I don’t claim to have a perfect record in muay Thai, but I’ve taken fights on short notice against much higher ranked fighters than myself and I still gotten what I wanted out of it. Here’s what I think there is to take from a fight, even if you walk away with a loss.

Gained Experience

Ring experience is invaluable, something all fighters strive for, and until recently hard to come by here in the United States unless you were an amateur boxer. I’m particularly lucky as California is a hotbed for muay Thai and kickboxing competitions, but it’s getting better overall here in North America.

The most critical thing you should be asking yourself after your first loss is, “Did I learn something new?” I’ve learned the most in fights where I came away with a draw or loss. Sure, I felt like crud after losing, even suffering bouts of depression because I didn’t know how to cope. But as a result, I’ve gone as far as to take techniques that were used effectively against me and worked them into my own training and class curriculum to better myself as a fighter. You’ll either win – or you’ll learn.

Living to Fight Another Day

Realize that you lost. Even if it’s a bad decision from the judges, you should still treat this the same as if you were knocked out. The bottom line is that at the end of the day, all people will hear is that you lost. But don’t let this bother you. It really won’t matter to you in the long run.

Only you (and perhaps your coaches) know what led up to this point in your career. Not everyone sees the whole picture. Your real friends won’t like you less for having lost, and if they do, it speaks a lot about how you should view those relationships. You will get back to training and you will live to fight another day.

A Review of Your Fight

Having a recording of your fight is essential, as you won’t always remember your whole experience. When you are ready to sit down and watch the fight, try to be as unbiased as possible. Think of yourself as your coach. What would you fix about your fighting style?

I always try to look for how my balance is at all times, how I’m returning and counter striking. I look at my defense and my position in the ring or cage. These factors will all play into how you fight. Maybe you don’t have access to a boxing ring during training and you found yourself with your back to the ropes too many times during the actual fight. There are many ways to fix that, but footwork would be a good place to start.

Find the holes in your game and ask your coach about what to change. It would be even better if you could sit down with your coach and review the fight together, as he or she will most likely see things that you don’t and vice versa. Reviewing your fight is a vital part of your experience in the ring.

Getting Back on the Train

If you’re not injured in a manner that prevents you from training, then get back to it as soon as possible. Be honest with yourself here. If you have another fight coming up and your knee is a little sore, just work around it. Communicate with your coach about how you are feeling – mentally and physically – as he or she should be able to give you some advice on how to deal with most issues you might encounter.

Worse case scenario, you show up to training and watch everyone train. The habit I see fighters break most after a fight is simply showing up in the gym. I’ve had people who completely disappeared from the gym after their first fight, even if they won!

Don’t let this be you, stay the course and keep that habit going, even if you just stop by to say hello. It makes it easier when you are ready to return and get back on the train.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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This is no joke, and there is good reason for muay Thai having this alternate name. The concept is derived from the fact that a fighter can strike using the hands, elbows, knees, and legs. Hence, the art of eight limbs.

As both a strength coach and muay Thai practitioner, I can tell you that having a solid base of strength in place can result in a great deal of knockouts in the ring. This comes with a well-rounded strength and conditioning program designed with the physical needs of a Thai fighter in mind.

A Good Foundation to Deliver Muay Thai Skills

I had the fortunate opportunity to train my good friend Jeff Perry who is formally ranked sixth in the world in muay Thai and has had his share of knockouts inside the squared-circle. Here is a highlight video of his:

In Jeff’s strength and conditioning program, along with those of several of my other fight athletes, I like to focus on the development of both total-body strength as well as speed and power production.

Thai fighters are obviously explosive athletes and have to be well trained in performing movements with rapid ability in order to successfully land blows on their opponents inside the ring. But in addition to being a collision sport, muay Thai is also a focused chess match in which both fighters must express a rhythm and patience before an opening may present itself. These openings allow them to take a shot and capitalize on their opponent during the fight.

Elements of Strength and Conditioning for the Muay Thai Fighter

In order to wait for and capitalize on these openings, the successful fighter requires all-out cardiovascular conditioning. He or she also requires a significant level of strength in the transverse plane of motion in order to execute effective strikes and punches from the upper and lower portions of the body.

The energy from a Thai strike – whether it be a punch, elbow, knee, or kick – starts from the ground and moves up the fighter’s body to be delivered with a significant level of rotation throughout the fighter’s torso. This rotational movement is key for helping a Thai fighter strike with respectable force and with the intent on breaking his or her opponent in the process. Yes, in the words of the great Dolph Lundgren from Rocky IV the Thai fighter is thinking, “I must break you.”

When working with my fighters I love to include the standard deadlift by performing heavy sets, as well as lighter sets with speed. Not only is this great for helping the Thai fighter develop overall strength, it’s also great for building dynamic core strength, hip drive, leg power, and grip strength, which is necessary for clinching action.

As far as enhancing rotational movement, I’m big on implementing athletic drills such as rotational medicine ball slams and other similar drills to promote lumbar and thoracic rotation. Of course, regular kettlebell work is always part of the package, too.

Muay Thai Fighter Workout

A sample workout for one of my Thai fighters may look like the following:

Dynamic Warm Up:

• 2×15 Skips (each leg)
• 2×50 Jumping jacks
• 2×10 Stretch kicks (standing in place and kicking with one leg keeping that leg straight to stretch out the glutes and hamstrings.)
• 2-15 Second groin stretch holds in sumo squat position.

Standard Deadlift: 2 warm up sets and then 5×5 heavy

Superset:

• Reverse lunge 3×5 (each leg)
• Barbell front squat: 3×3

Superset:

• Kettlebell or plate halos 3×5
• Rotational medicine ball or tire throws: 3×6

For Halos: Hold Olympic plate or kettlebell by the horns and circle around the head and shoulder girdle, starting at the chest clockwise and then counterclockwise for 5 reps. When using the kettlebell, make sure the bell is upside down.

For Throws: Pivot front foot and throw across the body by turning the hips. Perform both right and left sides. With the medicine ball you can throw against the wall using either a sand filled ball or with a rubberized ball for additional bouncing. With a rubberized ball allow for more throwing space because of greater bouncing. With a tire all you need is your front yard.

Bilateral/Unilateral Box Jumps:

• 2×5 With both legs
• 2×5 Single leg

Note: Before performing any plyometric drills, be certain of your ability and consult with a professional strength coach. Also vary the height of the box depending on your level of ability.

Perform double leg jumps by jumping hard off both legs and landing soft on both feet. You shouldn’t “stampede” or “bash” your jumps in an attempt to just finish. Take your time and make sure to land softly and to absorb your landing with each jump by flexing at the hips and knees. Land on top of the box flat footed and not on the balls of your feet.

Perform single leg jumps by jumping hard off of one leg and landing on that same foot on top of the box. These are great for developing leg power for speed, :kicking, and jumping.

The Takeaway

Absolute strength and quality movement make for a dangerous combination in a Thai fighter. I said a Muay Thai fight was a chess match, but I promise you that a chess match with a well-prepared and conditioned Thai fighter will be the longest three minutes of your entire life.

Photo 1 by ColbyOtero.com [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo 2 by Thaifighter911 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

The post Muay Thai Workout: Training for the Art of 8 Limbs appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Believe

I have many students who ask me about which strike they should try to land or what game plan to use for their first fight, when the truth is, your training should do that for you. You fight like you train, and you train like you fight. 

I’ve heard people coach “being confident” in the ring, but how can you expect someone to be confident when this is his or her first time fighting? You have to believe in your training and believe in your techniques.

Ask your coach to work with you a little bit on fight-specific training, such as a mock-fight in your sparring, where he or she corners and talks to you between rounds.

Embrace

There is a very distinct feeling you will get as soon as you step off the scale for weigh-ins at your event. It’s like your mind realizes what it’s getting itself into and tries to talk you out of it. I’ve heard many names given to this feeling, such as “the darkness” or “bitchassness,” and I believe giving this feeling a name is a great way to recognize and embrace it.

Everyone has this feeling, all the way up until the point of entering the boxing ring, cage, or mat. It’s a fundamental part of competition that you will learn to enjoy with experience.

Get Comfortable

Being comfortable in your space is vital to believing in your techniques and embracing what it is that you are about to do. I personally like to walk out to the ring before an event and practice entering it, imagining how it will look and feel with an audience present. I’ll do some light shadow boxing to help create a mental anchor for what I’m picturing in my mind. This way when it comes time to compete, I’ll have the proper reaction if I experience that point in a fight.

Getting comfortable and practicing in the ring is vital. I suggest working it into your training. Get comfortable with the competition setting.

The last, but most important part, is to remember to have fun and enjoy this experience. I had one of my coaches tell me as I entered the ring, “Enjoy every second of this, remember how much you love to be in there.” Hearing him say that, it felt like I was back in the gym, relaxed and ready to fight. I went back to my mental anchor from training, I got comfortable, embraced my feelings, and believed in my technique.

When you can take yourself through this process, you will outperform yourself, which is the ultimate goal. After all, our greatest enemies are ourselves.

Photos “Amateur Muay Thai” by Attribution-NonCommercial License.

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Simplicity

The jab is the simplest strike a fighter can use. It takes the least amount of energy to throw and leaves you in the least likely position to be countered, assuming you perform it correctly. Having simple and effective weapons at your disposal will ensure you can upset your opponent, while at the same time conserving energy for your more powerful attacks.

When training make sure to spend extra time in perfecting the jab. There is a Chinese proverb that I feel rings true in regard to this technique: “Do not fear the ten thousand techniques practiced one time, fear the one technique practiced ten thousand times.”

Versatility

While being simple, the jab is also extremely versatile. It can be used to distract, unbalance, counter attack, create distance, set up attacks, gauge your opponent’s reaction, and most importantly smash your opponents face repeatedly.

A good fighter can be measured in the application of his or her jab. Take Muhammad Ali, for example. He would constantly whip his jab into his opponents’ faces, frustrating them, making them more and more aggressive, all the while dancing around the ring landing jab after jab. Muhammad Ali was a master at applying the jab and became one of the greatest boxers of all time as a result.

Speed

In fighting, your lead foot and hand are the closest body parts to your opponent. Since the hand weighs significantly less than the leg, it is naturally faster, therefore the jab is the fastest strike a person can deliver. A common saying in boxing is “speed kills” – and it’s absolutely true. Possessing superior speed is a tremendous advantage and allows you to beat your opponent to the punch. Having a fast jab will demoralize your opponent and allow you to execute powerful follow-ups with your other weapons.

Training the Jab

As with any of the other strikes there are many ways to train and perfect your jab. Regardless of which method you choose, always remember to keep good tight form and use your footwork. Without solid footwork behind the jab, it won’t be able to do its job.

Some of the ways to train the jab are as follows:

• Shadow boxing
• Heavy bag work
• Top and bottom bag
• Mitts
• Drilling and sparring

For a more detailed explanation on the proper technique for the jab, please see the below video:

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Your Fastest Strike: How to Perfect the Jab appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

1. Boxing Gloves

Preferably two pairs of gloves, actually. Generally, you will have one ten-ounce pair for bag and pad work, while also having a sixteen-ounce pair for sparring and drilling purposes. Personally, I would stay away from gloves that are made by Everlast or have the letters “UFC” written on them. Just my two cents for any of you would-be buyers.

2. Shin Guards

If practicing muay Thai is important to you buy shin guards. Not only will they benefit your practice, but they protect your training partners as well. Shin guards come in many shapes and sizes, so I highly recommend you try them on before purchasing.

3. Head Gear

Protect your dome. Spending money is never fun, but concussions are much worse. Head gear is another vital piece of equipment for advanced and beginner students alike. Check out my article reviewing various models of head gear if you don’t know which one will suit you.

4. Groin Protection

I feel this needs no explanation as to why any man would want this.

5. Mouth Guard

Possibly the cheapest piece of equipment you can buy for combat sports. Dentist bills are quite atrocious for repairing broken teeth, so do yourself a huge favor and always have your mouth guard in your bag.

6. Hand Wraps

You can never own to many hand wraps. I personally own about fifty pair. Carry a couple in your bag at all times, you never know when you might need an extra pair.

So there you have the six basic, but essential items you need in your gear bag. The following items are additional gear generally carried by the seasoned veterans of the sport that can make a great difference for you when the need arises.

7. Knee and Elbow Pads

If you’ve ever clashed knees when sparring you will understand the importance of knee pads. If this hasn’t happened to you, then you only need to know that it hurts like hell. Elbow pads are also important for sparring as they (mostly) prevent your strikes from cutting your opponent.

8. Athletic Tape

Good tape is worth its weight in gold to fighters and coaches alike. Whether you need to wrap your fighter’s hands, prevent your shin guards from sliding, tape your gloves shut, or tape up a sprained digit, athletic tape is a must-have.

9. Ankle Braces

A fantastic addition to your bag for any student, ankle braces help protect the feet from the great amounts of force created by kicking. Trust me – when you kick an elbow with your instep, you’ll wish you were wearing one.

10. Namaan Muay

This is a muay Thai students secret weapon. This muscle liniment is fantastic for dealing with the aches and pains associated with contact sports. Apply some before training to wherever you’re sore and you’ll be right as rain in no time. Be careful though, the caps on these bottles are super sketchy and fall off for virtually no reason whatsoever. Make sure you keep you namman muay in a sturdy Ziploc bag.

Photos 1&2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post What’s Inside a Muay Thai Fighter’s Gym Bag? The 10 Must-Have Items appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Through both articles and videos I have shown how to perform the kick, how to defend the kick, how to appropriately time the kick, and how to counter the kick in various ways. Today, I will give you a template of how to actually organize a training session by utilizing all of these techniques. The workout provided should take about an hour to complete and should be performed with a partner.

Workout Part #1: Warm Up and Mobility

1. Mobility Work

First, perform a basic mobility routine for five to ten minutes so your body is ready for action. Watch the video below to learn about my fighter’s mobility routine:

3. Warm Up: Jump rope x 2 rounds

3. Shadow Boxing: 2 rounds

Remember the most important rule of shadow boxing – don’t be lazy! Move around, keep your hands up, focus on your stance, and throw a lot of kicks to get the hips loose. If you’re still warming up when you begin to shadow box, slowly introduce your lower body techniques as in the video below:

4. Heavy Bag Work: 50 kicks per leg

When kicking the bag, keep the bag moving and focus on timing the kick. Optimally, you want to strike the bag right when it reaches the center of the swing. When performing this drill, take your time to set up the kicks, but don’t hold back on power. To kick hard you have to kick hard – a lot. This drill should take about ten minutes to complete.

Workout Part #2: Drilling

This next section needs to be done with shin guards and gloves. Choose three counters to the roundhouse kick and drill them one person at a time, for one round each per person. Alternate partners each round. One person will defend the kick and perform the appropriate counter while the other attacks.

Said another way: Partner A will throw kicks for the first round, while Partner B defends with the selected counter. When the round ends, Partner A now performs that same counter, while Partner B throws kicks.

Appropriate counter techniques could include, but are not limited to: checking, catching, or parrying the roundhouse kicks. Keep in mind when performing the drills to stay active and move around. Don’t stand in front of each other like statues. If you are pressed for time, switch partners every half round.

Here is a video demonstrating three different counters to the roundhouse kick:

Workout Part #3: Thai Pads

3 rounds of Thai pads per person

During the pad work section incorporate all the elements of muay Thai: punch, elbow, knee, kick, and clinch – but make sure to pay extra attention to kicking. Keep the combinations simple and repetitive.

Workout Part #4: Sparring

Spar for 3-5 rounds

All protective gear should be worn during sparring. For this sparring session kicking and defending the kick is the objective. Use your timing, footwork, feints, and strikes to set up your kicks. Also remember to spar light and work with your partner. Learning is the goal, not smashing each other.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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There are thousands of exercises to select from, so I tried to capture the most beneficial and efficient movements for the sport of muay Thai. The exercises listed below have been selected for several reasons. First, when performed they yield increased performance to the athlete. Whether in the form of strength, speed, or conditioning they increase some of the individual’s athletic attributes. The second reason I chose to select these exercises is that they help improve the athlete’s mobility and resilience to injury in some way, shape, or form.

Exercise #1: Deadlifts

Hands down one of the best strength-building exercises on the planet, particularly for the posterior chain. I don’t care what sport you do, if you’re not deadlifting you are missing out on some huge strength gains. Generally for my fighters, I keep the reps low and the rest periods long with the focus of the session being on perfect form, as I don’t want them to gain weight in the form of muscle mass.

One of the deadlifting protocols I commonly have my fighters use is the 5-3-2 that strength guru Dan John recommends in his book Easy Strength. I don’t have my fighters use percentages of their one-rep-max when performing deadlifts. This is because these guys are training two to three times a day and they feel differently on a daily basis. Some days they are ready to go to war, while on others they’re dragging their feet. I have seen the best results with having them lift heavy, but never max out. On days when they feel beat up, I have them lift lighter and save their strength for later.

The deadlift workout looks something like this for a 150lb fighter:

• 5-10 reps warm up at a light weight, like 135lbs
• 5 reps at a medium weight, like 225lbs
• 3 reps at a pretty heavy weight, like 275lbs
• 2 reps at a heavy-ish weight, like 315lbs

Exercise #2: Front Squats

The front squat is another fantastic strength building exercise I commonly use in my training. It is superb at strengthening the trunk and lower body, while saving the knees and the lower back from some of the stress often associated with back squatting. Another benefit provided by the front squat is the improved hip, knee, and ankle mobility that comes along with its continued practice. I also like to employ the front squat because of its versatility. Front squats can be performed with a single or double kettlebell, dumbbells, or a barbell.

When I have my fighters front squat, it will be for sets of 3 or 5 reps for up to 5 sets. It will generally look like this:

• 5-10 rep warm up at a light weight
• 5 x 3 at a heavy weight
• 5 x 5 at a medium weight

Exercise #3: Pull Ups

Pull ups are a great exercise if your sport requires you to pull your own body weight or manipulate the weight of your opponent. For muay Thai, pull ups are a great tool for improving your strength in the clinch, particularly weighted chin ups as they directly simulate your clinching position. When prescribing pull ups for my fighters I generally have them perform a rep ladder drill while super setting with a lower body press, such as a front squat.

• Weighted chin up x 1, 2, 3
• Front squat x 2, 3, 5
• Repeat for 3 ladders

It looks like this: after you complete your first pull up, go directly to the front squat and do two reps. Then go back to the chin up and do two reps. Then back to the front squat. Continue to climb the ladder until you’ve completed the ladder a total of three times through.

Exercise #4: Single-Arm Push Ups

If you want strong-ass punches, then do your push ups. I know not everyone is able to do a strict, one-arm push ups but there are a ton of progressions available to get you there. I never have my fighters do more than three reps in a set and I always put these after some gut-wrenching conditioning, like resisted sprints or pushing the weight sled. The purpose of performing the push ups right behind the conditioning is to get my fighters used to switching from moving quickly to not moving, but still exerting at a high level quickly and efficiently.

Exercise #5: Sprints

I love sprints. They create game-changing conditioning in fighters. So, do them and make them hard. I am a particular fan of having my fighters push the weight sled or strapping bands to their waists and making them do resisted sprints. I would recommend that in order to preserve form, you do shorter sprints at a max effort for six to eight sets. Just remember that sprinting is an extremely intense exercise and needs to be done with caution and attention to detail. Long rest periods will maximize your or your fighter’s performance with this awesome exercise.

Photo 1 courtesy of Orion Lee.

Photos 2 & 3 courtesy of CrossFit Impulse.

Photo 4 courtesy of Al Kavadlo and DragonDoor.

The post The 5 Most Effective Strength and Conditioning Exercises for Muay Thai appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

To improve in any athletic endeavor, we, as athletes, must all follow the same foundational behavioral habits, which when looked at are fairly simple. Be consistent, have big and small goals, log your progress, make yourself accountable, and show up to the gym. While these are all simple in concept, they become difficult to enact when we don’t prioritize our training.

Build Your Foundation With Consistency

The people I see who stay at the same skill level are those who always have an excuse for why they couldn’t make it to practice. These are the people who don’t hold themselves accountable and their reward is zero improvement. If you want to get better, the first step is to block off certain times of your day for training. That means unless the apocalypse is going down or you have bird flu, you are in the gym when you said you would be. So make a pact with yourself. Say to yourself, “I will be in the gym from 5:30pm to 7:00pm five days a week.” One of the hardest parts about training is showing up to the gym, but once you develop the habit of being there every day, it becomes easier and easier. When you have a solid foundation of consistency you are well on your way to becoming a badass.

Set Yourself Up for Success With an Objective

The next challenge to tackle is setting appropriate goals for yourself. When setting goals for your sport, it is always good to have several small ones and one big one. For instance, some small ones could be getting good at checking kicks, perfecting landing the jab, or mastering a certain sweep, while your big one could be to fight a certain amount of times over the year. By having multiple goals you can always see your improvement or, if need be, reevaluate what you are doing in order to achieve your goal.

Whatever your goals may be, when choosing them please use common sense. If you are just starting out in muay Thai, it would be an unrealistic goal to fight professionally in six months. Goals should challenge you, but not set you up for failure. The last thing you want to do is make yourself fail. Failure can be a powerful learning tool, but let it come from unforeseen circumstances – not yourself. Take some time when setting your goals and be specific on what you want. The more specific you can be the easier it will be to game plan your path to success.

Focus Your Training by Journaling

Once your goals are locked in and you know what you want to accomplish, it’s important to start logging your progress. Recording what you have done during your training doesn’t have to be a long and drawn-out process. Just a couple of sentences a day can make a huge difference in how you’re training advances. If, for example, you’re sparring and you keep getting nailed by your opponents jab write down, “Work on jab defense.” This will ensure that during your next training session you have a purpose and direction for your learning. My coach always used to say to me, “Showing up to class and going through the motions is good, but actually having a purpose behind what you are doing will make you great.” So regardless if you’re a martial artist, strength athlete, yogi, or endurance athlete, get yourself a journal and start recording your training sessions.

If you want to be successful in a physical discipline and achieve the goals you have set for yourself, it’s all about appropriately modifying your behavior. If you can do that, then you’re bound to achieve any goal you have. When teaching, I am constantly telling my students the importance of having a strong foundation. I tell them, “You will always revert to the most basic when put under pressure.” So, if your most basic foundation is strong as hell, then no matter what life throws at you, you’ll keep kicking ass and getting better.

Photos courtesy of Ana Nieves.

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Unfortunately, we are not always able to make it to the gym to train with our classmates. But don’t worry, because there are also numerous benefits to be had by occasionally training by yourself. I find that when I spend a session on the bag, I discover new combinations that really work for me or I can focus on fixing a minor mistake I am making in my kick. While training with partners is beneficial, training by yourself should not be overlooked by any martial artist.

This article will give you a workout to help burn some calories and practice some of the above-mentioned skills. All you need is some space, a heavy bag, a jump rope, and some good music to keep you motivated.

Part 1: Warm Up

• Mobility and stretching – 10 min
• Jump rope – 2 rounds (6 minutes total work)
• Shadow box – 3 rounds (9 minutes total work)

When shadow boxing, don’t be lazy. It’s easy to slip into bad habits when shadow boxing by yourself. Do not let that happen. When you shadow box, imagine you have an opponent right in front of you. Work at 70% speed for the entire three rounds. Use proper head and body movement, stay on the balls of your feet, focus on your footwork, work your defense, and always come back to a good, strong stance after your strikes.

Another good thing to do when shadow boxing is to focus on specific movements during each round. For example:

• Round 1: Footwork with the occasional strike. Move around like crazy and only stop for a split second to strike. The great Mohammed Ali said it best, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
• Round 2: Practice checking, knees, and teeps (push kicks). During this round still focus on footwork, but start to strike with your lower body. All the movements should be crisp and sharp. Don’t hesitate on getting back to your stance after you strike.
• Round 3: Put it all together. In this round combine all of your skills. Work your defense, footwork, punches, kicks, knees, and elbows.

Part 2: Heavy Bag Work

1. 50 push kicks

Alternate right and left kicks. Work with the swing of the bag during this drill. As the bag swing towards you, stop it with your push kick. Also, make sure you use your footwork to develop your reaction time. Don’t just stand in front of the bag waiting for it. Move from side to side and circle the bag.

2. 50 roundhouse kicks per leg

Complete all kicks on one side before switching to the other leg. During this drill, practice kicking to the leg, body, and head. Focus on maximizing rotation, speed, power, and retraction.

3. 5 rounds freestyle

Feel free to mix it up during this portion of the training session. Use all of your weapons, footwork patterns, defensive techniques, and feints. Just remember to keep it simple when you work the bag. Don’t get caught up throwing fifteen-hit combinations. You will get the best bang for your buck sticking with simple strikes and movement patterns. Remember that what you practice on the bag will be what happens when you spar. Practice doesn’t make perfect – it makes habit.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How to Train Muay Thai on Your Own appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The Purpose of the Wai Kru

The wai kru is performed by fighters in order to pay homage to their teachers and family and to bless themselves with victory in the ring. It is the closest thing muay Thai has to a “form” or “kata,” which are detailed choreographed patterns of movement usually performed in traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean martial arts.

Each fighter’s wai kru is unique to their training camp and has been passed to them by their teachers. Over time fighters will slightly modify their wai kru by incorporating different techniques in order to personalize the ritual. Some of these techniques include stomping in front of their opponent’s corner or imitating shooting arrows at the opponent’s corner. Both actions are seen as a show of confidence, challenge, and intimidation.

The wai kru is sacred to the Thai culture and should not be taken lightly by those attempting to perform it. Performing a poor wai kru can be seen as an insult to your teachers and cause an individual to lose face in the eyes of his or her coach and classmates.

The Headpiece and Armbands

Before entering the ring, fighters are adorned with a headpiece called a mongkol and armbands called prajioud. Both the mongkol and prajioud are blessed by Buddhist monks and are believed to bestow the wearer with victory and protection in the ring. Traditionally, the mongkol is never to be touched by the fighter and handled only by his coach (kru). The mongkol is also never allowed to come near or touch the ground, as it is believed doing so will cause it to lose its blessing. This is the reason all fighters will enter the ring by going over the ropes, never underneath. After the wai kru is performed, the coach will remove the mongkol while praying with the fighter before the bout commences. Unlike the mongkol, the armbands may stay on the fighter while fighting.

There is a belief is the United States that different colors of prajioud represent the rank of the fighter. I will take this opportunity to say that this is completely untrue. Ranking systems in muay Thai are the creation of the Western World. The only belts or titles you will ever receive in muay Thai are the ones you earn in the ring.

The Ritual Dance

Upon entering the ring the fighter will first “seal” the ring to block out any outside negative forces before commencing the wai kru ram muay. To do this the fighter will circle the ring counterclockwise and pray for a short time in each corner. While transitioning from corners, the right hand always remains in contact with the rope with the left hand raised to the fighter’s face. Once the ring is sealed, the wai kru begins. Wai kru rituals can take up to five minutes to perform and it for this reason that they are often abbreviated when performed in the United States.

Some of the professional muay Thai fighters with exceptional wai kru dances are: Buakaw Por Pramuk, Sanchai Sor Kingstar, and Malipet Sasiprapa. Here you can see a shorter wai kru from Buakaw:

In conclusion, the wai kru is a deeply meaningful performance that has been a part of muay Thai for centuries. If you ever have the opportunity to watch a live muay Thai fight please do not boo the fighters if they choose to perform the wai kru. It is a beautiful part of the martial art and should be respected and admired by its spectators.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post The Wai Kru: What That Funny Dance Muay Thai Fighters Do Really Means appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

From avoiding injury to instructional videos, and even interviews with past and present professional fighters, we have it all here! Whether you are just starting up or a seasoned fighter, this muay Thai recap has something for you.

Muay Thai Evolution: An Interview with Fighter-Coach Roxy Richardson, Part 1 (Valerie Worthington)

How NOT to Use Thai Pads: The Art of Pad Work in Muay Thai (Orion Lee)

Breaking Muscle Video – Muay Thai Foot Jab/Teep (Traver H. Boehm)

5 Tips for Successful Sparring in Martial Arts (Orion Lee)

The Trials and Tribulations of Muay Thai: How to Treat and Prevent 6 Common Injuries (Orion Lee)

Interview with John Wayne Parr: Muay Thai Fighter and Promoter (Sally Arsenault)

Why Every Muay Thai Fighter Should Study Boxing (Orion Lee)

The post The Gloves Are Off: 10 Insights Into Muay Thai appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Generally, I have found that the people I teach have had a desire to learn the art or have already practiced it in the past, whether as a hobby done a few times a week or as something they take seriously. So this article is dedicated to those people who may have an interest in learning muay Thai, but who don’t really know a lot about what it is or what it can do for your body.

Muay Thai is a striking art that utilizes attacks from the fists, elbows, knees, and feet. Strikes can be thrown from long, mid, or close range. There is also an element of grappling in muay thai referred to as the clinch. Very different from the grappling techniques used in Brazilian jiu jitsu, clinch maneuvers are used to set up knee and elbow strikes or to throw your opponent to the ground. Since the sport requires that practitioners possess a large number of athletic qualities, the benefits that accompany learning muay Thai are numerous. Below are what I believe to be some of the top benefits from practicing muay Thai.

1. Increased Cardiovascular Conditioning

I have played many sports and partaken in a large variety of physical activities over the years, and none of them have come close to delivering the cardiovascular conditioning that muay Thai offers. Being both aerobic and anaerobic, muay Thai places huge stress on your cardiopulmonary systems. With continued practice, your body will adapt to the demands of the sport, and improved cardiovascular performance is one of the payoffs.

2. Leg Strength

Kicking and footwork play a large role in muay Thai. One movement that is distinctive to muay thai is the roundhouse kick. Learning how to kick strengthens the musculature of the lower body. Every muscle in your lower body will benefit from practicing the various kicks and footwork drills incorporated in the sport. From muscle endurance, force production, agility, to just plain old good looking calves, muay Thai delivers.

3. Core Strength

Core is not a word I like to use a lot. Generally when someone refers to their core, they’re referring to their abdominal muscles. This drives strength and conditioning professionals crazy. Your core is every single muscle located on your trunk, not your damn six pack. But I digress. The rotational nature of all of the movements in the sport truly does strengthen your core. Getting punched in the body will also help a little. Striking, defensive movements, and clinching will all help the muay Thai student develop a strong core.

4. Increased Hip Mobility

It won’t happen overnight, but with time the kicking and kneeing movements of muay Thai promote increased hip mobility. Having healthy hips alone can save you from serious pain and numerous terrible medical conditions later in life. Just remember to do your foam rolling and stretching. Get an occasional massage and those hips of yours will feel amazing.

5. Stress Relief

I personally think this is the most important benefit muay Thai can provide. The majority of us accumulate a fair amount of stress during the day. Having an outlet for that stress feels fantastic and can work wonders for your mental and physical health. Let’s face it, when you’re pissed off at work or stressed about bills, hitting something just feels good. Due to the fast-paced nature of the sport, you can’t trouble yourself with worry while training. You’ll get hit in the face or mess up the drill you’re working on. Practicing a martial art allows you to focus on yourself and nothing else. I believe doing something regularly that detaches you from the daily grind helps you become a happier and more carefree individual.

To sum it all up, muay Thai can benefit just about anyone. Just make sure you adapt the workout to your level of fitness when you’re starting out. There is absolutely no shame in taking a break or modifying a drill to make it fit for you. Also remember when practicing any sport there is always a risk of injury. Make sure to consult your healthcare professional when beginning any new type of physical endeavor and let your coach know of any injury or physical condition that you may have prior to practice. For those of you choosing to explore the art of muay Thai, I wish you all the best in your training.

Photo 1 courtesy of Orion Lee.

Photo 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post The Top 5 Benefits of Muay Thai appeared first on Breaking Muscle.