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Cambodia’s Olympic committee again calls for recognition of l’bokator
The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia has resubmitted its plea to UNESCO for recognition of Angkoran era martial art l’bokator as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, a status three other local traditions have enjoyed since 2008.

A formal application accompanied by historical evidence to prove the existence of the centuries-old practice in Khmer society, along with the Royal Government’s commitment to promote and preserve the martial art, was handed over to UNESCO last week.

Cambodia’s renewed bid follows several clarifications and additional information sought by UNESCO regarding historical, cultural and social perspectives when considering a plea made at around the same time last year...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/sport/camb ... n-lbokator

So what is "Bokator"?
Wikipedia:

Bokator, or more formally, Labokkatao (ល្បុក្កតោ) is a Khmer martial art that includes weapons techniques. One of the oldest existing fighting systems in Cambodia, oral tradition indicates that bokator or an early form thereof was the close quarter combat system used by the armies before Angkor 1700 years ago.
The term bokator translates as "pounding a lion" from the words bok meaning to pound and tor meaning lion. A common misunderstanding is that bokator refers to all Khmer martial arts while in reality it only represents one particular style.

It uses a diverse array of elbow and knee strikes, shin kicks, submissions and ground fighting.

When fighting, bokator exponents still wear the uniforms of ancient Khmer armies. A krama (scarf) is folded around their waist and blue and red silk cords called sangvar day are tied around the combatants head and biceps. In the past the cords were believed to be enchanted to increase strength, although now they are just ceremonial.

i'm friends with a female Bokator fighter on Facebook, she uploaded a new pic tonight

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2017 11:06 pm i'm friends with a female Bokator fighter on Facebook, she uploaded a new pic tonight

Now that's sexy, does she have the moves of Jeeja Yanin?

Seasquatch wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2017 3:48 am

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2017 11:06 pm i'm friends with a female Bokator fighter on Facebook, she uploaded a new pic tonight

Now that's sexy, does she have the moves of Jeeja Yanin?

shes actually really pretty too (girl on the left) both these girls are actually Bokator fighters


the other girl is featured in this Dub Addiction song/music video

It seems to be the most well known, but it also appears like some old master rediscovers a new martial art every few months. Like the wrestling one in the news a few days ago.

What I find weird is that bokator is mostly a show sport. I can't imagine how it ever would have been useful in real battle. Jumping off an opponent's knees and smashing the top of their skull with your elbow? How many Chams and Thais were killed with that technique? One over the course of 500 years? The core of it was probably useful though, but I hate the TV portrayals of it. Then again, most martial arts have useless "show" portions where you fight imaginary adversaries.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2017 8:04 am It seems to be the most well known, but it also appears like some old master rediscovers a new martial art every few months. Like the wrestling one in the news a few days ago.

What I find weird is that bokator is mostly a show sport. I can't imagine how it ever would have been useful in real battle. Jumping off an opponent's knees and smashing the top of their skull with your elbow? How many Chams and Thais were killed with that technique? One over the course of 500 years? The core of it was probably useful though, but I hate the TV portrayals of it. Then again, most martial arts have useless "show" portions where you fight imaginary adversaries.

theyre just demonstrations, no different from teh Kata in Karate and other martial arts
they still have Bokator fights,

looks like a tourist dance. I see no style in this. Pitiful really. But it's one 2 minute clip. One could just as easily observe two 5 yr olds in their first scuffle and affix a name to it and call it a martial art.

Mr Curious wrote: ↑Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:18 am looks like a tourist dance. I see no style in this. Pitiful really. But it's one 2 minute clip. One could just as easily observe two 5 yr olds in their first scuffle and affix a name to it and call it a martial art.

check my video above

Having been involved in martial arts and boxing at a reasonably successful amateur level for 35 years I can say that Bokator leaves me cold. The kicks are impressive but the hand skills are lamentable. Still if they want to preserve it so be it.

It is true that the kata performer fights an imaginary opponent but so do boxers at a heavy bag and I don't imagine they have seen their final days. And that by the way is why fighters spar.

" Then again, most martial arts have useless "show" portions where you fight imaginary adversaries."

Such is definitely true. One must remember that these arts are ancient and taught skills that are useless in.modern warfare. I remember one of the katas I had to learn involved learning to kick a mounted opponent off his horse. Was it useful at one time? Well yes, if you have more balls than I do. It's equally important to remember that they evolved as a means of training unskilled peasantry in the art of warfare. No need to.worry about getting the soldier of his horse these days. A man on a Moto can easily unseat another one with a well placed sidekick.

These katas so have a useful purpose however, in the fury of battle they drill in a set of.offensive/defensive combinations when too much thought about "What do I do next?" can have highly unfortunate consequences.

meh

naked female mma
now there is a thing!