No Running, No Muay Thai?

Muay Thai and combat sports are known for their three to five minute rounds of fighting, with one minute’s worth of rest in between each round.

During these rounds several things can happen to you. One major thing: fatigue, obviously. A few more things: your body can give out, your mind can be ravaged from the pressure or fear. And you can even die.

So how can you prevent these dreadful things from happening in the ring?

The answer is simple, commitment to your training. The best form of training for a fight is to try and simulate the fight the best way you can, in my opinion. What I mean by that is maybe you can do pad work in the ring for whatever the time frame your fight is based on (2 minutes or 3 minute rounds) and rest in the corner in between rounds and maybe have a teammate give you water and coach you a bit.

That form of fight camp training is the most traditional. Other forms of training: ...

Watch and Learn Saenchai’s Best Muay Thai Techniques and Tricks

Observing Saenchai’s skills in person is mentally exhausting.

His raw talent is just mind-blowing and it’s nearly impossible to figure out how he fights so perfectly. I was blessed to watch him teach a session at Phoenix MMA (Bournemouth, UK) and managed to film a lot of the techniques and drills he was demonstrating.

Saenchai has been my idol since I started Muay Thai, so it’s my absolute privilege to share his favourite techniques with you. Whilst they are mechanically quite simple, the timing and precision he performs them with is what makes them so effective:

#1. Saenchai’s Kicks

His unique flexibility allows him to bring his chamber up high with amazing speed and control. When he raises his thigh for a round kick, you have NO idea whether you’re about to get booted in the leg...

IF SET UP PROPERLY, THE QUESTION MARK KICK, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BRAZILIAN KICK OR DOWNWARD ROUNDHOUSE, IS ALMOST ALWAYS GUARANTEED TO LAND.

MASTERING THE QUESTION MARK KICK

Popularized by especially bendy fighters like Saenchai, the question mark kick is one of the most deceptive kicks in fighting

Its deception comes from its potential to be set up by the low kick and the teep – the two most common kicks you’ll ever see in fighting. It can use the exact same chamber as both.

This means that every single low kick or teep that comes could end up being turned into a knockout blow.

That’s a scary thought.

Here’s more detail on how to execute the technique, presented by Evolve MMA:

DECEIVING YOUR OPPONENT WITH THE TEEP

If you notice in the video above, there’s a slight difference in the low kick’s chamber and the question mark kick’s. The knee from the kicking leg is clearly moving in a different...

18-Minute Muay Thai Body Weight Workout You Can Do At Home

Perform this workout anywhere, even in the comfort of your own home. However, let’s be honest, it’s not going to be very comfortable.

But it can be fun! This is a workout that maximizes effectiveness and efficiency. High-intensity maximizes the amount of calories burned, and the exercises build and improve your fighting repertoire.

This is an 18-minute workout consisting of 3 sets of a circuit of 6 exercises. You will rest 1-2 minutes between circuits, and each exercise is a 45-second sprint followed by a 15-second rest before moving on to the next exercise. The whole workout looks like this:

1. 1-2, 1-2 sprawl for 45 seconds
2. Lunge-knee for 45 seconds
3. High plank walk-out for 45 seconds
4. Push-up knee (not to be confused with the spiderman push-up) for 45 seconds
5. Dead-bug for 45 seconds
6. Squat-knee for 45 seconds
7. Rest for 1-2 minutes
8. Repeat

Try and follow along with this bodyweight workout led...

Why Dating A Nak Muay Is (Or Isn’t) For You

The joy of dating, it’s a pleasure. One the lonely me has yet to experience, well shucks friends…then who am I to provide advice?

Ahoy, let’s not be negative! Allow me a moment to put my Cap of Positivity on, let us instead turn our vision towards the brighter side. See this post as the dating resume (sounds sexy, I know) of a Nak Muay. With all that said, let’s jump into the nitty gritty.

It ain’t as nitty gritty as all that but needs to be addressed, so let’s get the obv (pronounced: ob-V) out of the way first. Those who train are fit and thus have nicer bodies and more endurance (ahem, yes, probably that kind too). Done.

Okay, nowww let’s take a deep dive into the nitty gritty…

#1. Unpredictability

No, this does not mean that we’re emotional wildcards.

A skill the Nak Muay needs to master is broken rhythm, this sense of unpredictability that leaves the opponent in...

The Best Methods For Recovering Quickly For Your Next Training Session

Recovery is by FAR one of the most overlooked aspects of Muay Thai training.

Do you understand the importance of treating your body right after intense training sessions?

Whether you actually take the time to recover after workouts or you want to find out better ways to feel less sore/beat up, this guest post by Jerry from PNP Supplements will shine some light on areas that will help you with your post workout recovery.

Top 5 Tips to Improve Your Recovery

By Jerry Teixeira of PNP Supplements

One the most important aspect of training is your recovery. Although training is where stimulation for development and growth accurse, it is during your recovery where actual progress is made. Needless to say, the better you take care of your body during recovery, the more you will benefit from your training sessions.

With a good recovery regimen in place you can cut down on the time need for recovery, see better...

Plant Power

There’s a new type of fighter that’s been quietly taking the world by storm. They’re faster, stronger, healthier, and have better mental clarity—all thanks to what they put on their plate.

This new type of fighter is having much success eating vegan. They all have their strengths and reasons for choosing a plant-based lifestyle. Vegan athletes are proof that you will not be frail, weak, protein-deficient just because you decide to leave meat, dairy, and eggs out of your diet.

They put an end to the idea that being a great athlete and eating plant-based are mutually exclusive. So here is an attempt to show exactly why these fighters have so much success in their training, recovery, and performance in the ring.

Don’t you feel weak?

How do your muscles grow?

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN?!

There is an unhealthy obsession in this day and age over protein intake, or, more specifically, how to get as much protein as...

How To Utilize Basic Evasive Footwork To Take Dominant Angles

Footwork done properly allows you to take dominant angles, which allows you to accomplish the ultimate aim of fighting: to hit and not get hit.

Fighting is one of the most difficult tasks anyone will have to deal with, it makes no sense to fight an opponent head on. Always look for an advantage, the evasive maneuvers, the dominant angles. It’s better to be better than it is to be equal.

Back straight up and you’ll be blasted till kingdom come. Side step your opponent’s forward movement and you’ll be turning the tables on your foe. Tread carefully and slowly on matters of footwork. One step in the wrong direction or with the incorrect foot leads you to be placed right in your opponent’s sights. But one step in the right direction or with the correct foot places you on the high grounds, overlooking your opponent as he crumbles.

Basic Muay Thai Footwork: Cutting Angles and Evasion...

My Take On Marijuana and Muay Thai

Yea, I smoke weed. Crazy right?

I personally don’t think so, but a majority of people who I tell think it’s absolutely insane.

Smoking a blunt or ripping the bong after a long day of Muay Thai training is one of the best ways for me to unwind, relax and reward myself. It helps me reflect on the day and think about what I want to focus on the next day. I truly believe that smoking weed has helped me in my career in more ways than one.

You might think I’m stupid, immature or irresponsible because I smoke the reefer.

Am I stupid?

Yea, sometimes. I do tend to say idiotic things when I’m high, but I also am at my most creative. Some of my best work or ideas have come to me shortly after a bong rip. Hell, I’m even writing this as I’m baked. I think it’s off to a good start so far… but then again, I’m high, so it’s hard to tell.

Immature? I don’t think so.

I mean, just like I can say...

A good coach is worth his or her weight in gold, but a bad coach will do nothing but weigh you down. Here are some thoughts on discerning between the two. . .

SPOTTING THE GOOD (AND BAD) IN MUAY THAI TRAINERS AND COACHES

Who you choose to train under is the singularly most important factor that determines the rest of your martial arts career. Are you going to go all the way and compete and chase after the belt? Or you purely want to learn for the discipline and self-defense aspect? And for each goal, what kind of coach will you train under?

I’ve been doing Muay Thai over seven years now. I’m not a pro fighter and can barely consider myself an amateur, but I have put in the necessary time and energy. 

I’ve learned that a good coach is flexible to their student’s wants and needs, and is able to cater to both type of students described above. In addition, a good coach makes you feel like you’re wanted in the gym when he/she...