COMMON MISTAKES THAT REDUCE KICKING POWER

In Muay Thai, a powerful kick can be a fight-ending weapon.

Although I'm mostly a boxer, I learned about the power of kicks early in my career, especially in Thailand, where sharp, devastating kicks are celebrated as the hallmark of elite fighters. But achieving that level of power takes more than brute strength; it’s a combination of technique, timing, conditioning, and precision.

Let’s dive into the key strategies to take your kicks to the next level.

Perfect Your Technique

At its core, a strong kick is all about proper mechanics. The roundhouse kick, for example, should feel like a whip, with your entire body working in unison to generate force.

Start by pivoting your supporting foot, which allows your hips to rotate fully. Without this pivot, your kick loses power and leaves you off balance. Your shin should be the main striking surface, making clean and solid contact. As your leg swings through, engage your core and...

THE BENEFITS OF MAKING WEIRD SOUNDS WHEN YOU PUNCH & KICK SHIT

By Sean Fagan

OOOSSSHHH!!!

AAAYYYYY!!!

HMMPPHHHHH!!!

Sound familiar?

If you’ve been in a Muay Thai gym long enough, you’ll hear a variety of these sounds throughout your training sessions.

When I first trained Muay Thai in Thailand, one of the most noticeable differences between the common farang and the experienced Thai fighter was the fact that every single fighter who hit the heavy bag or banged the pads would make some kind of weird ass sound every time they threw a strike.

You’ve noticed this too, right?

Even if you train at a Western gym, there’s always that one guy who hits the bag and makes awkward high-pitched screams every time he throws a kick… now why would anyone ever do that?

At first, I thought that grunting during training was super annoying and weird. I guess it’s similar to the way I used to feel about the Thai music that...