Tips & Tricks — training

The teep is arguably the most effective and diverse weapon in Muay Thai. It has the longest range and can be used in a wide range of angles and power levels. Like the jab in Boxing, mastering the teep is a key component of success for most elite Muay Thai fighters. It's important to note the differences between a teep and front kick. The front kick relies on a flick at the knee to generate power, while the teep (or push kick) generates power by driving your hips forward and pushing through your opponent. You can flick at the knee...

We explored what purposeful practice here, how it differs from “normal” practice and how it can help develop your Muay Thai skills quickly and consistently. The concept itself can be easy to understand, yet when you first try to think of ways you can purposefully practice, it can be challenging. That said, you have likely purposefully practiced before without labelling it as such. In this article, we explore 5 ways you can build individual aspects of your Muay Thai game through focus and purposeful practice. Each will look at a different strike/technique/skill which, when mastered individually and then incorporated into...

After a while of regular training, it's likely you'll hit some sort of plateau which will frustrate you, make you question your level of passion for the sport and have you searching for ways to make it exciting again. This is common with any sport or hobby and you'll need to evaluate whether it's a genuine disinterest and not just a “wall”. If you believe it's just a wall, it could simply be a way that your body and mind are telling you to switch things up. By seeing this as an opportunity and embracing it, you can turn this...

Sparring can be some of the most enjoyable and informative parts of your training, yet it can also be the most stressful and painful. For beginners it can be incredibly intimidating and even the most veteran fighter can feel pressured when sparring at a new gym.  Nonetheless, sparring is essential for developing your Muay Thai skills, reaction times, conditioning and tactical thinking.   As such, it's important to have the right attitude towards sparring and abide by some “unwritten rules” which will help you maximise your sparring time and ensure you don't walk away absolutely beaten or injured.   Hit...

Muay Thai is as effective for keeping fit as it is a striking discipline. In a 2 hour session, you can easily burn anywhere between 1000 – 2000 calories, if not more. That's equivalent to 2 hours running at 8-10mpg or 2 hours cycling at 20mph. Not only do you burn more calories in that time frame compared with conventional exercises, but you increase strength, flexibility and knowledge more so too. No wonder it's a popular sport for those that just want to get fit and healthy while having fun.   That said, you need to exert the physical and...