From Muay Thai Guy
There may be some of you who are living your dream of training and fighting Muay Thai full-time but for most nak muay, the journey in the art of eight limbs has to contend with another pressing, everyday struggle: the day job.
Some of us have engaging careers that we’re very passionate about and want to continue alongside our training. Others have dreams of fighting and coaching full-time but still need the day job to pay the bills until that dream can become a reality.
Either way, juggling a full-time job and the stressors of rigorous training can take their toll on the body and mind.
While it’s no small feat, managing both a vocational career and a fight career can be done.
Just ask Ognjen Topic: in the earlier days of his fight career (circa 2013), Topic was not only competing professionally at a very high level, but also maintaining his...
From Muay Thai Guy
Footwork is a skill, and like all skills needs to be drilled into you.
Your ability to move your feet becomes your ability to fight. However, it’s not just about bouncing around like Ali. It’s about being able to pivot out of a dangerous position in an instant as someone like Giorgio Petrosyan or Jose Aldo does so often.
These drills aren’t inspired by the workouts of great fighters, they’re straight up taught by great fighters like Tiffany van Soest.
The agility ladder trains both your balance, endurance, and explosiveness. Your ability to step into angles with strong posture will be developed, your ability to fight while moving backward will be strengthened, and your bursts of explosion that help you close the distance instantly and get KOs will be boosted.
Having poor footwork is like having a car without wheels, so try out these drills and get lightning legs.
By Angela Chang
Although you’ll be in the ring by yourself when you fight, training Muay Thai is anything but a solo sport. This is why we have teams of fighters training together at top-tier Muay Thai gyms, whether it be Diamond Muay Thai on Koh Phangan, Thailand, or King Tiger Muay Thai in San Diego, or a room with some beat-up mats in the middle of nowhere. In this solo sport, co-operative training matters.
As crucial as it is to train with others and a quality instructor, there are many benefits to training solo – and everyone should every now and then. It allows you to focus on yourself, rather than a partner or instructor. In these quiet, retrospective sessions, you can fine-tune the techniques you’ve learned from class and sparring to be better prepared for the real thing.
Here are a slew of tips on how to squeeze the most out of your solo Muay Thai sessions.
WHEN TRAINING SOLO… Slow...
By Angela Chang
Lumps and bumps are part of the deal when you sign up for Muay Thai, whether you want them or not. Soreness and pain in the shin area is experienced by nak muay of all levels. In terms of the pain itself, not too much can be done, but there is good news: it gets better with time.
When starting out, it’s completely normal to get bruising on all points of contact, shin area included. The shin may even be the area that delivers the most surprise to you. Knees and elbows are used to taking the brunt of it when you fall or have other misfortunes due to clumsiness, but shins comprise a big area that generally go unscathed (at least, not in the same way as your knee and elbow joints). Therefore, arguably, the shins are the least prepared part of the body for the newcomer.
Kicking the heavy bag for the first time feels extremely painful to many, and everyone gets bruising. With time, the nerves get used to...
From Muay Thai Guy
That best describes a Nak Muay Nation Muay Thai retreat, especially the kind of retreats we’ve been holding lately at a brand new location: Greece! We’ve been set up on the gorgeous seaside paradise of Kefalonia, Greece. And I think it’s time you ought to join us!
What can I say about Kefalonia that hasn’t already been written? With a human history on its shores since at least late pre-historic times, Kefalonia is a place with a reputation and a story. Dotted with stunning ruins and draped in wild jungle throughout, Kefalonia is where vacationers and nak muay alike come to enjoy the peace and tranquility that this magical island is known for. When we found the opportunity to host retreats here, we jumped on it!
A Nak Muay Nation Muay Thai retreat will be the vacation of a...
From Muay Thai Guy
High kicks. The golden technique of martial arts and, in many ways, the mark of a good martial artist.
No one just throws a high kick; only people who dedicate their life to martial arts or ballet are able to get their leg that high that easily. Be it Jean Claude Van Damme or Saenchai, everyone who throws a high kick has spent years mastering it. You need great static and dynamic flexibility, great technique and, most important of all, the ability to set up your opponent for that highlight reel KO.
So if you want to be a part of the high kick club, there are a few things that you’ll need to know.
It should come as no surprise to anyone reading this that high kicks require a little bit of flexibility.
After all, if your leg can’t stretch up there comfortably, then there’s not much use kicking here. Lacking flexibility while aiming for a high kick will almost feel like...
From Muay Thai Guy
We’ve all got blades on our arms, some are sharper than others, but they slice and dice all the same. These blades I’m referring to are elbows.
Elbows, like knees, are made to be utilized within close range. Though you may be within the range they’re designed for, that does not always mean you’ll be able to use them properly. Positioning is key.
What type of position will we be looking at today?
We’ll look, as one always should, at the position of maximal leverage; in this particular instance, the clinch. This is an important point to consider if you’re facing an opponent more physically able than you are.
It would be silly to fight on an equal playing field, therefore you must be able to maneuver to positions advantageous to you and disadvantageous to him.
The clinch will be such a position for you. Here are the tricks:
From Muay Thai Guy
What characteristics separate an average fighter from a great one?
This is an age old question that can be answered in a number of ways. In this episode of The Muay Thai Guys Podcast, Sean and Paul discuss the top 6 traits they believe are the most important for becoming an elite fighter.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what they chat about during the episode:
1. Work Ethic – Are you putting in the hours at the gym when your opponent is resting at home? Or are you sleeping in on the days you’re supposed to do some road work? Without a focused, intense worth ethic, it’s going to be difficult to compete at the highest levels.
2. Consistency – It’s extremely hard to stay hungry when you’re dealing with personal issues related to work, family, and other relationships....
From Muay Thai Guy
The following post on how to defeat a more experienced opponent is written by Jon from MuayThaiAnalyst.com. If you enjoy this breakdown and analysis of Kevin Ross vs. Malaipet, you’ll definitely enjoy the rest of Jon’s work on his website. But for now, check out part 1 of this 3-part series on “Why Malaipet Couldn’t Stop Crazy”.
Kevin Ross is a pioneer in American Muay Thai and one of the most accomplished US fighters today. He was voted Muay Thai North American Fighter of the year in 2010 and has held titles from the WBC, USMF and Lion Fight. Kevin has also fought a number former Thai champions including Saenchai, Sagetdao, Coke Chunhawat and Malaipet.
Ross and Malaipet met on Dec 5, 2010 at the Commerce Casino In Los Angeles. Malaipet Sasiprapa is a former Rajadamnern and WBC champion....
From Muay Thai Guy
So the situation here might seem a bit absurd. You might be asking yourself: “Why on earth would I fight someone that I know is better than me? Why would I fight someone knowing that I will lose? What’s the point???”
Yes, at first impression, it is crazy to step into the ring with someone who has much more experience than you, or with someone whose style trumps yours in every way. Ego and fight record aside, doing this has great benefits, and is something commonly done in Thailand when prospects are on their way to becoming the next big thing in the sport.
Why do you it? The answer is quite simple: to grow as a fighter.
If you think about it, nothing you’ve done up to this point in your journey to be a successful fighter has been easy. Juggling work, school, training, and a social life is not easy. Going through fight camp when you have personal...
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