INTENSE, HARD, TRADITIONAL MUAY THAI WORKOUT PLAN

By Sean Fagan

Almost all Muay Thai gyms in Thailand run basically the same type of workout routines because it’s intense, hard and focuses on the all the important aspects of Muay Thai that you should be working on day in and day out!

This type of training routine together with quality Muay Thai gears and equipment is used by some of the best fighters in Thailand and all around the world!

When I was in Thailand, it was pretty set in stone what my Muay Thai training routine would consist of:

• Skipping Rope
• Running
• Shadowboxing
• Thai Pad Work
• Heavy Bag Training
• Clinch Work
• Sparring
• Ab Work
• Stretching
• Meditation

Scroll down for a breakdown and descriptions of the best traditional Muay Thai workout routine!

Traditional Muay Thai Workout Routine:

Everyday in Thailand, my training program is basically this type of workout:

• Group run – 2-4 miles
• Skip Rope – 3 rounds
• Shadow Box...

GREAT PARTNERS BUILD BETTER FIGHTERS

By Emily Moore

No fighter, nak muay or otherwise stands alone against his or her opponent. An army waits at the ready behind them.

It takes a team of coaches, trainers, and (especially) training partners to successfully prepare for a fight.

My coach often repeats this idea before training sessions: “The most important person in this gym today is not you, it’s your partner.”

“Always take care of your partner.”

Let’s take a look at 7 ways to be a great Muay Thai training partner:

Train, don’t coach

At my last gym, there was this guy with whom I avoided sparring at all costs. He would interrupt and stop me after every single strike, trying to educate me on what I could do to improve.

In a three-minute round, I would end up spending 0:30 sparring and 2:30 trying to get him to shut up and work.

You and your partners are in the gym to learn from professionals. You don’t need...

More often times than not, gym hopping is used as derogatory term that people associate with someone who goes from gym to gym without any real home gym… this is NOT the way to go about training at different gyms.

In order to successfully and respectfully train at different gyms, Paul and I discuss the right and wrong way to go about doing so. In our discussion, we dive deep into the advantages and disadvantages of so called “gym hopping” including:

• Why you should train at a variety of gyms.
• How it can be limiting if you don’t step out of your comfort zone to spar/train with other fighters and coaches.
• The benefits of training at multiple gyms and how to bring up the idea to your coach and teammates.
• Why some coaches might not want you to go “gym hopping”...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #73

By Sean Fagan

There are some unwritten rules when it comes to stepping foot into a new gym. However, most people are unaware of these unwritten rules because, well – they’re unwritten.

Fortunately, MTG writer Angela Chang put together a great post a few weeks back on the 13 Rules For Proper Gym Etiquette, which gave Paul and I the idea to cover the same topic in podcast form… so that’s exactly what we did!

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 073: Muay Thai Gym Etiquette: Do’s and Dont’s

We cover the 13 aspects that Angela talk about but go into further detail about each area including:

• Don’t be late! Show up on time and show that you’re ready to put in the work.
• No shoes on the mat. Should be quite obvious, but people tend to neglect it.
• Get your own gear. Sometimes gyms have lender equipment, but you’re always better off using your own (for cleanliness...

WHY THE JUMP ROPE MATTERS

By Evan Lee

The highest aim of fighting is to hit and not get hit.

You want to knock your opponent’s face into the dirt while yours remains in pristine condition. But without good footwork, you’ll become a human punching bag. And being a human punching bag, surprise surprise, isn’t good for your health. Jumping rope will improve your footwork.

The lightness of your feet will be demonstrated in how you jump rope. If you’re slamming your heels down and jumping too high, how do you think your footwork is going to be? Not great. There are many mistakes people make when jumping rope that completely jeopardizes their training. If you’re uncertain how to use the jump rope to improve your footwork, we’ve got you covered:

The jump rope is a lovely tool that serves as the basis for all of your footwork training. It gives you the endurance and the coordination necessary for all of your movement inside the ring or cage....

THE DON’TS OF YOUR VERY FIRST FIGHT

By Angela Chang

In my last article on Muay Thai Guy, we talked about what you should do during your first fight. Frankly, there’s plenty of fight advice of what you should do during your first fight. You’ll hear it from teammates, friends, and may even read it online through self-research.

Your first fight can be daunting. There are several things you have to keep in mind through training and the fight and make sure you do. You can just as easily make mistakes that will cost you the fight. Here’s what not to do during your first fight.

DON’T: Worry About Using Perfect Technique

It’s extremely rare to see someone throw anything with flawless technique during their first several amateur fights. Your focus should be more on landing your shots rather than executing those shots perfectly. Waiting around for the perfect shot will only waste time you could be spending at least trying...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #32

By Sean Fagan

Everyone makes mistakes when they first make the voyage to Thailand to train Muay Thai, but you can avoid some of these common mistakes by learning from people who’ve already made them… like myself and Paul.

In this most recent podcast episode, Paul and I discuss the most common mistakes we made (and still continue to make) whenever we make the trip to Thailand. If you’re heading to Thailand in the near future, this podcast is a MUST listen to because it covers the top 10 mistakes including:

1. Not Doing It Sooner – Putting off your trip to Thailand can result in you NEVER making the trip. The sooner you go the better because it will open new doors of opportunity for you and open your eyes to new possibilities.
2. Not Planning Ahead – Although you want to do it as soon as possible, you do need to plan accordingly in order to make sure you have enough money and plan the proper itinerary for...

THE FUNDAMENTAL WAYS ORTHODOX FIGHTERS CAN STIFLE & WILT SOUTHPAWS

By Angela Chang

Are you an orthodox fighter? Do you have trouble when you’re sparring a southpaw? No need to worry – you’re not the only one.

With only a handful of the world’s population being lefties (and some righties that box lefty), stumbling upon someone who stands like a mirror image of yourself can be confusing.

A lot of people don’t know how to spar or fight southpaws. This reason, among others, contributes to the success many southpaw fighters find in the ring. However, going up against a southpaw won’t be as scary as long as you practice and keep these three pieces of advice in mind.

#1 – YOUR LEAD (LEFT) FOOT STAYS OUTSIDE OF THEIRS

This is a solid piece of advice for those just starting out.

Keeping your lead foot outside of theirs ensures you’re always off their centerline.

Being off their centerline means they’ll...

 IF YOU DREAM OF FIGHTING IN THAILAND, THIS STORY COULD BE YOURS

By Evan Lee

“What’s it like fighting Muay Thai in Thailand?”

I get asked this question a lot, particularly from family and friends who just don’t quite “get” the difference. Fighting back home, where you’re comfortable and surrounded by love and support, is a lot different than fighting in Thailand– birthplace of the sport and home to the best nak muay in the world. Even the dude who delivered your pizza in Bangkok last night could (and would, for the right amount of baht) whoop your ass. Having your first fight in Thailand is a mountain to climb, my friends.

But check this out: imagine having your first fight in Thailand surrounded by well-wishers and team members; imagine having legitimate Muay Thai training in the weeks leading up to this fight; and imagine feeling more ready, more confident, and more pumped than ever to bang in the...

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MUAY THAI FIGHTER?

By Angela Chang

There is always something in Muay Thai that anyone can find purposeful, enjoy doing, or make great use of.

When you go to a gym, you will find people there for different reasons. The most common reasons are to get fit, to lose weight, to learn self defense…and then there’s a population at the gym who are there because actively fight or say they want to fight.

As with any setting, you will find people of many different personalities and occupations, so there is no specific “cut” of person that makes it as a fighter.

That being said, fighting is not something that is for everyone. A respected coach will never make anyone fight if they don’t want to. They recognize that not everyone who trains wants to fight, and not everyone who says they want to fight actually have what it takes to be a fighter.

Intention

Intention is the starting point of many great things.

You may...