I have been involved in Muay Thai for 10+ years now. Whilst my training has been consistent, my fighting has been less so, with a break between 2017-2019, and a return at the end of 2019 cut short after just one bout due to the Covid lockdown. In that time, some of my priorities and motivations changed, leaving me with the feeling that maybe my days of competing were done and it was time to focus other interests, in particular coaching and strength training. At least that way, I wouldn’t have to cut weight again!! And yet, on Saturday 18th November 2023, at the age of 36 years old, I climbed o ..read more

The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery. – Mark Van Doren In traditional Thai culture, teachers are held in particular esteem and afforded significant levels of respect throughout all levels of society. Teachers pass down the knowledge and skills that younger people will require to make it in the world, knowledge and skills earned by one’s ancestors, and therefore their role is seen as incredibly important in maintaining civilisation. At the end of every school year, the students perform a wai kru (similar to that performed by fighters in the ring) to show their gratitude to thei ..read more

The purpose of this article is to highlight and explain some of the “unwritten rules” that usually apply within a Muay Thai gym. Of course, gyms vary, and there are obvious differences between gyms in Thailand (especially high-level Bangkok fight gyms) and those in the UK and elsewhere, where the majority of students are not fighters. However, there are aspects of Muay Thai culture (and Thai culture in general) that remain infused into the sport beyond the mother country. There’s no reason to feel anxious or nervous about these “unwritten rules”, you won’t be punished for being unaware of them ..read more

Competing in combat sports is a unique experience. “Fight camp”, those gruelling weeks leading up to the fight day, is a journey like nothing else. Day after day, week after week, your entire life is dedicated to one simple aim…to get into the best shape possible whilst making weight. Then comes the long-awaited fight day. The nerves, adrenaline and emotional turmoil as you prepare your things and make your way over to the venue. That growing sensation of preparedness as your hands are wrapped, the pre-fight massage completed, gloves tightened around your hands and the mong-kon placed atop you ..read more

“One-two, teep, kick, spinning elbow into…erm…maybe a jumping elbow or something…” Have you ever been hitting pads and had someone call a combo like that? Have you ever called for a combo like that whilst you were holding pads? It’s an extreme example, but only by a little. Almost always, these come from relatively inexperienced training partners essentially making up long chains of techniques on the fly and then calling it a “combo”. And you know what? I get it. You’re new (or maybe not so new anymore), you’re keen and eager to do some cool shit. You want to give your training partner a good ..read more

Your hands are bound in a mixture of tape and bandage, so solid you feel as though you could punch straight through a brick wall. Your body is slick with Thai oil and Vaseline, your muscles warm and limber, ready for action. You pace back and forth, incapable of stillness as your nervous system kicks into high gear. From outside of the room, you can hear the roar of the crowd, the high-pitched din of the Thai music, perhaps even the thud of impacts as two competitors go toe-to-toe. The energy in you builds as your adrenal system comes alive, the pit of nerves deep in your stomach churning. You ..read more

What right-minded person would voluntarily put themselves in a position to be hit with punches, kicks, knees, and elbows? Why would anyone choose to risk being cut, beat up or knocked out, with a crowd of onlookers to boot? What does someone gain from dedicating weeks, months, and years to a gruelling training regimen and strict diet, just to have a fight with a complete stranger at the end of it all? These are, in truth, completely valid and understandable questions. The answers, on the other hand, are perhaps not so obvious. Of course, anyone who is familiar with Muay Thai will be aware of t ..read more

So, you want to start training Muay Thai? Maybe you’re wondering how to go about starting, or maybe you’ve even tried a couple of classes and want to know how to get the most out of them. Starting anything new, such as a new hobby or job, can often be confusing and nerve-wracking. You might be nervous about what will be expected of you, nervous about looking silly if you do something wrong, or even (understandably) nervous about the prospect of getting punched in the face! Just remember, the only way to stop feeling like this, is to suck it up and give it a go. Chances are, you’ll find that yo ..read more

In my previous two articles (PART 1, PART 2) I have discussed the benefits of a good strength and conditioning program for a muay thai fighter, and a general overview of what that program might look like. I proposed a 3 phase program using conjugated periodization to ensure that each phase targeted a specific quality, building on the previous phase. The first step is to build raw strength– the ability to exert force through muscular contraction. I’m sure I don’t need to spell out how important being strong is to being a fighter. However, there are a couple of issues to taken into consideration ..read more

In my last post I was looking at the idea of strength and conditioning in muay thai, current attitudes towards it and the possible benefits to be reaped from it. One of the key points I made in the article was this: I’m a big believer in planned training sessions with a specific outcome in mind, rather than simply stringing together a random bunch of exercises with the simple aim of “getting tired.” This principle is something I truly stand by. I won’t just do a workout; I want to know what qualities I am trying to improve in a given session and exactly how this is to be achieved. As mentioned ..read more