Fight Modes – Fight Strategy for Muay Thai

Do you tend to fight on instinct, not quite sure what your actual fight strategy is?

Maybe you’re great at pressing forward, but struggle against elusive opponents.Or perhaps you prefer to counter, but aggressive fighters throw you off your game.

Every fighter has a natural, primary fight mode, and understanding it is the key to levelling up your game.Although, your fight mode alone isn’t enough.

It’s when you combine your Fight Mode (how you engage) with your Fight Range (where you engage)—as discussed in last week’s episode—that your full fight strategy takes shape.

This combination is what defines your fight style.

The Four Main Fight Modes...

At its core, Muay Thai fight strategy revolves around four key fight modes—aggressive, elusive, counter, and tricky.

Most fighters lean heavily toward one mode, with a secondary they switch to when needed.

But the rare ‘complete fighters’ can flow between all four seamlessly, adapting to any opponent.

Understanding these modes is the key to reading your opponent and refining your own game.

KEY MOMENTS

Follow along using these quick timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:32 The Aggressive Fight Mode

01:02 The Elusive Fight Mode

01:18 The Counter Fight Mode

01:28 The Tricky Fight Mode

02:23 The Core Principle – Aggressive vs. Elusive

03:03 Aggressive Mode – Counter Fighters and Tricky Fighters

03:44 Elusive Mode – Counter Fighters and Tricky Fighters

Further notes and resources at https://heatrick.com/2025/03/07/fight-modes-fight-strategy-for-muay-thai/