Typical Sport

Bokator/Boxkator

Bokator/Boxkator, or more formally, Labok Katao(which means wielding a wooden stick to fight lions), is an ancient Khmer martial art that is based on animal forms. It has ground fighting, close combat techniques and weaponry. Bokator weaves together Cambodia's ancient religious traditions of Buddhism and Brahmanism. Unlike kick boxing, which is a sport fighting art, Boxkator was a soldiers art, designed to be used on the battlefield. It can be considered a complete martial art, using strikes, throws, drags, trapping, locking, and some elements of ground fighting.

Every single part of the body can be used as a weapon. Boxkator practitioners are trained to strike with knees, hands, elbows, feet, shins, and head. Even the shoulders, hip, jaw, and fingers can be used to fight an opponent to submission or death.

When fighting, Bokator practitioners still wear the uniforms of ancient Khmer armies. A kroma (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 it is said that the cords were enchanted to increase strength, although now they are just ceremonial.

The kroma shows the fighters level of expertise. A series of grades, each taking at least five months to complete training seven days a week and 2 hours a day, are represented by different colors. The first grade is white, followed by green, blue, red, brown and then black which has 10 degrees.

After completing their initial training, fighters wear a Black Kroma (scarf) for at least another ten years. To attain the Gold Kroma you must be a true master and must have done something great for Boxkator. And to become a true master it will definitely take some time as just in the unarmed portion of the art there are between 8000 and 10000 different techniques; only 1000 of which you have to learn to attain the black kroma.

The art contains 341 different styles some of which are the duck, crab, horse, bird, dragon, eagle, crane, wind, fire, water, earth (or stone,) king monkey, lion, elephant, apsara (traditional Hindu sacred nymph), and crocodile.

Because of its visually similar style, Bokator (Boxkator) is commonly wrongly described as a variant of modern kick boxing. Bokator has many forms based on styles as well as straight practical fighting techniques. While Pradal Serey is a more simplified freestyle fighting system which uses a few of the basic (white kroma) punching, elbow, kicking and kneeing techniques

Pradal Serey or Traditional Khmer boxing

Pradal Serey or Traditional Khmer boxing is a popular sport in Cambodia. A match consists of 5 sets of 3 minute rounds and takes place in a 6.1 meter square boxing ring. A one or two minute break occurs between each round. At the beginning of each match boxers practice the praying rituals known as the Twai Kru. Traditional Cambodian music is played during the match. The music is played used the instruments of the skor yaul (a type of drum), the sraliai (a flute like instrument) and the stringed chhing. Boxers wear leather gloves and shorts.

Rules:

1. A boxer is not allowed to strike his opponent while he is on the ground
2. A boxer is not allowed to bite.
3. When an opponent can not fight anymore, the referee stops the fight.
4. Blows to the back of the opponent are not allowed.
5. A boxer may not hold on to the ropes.
6. Blows to the genitals are prohibited.

Victory can be obtained by knockout. A knockout occurs when a boxer is knocked down to the ground and can not continue fighting after a 10 second count by the referee. Victory is also obtained from the end of the match when judges decide by a point system which fighter was more effective. If fighters end up with the same score a draw is called.

Sepak Takraw

Sepak Takraw is a "kick-volleyball" sport that is popular in Southeast Asia. It may also be known as si or chinlon in Cambodia. This sport is featured in the Southeast Asian games.

Traditional Boat Racing

Traditional boat racing is a popular sport in Cambodia. Competition usually take place during the water festival. Boats are usually long and contain large numbers of rowers.

Reference : Wikipedia