What do you do when someone keeps pushing you away with a Teep? You need good Teep counters.
At a seminar at Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA in Phuket, Thailand, Buakaw Banchamek answered that question. About 200 people came to train with him that day.
Buakaw is a two-time K-1 World MAX champion, with wins in 2004 and again in 2006.
His lesson was simple. Catch the Teep, control the leg, and then pick your strike. Below are his Teep counters, broken into parts, with a time stamp for each one.
Click any time stamp, and the video in the post jumps to that moment.
The Video: Buakaw at Bangtao
Video: Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA YouTube channel.
In This Post:
Why the Teep Matters
The Teep (ถีบ) is a push kick delivered with the ball of the foot. It helps a fighter control distance and keep opponents from getting close enough to land their strikes.
During the seminar, Buakaw explained how difficult it can be to fight someone who has a well-timed Teep.
Every time you try to move forward, your opponent pushes you back with another Teep. You can’t get close enough to throw your punches, kicks, or knees. You keep trying to close the distance, but your opponent keeps you exactly where they want you.
As the fight goes on, you become frustrated, waste energy, and eventually start to tire. Meanwhile, your opponent is controlling the distance without using much energy.
That is why Buakaw spent so much of the seminar teaching different ways to defend against and counter the Teep.
How to Read the Drills
I use two symbols to make the drills easier to follow. Here is what each one means.
- = (Equals Sign): What comes before the equals sign is the attack your opponent throws. What comes after it is how you defend or counter that attack.
- + (Plus Sign): Perform both movements at the same time, as one motion.
Example: Opponent throws a Teep = Scoop the kick to the side + Step back.
Drill 1: Shield, Then Teep
Watch it: 3:47
He throws a Rear Round Kick = Lead Leg Shield to Lead Teep
- He throws a Rear Round Kick = Lead Leg Shield: Lift your Lead Knee and block the Rear Round Kick with your shin.
- Lead Teep (Teep /ถีบ): Put the same foot back down, then use the momentum from the ground to bounce into a Lead Teep.
Drill 2: Shield and Catch, Then Kick the Back
Watch it: 4:38
He throws a Rear Round Kick = Lead Outward Leg Shield + Lead Catch to Swing to Rear Round Kick to the Back
- He throws a Rear Round Kick = Lead Outward Leg Shield + Lead Catch: Turn your Lead Leg outward to block the Rear Round Kick while simultaneously catching his leg with your Lead Arm.
- Swing: Swing his caught leg toward your rear side to throw him off balance and expose his back.
- Rear Round Kick (Teh /เตะ) to the Back: Deliver a Rear Round Kick while his back is exposed.
Tip: Kicking your opponent in the back can demonstrate dominance and control. By disrupting his balance and forcing him out of position, you show the judges that you are controlling the exchange, which can work in your favor when scoring.
Drill 3: Scoop the Teep, Then Hook
Watch it: 5:48
He throws a Lead Teep = Lead Scoop to a Lead Hook
- He throws a Lead Teep = Lead Scoop: Scoop his kick up and off to the side with your Lead Arm.
- Lead Hook (Mat Tat /หมัดตัด): Throw the Hook while he is off balance.
Drill 4: Catch the Teep — Six Ways to Finish
This was the main drill of the seminar. Buakaw demonstrated six different ways to counter a caught Teep, including one technique he described as a guaranteed knockout.
After the catch and the throw, his back is partly turned to you, and he is standing on one leg. From there, you pick the finish.
Part A: Lead Hook
Watch it: 6:49
- He throws a Lead Teep = Catch the Kick, Lead Hand Under + Rear Hand Grabs the top of the foot: Both hands close on his foot at the same time.
- Throw his leg off to the outside of your Lead Leg.
- Lead Hook (Mat Tat /หมัดตัด): Throw it to his head as his leg goes by.
Part B: Lead Horizontal Elbow (Sok Tat /ศอกตัด)
- He throws a Lead Teep = Catch the Kick, Lead Hand Under + Rear Hand Grabs the top of the foot: Both hands close on his foot at the same time.
- Throw his leg off to the outside of your Lead Leg.
- Lead Horizontal Elbow (Sok Tat /ศอกตัด): Step in and throw the Elbow instead of the Hook.
Tip: The Elbow has a shorter range than the Hook. Step and slide toward your opponent to close the distance and get within Elbow range.
Part C: Spinning Back Elbow (Sok Klap /ศอกกลับ)
Watch it: 8:41
- He throws a Lead Teep = Catch the Kick, Lead Hand Under + Rear Hand Grabs the top of the foot: Both hands close on his foot at the same time.
- Throw his leg off to the outside of your Lead Leg.
- Rear Spinning Back Elbow (Sok Klap /ศอกกลับ): Spin with the motion of the throw and land the Elbow.
Part D: The Sweep
Watch it: 9:10
- He throws a Lead Teep = Catch the Kick, Lead Hand Under + Rear Hand Grabs the top of the foot: Both hands close on his foot at the same time.
- Throw his leg off to the outside of your Lead Leg.
- Rear Leg Sweep + Lead Arm to the Chest + Lift the Ankle: Sweep his standing leg, push his chest back, and lift his caught ankle high, all at once.
Tip: This is one motion, not three steps. His leg goes out, his chest goes back, and his ankle goes up together.
Part E: Lead Hook to the Body
Watch it: 9:34
- He throws a Lead Teep = Catch the Kick, Lead Hand Under + Rear Hand Grabs the top of the foot: Both hands close on his foot at the same time.
- Throw his leg off to the outside of your Lead Leg.
- Lead Hook (Mat Tat /หมัดตัด) to the Body: His side is open, so go to the ribs.
Part F: Uppercut Elbow (Sok Ngat /ศอกงัด)
Watch it: 9:42
- He throws a Lead Teep = Catch the Kick, Lead Hand Under + Rear Hand Grabs the top of the foot: Both hands close on his foot at the same time.
- Throw his leg off to the outside of your Lead Leg.
- Lead Uppercut Elbow (Sok Ngat /ศอกงัด): Drive the Uppercut Elbow (Sok Ngat /ศอกงัด) up through his guard.
Buakaw’s advice was to train the catch first. Then try each finish and keep the ones that work best for you.
Two More Ways of Teep Defense
Watch it: 9:59
At the end of the seminar, the coaches demonstrated two additional ways to defend against a Teep.
- He throws a Body Teep = Scoop Defense: Use your Lead Arm to scoop the kicking leg and redirect it to the side.
- He throws a Face Teep = Inward Forearm Block: Use your forearm to deflect the kick inward and away from your head.
For more on how the Teep is thrown, see Saenchai and Sudsakorn’s guide to Muay Thai kicks. You can also read this breakdown of Muay Thai elbows, strikes, and defenses to learn more about elbow techniques. For another seminar breakdown, see Jonathan Haggerty’s Teep fakes and Jump Teeps.
For more Seminar Sunday breakdowns, check out:
Train Your Teep Counters in Portland
A Teep counter starts with one skill: catching the kick cleanly. After that, every finish Buakaw showed comes from the same spot.
The catch looks easy on video, but the timing takes a partner and many rounds. In my Muay Thai private lessons in Portland, Oregon, we drill the catch first, then add one finish at a time.
If you’re in the Portland, Oregon area, reach out to me when you’re ready. Use the contact form on TrainWithSean.com.
