Bando — Myanmar's Animal Style Martial Art

Bando (ဗန္တိုး) is Myanmar’s traditional unarmed combat system — part of the comprehensive Burmese martial arts term Thaing (all Burmese martial arts together, similar to “Budo” in Japan). While Lethwei is Myanmar’s striking sport, Bando is the defensive, animal style-based system. The art is based on the imitation of nine animals — each representing a specific combat quality: the bull for strength, the cobra for precision, the tiger for aggressive control. Bando has a very strong defensive philosophy: offensive techniques are taught only in the third training phase — first one learns to block, then to parry, then to attack. This sequence is not accidental but philosophically grounded: Bando teaches that a fighter must first possess complete defensive competence before earning the right to attack. Today Bando is taught primarily in Myanmar, the USA (through Maung Gyi’s work), and the United Kingdom.

History

Pagan Empire and Early Development (11th–13th century)

Bando reportedly has roots in the Pagan Empire (1044–1287) — the first great Burmese kingdom. Monasteries and noble courts maintained martial arts initially imported from India and China and then independently developed.

Animal style martial arts — with movement patterns of various animals — likely came to Myanmar through Indian and Chinese influence.

Burmese-Siamese Wars (16th–18th century)

The prolonged conflicts with Siam (Thailand) sharpened Burmese martial arts into practical war techniques. Bando became an integral part of warrior training.

Modern Systematization (1940s–1960s)

Ba Than Gyi — after World War II Director of Physical Education for the Union of Burma — collected the various regional Bando styles and united them into a unified system: Hanthawaddy Bando.

His son Maung Gyi brought Bando to Washington D.C. in the early 1960s and taught it on the American East Coast — the first systematic Western dissemination.

The Nine Animal Styles

Animal	Qualities	Emphasis
Bull	Strength, charging attack	Full body force
Boar	Endurance, persistence	Never give up
Cobra	Precision, vital points	Delayed effect
Viper	Flexibility, speed	Agility
Python	Choking, wrapping	Control and pressure
Panther	Agility, evasion	Fast direction changes
Tiger	Gripping force, dominance	Aggressive control
Scorpion	Vital points, poison attacks	Targeted strikes
Eagle	Overview, reach	Distance control

Training Structure — The Three Phases

Phase 1 — Blocking techniques: Months of pure defense. No attack, only blocks and deflections. The student learns to receive every attack.

Phase 2 — Parrying: Soft, redirecting defenses. The block becomes flowing.

Phase 3 — Offensive techniques: Only now are attacks taught — based on the principle that every offense arises from a perfect defense.

Connections to Other Martial Arts

Lethwei — both are Burmese martial arts; Lethwei is the offensively explosive striking combat, Bando the defensive complete system
Pencak Silat — both are Southeast Asian martial arts with animal styles and spiritual foundation
Muay Boran — Thai counterpart; also a historical combat system with a modern successor

Today

Bando is taught in Myanmar, the USA, and the United Kingdom. The American Bando Association (founded by Maung Gyi) is the largest Western organization. In Myanmar, Bando is part of the national sports heritage.