Khao Loi

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Khao loi, commonly called flying knee in the English-language literature, is a muay thai knee strike performed in a jump. After the takeoff the knee rises explosively, the rear hip swings forward while the lead hip swings back, and the strike lands with the tip of the knee, ideally at the peak of the jump. The hands stay up to guard on landing. It belongs to the traditionally named knee strikes (khao) of muay thai, among which the source lists khao chiang, khao tat, khao trong, khao khong, khao yao, and khao loi. Unlike khao trong, a direct knee thrown quickly from a static stance, it requires a takeoff and forward momentum. It is used to punish an opponent who retreats after a teep or strikes, or after a series of teeps and feints that force him to lower his guard. According to the source, khao yao and khao loi see limited use in a fight and are mainly applied as follow-up strikes after breaking a clinch. It is considered an advanced technique, recommended only after mastering the basic knee strikes and kicks. The source also describes a variant with a run-up, where the attacker runs at the opponent and jumps at him: the knee lands harder, but if the opponent evades, the attacker is left more exposed than in the classic jump without a run-up.