Most striking arts count their weapons in even numbers. Boxing has two (the fists). Muay Thai has eight (fists, elbows, knees, feet). Lethwei has nine, and the ninth weapon is the head. That single addition is why Lethwei feels different from any other striking art the moment you watch a clinch sequence.
The nine limbs are: two fists (lead and rear), two elbows (lead and rear), two knees (lead and rear), two feet (lead and rear), and one head. Every clean knockout in Lethwei history has been delivered by one or a combination of these nine surfaces. There are no kicks delivered with the shin's edge that don't also count as the foot's contact; there are no shoulder strikes; there are no biting or eye attacks. The discipline of the count is part of why the sport's identity is so coherent.
The fists are obvious in their use, but the bareknuckle context changes them. A Lethwei fighter has trained their knuckle alignment for an exposed hand — straighter punches, more conservative angles, more attention to wrist position. The full discussion is in the techniques chapter, but the headline point is that a Lethwei punch and a boxing punch are not interchangeable mechanics. The exposed hand demands its own bio-mechanical school.
The elbows and knees are the workhorses. In a WLC card you will see more elbow strikes than fist strikes per round in clinch-heavy bouts. The elbow is the most efficient cutting weapon in striking sports and Lethwei applies it without the protective elbow pads found in other arts. The knee is the most efficient short-range power weapon and Lethwei applies it both from the clinch (the standard Muay Thai-style knee) and as a flying strike (the kao loi).
The feet operate at long range and short. The teep, or push-kick, controls distance the way a jab does in boxing. The round-kick is the high-power strike that wins kicker-versus-puncher exchanges. The low calf kick is a modern import that has crept into Lethwei from MMA influence, and the spinning heel kick (klap) is the rare but devastating finisher. The full vocabulary of the Lethwei foot is on the techniques page.
The ninth limb — the head — is the one that has built Lethwei's international reputation. The frontal headbutt, delivered from the clinch using the hardest part of the skull, is the strike Lethwei has and Muay Thai does not. It is also the strike that most often shows up in Lethwei knockout reels, because the headbutt finishes are visually unmistakable. Headbutt mechanics are different from any other striking surface — there is no boxing-style retraction; the contact is a forward drive that uses the neck and the spine to generate force. It is harder to drill than it looks, and easier to land than novices expect.
If you want to see all nine limbs interactively, the Nine Limbs Map is the place to start. Each weapon links to its specific techniques, common uses, and follow-up strikes. The techniques chapter expands every limb into its own section with diagrams. The glossary defines every Burmese name in the system, with pronunciations.