Traditional kickboxing is fairly straightforward to understand, it's boxing with the addition of kicks. Kickboxers tend to have a more energetic and distanced fighting style compared to most muay thai fighters. Kicks tend to be quick and high volume in order to hit the opponent as many times as possible.

Muay Thai, also called thai boxing, is similar, but it allows the further addition of knees and elbows (this is why it's sometimes called the "art of eight limbs"), and the ruleset is expanded to allow kicks to the thighs and calves. Muay thai fighters tend to be more methodical in their approach, preferring to focus on a considerably fewer devastating strikes.