TRAIN HARD, EXPLORE THAILAND: THE ULTIMATE MUAY THAI VACATION GUIDE

By Sean Fagan

Thailand is the birthplace of Muay Thai, and for any fighter or enthusiast, it’s the ultimate fight tourism destination to experience the art in its most authentic form.

Whether you're traveling to improve your technique, boost your fitness, or simply immerse yourself in the culture of Muay Thai, planning the perfect training vacation can be an incredible, transformative experience.

Here's how you can make the most of your trip to Thailand while balancing world-class training with unforgettable travel.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MUAY THAI CAMP FOR YOUR GOALS

The first step in planning your Muay Thai vacation is choosing the right camp. There are hundreds of camps across Thailand, each catering to different types of fighters and goals. Ask yourself what you want out of your training experience—are you looking to sharpen your skills, train for an upcoming fight, or just get in the best shape of your...

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR 30-DAY TRAINING CAMP EXPERIENCE

The time I spent training at different Muay Thai camps in Thailand is full of my most treasured memories. It's is an incredible opportunity to level up your skills and immerse yourself in the art, even if you're only there for a month.

If you’re spending 30 days in a Thai gym, you want to make every moment count. Here are the top 7 ways to maximize your progress during your fight camp.

1. Consistency is Key

Commit to attending every training session and giving it your all. Whether it’s early morning runs, pad work, or sparring, consistency is crucial for improvement. Make it a point to show up even when you’re fatigued or feeling off. Every session builds on the last, so the more time you spend training, the faster you’ll progress. Aim for at least two training sessions a day, mixing technique drills with conditioning and sparring to keep things dynamic.

2. Focus on Technique Over Power

In a short time...

FIGHT ANALYSIS: "IT'S HEATIN' UP!!!"

By Evan Lee

Round 1 and Round 2 were good and all, but this is where the fight starts getting juicy.

In Thailand, Muay Thai scoring is weird. The first two rounds don't really count for much (very weird, indeed), so the third round is when things begin to pick up.

The fight is moving faster in round three, more combinations are being thrown, and there’s just a great flurry of techniques to deal with, usually on and from both sides.

In the last breakdown, I focused primarily on the teep, which I called "the ultimate nullifier." Today, we will be focusing on another nullifier, though not as effective: the clinch.

First, though, let's catch up on the fight!

Fight Breakdown: Clinch Tactics, Punch Combos & MORE Teeps (Round 3)

The Smothering Power Of The Clinch

The reason why the teep is so effective as a defensive tool is because it creates distance. It doesn’t matter what strike is being thrown at you - if you can create...

DING, DING! ROUND 2 ANALYSIS- BEGIN!

By Evan Lee

Last week, we talked about Round 1 of Sean's fight - now we're moving to Round 2. 

Today, we’re going to focus on key techniques. Specifically, we’re talking about the teep, aka. the push kick.

This breakdown will focus on the teep because it was a technique that defined the course of fight. It's also one of the most important techniques in Muay Thai in general.

Watch as Sean gets self-critical and breaks down round 2 of this excellent Muay Thai fight:

Fight Breakdown: Shovel Uppercut & Accurate Teeps (Round 2)

The Versatility Of The Muay Thai Teep

The teep is to Muay Thai what the jab is to boxing. It is, along with the jab, the most important technique of your Muay Thai arsenal. 

To take in a masterclass on combining the two, I highly recommend watching Buakaw’s two fights with Nieky Holzken.

To sum it up for you, Buakaw was able to shut Nieky’s combination punching down...

BREAKING DOWN AN AUTHENTIC THAI BOXING FIGHT

By Evan Lee

A fight breakdown of our very own 'Muay Thai Guy' himself, Sean Fagan, against a talented Thai by the name of Phetch Banmai.

If you’ve never witnessed a fight in Thailand or in general know little about how fights are in Thailand, you are in for a real treat.

What’s so wild about fighting in Thailand? Well, one of the biggest surprises about fighting in Thailand is that sometimes you will be unable to get film on any opponent or, even better, you may get a completely different opponent the day of the fight. Thailand, baby!

Another wild fact is the frequency with which Thais fight. It's not uncommon to see fighters end their careers with hundreds of fights. Namsaknoi had 300 fights; Sagat had 317 fights; Saenchai has 345 fights, and the list goes on.

Because they fight with such a frequency, Thais train and fight differently than anywhere else. And you’re going to get a nice peek into what that...

SURVIVING & THRIVING IN THE MOTHERLAND

By Evan Lee

Training Muay Thai in Thailand is an experience unlike any other. Most people who train Muay Thai outside of Thailand think that they’re ready for the real deal, don't they? They think that "Muay Thai is Muay Thai" and ultimately, it doesn't matter where you pick up and master the techniques. 

Wrong.

Remember that in Thailand, Muay Thai is their national sport. If you’re not a full-time Muay Thai fighter, odds are that you will not be training at the same intensity and frequency in which your Thai counterparts train, which is to be expected. You wouldn’t expect to keep up with them in any Muay Thai workout anymore than you would expect a casual football fan keep up with an NFL player.

Of course, you want to be prepared when you’re training in Thailand. If you’re not maximizing every second of time you spend training in Thailand, then you’re losing out on training with...

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PRE-FIGHT MUAY THAI RITUALS

By Sean Fagan

In my opinion, being respectful should be one of your top priorities as a fighter and as a person. There are plenty of douche bags who fight for the wrong reasons and act arrogantly whether it’s in the gym or in the ring. 

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #32

By Sean Fagan

Everyone makes mistakes when they first make the voyage to Thailand to train Muay Thai, but you can avoid some of these common mistakes by learning from people who’ve already made them… like myself and Paul.

In this most recent podcast episode, Paul and I discuss the most common mistakes we made (and still continue to make) whenever we make the trip to Thailand. If you’re heading to Thailand in the near future, this podcast is a MUST listen to because it covers the top 10 mistakes including:

1. Not Doing It Sooner – Putting off your trip to Thailand can result in you NEVER making the trip. The sooner you go the better because it will open new doors of opportunity for you and open your eyes to new possibilities.
2. Not Planning Ahead – Although you want to do it as soon as possible, you do need to plan accordingly in order to make sure you have enough money and plan the proper itinerary for...

 IF YOU DREAM OF FIGHTING IN THAILAND, THIS STORY COULD BE YOURS

By Evan Lee

“What’s it like fighting Muay Thai in Thailand?”

I get asked this question a lot, particularly from family and friends who just don’t quite “get” the difference. Fighting back home, where you’re comfortable and surrounded by love and support, is a lot different than fighting in Thailand– birthplace of the sport and home to the best nak muay in the world. Even the dude who delivered your pizza in Bangkok last night could (and would, for the right amount of baht) whoop your ass. Having your first fight in Thailand is a mountain to climb, my friends.

But check this out: imagine having your first fight in Thailand surrounded by well-wishers and team members; imagine having legitimate Muay Thai training in the weeks leading up to this fight; and imagine feeling more ready, more confident, and more pumped than ever to bang in the...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS: EPISODE #60

By Sean Fagan

“What training camp should I go to in Thailand?”

This is by far one of, if not THE most asked question Paul and I get from fans from all over the world. And guess what? We almost never have a good answer to give because it depends on such a wide variety of factors including your goals, budget, likes/dislikes, experience, etc.

Instead of giving a vague answer to this extremely common question, we figured that covering it in detail in a podcast would be the best way to go. So, if you are in the midst of deciding which gym you should be training at in Thailand, this podcast episode will hopefully answer all your questions!

Click here to listen to TMTG 060: What Gym Should I Train at in Thailand?

(My voice is a bit echo-ey in this podcast, so my apologies on that, I’m not sure why that happened. I do sound much more epic when I talk though.)

We talk about all the things you should consider when traveling to...