Basic Kun Khmer Techniques

Basic Offensive/Defensive Techniques

Strategically, Kun Boran main focus for offensive and defensive with 4 elements: slow-fast, soft-hard, low-high, and these are the principal and philosophical of core techniques usage such as timing, distance, target and various angles which all require footwork, the body posture and we call it door system. Each fighting system consists of its own Tvear and Mae but fall on the same principal and philosophical. For example we use elbows and knees to smash (slid), poke (Mok, rok) for inside (wai kehk) target and swing (wai proyul) our shin to smash opponent head or ribcage or breaking their support legs. In Kun Khmer, like another arts, the limbs become weapons. The evolution, ultimate and most deadly style we see today of the Sneet Pradal Serey. The ultimate of winning or losing is not solely on the style or techniques but the preparation aspect of it, which is PERFECT these basic techniques.

Pradal/Dal/Mat or Mud or Wai (Punch)

There are different various usages of Kun Khmer punching techniques. Punch is a striking blow with the fist and it is the most commonly used of attack in a hand-to-hand combat. Although pre-date the Frances colonial Cambodia, the hand wraps with hemp rope was used during the ancient competition match. However, today it is more of boxing, where gloves were introduce during the Frances occupation (See Pradal Serey page). In Sneat Kun Pradal Serey utilize punches with a combine forces of shoulder, hip and foot to put additional power of punch.

Dal Trong / Sor Indrajit– arrow straight punch (jab-cross to facial area)
Dal Seuy / Hanuman Twai Phkar – Hanuman giving flower to Rama (uppercut punch to chin and stomach)
Dal Tpok Snaeng Krobey Kley / Komroul Bon Chrong – short horn hook punch (body area)
Dal Tpuk Snaeng Krobey Veng / Komroul Bon Chrong – long horn hook punch (facial area)
Dal Bromaoy Domrey – elephant trunk swing diagonally over head punch down
(intermediate) Hoss Dal Trong Sor Indrajit – jump arrow straight punch
(advance) Kondab Dey Pi Dal Seuy / Hanuman Twai Phkar – double uppercut punch
(advance) Chongkung Bok, simultaneously Kondab Dey Pi Dal Tpuk Snaeng Krobey – double long horn hook punch
(advance) Hoss Dal Tpuk Snaeng Krobey – jump long horn hook punch
(advance) Hoss Dal Bromaoy Domrey – jump elephant trunk swing diagonally over head punch
(advance) able to perform 3 or 5 combinations of punches simultaneously or continually

Kback Dal/Mat or Mud Trong – Arrow straight punch (jap-cross facial area)

Kbach Dal Seuy / Hanuman Twai Phka – Hanuman giving flower to Rama (uppercut punch to chin and stomach)

Kbach Dal Bromaoy Domrey – elephant trunk swing diagonally over head punch down

Kbach Wai or Waei Kaeng Boatt (elbow)

The elbow attack is very unique weapon that make Sneat Kun Pradal Serey different from other martial arts sports. Elbow attack in Sneat Kun Pradal Serey can give very severe injuries to the opponent as it will be used to attack when opponent is closer distance and the major target of elbow strike are generally head facial area including jaw, temple, neck and so on. Using elbow strike is very flexible, you can move or swing elbow in any direction to attack, both vertically and horizontally but different method will give different impact with the attack. Variety of Sneat Kun Pradal Serey elbow strike are described below:

Waei Kaeng Bok Mokkropal – ship’s edge smashing diagonal elbows
Waei Kaeng Rok – uppercut elbows
Waei Kaeng Charp – flying downward elbow
Waei Kaeng Kat Tralach – horizontal elbows
Waei Kaeng Phkabb Chann – flipping downward elbows
(intermediate) Waei Kaeng Sog – side upward vertically elbows
(intermediate) Waei Kaeng Sork or Kolapsork – reverse elbows has horizontal, downward and upward
(intermediate) Waei Kaeng Pugh – vertically straight down elbows
(intermediate) Waei Kaeng Ruh – this elbow use with other elbow (i.e. pull head and follow with kaeng Ruh)
(advance) Hoss Waei Kaeng Kabb Tralach – jump horizontal elbows
(advance) Hoss Waei Kaeng Phkabb Chann – jump flipping downward elbows
(advance) able to perform 3 or 5 combinations elbows simultaneously or continually
(advance) able to perform 3 or 5 combination mix punches and elbows continually
Bok Mokkropal Rok Charp Kabb-lukdombohk
Phkabb Chann Sog Ruh Bork
Kolapsork Pugh

Kbach Wai/Waei Kaeng Charp – flying downward elbow

Kbach Wai/Waei Kaeng Bok Mokkrapal – ship’s edge smashing diagonal elbows

Kbach Wai/Waei Kaeng Kat Tralach – horizontal elbows

Kbach Toat Smaong Jerng (Shin Kick)

Toat – kicking is commonly used in competition. Sneat Kun Pradal Serey kicking is one of the most powerful techniques to take down the opponent. Unlike other art, the Sneat Kun Pradal Serey kicks are using shin aka Toat Smaong Jerng. The kicks used to attack low, middle or upper neck targets.

Toat Chronettrosok Khnang Jerng – head or neck target using the lower shin or upper foot (this kbach can be done by swing the leg to the attack the target, and simultaneously, your hip should also be twisted in the same direction of the swing)
Toat Kat Tralach – parallel kick with upper shin, main target of lower rib-cage or thigh target (this kbach can be done by swing the leg parallel to the floor to attack against the target)
Toat Phkabb Chann / Toat Pyuh Samuth – flipping kick neck or shoulder blade target using lower shin (this kbach can be done by swing your hip and body, which will twisted in the same direction of the swing)
Toat Jrash Krojam Jeurng Krot – straight upward kick to face
(intermediate) Hoss Toat Jrash Krojam Jeurng Krot – jump straight kick to face
(advance) Hoss Toat Kabb Tralach – jump upper shin kick to rib cage
(advance) Hoss Toat Phkabb Chann – jump lower shin kick to neck
(advance) able to perform 1 of the 3 or 5 combinations kicks simultaneously

Toat Phkabb Chann / Toat Pyuh Samuth – flipping kick neck or shoulder blade target using lower shin (this kbach can be done by swing your hip and body, which will twisted in the same direction of the swing)

Toat Kat Tralach – parallel kick with upper shin, main target of lower rib-cage or thigh target (this kbach can be done by swing the leg parallel to the floor to attack against the target)

Toat Chronettrosok Khnang Jerng – head or neck target using the lower shin or upper foot (this kbach can be done by swing the leg to the attack the target, and simultaneously, your hip should also be twisted in the same direction of the swing)

Lower foot strike

The Development Of Shin kick – Toat Smaong Jerng

Phkak is a Khmer traditional axe used during the Angkorian times. The iron was slowly forged and was one kind of tools that farmer’s favored for cutting, scything, hacking and slicing. It was also a war leader’s melee weapon. This traditional Khmer axe, Phkak, cuts through wood, straw and men alike. The Phkak was wielded only by war leaders mounted on horses and elephants in the battlefield. It was not the weapon of a common foot solder as it illustrated base-relief of Angkor Wat, Bayon and Banteay Chma.

Phkak typically curved handle and its slanted blade about the size of shin bone. Did anyone ever wonder to how the South East Asia martial arts today use the shin bone as primary weapon for hand-to-hand combat? Well, this your answer, unlike any martial arts in the world, Kun Khmer kick from the outside to smash opponent neck, ribcage or disable the opponent leg with the Phkak alike to cut through the human body much like cutting wood, straw and men alike.

This illustrates grappling technique of defending the opponent’s kick and side thrust kick Tehk Chamheang

Kbach Wai Jongkung (Knee)

The knee strike can be done by raising the knee to attack which may a bit harder for beginners because this requires proper balance maintain when attack. In Sneat Kun Pradal Serey utilize knee with a combination of elbow or used to set up elbow strike. The main characteristic of using knee-strike is generally struck in a close combat aka Wai Keak. Though, the techniques can be used to strike opponents while in long range such as flying knee kick aka Wai Proyol. In a sense to use the techniques try to grab the opponent’s neck and lock and attack.

Laeng Chongkung Bok – straight forward knees (this can be used without grappling)
Laeng Chongkung Toul / Hanuman Toulmekh – upward knees (this must used with grappling)
Laeng Chongkung Kat Tralach / Hanuman Vek Popok – horizontal knees
Laeng Chongkung Phkabb Chann – downward knees
(advance) Hoss Laeng Chongkung Toul – jump slant upward knees
(advance) Hoss Laeng Chongkung Bok – jump upward knees
(advance) Hoss Laeng Chongkung Kabb Tralach / Hanuman Vek Popok – jump horizontal knee
(advance) Hoss Laeng Chongkung Phkabb Chann – jump downward knees
(advance) Hoss Chongkung Pugh – jump downward knees
(advance) able to perform 1 of the 3 or 5 combinations knees simultaneously

Laeng Chongkung Bok – straight forward knees (this can be used without grappling)

Laeng Chongkung Bok / Hanuman Chrek Popok – straight forward knees (this can be used without grappling)

Laeng Chongkung Kat Tralach / Hanuman Gnek Popok – horizontal knees

Laeng Chongkung Toul / Hanuman Toulmekh – upward knees with smashing elbow combination (this must used with grappling)

Kbach Tehk – Thrust Kick

Tehk – thrust kick is used mainly to push or keep opponents away. Applying by bending the knee and quickly extending the leg using a full foot or heel to various target or attack the target. There are variations of Tehk in Sneat Kun Pradal Serey in terms of objective to use. Foot-thrust will be mainly used as offensive technique to block the opponent’s attack. The foot-thrust also use for make the opponent off balance and take a chance to counter attack the opponent.