Muay Thai strength, power and physical training | Thai Boxing

Summary

In this Muay Thai Digest video, the focus is on strength and conditioning training for Thai boxing. The video delves into the necessity of exercises like jogging and skipping rope, explores various strength training programs, and discusses how to enhance punching power and speed. It also provides insights into stretching routines and offers a comprehensive guide for physical preparation in Muay Thai, emphasizing the importance of a well-rounded training regimen for martial artists.

Takeaways

• 🥋 Strength and conditioning are essential for Muay Thai, emphasizing functional movements over sheer muscle size.
• 🏃‍♂️ Running is crucial for Muay Thai, aiding in weight control, leg strength, and mental preparation, with varying distances based on the time of day.
• 🤸‍♂️ Skipping rope is a staple in Muay Thai training, improving timing, coordination, and cardio without requiring much space.
• 💪 A comprehensive strength program in Muay Thai includes basic strength, speed training, combined strength and speed, flexibility, endurance, and tendon training.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Traditional Muay Thai training focuses on routine, but modern training incorporates various methods like interval training, speed workouts, and tactical training for holistic development.
• 🏅 Endurance training in Muay Thai aims to enhance oxygen uptake and manage lactic acid, which is vital for sustained performance in the ring.
• 🔁 Interval training varies in intensity and recovery time, impacting power, speed, and the body's ability to transition between energy systems.
• 🥊 Power and strength workouts are intense, focusing on maximum weight levels for short periods to build strength and power in key muscle groups.
• 🧠 Tactical training is as important as physical training, teaching fighters to predict opponents' moves and plan strategies effectively.
• 🔁 Circuit training offers a dynamic approach to Muay Thai training, with varied exercises performed in a sequence to improve overall fitness and skill.
• 📅 Periodical planning is key for fighters, adjusting training based on competition seasons and weight classes to optimize performance.

Q & A

Why is strength and conditioning training important in Muay Thai?

Strength and conditioning training is crucial in Muay Thai because it enhances the power, flexibility, and speed of a fighter's muscles, which are essential for effective fighting skills. It includes various types of training like basic strength, speed training, combined strength and speed, flexibility, endurance, and tendon training.

What are the different types of strength programs mentioned in the script for Muay Thai training?

The script mentions basic strength training, speed training, combined strength and speed training, flexibility, endurance strength training, and tendon training as different types of strength programs used in Muay Thai training.

How does traditional Muay Thai training differ from modern training methods?

Traditional Muay Thai training focuses on routine techniques such as bag workouts, pad workouts, and sparring. Modern training methods, however, incorporate a variety of exercises like duration training, interval training, speed workouts, power and strength workouts, tactical training, circuit training, and periodical planning to achieve a more well-rounded physical preparation.

Why is running considered important for Muay Thai fighters?

Running is important for Muay Thai fighters as it helps control weight, builds leg strength, and improves mindset. It serves as a form of moving meditation and warms up the body before heavy training sessions.

What role does skipping rope play in a Muay Thai fighter's training?

Skipping rope is a valuable tool for conditioning in Muay Thai. It helps improve timing, coordination, footwork, shoulder and arm conditioning, grip strength, and cardio. It's also portable and can be used for interval training to simulate ring conditions.

Can you explain the concept of interval training as discussed in the script?

Interval training in the script is described as a method with various interpretations, including normal interval (15 seconds full power, 30 seconds recuperation), fast interval (15 seconds full, 15 seconds rest), and slow interval (30 seconds fast, 1 minute slow). This type of training is good for power in active phase speed and fast power actions.

What is the significance of power and strength training in Muay Thai?

Power and strength training is significant as it involves working out at maximum intensity with weights, focusing on straining each muscle group at the maximum weight level. This type of training is crucial for developing powerful and fast movements in Muay Thai.

How does tactical training benefit a Muay Thai fighter?

Tactical training is beneficial as it improves a fighter's ability to predict an opponent's next move, oversee a situation, and plan strategies. It enhances daily performance skills in life and is strongly dependent on one's abilities and conditioning.

What is the purpose of circuit training in Muay Thai?

Circuit training in Muay Thai is a method where participants move from one exercise to the next at each station, following a specific routine. It's a fun and effective way to improve various aspects of fitness, including strength, endurance, and agility.

Why is periodical planning important in a Muay Thai fighter's training?

Periodical planning is important as it structures training according to the fighting season and the fighter's weight class. It helps in managing weight, maintaining speed, increasing power, and ensuring the fighter is at their best for competitions.

What are some must-have exercises for Muay Thai that require no equipment?

Some essential no-equipment exercises for Muay Thai include push-ups, sit-ups, and squat jumps. These exercises help build a strong foundation, particularly for leg strength, which is crucial for effective kicks and overall performance in the ring.

How does stretching fit into a Muay Thai training routine?

Stretching is now considered an important part of Muay Thai training, as it helps prevent injuries and improves flexibility. It's recommended to stretch after a warm-up, such as a run, to prepare the body for more intense training sessions.

Outlines

00:00

🥊 Introduction to Strength and Conditioning in Muay Thai

The video script begins with an introduction to Muay Thai Digest, focusing on the importance of strength and conditioning training for Thai boxing. It emphasizes the necessity of exercises like jogging and skipping rope in a Muay Thai routine, and hints at the variety of exercises available for improving power and speed. The host also reminds viewers about available resources such as a home training program, unique articles, and weekly trainings from Instagram. The discussion then transitions into the principles of strength training in martial arts, contrasting it with fitness training and highlighting the need for functional movements and a well-rounded strength program that includes basic strength, speed training, combined strength and speed, flexibility, endurance, and tendon training.

05:01

🏃‍♂️ The Role of Running and Skipping Rope in Muay Thai

This section delves into the importance of running and skipping rope in Muay Thai training. Coach Sean Douglas explains the significance of road work for controlling weight, building leg strength, and improving mindset. He details the typical running routines in Thailand, including morning and afternoon runs of varying lengths. Skipping rope is also discussed as a vital tool for conditioning, with its benefits for timing, coordination, and cardio. The script mentions the types of ropes used and how skipping rope can simulate ring conditions. The paragraph concludes with an introduction to interval training, explaining different methods and their impact on power, speed, and lactate levels.

10:01

💪 Power and Strength Training for Martial Arts

The paragraph discusses various forms of training important for martial artists, including power and strength workouts, tactical training, circuit training, and periodical planning. Power and strength training involve high-intensity sessions with maximum weight levels, often assisted by a coach to ensure proper technique. Tactical training is highlighted as crucial for predicting opponents' moves and improving daily life performance skills. Circuit training is presented as a fun and effective method, with examples provided from the Fight Vision Udeemy course. Periodical planning is discussed in the context of seasonal changes and competition preparation, with an emphasis on maintaining technique as the key to winning fights.

15:04

🤸‍♂️ Essential Exercises and the Importance of Stretching

This section highlights essential bodyweight exercises for Muay Thai, such as push-ups, sit-ups, and squat jumps, which are crucial for building a strong foundation. Coach Sean Douglas shares his insights on the importance of these exercises and how they are integrated into traditional Thai boxing workouts. The paragraph also touches on abdominal exercises, emphasizing their functional use over aesthetics. Power punching is discussed in relation to foundation work and proper technique, with heavy bag work suggested as a tool for developing power. The video concludes with a discussion on the evolution of stretching in Muay Thai training, from its minimal presence in the past to its current significance in preventing injuries and improving flexibility.

20:07

🧘‍♀️ Stretching Techniques and Workout Routines

The final paragraph showcases various stretching techniques and workout routines. It demonstrates how to perform stretches effectively, emphasizing the importance of warming up before stretching to prevent injuries. The video script includes a guided stretching session with a focus on relaxing and holding positions to improve flexibility and range of motion. The session includes a combination of static stretches and dynamic movements, aiming to prepare the body for more intense training sessions.

Keywords

💡Strength Training

Strength training refers to a type of physical exercise specializing in increasing the strength and size of muscles through the use of resistance. In the context of the video, it is crucial for Muay Thai as it helps in building powerful, flexible, and fast muscles. The video emphasizes that strength training in martial arts is not the same as for fitness, focusing on functional movements rather than just building large muscles. An example from the script is the discussion on how strength training has evolved with a specialized approach to improve fighting skills.

💡Conditioning Training

Conditioning training is a form of exercise with the goal of improving an individual's physical condition. It often involves cardiovascular exercises and is essential in Muay Thai for enhancing endurance and stamina. The video mentions various exercises like jogging and skipping rope, which are part of conditioning training, and are necessary for Muay Thai routines to improve power and speed of punches.

💡Functional Movements

Functional movements are exercises that mimic the natural movements of the human body, preparing it for daily activities and sports. In the video, functional movements are highlighted as the basis for resistance training in martial arts, emphasizing the need for practical strength that can be applied in real-life situations, such as during a Muay Thai match.

💡Endurance Training

Endurance training is designed to improve the ability of the body to exert itself over a sustained period of time. The video discusses how endurance training helps in the uptake of oxygen and the management of lactic acid, which is crucial for Muay Thai fighters to maintain performance throughout a match.

💡Interval Training

Interval training involves alternating periods of high-intensity exercise with low-intensity recovery periods. The video provides examples of different interval training methods, such as normal intervals and fast intervals, which are used to improve power and speed in Muay Thai training.

💡Tactical Training

Tactical training in martial arts focuses on the strategy and techniques used during a fight. The video explains that tactical training is important not just for martial arts but also for improving daily life performance skills. It involves predicting an opponent's moves and planning one's own, which is vital for success in Muay Thai.

💡Circuit Training

Circuit training is a form of physical exercise that involves moving from one exercise station to another, performing a specific exercise at each station. The video mentions circuit training as a fun and effective way to improve various aspects of fitness, such as strength, endurance, and agility, which are all important for Muay Thai fighters.

💡Periodical Planning

Periodical planning involves organizing training and preparation based on specific periods or cycles, often aligned with competition schedules. The video discusses how periodical planning can be used to adjust training intensity and focus, such as increasing weight for a higher weight class while maintaining speed and power.

💡Skipping Rope

Skipping rope, or jump rope, is a form of cardiovascular exercise that involves jumping over a rope that is swung quickly. The video highlights skipping rope as an essential tool for conditioning in Muay Thai, improving timing, coordination, and cardio, with examples of how Thai boxers use heavy ropes for additional benefits.

💡Stretching

Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon is deliberately flexed in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity. The video discusses the importance of stretching in preventing injuries and enhancing flexibility, which is beneficial for Muay Thai fighters to execute high kicks and other movements.

Highlights

Strength and conditioning training is crucial for Muay Thai practitioners.

Exercises like jogging and skipping rope are essential for Muay Thai training.

A variety of strength programs and training methods are available for Muay Thai.

Improving punch power and speed can be achieved through specific exercises.

Traditional Muay Thai training focuses on technical sections, bag workouts, and sparring.

Modern training methods include duration, interval, speed, power, tactical, circuit, and periodical planning.

Road work, such as running, is important for controlling weight and building leg strength in Muay Thai.

Skipping rope is a valuable tool for conditioning, improving timing, coordination, and cardio.

Interval training can be varied to focus on power, speed, and endurance.

Speed workouts involve resistance training with elastic bands, springs, or water.

Power and strength training focuses on maximum intensity with weight lifting.

Tactical training is vital for martial arts, improving daily performance skills.

Circuit training combines various exercises for a fun and effective workout.

Periodical planning is crucial for adjusting training based on competition seasons and weight classes.

Push-ups, sit-ups, and squat jumps are fundamental exercises for Muay Thai.

Abdominal exercises should be functional for optimal performance in Muay Thai.

Heavy bag work is essential for developing power in punches and kicks.

Chin-ups and exercises with a partner can enhance strength and fighting skills.

Stretching is beneficial for preventing injuries and improving flexibility in Muay Thai.

Transcripts

hi everyone this is muay thai digest and

today we will talk about strength and

conditioning training and physical body

preparation

in thai boxing watch this video till the

end and you will know

do we really need such exercise like

jogging

and skipping rope in our muay thai

routine training you will be surprised

how many variations of apps

exercises you have in your arsenal which

exercises

should be must for every training or

even every day

how to improve power and speed of your

punch with some exercises how many

different types of strength program of

training do we have and how to use it in

your muay thai training

and also you will know some new

information about stretching

and get program for stretching just

several seconds before we start

and i want to remind you several

important things first white iron

kickboxing at home course

it's a full home training program for

muay thai preparing where you can get

a lot of exercises and ready to use

program to prepare your body or keep

your muay thai skills for future so get

this course

link in the description and in the first

pin comment second one

my telegram with unique articles and

illustrated

guides for training and some advices

link in the screen in the description

and in the first pin comment third

shared weekly trainings from my

instagram fight vision project link also

in description

and in the first pin comment and number

four don't forget about sean answers

our new section where you can answer any

question about muay thai mma self

defense sushon douglas

professional trainer and fighter with

epic background

okay let's get started

so let's talk about strength training

strength training in martial arts has

become a must

the principles of strength training are

not the same way those for fitness

training

every resistance training is based on

functional movements

big muscles are useless our muscle

structure needs to be powerful

flexible and fast a proper strength

program is built as follows

basic strength speed training combined

strength and speed training including

flexibility endurance strength training

and tendon training and new way of

training for fighters

it is important for you to know that

strength training has developed a

specialized way to work out and improve

the quality of

fighting skills moita used to be a

competition-oriented sport with the same

character as k-1

fighting the brother of muay thai in

burma today called myanmar is still

competing in tournament style

today we approach fighting in a

professional way and compare all we do

with other sports with specific

background

traditional training consists of a

technical section

bag workout pad workout and sparring the

same things are trained over and over

again

everything was built on routine but

training only with routine will make it

impossible to reach the top of the

fighting world these days the following

methods are used in training duration

training interval training speed workout

power and strength workout tactical

training

circuit training and periodical planning

so wadi cup coach sean douglas here for

some more

answers uh for fight vision um

running is running important for muay

thai is it necessary

i say yes it is especially in thailand

we're always

putting in road work road work is you

know

boxers have been doing road work um for

many many moons

i know a lot of the new fighters now

take a bit of a different approach

and don't put the long runs in but i

truly believe

it's very important to run consistently

um it helps control your weight it

definitely

builds a bit of strength in your legs

which is very important and while you're

in the ring

competing and also

mindset you know it's really like moving

meditation

um you know it's really important to do

that and it warms the body up before

heavy sessions

so it's a great way to warm your body up

loosen up your body

before you get into sessions in thailand

again we're running the mornings and

evenings

mornings are a bit longer usually

anywhere from like

6 to 10 k and then the afternoon's a bit

shorter runs

anywhere from three to five k so yeah i

hope that helps

skipping ropes are important tools for

condition training

the rope has been used in boxing for as

long as we know in the gym you can find

many different ropes such as plastic

speed ropes

leather with different handles and so on

yeah skipping rope is

also something you use quite often

in thailand you see a lot of the boxers

skip

if there's a bit of rain or the weather

they're old school they don't

need to go out in that rain and run

[Music]

sick so they'll stay you know undercover

and they will skip

they'll skip up to 45 minutes and the

ropes that we're using are quite heavy

it's almost like a garden hose

very heavy rope it's not like a speed

rope it also helps with your timing

coordination footwork

shoulder and arm conditioning grip

strength all these kind of things

yeah and it also you know it works you

works your cardio a bit so there's a lot

of benefits to skipping rope

you don't really need a lot of space to

use it it's quite easy to take around

with you anywhere skip so uh you can

skip an interval so you can like

you know really push the rope fast and

then slow it down

that kind of simulates a little bit of

what's going on in the ring

so yes skipping is very important for

boxing

endurance training is the method to

improve uptake of oxygen

lactic exits pooling and resolving that

problem liquid intake control

recuperation during active phase stress

control during activity

emotional control and determination to

win what about interval training this

method has many ways

of interpretation and presentation a few

examples of this weight training are

normal interval

15 13 seconds full power 30 seconds

recuperation

fast interval 15 seconds full and 15

rest

and slow interval 30 seconds fast 1

minute slow

intervals are good for training power in

active phase speed

and fast power actions intervals are

physical forms of training

ones lactate levels and the best way to

go fast from one biostatic phase

non-oxidative to oxidative to the other

without grams of side effects

this way of training motivates better

breathing and careful planing for how

divide

power over a series of rounds speed

workouts

these are practiced with and without

resistance

the resistance is the weight of elastic

band and spring

water or other such things the most

important part of this training

is knowing proper technical execution

and good ways to use resistance and of

course you need good coach

power and strength training workouts

this training

goes for the maximum level of intensity

training with weights

is a short session but every series of

muscle group is strained

at the maximum weight level a power and

strength workout

and the resistance on the back or pets

is done with the assistance of a person

who supports

the movements and controls the purity of

the technique

tactical training is important of anyone

training in martial arts tactical

training also improves a person's daily

performance skills in life it's

important

to predict the next step of an opponent

and learn to oversee a situation and

plan for your next

moves tactical training is a strongly

depend upon one's abilities and

conditioning

an example of how this works is when a

slow starter

competes against a fast starter the slow

starters must

warm up thoroughly and start fast or

concentrate on moving through the ring

so the fast starter has to run

after him circuit training is a fun for

both recreation

and competition during circuit training

a participant moves from one exercise to

the next

each station in the meaning of element

of circuit

a specific introduction that must be

followed good example of circuit is

back workout for three minutes boxing

three minutes kicking

three minutes boxing and kicking three

minutes nice and three minutes

everything combined

actually in fight vision udemy course

you can find several programs of circuit

training with this back workout don't

forget to check it

especially if you don't have trainer for

these days

after each three minutes the person

moves to the next station

the trainer circulates the hole and

instructs each person individually while

the rest continue to the workout

in the beginning use an interval of one

or more minutes to move from one station

to the next

and rest and what about periodical

planning this style is often

is combined with tactical training and

is determinate by the season a year

is divided in seasons that depend upon

when a fighter has to compete

and on the level of weight a good

example for periodical training or

planing

is a weight increase of 5 kg to be

promoted into another weight class

it is not only important to increase

weight but also

keep dry body mass not lose speed

increase power

and regain your fighting level

theoretical training or planning must

take place at least one time

every three or four years but anyway

don't forget that in competition fitness

versus technics

techniques are win in the old days when

a fight fell into the hands of tight

judges

usually the most technically sound

fighter received the decision

all the points are still awarded

okay guys some of the must-have

exercises in muay thai you know with no

equipment necessary some of the most

necessary exercises would be push-ups

sit-ups squats squat jumps

these are really just important

exercises you see

in all boxing we do quite a few sit-ups

daily you know anywhere from three to

five hundred um

you know through through two sessions in

a day

usually there's around 10 to 20 push-ups

between each round

through like a traditional thai boxing

workout so

you know a bag some bag work and then

right on the whistle or the break you'll

drop

down and do your push-ups and then a bit

of a rest and then back into the next

round

and that goes on throughout the entire

session so i would say a lot of

old school sit-ups and push-ups

and squat jumps because the foundation

needs to be really strong those legs

need to be strong

so i hope that helps

abdominal muscles as the other group of

muscles

should be functional and not only

aesthetic and beautiful so you need your

muscles to use

and not to just show and in your arsenal

for training you have a rich

choice of abs exercises not only boring

crunches that i'm sure you know

but also crunches on a bench if you have

such an equipment crunches on a boxing

bag just try once and you will see if

your abdominal muscles are ready or not

also you can use some group exercises

like this one

it looks easy but it's not because all

your colleagues

also should do this exercise in the same

tempo and the group

tempo is not the same as a personal

tempo just try this one with your

friends

in a gym and you will know what really

means teamwork

also push-ups it can be simple or you

can upgrade it with some benches or some

of your training partners

can help you and make it much more

harder like this

[Music]

is there any exercises or things you can

do

to help with your your power punching

for your power in general

i would say a lot of foundation work a

lot of the power comes from

from the legs from the floor up

and also proper technique

really it's a lot to have to do with the

technique so

the better your technique is i believe

the stronger you can punch your kick

or throw your tools especially for

striking so

i would say the technique over

everything and then of course heavy bag

work is one

of the things we use to help develop a

bit more power

the heavy bags can be utilized that way

but yeah foundation good technique

and if we're looking at a piece of

equipment or something to assist us

in that heavy backwards and now let's

talk about

chin ups okay uh now i teach you some

exercise with bah

it's important can help you a lot uh

when you fighting

so it's good to train with ba

for more time

[Music]

twos

okay next question stretching is it

necessary

do you need it muay thai um when i

arrived to thailand many years ago

i didn't see a lot of stretching

the guys would come in off the runs

they'd shadow box a bit and they'd get

right into the pad work

so i was quite um shocked that there

wasn't a lot of stretching

nowadays you see a lot more stretching

in the gyms

i believe stretching is really

beneficial

to prevent injuries obviously being

flexible

is a huge benefit because you can

kick the head and again

it's it prevents injuries the more

flexibility i believe

you have so i would definitely take the

time to stretch

it can be very basic stretching of

course you want your body warm

before you get into stretching so that's

usually good to do just after the run

but um yeah traditionally speaking and

years ago i

didn't see a lot of stretching in the

gym

like i said before but yes i think

you should definitely implement

stretching

slow

so yeah

uh

four five six seven

eight nine ten

here

one two

three you can do it three four

five six seven

eight nine seven

okay

don't worry

one two three

relaxing relaxing four

five six seven

eight nine

seven holding

oh

change

oh

yes

ever

one second

something

[Applause]

uh

thank you

the legs

cross the feet under over

lay back when i say pop and pop up

and drop and drop down ready pop

drop hop drop

pop drop top jump

pop pop drop

pop and hold up and hold stay up

up up up feet up

straighten the legs feet up

straight

breathe into the nose out through the

mouth