The Complete Muay Thai Beginners Guide

This past January, USA Muay Thai received official approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, which gives the sport an inside shot at debuting at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. And this year, Muay Thai will feature at the European Games, in Krakow, Poland. Hopefully you find the information here helpful and relevant to your experience.

You can either give up in the midst of training or you can stretch yourself and summon every last ounce of energy you have to push till the end. And the latter, is how training Muay Thai builds mental strength with some push from your trainer. But nothing works as well as getting completely exhausted from training to fill my entire being with a sense of joy. A thorough workout such as Muay Thai never fails to send a rush of endorphins that keeps me feeling relaxed. As a full-contact competitive sport, Muay Thai is notorious for being one of the most violent. Fights play out like a game of survival and black eyes, broken noses, bloodied faces are all part and parcel of a fighter’s life.

The kick only works when you have honed the technique and can carry it through with fluency and accuracy. As a result, going to the body is a necessary method for any fighter hoping to score points and keep their opponent guessing. Without the threat of body shots, an opponent will keep their guard up and walk into range safe in the knowledge that they will not suffer any punishment for their troubles. The cross can be a show-stopping punch if timed right, but can also be built into combinations that set up kicks. The cross does not have to be thrown behind a jab, but can sometimes follow a feint or a low kick. Yes, this punch is unlikely to knock an opponent out or earn a fighter a place in the highlight reel of the year.

There are a number of different types of low kicks which can be thrown against the lead or rear leg. The latter is certainly the most powerful, as it comes with a lot more power from your starting stance. However, getting it right is key to gaining the best results from this shot. The hook is certainly one of the four main punches when it comes to Muay Thai, so you should certainly invest some time in perfecting it.

Muay Thai also plays a huge role in the fighting style of most MMA fighters in organisations such as the UFC and Bellator. During WW1 and WW2 Muay Thai gained exposure across the world as soldiers from many countries came into contact with Thai fighters and watched them compete amongst each other. Also, the sport began to evolve with stadiums and rings being built, along with gloves being introduced and rules being added to competitions.

That nauseous feeling you sometimes get after exercise can be caused by inadequate fuel. Dehydration can result in some nasty effects such as headaches, impaired brain function and reduced endurance. Researchers recommend drinking at least 2 litres (half a gallon) of water per day. The best routine is to incorporate both long-distance running with sprint interval training. My tip is to go for running tracks as the impact on the knees is lower.

As with any comparable kick from the lead or rear leg, there are discernible advantages to both. Unlike many martial arts that focus on katas (or forms), Muay Thai is straightforward and to the point. There is no elaborate or detailed choreography and the moves are not designed to be performed for entertainment purposes. Muay Thai is a stand-up striking style that was developed to hurt the opponent in the most efficient way. Muay Thai has grown over years since around World War I period to become a combat sport loved and practised all around the world. Modern Muay Thai encompasses elements of traditional boxing including the use of padded boxing gloves, 3 to 5 rounds with time limit, defined rules and take place within a ring (squared platform).

  • Although your Muay Thai journey has some way to go before you attempt to get your head around advanced techniques, we will cover two very interesting variants of the push kick below.
  • Muay Thai is a completely different sport from traditional boxing as known in the West.
  • Endorphin rush refers to this state which is experienced after a workout which is almost guaranteed with each Muay Thai training session.
  • For example, Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn was given the name ‘Dieselnoi,’ which means little diesel, and trained at the Chor Thanasukarn gym.

For safety reasons, some techniques and strikes are penalised and can result in warning or disqualification. Headbutts, biting, groin shots, hitting the back of the head, kicking knee joints and poking the eyes are not prohibited. If an opponent has maintained 3-point contact with the ring canvas (e.g. with both feet and one hand on the ground), no striking is allowed to the opponent. Accidents do occasionally happen due to the fast pace of the fight and this will be judged accordingly by the referee or ring officials. It’s all about burning those extra calories and Muay Thai training does it exceptionally effectively. Each Muay Thai session lasts about 1-2 hours and consists of warm-up, shadow boxing, drilling techniques, heavy bag work, padwork, before finishing off with strength training exercises.

In Thailand some fighters jog several miles every morning before starting their gym training routine. Whilst https://thefightingcock.co.uk/2024/03/thailands-football-development-highlights-obstacles-and-the-sportsbook-environment/ is a stand up striking martial art, there is also an element of stand-up grappling known as the clinch. Muay Thai (Thai boxing) is a martial art and combat sport, which dates back to the 13th century. You should ideally be training for at least a few months before sparring. In many gyms, students are allowed to spar sometimes only after 6 months of basic level training. The trainers are also there to facilitate the sparring sessions to correct your techniques and keep things in check before tempers flare and gets out of hand.

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Shins are trained by repeatedly striking firm objects, such as pads or heavy bags. Naturally, you will have limited attacking opportunities in the clinch as you will be up close and personal with your opponent (so ensure you have breath mints). Of course, you could attack them with bad breath, but that wouldn’t be very sporting. Alternatively, you can work on your shortest of short-range strikes which means that elbows, knees, and punches will be your most promising methods when landing strikes. This knee strike is most effective in short range, such as in very close clinches. You can aim this shot at your opponent’s sides, such as their ribs, hips, and thighs.

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