Thai-boxing, the national sport of Thailand, is perhaps the most brutal sport in existence. Participants batter each other with punches, kicks, knees and elbows. There are few rules in Thai-boxing and boils down to survival of the fittest. A match consists of five, three minute rounds. Punching, knee and elbow strikes and kicking techniques are allowed to any part of the body, except the groin. Because of the hard, fast paced action, it is very important for the fighters to be highly conditioned, both physically and mentally. A fighter entering the ring in anything but top condition can expect, at the very least, to be knocked unconscious. There is also a chance of death if not properly prepared. In Thailand, there are many deaths each year as a result of the beating taken in the ring. Much of the Thai-boxers conditioning is done on the Thai-pads. Thai-pads are solid, heavy pads strapped to the arms of a holder. This method of training is advantageous to the heavy bag in that it allows the fighter to respond to a "live" opponent. The holders job varies, depending on the desired results of the training session. For some drills, the holder attacks with kicks to the legs, body or head, and punches to the body and head. While defending himself, the fighter throws his own kicks, knees and elbows. Using another method, the holder remains relatively stationary and allows the fighter to attack with a pre-designated combination or a free flow barrage of kicks, knees, and elbows.