| Muay Thai training is versatile, engaging and dynamic. | | | | best. Free weights work better than fixed weight |
| Depending on your gym, who your teachers are and | | | | training machines since they do not limit your range of |
| what their backgrounds are, training routines will vary | | | | movement, remember to train carefully to avoid injury. |
| from gym to gym. However, there are elements that | | | | Training with very heavy weights is good for body |
| are and should be consistently incorporated into your | | | | building competitions, but not usually, the best way to |
| training programme. The key elements are: | | | | train for a Muay Thai fight. |
| - Warm up / Cool down: The idea is to build up a | | | | - Bag Work: Working on the hanging bags builds |
| sweat and prepare your body for the vigorous | | | | power and stamina into your kicks and punches. It also |
| exercise to follow. It is important to run, skip or bounce | | | | serves to toughen your body. Kicking the bags often is |
| on old truck tyres (which is helps improve balance) for | | | | the only sensible way to condition (that is de-sensitize) |
| at least 15 minutes as a warm up to every Muay Thai | | | | your shins. Aggressive methods of training such as |
| training session. A suitable routine of around 15 minutes | | | | using bottles or other very hard objects to condition |
| will prepare your muscles for training. Do not forget to | | | | the shins are not necessary or recommended and |
| do some gentle warm down exercises at the end of | | | | may cause unnecessary injury. |
| each training session. This will help your joints to remain | | | | - Pad Work: Full power striking of the Thai Pads is a |
| supple and protect you from injury. | | | | tough part of Muay Thai training and an amazing |
| - Running: is essential to develop stamina and toughen | | | | workout. Your Muay Thai trainer wears a set of Thai |
| the legs. Running is best done in the early morning and | | | | pads, a stomach pad and shin guards which allows |
| should vary in distance day by day. At least one day a | | | | you to attack him as if he were an opponent. Pad |
| week should be a rest day.. Be careful when running | | | | work will develop your footwork, co-ordination and |
| on uneven surfaces and wear good shoes. Steadily | | | | spatial awareness. |
| increase the distance you run each day. | | | | - Sparring: Once you have a comprehensive |
| - Skipping: is an integral part of Muay Thai training, it is | | | | foundation in place you will be ready to participate in |
| an excellent in develop stamina and co-ordination. Skip | | | | controlled sparring. This will form the major part of your |
| by rounds, keep your mind relaxed and alert. When | | | | Muay Thai training routine. |
| skipping hop from one foot to the other - don't bounce | | | | - Clinch work: This is a very tough aspect of Muay |
| on two feet. | | | | Thai training. Clinch work involves learning to control |
| - Shadow boxing: is essential to learning the proper | | | | your opponent by trying to lock his arms or neck in a |
| Muay Thai technique. Shadow boxing in front of a | | | | clinch. More advanced clinch work will incorporate the |
| mirror allows you to observe and correct your | | | | execution of knees and throw downs and knocking |
| movements. When shadow boxing remember to use | | | | your opponent to the floor. Incorporating these |
| your full range of movement, do not shorten the punch | | | | elements into you training routine will help develop and |
| or kick. | | | | improve your strength, techniques, stamina and skill and |
| - Free weights: Incorporate the use of dumb-bells into | | | | ultimately a well rounded, balanced practitioner of Muay |
| your Muay Thai training routine. It will help to build | | | | Thai. |
| strength. Lighter weights with many repetitions are | | | | |