Closed Guard / Cover Up

The most basic of defenses in Muay Thai is just to cover up with your gloves, using what we can call a Closed Guard. This is a valuable technique to make use of - in a competitive fight, you won't be able to parry and deflect every attack. Using the closed guard (or "covering up") allows you to absorb your opponent's attacks and take very little damage from them, while not risking taking a hand away from your face and leaving yourself open.

The closed guard is executed properly by placing the front of both gloves onto your forehead, far enough apart that you can see, but not far enough apart that your opponent’s glove can make it through. Keep your chin down — when your gloves are hit, you should feel the impact displace into your shoulders and down into your body. If your head is pushed back by your closed guard being hit, your chin is not tucked enough.