I have never trained bando, but from what I have heard of it, it is trained in similar fashion to muay thai and is divided the same as muay thai (muay thai has the sport, a traditional art and a weapons art) burmese arts have the same. perhaps the man in question knows both the sport and traditional systems, or maybe he is a traditional guy.
isn’t bando associated witht his guy? http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies33.htm
like any tradition, it has frauds and it has others, Phil is 100% legit, let’s hope he posts bere
yeah great contact yada yada. but there is no rolling around on the ground in the competition video of burma vs japan. so its not real enough for him. :rolleyes:
I hope I can clarify some of the info here.
Bando is actually a term that popped up during the Japanese occupation and is most readily associated with the ABA in the United States headed by Muang Gyi the individual in the POW link and the NBA started around the Japanese occupation in Burma. The Georgia State program is from the ABA line. I really don’t want to get involved in the Gyi controversy as I am not involved in the ABA.
I represesnt the Kachin style of Thaing also known as HKYEN
Lethwei also called Burmese Boxing or Myanmar Traditional boxing is the Kickboxing and the rules are as follows.
This is an a government release on the modern rules of Burmese Boxing
This is the official Government approved History of Burmese Boxing Myanma Traditional Boxing as Practiced in the Government Sactioned Golden Belt Tounements.
Myanma traditional boxing (Myanma Letwhave) had developed since many years ago. It is the national art of self-defence which stimulates hereditary courage and the national spirit. As all the Myanmar nationals can hold, boxing matches in every region in Myanmar, the traditional boxing becomes the national art of Self-defence. It is the heritage not only owned by one national but by all the nationals of Myanmar.
Myanma traditional boxing is the high standard of fighting art without weapons. The traditional boxing match is man to man fighting. Thus, it is regarded as mannliness. In an ancient saying, if a man has no tatto marks, he is regarded as womanish. So also, if a man does not know the traditional boxing, he is regarded as a sissy. At the time of ancient Myanmar kings, traditonal boxing matches were held in grand scale. (Pagan, Nagayone Myanma encyclopaedia, No-12, Page from 175 tp 179). The pictures of a man standing on his head, wrestlers and dancers can be found on the wall of a cave mear Bagan. The picture of the two wrestlers are vivid. Both are stout and they look real sportsmen. It is assumed that Boxing might develop in the Bagan era.
During the era of Inwa, the two boxers, Augnsegon Thangarazar and Shangyi fought in the boxing match. The former killed the latter with his right hand. Long long ago, the militant soldiers who know the military strategy were trained the art of boxing, Some historians said that at the time of Thibaw, the last King of Konebaung dynasty, good boxers are put in the royal list as " Letwhave Taw Thut".
The boxers of prewar period could break bamboo poles with their fists. And they were able to hit certain mark on the face. They could fight tirelessly from sunrise to sunset to get high reward to get the champion’s flag (Alan Lu Pwe).
After the indenpendence in postwar period, Myanma traditional boxing revived as the national heritage. The Boxers, mostly farmers, kept the Myanma traditional boxing alive.
Twenty of Myanmar top boxers were sent to Thailand in 1955 and to China in 1960 to partictpage in the boxing matches hold there. Said U Bo Sein who had been to China. Boxing matches are being held at the time of the Shwedagon Pagoda festivals, indenpendence days and Farmers’s days. So that Myanmar nationals can deeply enjoy them.
In the past, the boxing matches were held on the ground of about 24 feet wide. The groud was covered with sand or husks of paddy. Nowadays, the boxers fight in the ring which is 20 feet wide. They wear only short pants and the top is tied by longyiof triangle shape. Their hands are bandaged. There are two references ( Ko Wyne Daing) in the ring and three judges on the bench (Khone Daing). Myanmar traditional music is being played while they are fighting.
Various spirits are worshipped before the match is started for the successful ending.
Myanma traditional boxing is an art of fighting and self-defence. When a boxer fights his opponent he can tactfully use his feet, hands, knees, elbows and head. (Nine Big Weapons). Therefore, the famous old boxers said that there were nine entering hits and nine defending. They said that fists were to blow, elbows to make a side thrust, head to hit, feet, knees and forearms to strike.
Nowadays, three kinds of Myanma traditional boxing matches are generally held according to the size and types of the festivals. They are–
- GYAR PWE (Interim boxing match)
- ALAN LU PWE (Boxing match to get champion’s belt)
- SEIN KHAW PWE (Boxing match of challenge)
Thus, by preserving and practising Myanma traditional boxing, patriotism and union spirit are strengthened and uplifted. Besides, there are many advantages to be developed which are good character, health and fitness, selt-confidence, safety at work, defence of the country and Myanmar young people’s love for their country.
The rules of boxing matches
The rules and regulations of Myanma traditional boxing matches varied in accord with different regions long ago. But at present the rules and regulations observed and practised by the boxers are the same through out Myanmar.
Now, Myanma traditional boxing matches are held as " Gyar Pwe" (interim Boxing match), “Alan Lu Pwe” (Boxing match to get champios’s belt and " Sein Khaw Pwe" (Boxing match of challenge) according to the size of the festivals. The competitors must strictly follow the rules and regulations mentioned below:-
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The competitors must have medical checked up and those medically unfit will not be admitted.
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They have to dress neatly and their hair and nails have to be cut.
They have to get on the stage from the prescribed corner in prescribed manner. -
There must not be any hard things under the banages and in the socks. If these are found, the boxer will be expelled and action will be taken against him.
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Oil must not be used on the Body more than necessary and chilli style ointment must
not be used. -
At the begining of the match, every competitor has to demonstrate his style of fighting.
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He can worship according to his faith but it must not be against the national culture.
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Team leaders or trainers and judges must arrange the competitors to be matched so that they cannot be wounded.
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The two competitors must not right each other until the ring referees them to do so.
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They must stop fighting if the referees shout “halt” or show with hand or foot.
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If a boxer falls down while fighting, he must be lying flat on the floor.
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The boxers must not scrach, bite, pull the hair and kick the balls of each other.
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If they are holding each other for a long time, the referees must stop the match.
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If one of the two boxers steps back and gives up, the match must be stopped.
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If one boxer falls and ligs flat on the floor, he must not be attacked. If he is attacked, the attacker will lose the match.
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If the two boxers are pretending to fight, the referees must stop the match and take action against them.
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If the referees and judges ask one of the boxers to give up the fight, he must willingly accept it.
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Boxers must compete according to three conditions that is one will lose because of fear, (Give up the match, because of injury, because of inability to fight any more.)
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Refrees and judges must laid down the number of rounds.
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Boxers must not sleep, look back and run round in the ring. If the does not pay
attention to the frequent warnings of the refrees and judges, he will be declared as a loser. -
In the interim matches (Gyar Pwe), the boxers must compete three rounds with three minutes in one round, If there is no winner and loser, the match will end in a draw. If one boxer falls down, referees will take care of him for two minutes. After that he becomes the loser.
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In the matches to get the champion’s belt (Alan Lu Pwe), the boxers must compete on three conditions, Kyauk Shone (lose because of fear), Kwe Shone (Lose because of injury) and Thet Lone Shone (because of inability to fight any more). If there is no winner or loser, the match must be continued another thirty minutes. If one of the boxers has injury cut and bleeds, it must be approved by the doctor he cannot continue to fight.
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If one boxer falls down in the Alan Lu Pwe, the referee will take care of him. But if he falls down and can’t to get up after three calls for challenge, he will be declared.
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In 5 rounds match Sein Khaw Pwe, the boxers must compete five rounds by three minutes fight and three minutes rest. They are allowed to extend the rest time to six minutes only once during first 3 rounds. If one boxer is wounded during first 3 rounds, he can win the match with the approval of the doctor and the decision of the referees and the competition jury.
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In 7 rounds match Sein Khaw Pwe, the boxers must compete seven rounds by three minutes fight and three minutes rest. They allow to extend the rest for six minutes once in first 6 rounds. If one boxer is wounded during first 6 rounds, he can win the match with the approval of the doctor and the decision of the referees and competition jury.
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In 10 rounds match Sein Khaw Pwe, the boxers must compete ten rounds with three minutes fight and three minutes rest, They are allowed to entend the rest time for six minutes twice in first 7 rounds, If one boxer is wounded during first 7 rounds, he can win the match with the approval of the doctor and decision of referees and competition jury.
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In 12 rounds match Sein Khaw Pwe, the boxers with 3 minutes fight and 3 minutes rest must compete twelve rounds. They are allowed to extend the rest time to six minutes 3 times in first 8 rounds. If one boxer is wounded during first 8 rounds, he can win the match with the approval of the doctor and the decision of the referees and the competition jury.
In the traditional Myanmar Boxing, the boxers can use tactfully and skillfully their feet, hands, knees, elbows and head in fight.
Nevertheless, the boxers must observe the rules and regulation laid down by the Myanma Traditonal Boxing Federation and boxing matches are being held in accord with our tradition.
If anyone has any questions just fire away. I will add more later in the meantime here are a few Burma vs Thailand Lethwai matches.
s93079986.onlinehome.us/Burma vs Thailand Ma Kine Yin Kyo Burma (red) vs. Thai(dark shorts).wmv
s93079986.onlinehome.us/Burma vs Thailand Sau The Myo Burma(red) vs. Thai(black).wmv
s93079986.onlinehome.us/Burma vs Thailand Shwe Wa Tun Burma (red) vs. Thai(blue).wmv
s93079986.onlinehome.us/Burma vs Thailand Thu Rya Year Aung Darker skin Burma vs light Thai.wmv
s93079986.onlinehome.us/Burma vs Thailand Wan Chai-Burma (gold) vs. Thai(blue).wmv
Phil
welcome to the board. thanks for the info. i dont have any questions off hand. but i hope other do.
Very good fights. Both styles look very similar. The kicks and clinch technique look almost the same, although the Burmese fighters seemed to focus more on punches to the head than the Muay Thai fighters did, and the Burmese fighters looked like they stood turned at an angle (like Western boxing), while Muay Thai stance is more square. I’m guessing the Burmese fighting style emphasizes punches to the head because they are so much more devastating without gloves.
It is a little bit interesting that in all five selected videos the Burmese fighter beat the Thai fighter. Is this promotional material for Myanmar? 
The Burmese fighters seemed tougher (took strikes better) and in better condition than their Thai opponents, except in one case (the “gold shorts” fight). The Burmese fighter won that match by TKO from what looked like might have been damage caused by a high push kick (“teep”) to the head early on in the fight that got worse after landing some elbow strikes to the Thai fighter’s head. If the doctor hadn’t called that one, it looked like the Thai fighter stood a good chance (it looked like the fight was turning in his favor).
Thanks for posting those. Good stuff.
Nice training, I liked it.
The Thais have a yearly event in Northern Thais were the put burmes refugees in against Thai boxers and beat them up to celebrate driving the Burmese out of the country.
The Myanmar Government issued an invitation to the thai government on several occasion to select a team and send them to fight actual Lethwei fighters.
I am in the process right now of getting all the recent international finvitation fights up held in Myanmar since 2001. The Japanese have actually fared better than most
Phil
Thanks for sharing the info. Much appreciated.
ditto. great info!
[QUOTE=PhilDunlap;778002]The Thais have a yearly event in Northern Thais were the put burmes refugees in against Thai boxers and beat them up to celebrate driving the Burmese out of the country.
[/QUOTE]
Man, that is messed up. I would love to see the justice that would be served if one day one of those Burmese refugees turned out to be a Lethwei fighter. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against either the Burmese or the Thai people. But this kind of fixed match is indicative of when some cruel dude gets put in charge of a “cultural event”.
[QUOTE=PhilDunlap;778002]
The Myanmar Government issued an invitation to the thai government on several occasion to select a team and send them to fight actual Lethwei fighters.
[/QUOTE]
Deafening silence from the Thai government, I’m sure.
[QUOTE=PhilDunlap;778002]
I am in the process right now of getting all the recent international finvitation fights up held in Myanmar since 2001. The Japanese have actually fared better than most[/QUOTE]
I would like to see those when you have compiled them.
Again, thanks for posting this stuff.
Wish I could remember
[QUOTE=SevenStar;777659]yeah, cambodia, vietnam, thailand, laos… all very intertwined.[/QUOTE]
I remember seeing an article somewhere (sorry i cant remember its been a couple years) where, I believe, Cambodia had found some ancient cave depictions of ancient martial arts that predated anything thailand had ever produced.
some claim that the modern sport of thai boxing has its original roots in cambodia.
but, meh, im not really to interested but I DO remember reading that. somewhere…:o
[QUOTE=PangQuan;778216]I remember seeing an article somewhere (sorry i cant remember its been a couple years) where, I believe, Cambodia had found some ancient cave depictions of ancient martial arts that predated anything thailand had ever produced.
some claim that the modern sport of thai boxing has its original roots in cambodia.
but, meh, im not really to interested but I DO remember reading that. somewhere…:o[/QUOTE]
It’s not a very relevant argument nowadays because the modern borders between Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam were drawn so recently. These countries (especially Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia) have so much overlap in culture that it isn’t really meaningful to say that one art originated in just one of those countries.
The same arguments are made over the traditional dance, music, artwork, dress, languages, cuisines, etc. of the countries in the region. At one time the people of Southeast Asia were ruled by a collection of independent, often warring kingdoms that fought and conquered one another back and forth for hundreds of years. The resulting intermixture of ethnicities and culture blurs many distinctions. Most claims of “this art originated in this country and should be recognized for that” are academic.
- EDIT *
Is it any wonder why they came up with such effective fighting systems?
Burmese claims · Pyu City-states (100 BC-840 AD). Mon Kingdoms (9th-11th, 13th-16th, 18th c.) Pagan Kingdom (849-1287) All have recordes documenting Kickboxing and Martial arts
Cambodian or Khmer claim carvings at Angkor Wat built in the early 12 century ad. is the first record
Thai claim based on oaral history to Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350-1767) and even the Sokothai Kingdom (1200)," claiming the Burmese destroyed the records in the sacking of Ayutthaya
My feeling is that the Mon spread the art to both the Thai and Khmer in the early 1200’s. The civilizations of Burma are actually much older than the other 2 .
Whatever the truth is credit the Thais for making the sprots popular intrnationall as the Cambodians were busy killing themselves and the Burmese were trying to head for the stone ages
Burmese Thiang
Upcoming Burmese Bareknuckle Boxing DVD/The Vanishing Flame: Born Warriors
The Vanishing Flame: Born Warriors (Mynamar/Burma) Promo Trailer and Outtakes 1-5
Vincent Giordano has released the promo trailer as well as 5 outtakes to his upcoming “Born Warriors” DVD which covers Burmese Lethwei (bareknuckle boxing).
Enjoy!
http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/08/the-vanishing-flame-born-warriors.html
Sweetness…