Shift your perspective to treat food as fuel – and your body as a vehicle for fighting. . . 

The Golden Rules For Fight Fuel

“Food is fuel.” 

This phrase has been used and heard by health enthusiasts and fitness junkies alike across countless sports and disciplines. Why this saying is so popular is because of the amount of truth it holds.

While everyone reacts differently to certain foods, there are some golden rules that are true for all healthy individuals.

(Title image courtesy of Attachai Muaythai Gym.)

WHAT YOU SHOULD EAT BEFORE TRAINING

Eating well and eating enough before training will help you perform your best. If you’re able to give 100%, you will reap the benefits from your sweat and fatigue.

The opposite can occur if you don’t eat properly, resulting in you feeling as if you can’t even handle the warm-up.

If you only have a two-hour window before training, keep the meal...

Why Cut Weight At All?

More likely than not, if you plan on going far in your respective sport, you are going to have to cut weight at some point. Yes it sucks, and yes it’s not the most fun thing in the world, but if you want to keep the odds in your favor, cutting weight is a must.

Benefits Of Weight Cutting

If you are able to cut weight safely and effectively and refuel properly after weigh ins, you will most likely hold a huge strength and power advantage on your opponent.

For instance, I walk around at about 160lbs but weigh in the day before the Muay Thai fight at 147lbs. But just because I weigh in at 145lbs doesn’t mean I fight at that weight.

After rapid rehydration and refueling my body with the liquids and foods it needs, I weigh about 157-158lbs when I step into the ring. That’s almost 15 extra pounds I can use to my advantage!

Dangers Of Weight Cutting

Unfortunately some athletes and fighters go about weight cutting the wrong way by either starving...

My 15-Minute Post-Training Stretching Routine

Stretching is a crucial aspect of Muay Thai training that many people overlook. Without any type of flexibility, it can be very difficult to perform head kicks (and even body kicks sometimes too). Not to mention, lack of flexibility can also cause serious issues in the body including lower back pain and knee problems.

With that being said, here is the post-workout stretching routine that I do after almost every one of my training sessions. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

15-Minute Stretching Routine For Muay Thai

Like I mention in the video, although stretching is important, it’s still only 1 of 9 aspects of flexibility. And I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty naive when it comes to flexibility and although I’ve been doing yoga for 3+ years and stretching routinely, I still haven’t even come close to getting the results I want.

It wasn’t until recently an online buddy of mine,...

The Best Exercises & Workouts To Develop KO Power In Your Hands

Want to increase punching power?

Want to learn how to punch hard so you can land the perfect knock out punch the next time you fight?

Want to know the best tips and great exercises that are sure to help you improve your punching power?

If you answered yes to all of those questions, scroll down to find great boxing, mma and Muay Thai training tips and the best explosive exercises to increase punching power!

Top 5 Exercises To Punch Harder

Explosive Pushups 

Plyometric exercises like explosive pushups are sure to help you increase your power punching. An explosive pushup is very similar to a regular pushup except you are pushing yourself off the ground as high as you can.To make it even more of a challenge, try doing explosive push ups like the guy to the right!

Clean and Press 

This full body power lifting exercise helps increase the power and explosiveness of your entire body.There is no way this...

Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Muay Thai Elbow Strikes and Technique Videos

There isn’t a much cooler feeling than landing a clean elbow strike in a fight, but on the other hand, being hit or cut with an elbow is not cool at all.

Knowing a variety of Muay Thai elbow techniques is a crucial component of the clinch game, and neglecting to learn certain elbow techniques can leave you at a disadvantage in the clinch.

There are also elbow strikes you can use from the outside like the spinning back elbow, which is SICK if you land it!

Even if you don’t fight with elbows (in a modified rules bout or a kickboxing fight), it’s good to still practice them and know them for when you are allowed to throw them. Below I’ve come up with a bunch of the best muay thai elbow strikes and technique videos to check out. Give them a look and start to implement them into your training!

4 Basic Muay Thai Elbow Techniques

In this technique video Sean Hinds and a former...

No matter how long or short you’ve been practicing Muay Thai, it’s always good to look over some general etiquette so the gym is a comfortable place for everyone.

1. Show up on time. Better yet, show up 10-15 min early.

One of the best quotes when it comes to punctuality came from the movie Drumline:

“If you’re on time you’re late, if you’re early you’re on time.”

Get off to a good start by showing your trainers that you’re game and ready to learn; the first step to doing this is respecting the class start and end times. Show up early to change, wrap your hands, and other things you may need to do before taking a class.

2. No shoes on the mat.

This goes for most martial arts, not just Muay Thai. Stepping on the mat with your shoes brings in all the dirty stuff from outside and can include diseases like staph.

3. Have and bring your own gear.

If you’re just starting out, it’s understandable that you need some time...

SCARED OF GETTING HIT? TRY THESE DRILLS & SPARRING TIPS FOR MUAY THAI

By Sean Fagan

Scared of getting punched in the face?

Worried about wearing a body kick on your ribs?

Don’t like the pain of getting your kicks checked?

Well, believe it or not, you are not alone. Almost everyone who starts out training Muay Thai has the same fears you do. They don’t want to get hurt. They don’t want their pretty face punched in. They avoid sparring because they are worried about being embarrassed or beat up.

Sound familiar?

Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, if you want to improve your technique and actually become competent in the art of Muay Thai, you are going to have to face your fears at one point or another.

You are going to have to come to terms with pain, anxiety, and fear. You are going to have to be a little crazy if you want to be successful in the art of eight limbs.

Now I don’t mean to brag but, I’m really good at getting...

The Liver Shot – Muay Thai Technique Tutorial

The liver shot is can absolutely CRIPPLE your opponent if you set it up and place properly. The human body can’t help but react when it gets pummeled to the liver… it’s a horrible, painful feeling.

Kickboxing legend Ernesto Hoost is known for his signature liver punch technique followed by a brutal low kick. Watching how much power and force he puts into each and every liver punch is INSANE. Even when his opponents were aware of his powerful liver punch, he would find ways to open up his opponents guard with setups like the one in the technique video below.

Learn how to set up a liver punch like Ernesto Hoost so you can KO your opponents or drop your sparring partners to their knees!

Do you know an even MORE brutal shot to take to the body?

Well, if you’re a Muay Thai guy (or girl) then you should know about the power behind a Muay thai roundhouse...

Why You Shadowboxing is an Absolute MUST!

If you half ass or skip shadow boxing you probably don’t understand how much it negatively effects your Muay Thai technique (and overall work ethic).

Most people think it is boring and only a warm up to the actual Muay Thai training session… but it’s not.

Shadow boxing the best place to take your Muay Thai technique to the next level. If you take the time to flow with your techniques, be creative with your combinations and feel how your muscles, joints and limbs move, you will become more self-aware which is key to being your own teacher.

Top 5 Shadowboxing Tips For Muay Thai

How to get the most out of your shadowboxing 

1) Set time aside to focus and just shadow box.

If you just go through the motions and do a round or two of shadow boxing without putting your mind into it, you’re missing the point. Having intention and focus behind everything you do will dramatically improve your learning curve...