How To Land Head Kick Knockouts

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.

GETTING BENDY

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 you’re hefting a big...

Explosive Muay Thai offensiveness comes from flexible, strong hips. . . 

AVOID TIGHT HIPS IN MUAY THAI WITH THESE BRIGHT TIPS

With our culture centered around sitting at work, on the computer, or even during our leisure time, it’s very easy to find yourself having tight hips. When you have tight hips, doing many things feel like a chore – going up stairs, stretching, sometimes even walking. In Muay Thai, having tight hips means you…

1) …are not able turn your hip over properly when kicking.

2) …are not able to push your hips to where you want it to during punching, kneeing, and clinching.

3) …probably have bad balance.

4) …can’t generate enough power with your strikes.

There are many ways to increase hip flexibility, though. All it takes is some work, patience – and time.

IMPROVEMENT #1: Pay attention to your posture

WHICH ARE YOU?

Posture is so widely and easily...

Learning to Deliver the Most Powerful Muay Thai Roundhouse Kick

Strikes like the Muay Thai roundhouse kick are the reason this martial art has grown so popular today. As one of the most popularly used Muay Thai techniques, the roundhouse kick, when delivered flawlessly, can topple even the strongest opponent.

This, of course, is no simple task. Fighters must practice this technique “a lot” (indeed, this is a huge understatement) before developing a polished roundhouse kick. It may take months to even years.

Flexibility and power are the two most important factors to learning and executing Muay Thai roundhouse kicks. Many believe frequent stretching to be sufficient for developing flexibility. Wrong. Standard stretching alone won’t make you flexible enough for the Muay Thai roundhouse kick.

So, how do we develop the flexibility needed to deliver fast, powerful Muay Thai roundhouse kicks?

Stretch technically. This technique should extend to three most important...

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,...

How Yoga Will Make You a Better Muay Thai Fighter & Person

By Sean Fagan

Is it crazy for me to say that Yoga has been a major part of my success in Muay Thai and in life?

It might be, especially when most people have preconceptions about practicing Yoga that are (mostly) not true.

Sure, there are some weird chants, poses, and techniques that you’ll find yourself doing during an intense Yoga class, but if you’re able to laugh at yourself and take Yoga for what it is, it can be incredibly beneficial to your Muay Thai training and life in general.

I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and give Yoga a try. Although it might not be for everyone, I’m confident that you will take something useful from the practice if you stick with it. 

6 Benefits Of Yoga For Muay Thai

1. Flexibility

One of the most obvious benefits you’ll notice when you start to implement Yoga and Muay Thai together is the improvement in your flexibility and...