What makes Muay Thai different, is its system of making the practitioner use 8 limbs instead of the standard 1 or 2. These are the pair of elbows and knees in addition to the fists and feet, which are used for close, mid and even long-range strikes along with the ‘clinch’ or grappling moves.

THE TOP 7 BENEFITS OF MUAY THAI

IT BOOSTS THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Your understanding of cardio training will reach a whole new level once you start training in Muay Thai. It requires you to condition your body with long sessions of cardio activities such as running, kicking, jumping ropes etc.. This is because, without an extraordinary level of stamina and endurance, you will not be able to pull off all the consecutive kicks, jabs and other Muay Thai moves effectively.

Muay Thai being an aerobic as well as an anaerobic activity puts the cardiopulmonary system under immense stress. However, over time, with regular practice, your body begins to adapt to these new conditions by boosting up your cardiovascular as well as the central nervous system. Which means that your tolerance levels get boosted and you can keep going much longer than you could do before.

IT GIVES YOU MASSIVE LEG STRENGTH

One look at a Muay Thai match, and it is easy to see that kicks, footwork and basically, the entire lower body plays a significant role in executing the various moves of this martial art. Learning the many kicks involved in Muay Thai, along with the hard training and conditioning required to perfectly execute them, results in the entire musculature of the lower body being massively strengthened

So if it’s is about getting great looking calves, increased kicking force or improved agility – you can completely rely on Muay Thai to deliver!

IT INCREASES THE MOBILITY OF YOUR HIPS

Over time, with regular practice of the various kicks and strikes using the knee, will help increase your hip mobility. This is very useful in preventing many injuries and other medical conditions that core with age. By increasing your hip mobility, Muay Thai also ensures you end up using all 3 planes of motion which are needed for overall fitness as well as for combat!

IT IMPROVES YOUR BALANCE

Muay Thai requires you to perform many consecutive kicks using the same leg. Which means, for long stretches at a time, you need to stand on one foot while kicking with the other. Any activity that has you standing on one foot for long will improve your balance.

Of course, not being able to maintain balance while performing those Muay Thai kicks can result in falling and injury. In an official match, you might even lose points, and in real-life combat, the price to pay can be much higher. That is why Muay Thai incorporates such strict and tiresome training to ensure you got solid balance. Thus the Muay Thai training also prevents any injuries you would’ve have experienced due to lack of balance.

IT MAKES YOUR CORE SUPER STRONG

The ‘core’ has become a popular term to refer to the 6 or 8 pack of Abs. This, however, is very frustrating and irritating for us genuine trainers. That is because, we know that the core refers to each of the muscle on your trunk and not only the abs, which is what makes core strength such a formidable quality.

In Muay Thai, the many consecutive strikes, especially with a single foot or knee, all the while maintaining balance and stability, build up all your core muscles. So does the various clinches and defense movements that you need to use while facing an opponent. In addition, most of the strikes use a rotational motion, which further strengthens your core. Even taking a few beating from the opponent, while training, helps build up core strength. All in all, regular practice of Muay Thai guarantees a solid core that can pack a solid punch, or kick.

IT GIVES YOU SHARP REFLEXES

Pulling off those Muay Thai moves, sure seems exciting. However, you won’t be the only one doing it. Some, or many, times, you will be on the receiving end of those fabulous kicks, punches and other strikes. To avoid, block or throw a counter… In the heat of the moment, you will have to make a quick judgement and react, if you don’t want to be sucker-punched, that is! And to do that, you need excellent coordination between the brain and the muscles.

Fortunately, Muay Thai provides the proper conditioning needed to improve your reflexes to such a level, that you can hold your ground against solid opponents and don’t get knocked out instead. To be able to make crucial decisions under pressure is a quality, I’m sure you can appreciate outside the ring as well, and such is the reflex Muay Thai gives you, helping you avoid injuries and overcome difficulties.

IT HELPS TO FIGHT STRESS & ANXIETY

Stress has become an unavoidable consequence of the present-age lifestyle. The stress bucket model explains how, if stress keeps accumulating without timely release, then at some point, your “bucket” will overflow, and you will have to face both physical and mental consequences. Fortunately, although it is seldom presented as such, Muay Thai can be a major stress-buster! How? Well, if you’re honest, you’ll have to admit that punching and kicking the bag or your sparring partner, who is wearing protective gear, of course, helps release a lot of accumulated stress.

And what about anxiety? Do you believe that fighting might actually increase your anxiety levels? Well childish fights, sure. And yes, adults too some times, if not most of the time, get into childish brawls. This we agree will get you more anxious than before, because well you and the one you’re fighting with, have too many things going on in your heads. This is entirely opposite to what Muay Thai or any martial art will teach you.

Act sensibly, and you take your fitness to a whole new level. Muay Thai will make to stronger, faster, more agile and more focused. So go ahead, if you’ve been lingering on the idea for a while, and take on this ancient and super effective martial art of Thailand!