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In a small Cambodian town near the banks of the Mekong River, law student Oeun Bunthav tenses his slender torso and steels himself for an elbow strike to his head. Bunthav is among 20 young Cambodians at an open-air club in Krong Areyksat training in the ancient Khmer combat martial art of Yutkromkhorm. The practice was largely forgotten after many of its masters were killed in a purge of intellectuals under the communist Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979, but Bunthav and his fellow students are determined to learn its techniques and keep their heritage alive.

For the students, who wear headbands and arm ties, the training includes learning to launch knockout blows with fists, high-powered precision kicks and rapid elbow and knee strikes. Stick, sword and spear fighting are also on the curriculum. "I will try my best to train with it so that I can know about it clearly and try to preserve this martial art for the next generations," Bunthav told AFP.



- Born out of wars - Yutkromkhorm -- which translates to "the art of war" in the Khmer language -— was born out of the numerous wars fought by the ancient Khmer empire. It has three components -- the art of war, magic spells and military strategy. "In the ancient time, they did not have modern weapons like nowadays," said Nak Rinda, the 25-year-old master who leads the classes in Krong Areyksat.

"In the ancient time people used this martial art such as punches, elbows, kicks, knees, swords, spears and arrows to protect our natio.

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