable weapon.
It is very advantageous to use the elbow during fights since it Allows you to reach the opponent harderAnd even put it out of combat. The fact that the elbows are sophisticated so that they can injure the other fighter. Today, it is often compulsory to wear boxing gloves to the fists, but there is nothing to hinder the action of the elbows, which therefore represent a definite advantage during the confrontation.
The elbows can also come from all directions when the movements are well mastered. They can make movements down or upwards and they can be activated when the athlete leaps. Over time, it is possible for the fighter to handle the elbow flexible and quickly. He must be straight in the combat position with the elbow folded about 70 degrees.
In principle, the triceps must face the ground and the hand must be lifted. The forearms must be placed, drawing inspiration from the movement of the bow of a ship that split the air. The hand must be placed above the target that the fighter wishes to reach. The goal of the movement is to ensure that the elbow hits the opponent's face, with the hand above his head. When hitting, the fighter must twist his hip so that the blow carries.
The position of the hand is also very important for the fighter who triggers this blow. He must remember that the hand should not be directed towards itself, but well pointed out towards its target. In fact, it must be placed above the point to reach.
One of the basic techniques that the fighter must master is the crochet of the elbow. He must pivot and hit the opponent in an area where he is vulnerable. Touching certain areas allows you to automatically win the fight. You have to turn the hip by making the elbow hook. The forearm must be stable. He must neither go down nor go up. He must remain up to the shoulder.
The right forearm must therefore remain in line with the movement so that the blow is effective. A poorly executed movement can hurt the one who leads the attack. The fighter keeps his body relaxed and in harmony with his movements. The body remains relaxed until the blow is done. It is then possible to extend the muscles.
All the blows of the confrontation are very closely given, whether with elbows or fists. The power suddenly is depending on the speed. A close blow prevents air resistance. Breathing is also important. The athlete inspires before hitting and when he strikes, he expires and releases his breath outwards. If the fighter holds his breath when hitting, he loses power and can even damage his lungs.
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