Electronic Edition: ISBN 978-1-58394658-9

Copyright © 2013 by Christoph Delp. All rights reserved. No portion of thisbook, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without written permission of thepublisher. For information contact Blue Snake Books c/o North AtlanticBooks.

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Cover photo by Nopphadol ViwatkamolwatCover design by Brad Greene

Photo credits: Author’s archives: this page, this page. Erwin Werzel: thispage. All other photos by Nopphadol Viwatkamolwat.

Muay Thai Training Exercise s: The Ultimate Guide to Fitne ss, Streng th, andFight Preparation is sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts andSciences, a nonprofit educational corporation whose goals are to develop aneducational and cross-cultural perspective linking various scientific, social,and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, andhealing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind,body, and nature.

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PLEASE NOTE: The creators and publishers of this book disclaim any

liabilities for loss in connection with following any of the practices, exercises,and advice contained herein. To reduce the chance of injury or any otherharm, the reader should consult a professional before undertaking this or anyother martial arts, movement, meditative arts, health, or exercise program.The instructions and advice printed in this book are not in any way intendedas a substitute for medical, mental, or emotional counseling with a licensedphysician or healthcare provider.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

Delp, Christoph, 1974-Muay Thai training exercises : the ultimate guide to fitness, strength, andfight preparation / Christoph Delp.pages cmISBN 978-1-58394-657-21. Muay Thai. I. Title.GV1127.T45.D48 2013796.815—dc23

2013008225

v3.1

Contents

CoverTitle PageCopyright

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Book Series

Chapter 1: Training Background1. Facts Worth Knowing about Training2. The Spirit of a Thai Boxer3. Training Plans4. Training Documentation5. Preparing for a Competitive Career6. Developing Technical Skills

Chapter 2: Effective Training1. Basics2. Warm-Up Phase3. Main Techniques Training

4. Cooling-Down Phase5. Regeneration6. Nutrition7. Selecting Your Weight Class

Chapter 3: Solo Training1. Background2. Basic Techniques3. Stretching and Loosening4. Stamina Training5. Strength Training6. Workouts

Chapter 4: Techniques1. Introduction to Techniques2. Combinations3. Counter Techniques4. Misleading the Opponent

Chapter 5: Training Plans1. Basics

2. Training Plans for Beginners3. Training Plans for Amateurs4. Training Plans of ProfessionalAthletesBooks and DVDs by Christoph DelpOnline ResourcesThe Book TeamOther Resources

IPreface

started kickboxing at a fairly young age. In the courseof my training back home I got the impression that Iwas missing much of the techniques and training

methods as well as the cultural aspects of Muay Thai. Thatis why I decided in 1995 to travel to Thailand and tolearn Muay Thai like the Thai athletes do, starting fromscratch. My destination was the northeast of Thailand, as Ihad heard that the best Thai ghters come from there. Ireceived a friendly welcome at the Deycha Gym in MahaSarakham, where I lived and trained with the athletes inthe gym for some months. There I had the opportunity toundertake a very intensive study of the sport with thetrainers Master Deycha, Saknipon Pitakvarin, and KenpetLuksulam. I took notes of my experiences in training, theexecution of techniques, and the training methodology. Inthe process I developed my rst book, Muay Thai: Kampfund Selbstverteidigung (1997). I am very happy to say thatmy friendly relations with this camp continue to this day.

Due to my enthusiasm for Muay Thai, I started travellingto Thailand for training a few months each year. In thefollowing years I trained at gyms in the provinces MahaSarakham, Buriram, Surat Thani, Bangkok, and Chonburi.In the course of my travels I was lucky to be coached bythe legendary ghter Apideh Sit Hiran for a number ofweeks. My continued interest in Muay Thai led me to

manage a Muay Thai camp for some time, and I decided tospend as much time in Thailand as possible.

I wrote numerous books on my experiences in training,which so far have been published in German, English,Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish. I also produced a DVDseries in which some of the best Thai athletes introduce acomprehensive range of techniques and training exercises.Of course, I am very grateful for the assistance andsupport I received from trainers and athletes in thepreparation of my books and DVDs.

This book is the result of a desire to introduce trainingin detail: to show how the best Thai athletes plan theirtraining sessions and how they adapt them to theirindividual requirements with the aim of developingoutstanding skills and maximum performance potential. Ialso show how those who are unable to train in a clubcan plan their own effective training program.

I wish you a pleasant time reading this book and hopeyou enjoy Muay Thai training as much as I do. If you areinterested in conducting your training in Thailand, youcan contact me. I am planning to open a new gym with mytrainers, and you are certainly welcome to visit. Moredetails on the gym can be found atwww.christophdelp.com.

More information on Muay Thai can be found on theweb at www.muaythaibook.com, www.muaythaidvd.com,www.youtube.com/muaythaidvd,www.facebook.com/muaythaidvd, andwww.facebook.com/muaythaibooks.

BangkokAugust 2012

MAcknowledgments

y sincere thanks to all those who have helped inwriting this book, particularly my family, MasterDeycha, Oliver Glatow, Hans-Eckhard Glatow,

Taweesak Baoseehai, Ratchanu Jintanayong, NopphadolViwatkamolwat, Khru Khunsap, Khru Pit, Mister Pong,Apideh Sit Hiran, Menny Ossi, Thomas Letté, RichardDelp, and the acting athletes Nonsai, Saiyok, Kem, andArmin. Many thanks also to my trainers: Master Deycha,Apideh Sit Hiran, Khru Khunsap, Master Chalee,Raweesak, Master K, Master Wee, Master Noi, and MasterGong.

The author (third from left) with Taweesak, Saiyok, Sanghai, Rit, and Danthai.

Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, is a martialart that gradually developed over many centuries.Muay Thai was originally trained in to assert oneselfin real ght situations. In the course of time MuayThai also became popular as a competitive sport atfairs, which both gave athletes the opportunity totest their skills and provided entertainment for theaudience. Today, Muay Thai is practiced as acompetitive sport, for fitness, and for self-defense.

Muay Thai competitions are a spectacular sightand are extremely intensive. Fighters attack eachother to full physical exhaustion with sts, elbows,kicking, and knee techniques. Thai boxers generally

have had excellent technical training, and theirbodies have been trained to become muscular, high-performance instruments.

To succeed at a competitive level, a Thai boxerrequires a perfectly trained body. That is theunderlying reason why excellent training programswere developed for the ghter’s tness. Nowadays,

tness-oriented athletes also like to use this speci ctraining to improve their physical shape.

TAbout the Book Series

his series is made up of three books: Muay ThaiBasics (2005), Muay Thai Counter Techniques (2013),a n d Muay Thai Training Exercises (2013). In the

series you will become acquainted with all the details youneed to know for e ectively learning Muay Thai—be ittraining for tness or for competition. The techniques arepresented by some of the best Thai ghters, demonstratingtheir individual skills. When working out the trainingplans, we were also able also draw on the rich experienceof renowned Thai trainers.

The rst two books in this series, Muay Thai Basics andMuay Thai Counter Techniques, deal primarily withattacking techniques and defense and counter techniques.This book is speci cally focused on training. You willlearn training basics, elements of proper training, andtraining plans as well as combinations, feints, and favoritecounters of the Thai boxing superstars Saiyok and Kem.

Armin, Kem, Saiyok, and Nonsai.

The book will show you how to develop into anadvanced Thai boxer. Initially, it will give you anoverview of training basics, aims, and motivation. Thesecond section contains details on the training routine.Two World Champions, Saiyok and Kem, introduce theirpersonal training styles and give some advice.

The section on solo training will show you how to plane ective training on your own, whether you are a Thaiboxer active in a club or a fitness-oriented athlete trainingat home.

In the technical section you will rst be introduced to

attacking techniques that can be used in shadowboxing,punching bag, and pad training. Saiyok and Kem thenshow their best counters. Feints also play an importantrole in Muay Thai—train in these techniques to catchyour opponent by surprise and to launch e ectivecounters.

Section ve o ers training plans for all performancelevels: beginners, amateur athletes, and professional Thaiboxers can all study the suggested plans and tailor themto their individual requirements.

Let yourself be inspired by training methods andtechniques used by some of the best Thai ghters. Use thetraining plans and techniques to develop yourself into anoutstanding Thai boxer. Have fun and success with yourtraining!

Christoph shows the high kick.

A powerful round kick from Nonsai Sor Sanyakorn.

Saiyok Pumphanmuang/Windysport trains with Khru Pit (Muay Thai Plaza Gym,

2012).

1. Facts Worth Knowing aboutTrainingThe ghters in Muay Thai fascinate audiences withspectacular displays. They attack each other for verounds with outstanding athleticism and a strong will tosucceed, encouraged by the cheering crowds. Thai boxersmust undergo long and extremely intensive training beforethey can participate in competitions. They must havestudied a variety of attacking techniques to perfection andmust master a repertoire of defense and countertechniques against all of the opponent’s attacks. Of utmostimportance is complete training in all facets of physical

tness, as only thoroughly prepared athletes can succeedin competition. Should an opponent detect any weakspots, these will be attacked without mercy.

Intensive training is required to reach the level of a topathlete. The practitioner’s lifestyle must also be adapted tothe requirements of the martial art. With the righttraining, though, a young athlete will have no obstacle toemulating the best athletes of Muay Thai. Thai boxingtraining is also an excellent means for a tness-oriented

athlete to get in shape. Stamina, power, agility, andcoordination are intensively worked and improved. Thetraining is fun, helps to promote self-con dence, andreduces aggression. It is also very useful as a form of self-defense. Muay Thai is considered the most e ectivemethod of upright fighting and self-defense.

The best possible training plan depends on your goalsfor training, motivation, and performance level. This iswhy the training di ers somewhat among individuals. Toachieve the best results in training, you must trainconsciously, meaning that you must clearly rememberyour goals in training time and again as well as how youwant to achieve them. If you train without clear goals anddon’t question your achievement at regular intervals, youwill hardly see any improvement, will plateau in yourperformance, and will lose motivation.

This book shows ways for any Thai boxer to succeed.Regardless of whether you conduct your own training athome or as a supplement to club training, this book willteach you the essentials of training. You will nd frequentreferences to the basics followed by inspirationaldescriptions of how current world champions succeededin reaching their fantastic level of performance.

Training as a Fitness-Oriented AthleteTo be able to achieve continuous performanceimprovement as a tness-oriented athlete in Muay Thai, itis necessary to have two or three Muay Thai trainingsessions per week. At times you may not be able to t

these into your schedule. If not, try to conduct at leastone training session per week. That way, your body willnot completely lose the rhythm of training and will beprepared to resume more intense training later on. This isalso important because of the greater risk of injury due toincreased training, for example to the ligaments of thefoot and the knee joints.

Whether you do additional tness training or notdepends on your physical goals. Additional training canbe helpful for Muay Thai, but it’s not absolutelynecessary.

Nan trains with Christoph.

Training as an Amateur AthleteIf you plan to enter competitions as an amateur, yourtechnical skills in the areas of attack, defense, andcounters must be properly developed. To do this, it isrecommended that you plan three to ve training sessionsper week. Your physical performance must also be up to

the demands of competition, which means it is sensibleand frequently necessary to conduct additional trainingsessions in the areas of fitness and stamina.

As a competitive athlete you have to start in theappropriate weight class, which may mean that you haveto lose body fat. Whether you have to adapt or changewhat you eat depends on your percentage of body fat.

Training as a Professional AthleteProfessional athletes must adapt their daily routine so thatthey can train with the intensity required for theambitious objectives of a professional. Thai boxers whohave succeeded in earning their living with the sport havethe opportunity to conduct two training sessions per dayand to regenerate their bodies on a short midday break. Inthis way, martial art and tness training sessions can beintegrated in an optimum manner. If a Thai boxer alsopursues another profession, however, the training sessionsmust be shorter, be carried out at higher intensity, andshould be speci cally tailored to the athlete’srequirements.

Professional athletes have no general xed program, aseach individual has speci c training requirements, andtheir training should be structured around preparing forupcoming competitions. But there is value in orientation,and you will find guidance for it in this book.

2. The Spirit of a Thai BoxerTo become a successful Thai boxer, you must focus onyour target. This applies to standard training as much asfor preparing for a competition. It includes mental,physical, and technical preparation. This book will showyou many ways to organize, question, and improve yourtraining. Study the following characteristics of successfulThai boxers and compare them with your own. Work onyourself to develop into a great Thai boxer.

VisionFirst of all, you must envision yourself as a Thai boxer. Avision or great desire is di erent for each Thai boxer.Muay Thai o ers us a large number of possibilities—amagnificent athletic body, a competitive career all the wayup to becoming a champion, and even the chance to earnmoney as a competitive athlete, trainer, or manager. OtherThai boxers train with the goal of enhancing their self-con dence and reducing their aggression or stress. Forsome individuals Muay Thai is an indispensable part oftheir lives and becomes their fundamental approach tolife.

Once you come to know and understand your vision, tryto visualize your objectives in detail. Become aware ofwhat your life will look like after you have reached yourmain goal. Try to visualize what you have to do to bringyour goal into reality. The better you are able to visualizeyour goal, the better you can organize your path in the

right direction.

CourageExtraordinary goals require courage. You must beprepared to nd new ways of doing things and to changeyour habits. You can’t rely on others or hope that theywill be on the same path. Only when you pursue your ownpath can you attain the success you desire as a Thai boxer.

The lm Chok Dee is based on part of the life of theFrench ghter Dida, who went to Thailand without muchmoney and no speci c knowledge as to what to expect; heeventually succeeded as a ghter. At that time the gyms inThailand did not have the experience nor the interest to

train foreign ghters, which means that his career must beconsidered special and was only achieved by a fewathletes. Danny Bille and Ramon Dekker should also bementioned, as they were prepared to competeunconditionally and without any restrictions against thebest Thai fighters in their weight class.

ConcentrationTo be able to reach your great goal in Muay Thai, youmust concentrate completely on achievement. There aremany distractions on the way; you must be aware of themand avoid them. As an example, it is absolutelyindispensable for a ghter to concentrate completely onpreparation for a fight. It’s necessary to explain your plansto your family to gain their understanding, so that youdon’t have to waste valuable energy in con ict andnegotiation.

The Thai boxing superstar Saiyok Pumphanmuang hadthe chance to return as a competitive ghter after about ayear away from competition. He concentrated completelyon this opportunity, and his family supported him withtheir understanding; he succeeded in not losing a singlefight in the subsequent four years.

A flying kick from Armin Windysport.

AmbitionNo Thai boxer will succeed without the necessaryambition. It can be developed in many ways, and the morefocused you are on your motivation and the ambition itdevelops, the more you can focus on your career as a Thaiboxer.

Some preconditions can’t be changed and must beaccepted. Some Thai boxers are fortunate to haveextraordinary talent and to learn technical skills quickly,or to have an extraordinary performance level in areas of

tness, such as physical strength, speed, and stamina.Other Thai boxers are superbly promoted by an especiallygood trainer. Still, without the necessary ambition, asuccessful Thai boxing career is impossible. If you face adi cult starting point, keep in mind that the attainmentof your goal may take quite some time. The ambition youdevelop, however, will pay long-term dividends. Forexample, in a competition, your ambition might allow youto make one move more than your opponent, which mightprove to be the decisive advantage.

Terdkiat Sitteppetiak was one of Muay Thai’s superstarsin the 1990s and was considered one of the world’s best

ghters for years. He was known to train mostly byhimself in his home province, and he joined largertraining groups in Bangkok only for short periods. Only byhis overpowering ambition and clear vision of hisobjectives was he able to achieve his extraordinary level

of performance.

StaminaBe aware that it can take a long time for you to succeed inreaching your goal. For example, a beginner will only beable to become a champion after years of intensivetraining. Therefore it makes sense to divide your goal intoa number of smaller goals. You will experience phaseswhen you feel that you aren’t making progress. At thatpoint it’s important not to give up or neglect yourtraining, and not to lose sight of your goal. Keep at it andwork on your dream. The more di cult it is to reach agoal, the more satis ed you will be with your success.Rebuilding stamina is especially important after beinginjured. You should also not despair after losing a match,but learn from your mistakes and improve that way.

Present-day Thai superstar Kem Sitsongpeenong stoppedghting for one year after his rst loss and continued his

daily training in professional conditions. After that yearhe was ready for his athletic career, and at that point hestarted to earn his living as a professional athlete.

DisciplineWithout the necessary discipline, no great goal can beachieved in Muay Thai. It’s not crucial to train intensivelyfrom time to time; it is crucial to increase your trainingload continually in an appropriate manner. Skilled Thaiboxers do not develop after a few weeks of intensive

training but through continuous e ort. A short period ofmore intensive training, for instance several weeks at aThai training camp, can be helpful. What is decisive,however, is that your training continues at regularintervals.

The best Thai athletes re ect on their years ofdisciplined and intensive daily training. Only in that wayhave they been able to reach their high level ofperformance.

Self-ConfidenceYou must rmly believe in the successful e ect of yourtraining. Don’t be unsettled by other people’s opinions,and don’t move away from your objectives and your pathas a Thai boxer. Be convinced that you can reach yourgoal and give your best along the way. This is alsoextremely important in a competition, because theknowledge of your own strength will give you thenecessary self-confidence.

The legendary Thai ghter Kaoklai competed in Japanwith an o cial weight of about 175 pounds against theworld’s best heavyweight ghters, and he won. Hisopponents had an advantage of twelve inches in heightand eighty- ve pounds in weight. Only a few peopleconsidered this to be possible, but Kaoklai rmly believedin himself and in his fight strategy, and he was successful.

Respect

You should be aware that you can only reach yourobjectives in Muay Thai with the help of a trainer, atraining group, family, and friends. Respect is afundamental characteristic of a Muay Thai ghter. Youmust also pay respect to your opponent in a competitionas it’s only possible to reach your athletic objectives, afterall, through an opponent. Bear in mind that youropponent went through similar rigorous training inpreparation for the ght. This is why you often see afriendly embrace between the athletes after a hard fight.

In Muay Thai you will notice time and again how muchrespect the ghters have for each other. You can also seehow many Muay Thai ghters, used to competingintensively against one other, have become good friends.

The Will to SacrificeTo be successful as a Thai boxer with competitiveambitions, it is necessary to make sacri ces in otheraspects of your life. For example, you can’t be expected tobe a successful athlete over an extended period if youregularly indulge in long nights of partying and drinking.A young body is indeed able to cope better with suchstrain, but starting from the age of thirty, a heavy trainingload and nightlife contradict each other. Thai boxers aremore prone to injury if the body has been mistreated overthe years with too much alcohol and too littleregeneration. A healthy lifestyle puts the body in aposition to tolerate some additional years of intensivetraining.

With respect to eating habits, an appropriate diet andmaintaining a constant body weight close to youroptimum ght weight are important. If a Thai boxeralways has to lose a lot of weight before a ght, it will bean additional intensive strain on the body.

The Will to LearnAthletes who are convinced of their skills and who are notwilling to take on new techniques and possibleimprovements lose the chance to make the best of theirtraining. For a successful career in Muay Thai, having thewill to learn and to question yourself is fundamental.

The great success of the training group at Muay ThaiPlaza in Bangkok is due to the athletes comparing theirtraining skills with those of foreign athletes during theirstays abroad. They discuss the experiences they have hadand add interesting findings to their training.

ModestyA great Thai boxer is also characterized by modesty. It is areal pleasure getting to know former top athletes who arefriendly, polite, and reserved. The physical superioritygained through Muay Thai should be used for the bene tof fellow beings and not as an advantage over others.Modesty does not mean, however, accepting exploitation.Professional Muay Thai is a means to earn money, andthus it attracts a variety of shady characters, for instancetrainers without experience and unscrupulous agents and

managers. You must always be cautious and guarded andkeep focused on your goals.

For many followers of Muay Thai, Apideh Sit Hiran (right) was not only the best

fighter of all time but also a special individual. He was known for his modesty and

polite treatment of his fellow human beings. Even in old age he continued training

and enthusiastically promoted his students.

An Interview with Kem

Kem Sitsongpeenong is currently one of the best-known Thai boxers and is perhaps the most popularboxer in Thailand. He holds a number of Thai andWorld Champion titles. In 2011 he won the ThaiFight Tournament, which was extensively covered onThai television. Since then, Kem has also enjoyedthe admiration of many Thais who had no previousinterest in Muay Thai.

Kem has an excellent basic technique, ghts withdeliberation, and is always prepared for theopportunity to use a knockout technique. He tries toavoid being maneuvered into a defensive positionand uses many direct counter techniques with theaim of hitting his opponent rst. His opponents areparticularly wary of his elbow techniques, whichhave led to the abrupt end of many ghts in thepast. This interview was conducted in Bangkok in2012.

Christoph Delp: Where did you grow up, and howdid you start training?Kem Sitsongpeenong: I spent the rst years of mylife in Maha Sarakham Province [in the northeast].Then I followed my father to Bangkok because hewas working there. Even before I got to Bangkok, Ihad always been fascinated by Muay Thai. My fatherknew this and brought me to a camp for training.

What does Muay Thai mean for you?Muay Thai is an important life experience for me,and it’s also my profession, which provides myincome.

When did you start training? What was your rstprofessional ght like, and how did your careerdevelop?I started my regular training at the age of thirteen.In my rst ght I lacked a lot of skill, and I lost. Myopponent advised me to increase my training. Thefollowing year I concentrated on diligent training,and I didn’t compete in any ghts. Then I wasprepared to start my competitive career. After myfirst ten fights, I moved to the Sor Ploenjit Camp.

Who has had the greatest in uence on your

competitive career?Kaensak Sor Ploenjit was very important for myathletic development. As a young boxer he was ashining role model for me, and he still is today. Hehas good techniques, he’s physically strong, and he’sable to read a ght situation. I watched his trainingto learn and develop similar skills.

What were your experiences abroad? What wasyour first fight against a foreigner like?The trips abroad were really interesting. I speaksome English, which helps a lot. I love my homecountry, Thailand, very much, which is why I feelmost comfortable here. My rst ght abroad was inSuriname. I was very tired after the long journey,and I had to shed considerable weight to be ablecompete in the 145-pound weight class, which I hadagreed to. I still won.

What is di erent about ghting a foreignerrather than a Thai?To ght a Thai athlete, I have to prepare myself withintensive training, particularly concentrating onknee techniques and clinching. Foreign ghters arephysically strong, but sometimes they are concernedabout technical skills, particularly elbow techniques,

and are somewhat nervous in their fights.

What does the future hold in Muay Thai and inyour life?I will compete in some more important competitionsbefore I nish my athletic career. In two or threeyears I would like to be in charge of a gym alongwith my manager. This could certainly be abroad. Ihave bought a few apartments that I rent out. I alsoplan to open a small supermarket in that building.

What is important in becoming a successfulfighter?To improve, you have to be full of energy, alwayskeep training, and be open to new developments.Never cast any doubt on your goals or deviate fromthem. It is also very important to have a role modelin Muay Thai, like Kaensak is for me, and to followhim and imitate his style.

Would you like to say a few words to your fansand the readers of this book?I would very much like to thank all my fans whofollow my ghts. I will always do my best. To thereaders, I advise you to read this book carefully, asit will be a great help in your training. I wish all the

readers of this book much success in Muay Thai.

3. Training PlansAny physically healthy person can grow into a competentThai boxer by sticking to a sensible training plan. To dothis, you have to keep in mind your goals, your trainingprogram, regeneration, and nutrition. If your trainingprogram seems excessive, keep in mind how motivating itwill be to achieve your training goals and see clearlyrecognizable improvement in your performance.

Clear ObjectivesFirst, assess your physical condition and performancelevel. Think through clearly what you want to achievewith Thai boxing training to determine your traininggoals. Clear goals are a prerequisite to starting andcontinuing your training. If you stay aware of your goalsand concentrate on implementing them, you will soonachieve distinct success. For example, you can learn sometechniques and in six months signi cantly improve yourphysical condition.

Performance-Focused TrainingIt’s important to train with a weekly plan and at anintensity level that is in line with your performance level.This kind of planned training provides the best results.For example, you can set the number of weekly Muay Thaitraining sessions and the frequency of additional tnesssessions. You can change the organization of your trainingsessions in a club training environment in that you canmake changes with the agreement of your trainer if youfeel that the demands are too little or too much. Use theprograms introduced in section 5 below as guide toorganizing your training.

Regeneration and Appropriate DietYour performance will improve by stimulating your bodywith an increasing training regimen. After physicalexertion, you need a rest in order to regenerate, so that

your body can produce better results in the next trainingsession. Rapid regeneration also requires su cient sleep.A rule of thumb is that you should sleep an hour longerthan you usually need when you’re not training.

In this book you will also learn about your diet as anathlete and how you can reduce your body fat (see section7 in chapter 2). As a matter of principle it’s not necessaryto worry too much about your diet as long as you adhereto the important dietary principles introduced in chapter2. If you have de ciencies in your nutrition, you will bemore prone to injury and will be unable to summon yourbest performance.

Important Tips: Successful Training

Use the following principles for successful training: Set goals for yourself. Give it your best effort. Learn from your role models. Question your training program. Find new ways of doing things. Believe in yourself and in your success.

World champions and presenters of the Muay Thai DVD series: Jaochalam,

Armin, Kem, and Antuan. Bangkok, 2011.

4. Training DocumentationOn your way to realizing your goals in Muay Thai, Irecommend that you keep a record of your training in atraining book. With the help of the book you can follow

and monitor the development of your athletic skills overthe long term. Many Thai boxers don’t keepdocumentation of their training yet, but you should useall possible means to achieve the best results in training. Ikept a book during my training in camps in northeastThailand and recorded the intensity, programs, andtechnical details of my training. These notes turned out tobe of great help in writing my books.

The two champions Saiyok and Nonsai while sparring.

It’s best to start taking notes once you start training.After each training session, you should gather theinformation you have on your performance. In Muay Thai,

take note of the focus in technical training and thenumber of rounds. For strength training, record theexercises, weights, sets, and repeats, and for staminatraining, keep a record of the distance covered, trainingtime, and average heart rate. It also makes sense to takenotes on the prevailing framework of your training, asathletic performance is in uenced by factors such asstress, nutrition, and sleep. These notes will be helpful inthe future as they will help you see the reasons forsuccesses or failures. You will also learn from theserecords how your body reacts to changes in your training.The information will help you to organize future trainingprograms in a more effective way.

Example of training documentation.

I recommend a three-ring binder as a training bookbecause you can always add pages. Design your training

book to t your needs: you can collect notes as simplebullet points or write longer descriptions describing yourday’s training. It’s important to deal intensively with yourtraining, always visualizing your goals and your programs,and then referring back to your notes to check on them.Hardly anyone was thinking about conscious trainingplans fteen years ago in Thailand, but today Muay Thaiathletes use stretching exercises and vary their strengthexercises while trainers discuss di erent trainingprograms. Muay Thai has become an international sport,and if you want to be on par with the best athletes, youhave to have the best possible individual training tailoredto your own needs.

Kem Sitsongpeenong trains the round kick.

5. Preparing for a CompetitiveCareerBasically, any healthy person can develop into a skilledThai boxer. There are certain things you should do toprepare yourself, however, before you can competesuccessfully in competitions.

Physical PerformanceMuay Thai competitors must have good bone structureand a resilient locomotory system. The better yourphysical condition is, the easier it will be to pursue asuccessful athletic career. The body of a top athletedevelops over years of intensive training. Energy,ambition, and perseverance are decisive for a Muay Thaicareer. Thai boxers must optimize their physicalperformance standard. This includes stamina and strengthtraining in addition to the training that is speci c toMuay Thai along with a healthy lifestyle.

Appropriate Fight WeightThe ght weight shouldn’t thwart a career. As an athleteyou should compete with a minimum of body fat, as afully trained opponent of the same weight wouldotherwise have an advantage in strength. Up to 3 percentof body fat can be lost in a month with training and anappropriate diet.

Selecting a TrainerSelecting a trainer and a school are extremely importantfor a competitive career, because without a good technicalschool and appropriate training conditions, you won’t beable to succeed in high-level competitions. If you trainconscientiously and continue absorbing new knowledge,you can determine whether it’s necessary to change yourtraining regimen or possibly change your trainer.

AgeIt is an advantage, but not of fundamental importance, tostart Muay Thai training at the age of fteen to eighteen.Many athletes who started training when they were olderhave still been able to enjoy international success. It isgenerally assumed that an athlete should be ready tocompete in competitions after two years of intensivetraining.

Plans for an Athletic CareerIt is also extremely important to plan your athletic careerproperly. If the task is taken on by a manager, you must

rst take a good look at that person’s background andkeep control of things. A manager can work on a boxer’scareer for the long term or could just be interested inshort-term profit.

Belief in YourselfAs a Thai boxer, you must believe in yourself and neverdoubt your goals. If your trainer and your personalenvironment don’t offer the necessary support, you can tryother ways to realize your dream. It is important to give ityour best at all times. As an athlete you never know whenyour career will come to an end, as you could su er acareer-ending injury at any time. This happened to me,and I was unable to continue ghting in competitions. Ifyou always give your best, you will be better prepared—should it happen that way—to accept the unplanned end

to your competitive career.

Nonsai trains his powerful kicks on a heavy bag.

WillIf you dream of becoming a top athlete in Muay Thai andare convinced of the path you have to take to do it, youmust stick with your decision and not be dissuaded byothers. Don’t postpone your goals to focus on otherpriorities. You never know what di culties may arise inthe future that could make intensive training impossible.At a certain age, the body will not be prepared to conductintensive competitive training. Physical wear and tearhappens di erently for di erent people, but from the ageof thirty-five it’s very difficult to train at the high intensityrequired for competition.

An Interview with Trainer Khru Pit

For ten years Khru Pit had a career as a professionalghter. He competed in more than one hundredghts and won the championship of Ubon Province.

He was known as a technically skilled ghter with adeliberate ght style that included a variety of pushkicks. In his ghts he studied his opponent’sconduct and developed a strategy to exploit hisopponent’s shortcomings. Some ten years ago hestarted working as a trainer in Ubon, motivated to

use his experience to train athletes to become evenbetter than he was. After several years he moved toBangkok and became a trainer at the Muay ThaiPlaza Gym. These days he is the chief trainer ofmany world champions. This interview wasconducted in Bangkok in 2012.

Christoph Delp: Which boxers are you trainingthese days?Khru Pit: I have been training Saiyok for three and ahalf years, Armin for two and a half years, andJaochalam for three years. Occasionally I trainNonsai, and I also monitor his training.

Khru Pit (right) with his student Saiyok. Bangkok, 2012.

What does Muay Thai mean for you and yourlife?Muay Thai is part of our cultural heritage for usThais, and to me it means respect.

Can you describe Saiyok’s ght style? What doyou look for in his training?Saiyok’s ght style features swift action with a lot ofcombinations. He frequently uses powerfultechniques such as knee kicks, elbows, or straightpunches to try to get a knockout. Saiyok is alreadyvery quick and strong. He must learn not only to

ght in his own style but to react better to anopponent’s style. Speci cally, he must improve hisknowledge of foreign ghters and learn how to usehis skills against their styles.

Can you describe Nonsai’s ght style? What doyou look for in his training?Nonsai is a ghter with powerful punches and kneekicks, and he has a very powerful physique. He hasto do plenty of running to strengthen his legmuscles. We conduct his training so that the impactof his punches and kicks is as hard as possible. Ourobjective is to improve his speed, as he still haspotential in this area.

Can you describe Armin’s ght style? What doyou look for in his training?Armin is a spectacular ghter and uses severaltraditional Muay Thai Boran techniques. It’s not

di cult to train him. It’s important for him toimprove his technique and his feeling for distance.Furthermore, he must always continue to train in histrademark ying techniques. Master Deycha showsArmin traditional techniques, which he adds to histraining.

How do you instruct your boxers to organize thedays leading up to a competition?The athletes undergo two days of very hard trainingbefore the intensity is reduced in the last week. Theyinitially have four days of light training, and in thelast three days they only concentrate onshadowboxing to become aware of ght tactics. Inaddition, they use the time to reduce their weightand for massages.

What diet do you recommend for the athletes?What’s your opinion on performance-enhancingsupplements?With respect to nutrition, I focus on the dailyconsumption of beef, rice, and vegetables. Beef isimportant as it strengthens the body. Soy milk canbe used as an extra source of protein. Athletes mustdrink plenty of water and very little alcohol, and inthe last three weeks before a ght, they have to

abstain completely. Soft drinks are acceptable asthey refresh the athlete. I don’t like the idea ofsteroids.

What are your plans for the future in Muay Thai?I want my athletes to grow even stronger, and forthe entire training group in our gym to improve. Theathletes compete in many countries and visit manygyms, where they are introduced to new ideas thatwe can use in our training here. I would like tocontinue improving our repertoire of techniques.We would like to add Muay Thai Boran techniquesand also elements of the European ght style. I wantmy boxers to adopt a variable ght style. Theyshould always be able to change their style tosurprise and unsettle their opponents. I would liketo spend the next ten to twenty years in Bangkoktraining ghters. After that, I’d like to return to myhome province, Ubon, and manage a small gym therefor young athletes. Muay Thai means a lot to me,and that is why I will always remain connected to it.

What is important to become a successful fighter?The most important things are perseverance and themotivation to do intensive training. You mustbelieve in yourself and keep on working on your

career. Never let yourself be distracted from yourgoals. If it’s possible to train like a Thai student, thatwill be of great value. I recommend that the readerscome to Thailand for training, so that they get toknow the style of training here and the Thailifestyle. It’s best to eat what Thai ghters eat, adoptthe same intensive training techniques, and leavesufficient time for regeneration.

Would you like to say anything else to thereaders of this book?I advise careful study of this book and to read ittime and again. You must take time to learn MuayThai. It’s not unusual that the learning process takes

ve to ten years. Some individuals require one year,others ve or ten years before they become skilledThai boxers. Each individual is di erent, and eachhas other talents and preconditions. Training shouldnot be done excessively but should be enjoyed whilenot losing sight of your goals.

6. Developing Technical SkillsIn Muay Thai, initially you learn the basic stance, legwork, and basic techniques. Once you have acquired acertain degree of skill, you start learning an initial set ofcounter techniques. In the course of your athletic career,step by step you add more counters, feints, and traditionaltechniques to your repertoire. Keep in mind that you haveto continue training in the techniques you have mastered.That way, your techniques will get faster and stronger, and

your timing will improve. The aim is to use thesetechniques instinctively in a competition.

A well-rounded Muay Thai athlete must be able to carryout attacking techniques swiftly and with power. You mustalso have mastered a selection of defense and countertechniques against all possible attacks by your opponent.In addition, advanced ghters must also have some feintsand traditional techniques in their repertoire.

In a ght you must study your opponent’s maneuvers. Ifyou identify shortcomings, wait for your chance to exploitthem. Don’t always use the same techniques; be variable.Mislead your opponent with feints so that he opens hisguard and you can launch an e ective attack. Use MuayBoran techniques to surprise your opponent and todeliver e ective strikes. Wait for the opportunity to use aknockout technique to put a rapid end to the match.

Basic TechniquesAs a novice in Muay Thai you must rst practice the basicstance. From this position you learn how to move towardand away from the opponent. Next you learn to memorizethe attacking techniques, which include st, elbow, shin,foot, and knee techniques. Practice the attackingtechniques initially at a slow pace and subsequently withincreasing speed into the air. If you succeed in correctexecution of the techniques, you can start training on apunching bag and with a partner. The techniques are rsttrained in individually before you can train by sparringwith someone else.

This book has descriptions of the most frequently usedattacking techniques. A complete list of all attackingtechniques can be found in the book Muay Thai Basics(2014) and the DVD Muay Thai: Basic Techniques (2012).

Counter TechniquesOnce you have dedicated some training sessions tolearning the basic skills, you can start training in aninitial selection of counter techniques. Countertechniques are always a combination of defense andattacking techniques. The opponent’s attack is eitherstopped by a faster technique, or your initial defense isfollowed by a quick counter. That way your opponent ise ectively hit and you stop any further techniques.Counters are classi ed as active or passive. In the case ofan active counter, you prevent the success of youropponent’s attack with a faster technique of your own.This is called a direct counter. With a passive counter,you initially defend yourself and follow promptly withyour own attacking technique. Passive counters can becategorized as dodging, de ecting, blocking, and catchingcounters.

Claudia Hein (Miss Germany) training in Muay Thai.

A counter technique is generally more successful if

fewer steps are required to implement it. Your opponentwon’t wait until you have completed your countertechnique but will try to interrupt it as quickly aspossible.

In this book, Saiyok and Kem demonstrate some of thetechniques they have used most successfully in their

ghts. Use these techniques to augment your repertoireand to surprise your opponent in a ght. You can seesome of these counters in motion on the DVD Muay Thai:Training with World Champions: Saiyok and Kem (2013).

A detailed account of all possible attacks can be foundin the book Muay Thai Counter Techniques (2013). You canalso watch many counters on the internet atwww.youtube.com/muaythaidvd and on two DVDs—MuayThai: Counter against Fist and Leg Techniques (2012) andMuay Thai: Counter against Elbow, Knee, and ClinchTechniques (2012).

FeintsTo be a well-rounded Thai boxer, you must learn arepertoire of feints by heart. Feints are used to misleadand tempt your opponent out of the protective stance. In afeint, you indicate an attacking technique to a speci cpart of the body so that your opponent shifts to defend it.To do this, your opponent has to reduce protection ofanother part of the body, which can then be hit e ectivelywith your subsequent technique.

Carry out feints at a level or on the side of the bodythat is di erent from the follow-up technique. The feint

must be swift and the body must be kept in a relaxedstate. If your feint is slow, your opponent will be able tostop the subsequent technique. A feint is frequentlycarried out as an incomplete move, and the opponentreceives only minimal impact; the subsequent technique isdelivered with full power.

In this book you will become acquainted with the mostpopular feints. Not every feint can be performed easily byevery Thai boxer, however. Test the feints with the frontand rear of your body, and choose the techniques that arebest for your ght style. Train in the feints until you canperform the moves automatically. Only a perfectlyexecuted feint will be successful in a ght. Becoming asuccessful ghter doesn’t mean you have to master all thefeints shown in this book. Then again, the moretechniques you can deliver instinctively, the harder it willbe for your opponent to figure you out.

You can see the feints in motion on the DVD Muay Thai:Training and Techniques (2013). Examples of some feintscan also be seen on the internet atwww.youtube.com/muaythaidvd.

Traditional TechniquesIn the course of your training experience you will also getto know the traditional Muay Thai Boran techniques.Muay Thai experts like to use these techniques incompetition because they are e ective, easily surprise theopponent, and can lead to an early knockout.

The fteen traditional Mae Mai techniques are the best-

known moves. They enable Muay Thai boxers to improvetheir conduct in a ght and to combine defense andcounters at the same time. The techniques are taughtsomewhat di erently by di erent trainers, which is whyyou will see various modes of execution. You can nd adetailed account of the fteen Mae Mai techniques in thebook Muay Thai Counter Techniques (2013).

There are many more techniques originating from MuayThai Boran, but they are taught only by a few trainers inThailand. Generally speaking, you should only begintraining in the historic techniques after you’ve gainedextensive experience in Muay Thai. In your e orts tobecome a skilled ghter, it’s not necessary to train in allpossible techniques that you become aware of in thecourse of your Muay Thai career. Many of the currentThai champions are unable to perform most of them. It’ssu cient to learn about the historic techniques and touse those that are easily understood and correspond toyour individual talents.

Important Tips: Training inTechniques

To become a Thai boxer with special skills, you haveto train conscientiously. You also have to workcontinuously on your repertoire of techniques by

testing and adding new techniques. You must alsooptimize technical details, adapt them to yourindividual skills, and learn them in such a way thatthey contribute to your conduct in an intensivefight.

You will often meet Thai boxers with only a fewyears or even a few months of training who areconvinced they have mastered it all. You will alsomeet former ghters who have had athletic successwith their individual skills and are now very muchconvinced of their Muay Thai skills. A Muay Thaiboxer is free to choose the route best suited to himor her. Still, you can improve so many aspects ofyour training if you train conscientiously andquestion your own performance. Even anexperienced Thai boxer can work on ne-tuning thebasic techniques time and again. The straight punch,for example, is taught in most schools in a uniformway, but you can still work on its technical details,such as shifting your weight, the conscious use ofyour shoulder and trunk muscles, stability, theenergy from the heel of your rear foot, and theimpact of your fist.

For counter training, you should rst select a fewtechniques and study them. Train in them time andagain and add new techniques to your repertoire sothat you learn by heart the moves against allpossible attacks by an opponent. Repeat some of the

counters intensively in training and try out newcounters you have learned or have seen carried outby athletes that you admire.

Once you have adopted a selection of the feintsintroduced in this book, you have to keep ontraining them. They will only be successful in acompetition if they are carried out instinctively andfast. Take a close look at ghts with the best of Thaiboxers. Pay attention to when and how the ghtersuse their feints and test that experience in training.

There are countless Muay Thai Boran techniquesand their variants. You will get to know some of thetraditional techniques in club training, and you canalso nd many variants on various YouTubechannels. Test the techniques, and if you nd thatone or more variants are suited to your style, trainin them with your training partner. Repeat thetechniques regularly in training and learn them byheart for use in competition.

In each training session, you should dedicatesome time to conscientious technical training.Depending on your training plan and performancelevel, you can ne-tune your basic techniques,counter techniques, feints, or traditional techniques.After concentrated training in the details, yourtechniques will improve further on the punchingbag and pads in terms of swiftness, stamina, and

applied force, thereby developing your instinctiveght conduct. Only when you perfect the technical

execution in all its aspects will you be successful inapplying it against an experienced opponent.

When training with a partner, you can decide onthe techniques beforehand and repeat them anumber of times before you take turns. Usually youcan intensively train in about ve techniques pertraining session, regardless of whether they areattacking techniques, counter techniques, feints, ortraditional techniques.

In your technical training it is important that thetechniques are not carried out at full strength as youdon’t want to risk injury to your partner. Techniquesmust be carried out precisely, however, or their usewill often not be successful.

Armin Windsport shows a flying elbow technique.

1. BasicsThe following pages provide an overview of the contentsof training. Muay Thai training is structured in a similarway at every club. The length of time, intensity, andsequence of the components of training depend on yourgoals, performance level, and ght style. To develop intoan advanced boxer, you have to engage in every aspect oftraining.

For comparing di erent training structures, adescription is provided of how Kem and Saiyok, two ofthe world’s best Thai boxers, have adapted the contentsand intensity of training to their own needs.

The Contents of TrainingTraining comprises warm-up, main, and cool-down phases.In the warm-up phase you prepare your body for training.This phase includes exercises to warm up the body stretchyour muscles, and mobilize your joints. In the main partof training you study attacking techniques as well asdefense and counter techniques. Train in these while

shadowboxing, on training equipment, and with a partner.Advanced athletes also exercise by sparring. The cool-down phase usually starts with some muscle-strengtheningexercises. Concentrate on the muscles in your upper bodyand on the muscles you didn’t focus on in the main partof the training. Training ends with some stretchingexercises and cooling down the muscles.

The recommended times listed below are generalguidelines. Trainers develop their own programs, but theymust be somewhat similar to this one to be sure that theycover all the important elements of Muay Thai training. Ifyou train on your own, you should adapt the followingplan to your own requirements and performance level. Ifyour goal is greater agility, for example, you can intensifythe stretching program. If you don’t have a partner, extendthe shadowboxing and training on the punching bag. Themuscle workout can be omitted if you regularly train yourmuscles in other training sessions.

Saiyok Pumphanmuang and Kem Sitsongpeenong practice counter techniques.

Frequently Asked Questions: Trainingin the Past

Centuries ago, everyday products and objects wereincluded in training, including coconuts, lemons,and pakowma–a piece of cloth similar to a sarongthat was worn around the hips instead of trousers.Training varied somewhat from trainer to trainerand was usually structured so that the student wasinitially shown the starting position and footwork,which they subsequently had to train until themovements started to look natural and entered thesubconscious mind, regardless of how long it took.

The next step was teaching the punchingtechnique with the help of a pakowma. Students putit around their shoulders and took the ends in their

sts. They practiced the straight punch whilestepping, holding the other hand up for protection.Two pakowma were initially used to protect thehands while sparring. The next steps di eredsigni cantly from teacher to teacher, which is whyonly a few of the traditional training methods willbe explained.

Students practiced their techniques on a bananatree. The tree was cut at head height and set in the

sand. Students had to punch, push, and kick the treeon both sides, if possible, until the tree brokethrough. They trained their muscles on a coconuttree, climbing up by holding on to the tree withoutstretched arms. In this way they developed theirarm, shoulder, back, and leg muscles. The sea, lakes,and rivers were also used for training. Swimmingand jogging in knee-deep water strengthened themuscles and improved stamina. Another trainingmethod was to perform punches and elbow kickswith the water at chest height, hitting the water fromabove. In the process, students tried to avoidblinking, and they practiced defense techniquesagainst the splashing water. They would also put acoconut into the water and follow it with punchesand elbow kicks until holes appeared in it, waterowed in, and it eventually sank. This was initially

done with bandaged hands, while advanced studentsused their bare hands. Lemons were also used fortraining, hung at neck height on strings. Studentsmoved along the row of lemons delivering punches,elbow thrusts, and defense and counter techniquesin a training method that taught timing and vision,and the trainer was able to ascertain whetherstudents were instinctively able to defendthemselves correctly. One method they used to learnhow to fall was that the trainer, holding a stick ineach hand, hit the student on one side, where the

student then had to fall. This was practiced until thestudent was able to roll out of a fall.

1. Warm-up: 15–30 minutesWarm-up exercise: 10–20 minutesStretching and joint mobilization: 5–10 minutes

2. Technique training: 50–90 minutesShadowboxing training: 2–3 rounds × 3–5

minutesPad training: 3–5 Rounds × 3–5 minutesPunching bag training: 3–5 Rounds × 3–5

minutesPartner training: 10–20 minutesSparring: 10–20 minutes (only advanced

athletes, and not in each training session)Clinch training: 5–10 minutes

3. Cool down: 15 minutesPower training: about 5 minutesLow-intensity exercise: about 5 minutesStretching and joint mobilization: about 5

minutes

Saiyok and KemThe ghters Saiyok and Kem have adapted the standardprogram to their requirements. Use their programs forinspiration, but note that training at this level of intensitycan only be done by professional athletes. The way thatthese two athletes conduct their training can be seen inthe DVD Muay Thai: Training with World Champions: Saiyokand Kem (2013) and at www.youtube.com/muaythaidvd.

Both athletes train twice a day. Saiyok trains about twoand a half hours in the morning and three and a halfhours in the afternoon. On Sunday he reduces his training.Kem trains for about three hours each in the morning andafternoon. He only trains on Sunday if he is preparing fora ght. Both athletes reduce the training intensity threedays before a ght to allow for regeneration and to shedweight. After the ght they take a rest of approximatelyone week.

1. Warm-upRub in massage oil and relaxJogging

Saiyok: 3–6 milesKem: 90–120 minutes, only in the morning

SkippingSaiyok: 20–30 minutesKem: 20 minutes

2. Technique trainingShadowboxing

Saiyok: 3–4 Rounds × 4 minutesKem: 1 Round × 5 minutes

Pad trainingSaiyok: 3–5 Rounds × 4 minutesKem: 4–6 Rounds × 4 minutes

Punching bag trainingSaiyok and Kem: 4–5 Rounds × 4 minutes

Partner training and sparringSaiyok: 30–60 minutesKem: 15–20 minutes

Clinch trainingSaiyok: 15–20 minutes, only 4 times in theafternoonKem: 20–30 minutes

3. Cool downStrength training

Saiyok and Kem: 15–20 minutesCool down and relax

An Interview with Saiyok

Saiyok Pumphanmuang is Muay Thai WorldChampion and has many Thai titles, includingLumpinee Champion in the highest weight class. Hehas competed in more than 230 professional ghtsand received the honor of Best Thai Boxer in 2010.At the time this book was written, he had beenundefeated for four years. He has competed in manycountries and has given seminars, and his many fansare fascinated by his spectacular ght style. He rststudies his opponent’s ght conduct and thenattacks with explosive combinations, which hefrequently nishes with a low kick, an elbow, or aying knee kick. This interview took place in

Bangkok in 2012.

Christoph Delp: Where did you grow up, and howdid you start training?Saiyok Pumphanmuang: I grew up in Phitsanulok.When I was eleven my father brought me to a gymand I participated in a training ght. I had notechnical skills, but I won the ght. The localtrainers saw my talent and invited me to join themfor regular training.

What does Muay Thai mean to you in your life?Muay Thai is my profession, and like other peoplegoing to work, I have workdays and free time. Myincome depends on my results in competitions.Muay Thai has provided me with a better lifestyle. Ihope that Muay Thai, an important part of Thaicultural heritage, will continue to exist in the waywe still remember the ghter Nai Khanom Tomtoday. I also hope that Muay Thai will become anOlympic sport.

When did you start your training? What wasyour rst professional ght like, and how didyour career develop?I started my training at the Kai Yomarat Camp SorPayayam [in Phitsanulok]. At the time I had alreadycompeted in two ghts. In my rst ght I wasnervous and excited, and I followed my instincts. Mybrother prepared me, and we used ideas we got fromwatching ghts on TV. After two years of training inPhitsanulok my trainer sent me to the bigger campin Kantaburi, where I trained from age thirteen untilI was twenty-one. I now train at the Muay Thai PlazaGym in Bangkok. My manager is Mr. Pong, and mytrainer is Khru Pit. I like to train at a gym with afriendly atmosphere, and that’s the case at the MuayThai Plaza Gym. Other gyms o ered contracts, but I

don’t like the idea of signing one.

Who has had an impact on your competitivecareer?My rst trainer was a soldier, and he had a greatimpact on my career. He’s like a second father to meand helped me a lot. The Muay Thai Plaza Gym isalso important for me, as they really look after me,and I’m a member of a successful training groupbecause skills are best developed with a partner anda trainer.

I draw my inspiration from other people–fromboxers, spectators and foreigners. This also appliesto Manny Pacquiáo [the Filipino traditional boxer].His matches are always sold out, and evenHollywood stars travel to watch him ght. I hopethat Muay Thai also gains such great popularity.

What were your experiences abroad? What wasyour first fight with a foreigner like?I have enjoyed lots of nice trips. I am proud to seeforeigners training in Muay Thai. They learn welland quickly. My rst foreign opponent was theAustralian Ben Button. The competition was in HongKong in the 145-pound weight class. I won with aknockout in the rst round after a leg kick and an

elbow to the head.

What is di erent in ghting Thais versusforeigners?Thai ghters have a very good command of theMuay Thai techniques, and they have skills in MaeMai Muay Thai. Foreigners usually excel with their

st techniques but are less skilled in Muay Thai.They often ght instinctively and mix kickboxingand Muay Thai. For the best possible preparation,they study video clips of our ghts. Thai ghterswill have to do the same in the future.

What have you got planned for your future inMuay Thai and in your life?I would like to remain active in Muay Thai for aslong as possible, and I would also like to learn moreabout Mae Mai Muay Thai. I will always give mybest in training and in competitions. After my careerI would like to build up a training camp forchildren to keep them away from drugs. I hope thatone day I’ll be able to open such a gym jointly witha friend. Currently I am building a house in UbonRatchathani [in northeast Thailand], where I own aplantation. I enjoy a peaceful environment and asimple life. I plan to have a garden and to live with

my wife and my children in Ubon Ratchathani.

What is important to become a successful fighter?You have to be honest with yourself about therequirements of your profession and your ownperformance. All your energy has to be brought intoyour career. In training it’s important to perfectyour conduct, specifically in defense and counters.

Would you like to say a few words to your fansand to the readers of this book?I would like to thank all my fans. I will keep onintensifying my training for further improvement,and I take much pride in the fact that my fansaccompany me and watch my ghts. I advise thereaders of this book to study it carefully and tolearn the techniques of training.

2. Warm-Up PhaseIn the warm-up phase, you prepare your body for training.To achieve this, you must rst warm up your muscles;jogging and skipping rope are recommended for this. Youthen bandage your hands, stretch your body, and loosen

up the joints. Before the training session you can rub onwarming massage oil. The warm-up helps you perform andallows you to prepare mentally for your training.

Saiyok starts with an easy run of six miles in themorning, interspersed with ten sprints of one hundredyards each. In the afternoon he jogs for three miles with

ve one-hundred-yard sprints in between. He then followsup with twenty to thirty minutes of skipping rope. Kembegins with a run of one to two hours in the morning. Inthe afternoon he warms up by skipping rope for twentyminutes. Both athletes add some stretching and loosening-up exercises to the warm-up phase. They choose theexercises based on how tense their muscles are.

JoggingYou can warm up your muscles with an easy ten-totwenty-minute run. In some Thai gyms the athletes startwith an intensive jog of up to ninety minutes. This ispossible because the athletes are perfectly trained andtheir bodies have become used to years of intensivetraining. If you’re not in such good physical condition,divide the technical training and intensive jogging intotwo training sessions.

Skipping RopeSkipping rope is also a sensible way to warm up. It’s bestto use a heavy plastic rope. This will strengthen yourhand, arm, neck, and shoulder muscles. Jump for tenminutes, taking breaks to move your head and swing yourarms. As an advanced athlete you can extend your rope-skipping to fteen to twenty minutes without a break.Vary your jump style and pace.

Stretching and Loosening UpThe warm-up program should include some stretchingexercises. It’s best to brie y stretch all muscle groups,with more intensity on your weak points. Make sure thatyou can get into a position carefully, and don’t hold it formore than ten seconds. After that, you can loosen yourjoints and swing your arms and legs.

3. Main Techniques TrainingIn the main part of the training session, you practiceattacking techniques and their combinations as well asdefense and counter techniques. The training sessionincludes shadowboxing, pad training, punching bagtraining, partner training, and clinching, not necessarily inthat order. Advanced athletes extend their trainingsessions with rounds of sparring.

ShadowboxingIn shadowboxing, you train your techniques and ghttactics in the air. Be careful not to overextend your joints,and don’t let down your guard. Act as if you were facing areal opponent. Move toward your opponent and dodge.Use attacking techniques, and defend and counter againstthe techniques of your imaginary opponent.Shadowboxing can also be done in front of a mirror.

In the course of fight preparation, shadowboxing will be

adjusted to the ght style of the next upcoming opponent.Thai boxers imagine their opponents ghting in theirusual style in a match, and they work on their own ghttactics while shadowboxing. If, for example, yourupcoming opponent is known to use a powerful straightpunch from behind, you would repeatedly train in kicks tothe upper arm and knee kicks to the rear of the body.

Tips from Saiyok and Kem

Shadowbox as if you were in a real fight. Move swiftly, with power and concentration. Use all the techniques you know.

Saiyok trains in shadowboxing for relatively longperiods. Each training session contains three or fourrounds of four minutes each. Kem is satis ed with oneround of five minutes.

Pad TrainingIn pad training, you practice each technique against ahandheld pad to develop a sense of distance and timingfor use in competition. Pay attention to correct technicalexecution, a stable stance, balance, and your guard. Takeyour time and avoid rash moves. The trainer attacks yourdefense by hitting the pads gently against the gaps in yourguard. The power and pace depend on the trainer’sinstructions. Techniques are initially trained inindividually, and later in combination. A combination willfrequently be repeated in the course of one round.

In ght preparation, the trainer simulates di erentsituations and ght styles. For example, the trainer canapply pressure by repeatedly moving toward the ghter,who must stop the trainer with his or her techniques. Thetrainer can also use attacking techniques to develop theathlete’s counters. In this way the trainer teaches the Thaiboxer the fight tactics required for the next competition.

Tips from Kem

Emulate the pad training of championfighters. Always train as if it were a real fight. Remain active and train at 100 percent.

Saiyok trains on pads for three to ve rounds, and Kemdoes four to six rounds. The rounds last four minuteseach. Both athletes also use combinations and repeat themseveral times.

Punching Bag TrainingBy training on a punching bag, you develop stamina andpower as well as hardening your body. Try to deliver eachpunch, push, or kick with maximum hardness. In theprocess, pay attention to technically correct execution.

Avoid any rash moves and use the right timing. Train withcombinations, but also train by instinct. The trainerwatches and gives instructions, such as the use of certaintechniques, in order to change behavior patterns.

It is best to train on a big, heavy bag so that you candeliver all techniques with power. Inexperienced athletesinitially use a bag with soft lling such as fabric.Experienced athletes use a bag with a hard lling such aswood shavings in order to harden the body as well.

For ght preparation, the trainer determines somecombinations that are suitable against the ght style ofthe upcoming opponent. The Thai boxer has to train inthese combinations time and again so that they can beapplied instinctively in a fight.

Tips from Saiyok

Use all the techniques you know, and alsomake use of combinations. Always stay on the move. Train with the full use of your power.

Saiyok and Kem train on a punching bag with similarintensity: four or five rounds of four minutes each.

Partner Training and SparringProfessional Thai athletes frequently carry out partnertraining and sparring in combination. In Western gyms,however, there is a clear separation of the two.

Partner TrainingWhen training with a partner you practice controlledattacks, defense, and counters to develop a feeling fordistance and timing. The techniques and counters areagreed on ahead of time and carried out with little power

so as to avoid injuries. For example, the attacker deliversa straight punch from the front, which the defenderde ects to the inside and subsequently counters. Thetechnique is repeated a number of times before thepositions are reversed. You can also practice free partnertraining: one of the partners only attacks, and the otherdefends and counters. In pad training, watch your timingand coordination. The techniques must be delivered in acontrolled way; otherwise the defender will tense up anduse only familiar techniques.

For ght preparation, train in techniques tailored toyour next opponent. If that person is known for aggressivemoves, train in counters to stop the attacks or to de ectthem sideways.

SparringAdvanced athletes add free sparring to their training. Theemphasis is on free training in defense and countertechniques, so the techniques are not agreed on ahead oftime. This simulates real ght conditions. Concentrate onthe sparring session, but don’t ght at full strength. Thetrainer must watch the athletes and correct mistakes. Thetechniques that may be used are determined beforehand.For example, if you need to practice protecting your head,you might only train in boxing sparring.

Tips from Saiyok and Kem

Train swiftly and with concentration. Train with a sporting spirit and don’t applymuch power. Use sparring to test techniques. Don’t be nervous; stick to your fight style.

For intensive sparring, you should wear protectiveequipment. In Thai gyms the athletes often train with littlecontact and go without protective equipment. If they trainwith more power, however, Thai athletes also useprotective gear.

For ght preparation, choose a training partner whoseght style is as similar as possible to your next opponent.

When sparring, your partner imitates your upcomingopponent’s fight style. The training athlete must follow thefight tactics determined by the trainer.

Saiyok and Kem include partner training and sparring ineach training session. Saiyok trains with a partner forthirty minutes in the morning and for sixty minutes in theafternoon. He spars with 50–70 percent of his power andpractices sparring exclusively one time per week. Kemtrains with a partner for fteen to twenty minutes in eachsession and uses 70–80 percent of his maximum strength.Sparring is on the agenda twice per week.

ClinchingClinch training is carried out at the end of technicaltraining. Clinch training covers gripping, holding, andimproving the clinch position. The boxer targets strikesand throws on the training partner, using little power andwithout a full range of movement. You will improve yourstamina and strength, particularly the strength of your

neck muscles. Strong neck muscles are important for aghter to resist impacts. Make sure that your body is

upright, and carry out the techniques in a controlled way.As a novice, clinch with little strength; concentrate onlearning the techniques.

For ght preparation, holding and improving the clinchposition is trained in at full strength. Only knee kicks areused. This type of clinch is important and is trained in atlength in Thai camps.

The clinch is an important aspect of Kem’s ght style,and he trains in clinching for twenty to thirty minutes ineach training session. He uses 80–90 percent of his powerand usually trains with two or three partners. Saiyok doesnot clinch much in his competitions as he has a greateradvantage in other ght distances. He trains in clinchingfor twenty minutes four times a week. He trains at about70 percent of his power and makes sure to use a variety oftechniques.

Tips from Kem

Make sure your stance is stable. Train clinching intensively. Clinch with tall, heavy partners.

4. Cooling-Down PhaseInitially, the cooling-down phase usually includes somestrength exercises. The training session is concluded bycooling the body down with an easy jog, stretching, andloosening up. A massage also helps with regeneration.

Strength TrainingPull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and neck pulls are frequentlyused to invigorate the body. It also makes sense to doexercises for the muscles of the lower back. Do manyrepetitions with the goal of improving strength andendurance. If you are planning to increase your musclemass signi cantly, however, your training sessions mustbe exclusively dedicated to building your strength.

An Easy JogYou can jog at an easy pace for a few minutes. Thisloosens your muscles and helps your body to regenerate.

Important Strength Exercises

Pull-upsSaiyok: 4 to 5 sets × 20 repetitionsKem: 10 sets × 15 repetitions Push-upsSaiyok: 10 sets × 20 repetitions; he does his

push-ups in between pad and punching bagtraining.

Kem: 1 set × 100 repetitions Sit-upsSaiyok: 3 sets × 100 repetitionsKem: 2 to 3 sets × 100 repetitions Neck pullsMany repeats; no specific requirements

A–D: Pull-ups, push-ups, neck pulls, and sit-ups.

Stretching and Loosening UpAt the end you can do some light stretching and looseningup. This helps in relieving tension and preventsshortening of the muscles. Take positions with only a little

stretching tension and hold them for a few seconds.Loosen the joints, for example, with head turns and armswings.

Kem is convinced that it is best for Thai boxers to developtheir power in training speci c to the sport. Herecommends that pad and punching bag training shouldbe carried out at full strength, and to do a lot of running.Saiyok concentrates primarily on his strength, withintensive training speci c to the sport. He alsorecommends sprint training. Both athletes carry out somestrengthening exercises after their training in techniques,but they haven’t planned any special sessions to improvetheir strength. Above all, they train in body-weight

exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups.Occasionally they include neck pulls and dumbbellexercises with many repetitions and small weights.

5. RegenerationIn training, the greatest possible improvement inperformance is achieved when you have chosen theoptimum relationship between physical exertion andregeneration time. The amount of time it is sensible totrain—and subsequently, how long you should restbetween training sessions—depend on many factors,including the intensity of training, your progress inperformance, how regenerative measures are taken, andnutrition. Remember that in Muay Thai the body istrained in many areas, among them technical performance,strength, and stamina. Fighters must also considerreducing the amount of body fat or muscle mass to beable to enter competitions in their optimum weight class.

As a leisure-time or amateur athlete, you should traintwice or three times a week. It is best to take a one-daybreak before the next session. It is also necessary to sleepan extra hour the night after a training session.Professional athletes have to improve their performanceaccording to their individual training plans. If you traintwice a day, it is suggested you take an extra break atmidday, as is common in Thai camps. Other measures canaccelerate regeneration, including massages and hot baths.

When you compare your training plan with the plans ofprofessional athletes, bear in mind that they have beenbuilding up the performance level of their bodies in acontinuous process. If you regularly overexert your body,your performance will stagnate and you will face a greaterrisk of injury.

Saiyok and Kem pay close attention to their bodies.They endure a heavy training workload to be in top formfor their competitions. Both athletes are careful to getenough sleep: six to eight hours at night and two to threehours at midday. They don’t go out partying and don’tparticipate in extensive leisure-time activities. Toaccelerate the regeneration of their bodies, they treatthemselves to nuat, Thai therapeutic massage. Kem alsotakes care of his body using warm herbal balls.

The three champions Armin, Saiyok, and Nonsai.

6. NutritionCorrect nutrition is necessary for good performance intraining and continuous improvement. There should be node ciencies in your eating, because you will not be ableto build up muscle, will feel tired, and will be more proneto injury and infection.

As a competitor you have to make sure that you don’teat more than your body requires, because that willincrease your body fat and you won’t be able to compete

in the weight class best suited to you.Find a balance of foods tailored to your requirements,

which depend on your athletic activities and the basicneeds of your body. The more you succeed with theproper diet, the more success you’ll have in your training.Be aware of what you eat, and pay attention to how thebody reacts to changes in your diet. The followingsections contain details on the established basics, whichyou can use to plan your diet.

Nutrition BasicsThe following guidelines outline what you should beeating.

A High Proportion of ComplexCarbohydratesThe major part of your diet should be carbohydrates,which are contained in, for example, potatoes, noodles,and bread. Eat as many whole-grain products as possible.As much as possible, stay away from the simple sugarscontained in sweet foods. The amount of carbohydratesyou need depends on your physical activities and trainingtargets. If you are satis ed with your ratio of body fat andyou feel t in training, you have found the appropriatediet. If you want to reduce body fat, rst try to cut downon saturated fatty acids before you start reducingcarbohydrate intake.

Low-Fat Protein ProductsFor your protein intake, eat low-fat products such ascottage cheese, egg whites, tuna, and lean beef. Whey alsohas a high proportion of protein and is low in fat. It issold as a powder in specialized tness stores and in somepharmacies. It is especially important to advanced athletesfor building muscle.

Minimize Saturated Fatty AcidsTry to keep to a low-fat diet. Saturated fatty acids shouldbe avoided, so stay away from sausages, fatty cheese andmeat, butter, and margarine, as they frequently contain alot of saturated fatty acids. You should also avoidconsuming the fats used in deep frying.

Simple unsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturatedacids, however, are indispensable. Eat plenty of sh andnuts, and use high-quality oils such as sun ower oil,canola oil, and olive oil.

A Varied DietFood contains many di erent ingredients, and it’simportant to eat a varied diet. Eat fruit and vegetables ona daily basis, and change the ones you eat. If that’s notpossible, or if you dislike eating large portions ofuncooked food, use vitamin and mineral foodsupplements. You might also need these supplementswhen you’re on an intensive training program or losingweight. In these cases, make sure you’re getting vitamin C,

magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium.

At Least Two Quarts of WaterDrink plenty of uids: a minimum of two quarts per day.If you sweat a lot, work out hard, or are on a low-caloriediet, you have to drink even more. Water is best as itcontains no calories. Alcoholic beverages don’t maintainyour water balance, as they cause excessive urination andgreater loss of water. Alcohol also has a negative impacton the body and doesn’t supply any nutrients.

Suggestions for Your DietMany Thai boxers have come to the conclusion that itmakes sense to split food consumption into three mainmeals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That doesn’t meanthat you should have three large portions of food; spreadyour food intake through the day and make sure that thetotal quantity that you eat corresponds to your dailyrequirements. It is also sensible to have a small snackbetween breakfast and lunch and one in the afternoon.Dinner should be early in the evening. You can then haveanother small snack after two or three hours.

The optimum composition of your main meals dependson your lifestyle, your training targets, and your trainingtimetable. Consciously controlling your eating habits willshow what is good for you. Changes in nutrition shouldonly be made in steps, not with radical shifts. This willallow you to determine how your body reacts to thechanges.

Fruits, vegetables, and protein snacks are recommendedfor in-between meals. Sweets should be avoided, as youwill soon feel hungry again.

Suggested Eating Plans

Kem has his three main meals daily at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m.,and 7 p.m. He eats predominantly Thai food with lots ofvegetables and likes papaya salad. He eats nearly nosweets and drinks a minimum of two quarts of water. It iswell known that Kem drinks a Pepsi thirty minutes beforea fight. If the beverage is not available, he won’t compete.

Saiyok, on the other hand, has only two meals a day:one at 11 a.m. and one at 8 p.m. He eats predominantlyThai food and lots of vegetables. He accumulates thenecessary amount of protein by eating plenty of sh andtwo or three eggs every day. He drinks milk, a little water,and no alcohol. He also advises other athletes not tosmoke.

Saiyok and Kem use electrolyte drinks, but they don’t

take any food supplements or muscle enhancers.

Saiyok uses water and electrolyte drinks while training.

7. Selecting Your Weight ClassTo be eligible for Muay Thai competition, you and yourtrainer must determine your weight division and thenconcentrate your training at this weight. Several factorshave to be considered in determining the best-suitedweight division, such as your current weight, yourpercentage of body fat, your ght style, and thecompetitive conditions.

Your percentage of body fat should be as low aspossible. It is typically 8–10 percent for professional maleThai boxing athletes, and somewhat higher for femaleathletes. The percentage of body fat can also be higher inamateurs, who don’t face the same physical demands. Ahigh proportion of fat means that an athlete is not fullytrained. The athlete will then compete in a higher weightdivision, where the opponents will be stronger. In thissituation, athletes can compete only if they are technicallyclearly superior.

If a Muay Thai ghter’s body fat is 15 percent, it can bereduced to about 6 percent through intensive training andthe correct nutrition. At a weight of 170 pounds, thismeans a reduction in body fat of 10 pounds without a lossof performance. Further slimming can be achieved only byreducing muscle mass, which leads to less strength anddeterioration in performance. Experience shows that it

gets progressively more di cult to lose body fat as youget closer to the optimal area. It’s easier to achieve areduction from 15 percent to 13 percent, for example,than from 12 percent to 10 percent.

If you want to keep track of your body’s development,check your weight, percentage of body fat, andmeasurements at regular intervals. Measure the size ofyour upper arms, chest, waist, hips, thighs, and calves, asthey show the clearest changes. The aim is to achieve anarrower waist while the other parts increase in size.Accordingly, examine your waist at its narrowest pointand all the other parts at their largest point. Record theresults on a checklist.

Nutritional Objective: Maintaining FightWeightIf you want to improve your Muay Thai performancewhile maintaining your ght weight, you have to makesure that your calorie intake corresponds more or less tothe calories you burn. This applies equally to Muay Thai–speci c training, stamina training, and power training. Eathealthy food such as lean meat, sh, whole-grainproducts, fruits, fresh vegetables, and essential fats.

Don’t exercise on an empty stomach. Consume su cientcarbohydrates and protein. It’s best to eat a main mealabout three hours before training and to eat acarbohydrate-rich snack, such as a banana, about an hourbefore you start. You will then be able to bring your bestperformance during training. It is also worthwhile to eat a

tness bar in the course of a very intensive trainingsession, and to drink lots of uids, such as mineral water.After a training session, concentrate on foods rich incarbohydrates and protein so that the body receives thenutrients it requires for regeneration.

Nutritional Objective: Reducing FightWeightIf you want to reduce body fat to be able to compete in alower weight division, you have to add many stamina andpower training sessions to your Muay Thai–speci ctraining. Your calorie intake must be less than the caloriesyou burn. To be sure that you don’t reduce muscle masswith this e ort, you have to sharply increase theproportion of protein you eat along with a correspondingreduction in carbohydrates. Aim for low-fat foods butdon’t neglect the valuable fats. It is also essential to drinkplenty of fluids.

Two or three hours before training, eat food rich inprotein, such as a protein shake, and one or two hoursbefore training, eat food rich in carbohydrates, such as abanana. This is especially important before powertraining; otherwise you’ll feel drained. After a trainingsession, eat foods rich in carbohydrates and protein, butnot excessive carbohydrates, as they can o set the calorie-burning e ect of training. Don’t abstain fromcarbohydrates completely, as that would have a negativeeffect on the protein in the muscles.

Nutritional Objective: Increasing FightWeightIf you want to signi cantly increase your muscle mass tobe able to enter a higher weight division, you will have toadd rigorous muscle-building training to the Muay Thai–speci c training. To avoid training excessively, you willhave to reduce the Muay Thai–speci c training sessions.You must also increase your food intake, speci cally theamount of protein. To avoid increasing your proportion ofbody fat, aim for low-fat nutrition. This will not lead to afat de ciency, as eating a larger volume of food will alsoincrease the amount of fat you’re getting.

Two or three hours before power training, have a mealrich in protein—for example, a protein shake withoatmeal—and one or two hours before training, have acarbohydrate-rich snack such as a tness bar. Duringtraining, drink plenty of fluids. Eating a protein bar is alsoa good idea so that the protein is available to your bodyimmediately after training. After the training session, startto replenish your carbohydrate levels and at the sametime consume more protein. You should also eat plenty ofprotein-rich foods on days when you don’t do powertraining so that your body gets su cient protein formuscle development.

Nonsai practices chin-ups (Muay Thai Plaza Gym, Bangkok).

Saiyok and Armin practice clinch training.

The world champion Kem Sitsongpeenong (Bangkok, 2012).

1. BackgroundIn Muay Thai, you can achieve lofty goals if you have thebest possible training in all facets of your physicalperformance. To achieve this, the training in techniquesprovided in a club isn’t enough; additional individualtraining will help you to reduce your weaknesses andmake you a better Thai boxer.

Many individuals are not interested in joining a clubbut want to train in Thai boxing techniques on a punchingbag by themselves to stay t and reduce stress. Even as abeginner you can achieve good training results withsensibly planned training.

The following pages outline the basics of individualtraining. Thai boxers develop workouts aimed ateliminating weak points and other exercises to e ectivelyimprove their performance levels. Beginners also learn theimportant basics required to organize their individualMuay Thai training. You can use solo training for long-term e ective training of your body in martial arts and

tness sessions, regardless of whether you are a tness-oriented athlete or an active Muay Thai boxer.

The author demonstrates the Khow Loy (Flying Knee).

EquipmentFor individual training in Thai boxing techniques, you’llneed bandages, punching bag gloves, and trainingequipment on which you can practice the techniques. Inshadowboxing you can certainly carry out the techniquesin the air, but to make progress in training, the body alsoneeds to feel resistance. It’s also fun to burn o energy onthe punching bag. For training in techniques with apartner, you’ll need protective equipment (see the bookMuay Thai Basics).

To avoid injury to your hand and nger joints, youneed bandages for training on equipment such as thepunching bag and the speedball. You can buy two shortstandard tapes from specialty stores; they start at about$8. You also need punching bag gloves; acceptable-quality versions can be obtained from specialty storesstarting at about $40.

A punching bag helps to develop strength and staminain your technical execution. Simple models, about threefeet in size, are lled with pieces of fabric and cost about$70 and up. Advanced Thai boxers use a heavy punchingbag, available for about $140.

A maize bag can be used for training in st, elbow, andhigh kicking techniques. It’s better to buy this kind of bag,with maize lling, from a specialty retailer. Make surethat the lling is not too soft. A lled bag made ofsynthetic leather will cost about $90.

Strength Training EquipmentThe strength exercises in this book don’t require anyexpensive purchases. You need a jump rope, an exerciseball, and dumbbells. It also makes sense to buy a chin-upbar that can be mounted in a door frame.

The jump rope can be used for warming up and staminatraining. A simple model is available for about $15. Theexercise ball is used in some exercises for intensivestimulation of muscle interaction. If you don’t have a ball,you can start training without it. Balls in di erent sizesare sold by specialty retailers for about $15. For trainingit is recommended to use a set of two dumbbells withdi erent weight plates. They can be bought in departmentstores for about $20. It’s best to buy dumbbells with theplates mounted with star-shaped nuts. For pull-up trainingyou can buy a chin-up bar. Simple bars can be mountedin a door frame and are available at specialty stores forabout $30.

Nonsai Sor Sanyakorn in his gym. Muay Thai Plaza, Bangkok 2012.

Important Tips: Hardening the Body

Your body has to get used to the contact in MuayThai. Hardening, particularly of the shinbones,knees, and elbows, results from training onpunching bags, pads, and with a partner.

If you want to accelerate the hardening e ects,you can do so by continually increasing thehardness of your punching bag. It’s not a good idea,however, to hit, push, and kick against solid,in exible objects. Do not use hot water to reducesensation in your nerves; this can result in seriousinjuries.

As lling for your punching bag, get some woodshavings from a carpenter. You’ll need two to threetrash bags full of wood shavings, and a carpenter islikely to charge you about $5 per bag. After a fewmonths you can start adding some ne sand, such assand from a quarry pond. That way the bag willgradually get harder, and your body will getaccustomed to the hardness. After some regulartraining, you can take out some of the woodshavings and replace them with even more sand.

It must be said, though, that few Thai ghterstrain on a bag completely lled with sand. Anytechnique carried out in the wrong way on a bagfull of sand runs a substantial risk of injury. Analternative to lling the bag with wood shavings isto use shredded rubber material, like recycled cartires; this might be difficult to find, however.

2. Basic TechniquesThe following pages discuss the Muay Thai techniquesthat need to be learned rst. Practice the techniques inshadowboxing and on a punching bag. You can watch thetechniques on the DVD Muay Thai: Basic Techniques (2012).If you have already learned other techniques at a club,you can add these to the kata (see “Forms Derived fromthe Basic Techniques,” this page) or to the “Workouts” inchapter 6.

The Fight StanceAll techniques originate from the ght stance. Take yourposition with an upright stance, your feet parallel to eachother and shoulder-width apart. Right-handedpractitioners move the left foot forward and turn the rightfoot about forty- ve degrees to the side. The oppositeapplies for the left-handed. In the stance, you rest on theballs of your feet with the rear heel somewhat raised.Keep your body upright and turn it slightly forward andto the side. At the same time, bend your chin slightlytoward your chest. Keep your front hand up on the levelof your eyebrows, and your rear hand above your chin.Your muscles are relaxed, especially in the shoulders.Target your opponent’s central body with your eyes. Don’tconcentrate on only one point, but try to look at the

whole body. That way you can see best which techniqueyour opponent will use next. At close distances, watch thehead to detect possible action at the earliest possiblemoment.

Kem (in blue) is right-handed and thus fights in a conventional stance, with his left

hand in front. Saiyok (in red) demonstrates the southpaw stance.

Important Tips: Training for the Eyesand Steps

This exercise helps to improve the feeling ofdistance, defense, and side steps. Practice side stepswith a change of stance and evasive moves until theybecome natural and you don’t have to think aboutthem.

Fix your gaze on object, such as a bolt or a pieceof string (here we used a bandage). Secure the stringhigh enough so that the object is at head height.Push the object slightly away from you. Whenever itcomes back, take a step forward to the left or right.Then move back to your original position. It’simportant not to take overly small steps and to keepyour balance. Athletes with a conventional stancechange their stance by moving the right footforward. Southpaws change the stance with a step tothe left.

A–C: Push, semicircle to the right, and semicircle to the left.

Between each semicircle move, take the center position. Waituntil the piece of string swings back to you before you makethe next move.

D: You can also train your feeling for distance in elbow andfist techniques with the object.

Important Tips: Visualizing Targetsand Techniques

In training, always imagine exactly where the targetis and how you can hit it with your technique.Think, for example, how a side elbow makes contactwith the jaw, how an uppercut hits the chin frombelow, and how a knee kick hits the body.Imagination is especially useful in shadowboxingand punching bag training, and it is also good forsolo training. By visualizing the point of impact foryour technique, you learn to act consciously and totense your muscles at the right moment.

Another good exercise is to visualize completetechnical processes, rst at a slow pace and thenincreasingly faster. In the case of a straight punchfrom the rear, visualize how you slightly push ofrom your rear foot and how you step forward withyour front foot. Next, move your st to the frontwhile your elbow remains down for as long aspossible. Your rear foot, hips, and body turn alongwith the motion. Shortly before impact, turn your

st and hit with your knuckles from slightly abovedownward.

Visualize your defense positions, counter

techniques, and feints as well. It is best to imagine asystem made up of defense and counter techniquesagainst all possible attacks. By initially visualizingand memorizing the ow of movements, it will beeasier to do them perfectly in reality. You will alsolearn conscious and thus e ective shadowboxing.Details on the correct process for all importanttechniques can also be seen in the Muay Thai DVDseries (2012–2013).

The straight punch with the front st is used aspreparation for techniques, and its aim is to upset theopponent’s timing. The rear st delivers a powerfulpunch. The straight punch can target the nose, chin, or

eyes. A powerful straight punch from the rear can also bedelivered to the stomach and the solar plexus. Anexplosive execution of the punch is important.

• From the ght stance, step forward with your front footand punch in a straight line to the target.

• Keep your elbow down for as long as possible. Theother fist remains above the jaw for protection.

• Turn your hips and shoulder and shift your weight tothe front.

• Your fist should be turned down shortly before impact.• Subsequently, your st returns quickly to its original

position.

A: Saiyok demonstrates the front straight punch coming from asouthpaw stance.

B: The rear straight punch.

The rear st and the front st can deliver powerful side

hooks. You can target the jaw or the temples. A heavyblow will numb your opponent or even render himunconscious. The lower ribs and the liver are also goodtargets.

• From the ght stance, step forward with your front footand shorten your distance.

• Some ghters also step slightly sideways with their rearfoot before they deliver a side hook from the rear. Thisimproves your balance, but the hook clearly requiresmore time.

• Shift your weight to the leg on the active side of yourbody, and turn the upper side of your body slightly tothe side.

• Raise your fist. The other fist remains above your jaw.• Carry out a lateral stroke. Your body and hips turn

along with the move and put your weight behind it.• Quickly return your fist to the original position.

A: Nonsai demonstrates the front side hook from aconventional stance.

B: The rear side hook.

It is possible to deliver a powerful uppercut with the front

or rear fist. It is rather difficult to deliver the stroke to thechin, but if you can, it is very e ective. At close distancesthe uppercut hook is often carried out to the body,specifically to the ribs and the solar plexus.

Complete the hook on the way up and make sure thatyou hit the target with your knuckles. On a punching bagyou can only suggest an uppercut to the head. Thetechnique is best trained on a maize bag.

• From the ght stance, step forward with your frontfoot.

• Shift your weight to the foot on your active side andbend your knees slightly.

• Some ghters also move their rear foot slightly to theside before they deliver a rear hook.

• Move your st slightly down so that your upper armand lower arm form nearly a right angle. The other stis kept above your jaw for protection.

• Deliver your st up with a jerk. Stretch your leg in theprocess and turn along your foot, hips, and shoulder.Shift your weight to the front.

• Quickly return your fist to the original position.

A: The front uppercut from a southpaw stance.

B: The rear uppercut.

The rotating elbow can be carried out with the front or

rear elbow. It is usually aimed at the forehead, nasal bone,or eyebrows.

Carry out the technique so that you complete the elbowmotion when you miss the target. To achieve this, yourhand will go through below the armpit of your other arm.

• From the ght stance, step forward with your frontfoot.

• Move one elbow sideways to the top. Your st on theother side of your body stays above your jaw. Yourweight is evenly distributed on both legs.

• Deliver your elbow to the target downward from above.Turn along with your upper body and hips and shiftyour weight to the front.

• Quickly return to the fight position.

A: The rotating elbow from the front, coming from a southpawstance.

B: The rotating elbow from the rear.

The side elbow can be carried out with the front or rear

elbow. The technique is usually aimed at the center of thejaw. The temples, the nasal bone, and the solar plexus canalso bit hit e ectively, but they are more di cult to hitwith this technique. Make sure that you make impact withthe tip of your elbow.

Carry out this technique so that you complete the elbowmotion when you miss the target. Your hand will pass onthe outside of your arm that is raised for protection.

• Start the technique by stepping forward with your frontfoot.

• Raise one arm to shoulder height. Hold your st on theother side above your jaw. Your weight is evenlydistributed on both legs.

• Deliver your elbow horizontally to the other side. Turnalong with your hips and shoulder, and shift yourweight to the front.

• Quickly return to the fight position.

A: The front side elbow.

B: The rear side elbow.

The round kick is delivered to the lower ribs, upper arm,

jaw, temples, or upper legs. Perform the kick as if youwere kicking through an object. Impact is made with theshinbone.

• For a kick with the rear leg, move your front foot to theside so that your toes are pointing out at about forty-five degrees.

• For a kick with your front leg, you rst have to changeyour stance. Initially move your rear foot forward tothe side, or jump back with your front foot.

• Kick in a semicircle arc and use your hips and weight.The load will be shifted to the front, and your pivotleg turns along with the move to the outside.

• Stretch your kicking leg on impact.• After the kick, quickly return your leg to the ght

stance.

A: The round kick with the front leg.

B: The round kick from the rear.

The push kick is usually aimed at the stomach or thighs. It

is also possible to hit the solar plexus, chest, chin, or face.Impact is made with the ball of the foot, the heel, or theentire foot. The front foot is used for rapid kicks, the rearfoot for powerful kicks.

• For delivery with your front foot, shift your weight toyour rear leg.

• For a kick with your rear foot, initially move your frontfoot slightly to the side so that your toes are pointingabout forty-five degrees to the outside.

• Pull your knee toward the upper part of your body.Your guard stays up. If you carry out the techniquewith your rear foot, you also turn forward with therear part of your upper body.

• Kick in a straight line and use your hip. Your pivot legturns along with the move to the outside.

• Stretch your kicking leg on impact and lean slightlyback with your upper body.

• Quickly return your leg to the fight stance.

A: Saiyok the front push kick from a southpaw stance.

B: The rear push kick.

The straight knee kick can be aimed at the stomach orsolar plexus. The technique can also be directed toward

the chin or the nasal bone if your opponent bends downor the kick is carried out in a jump. At close distances,you can grab your opponent around the neck and pull theopponent in. It is important to stretch your knee as far aspossible.

• For a technique with your rear leg, step forward withyour front foot.

• To knee kick with your front leg, you rst have tochange the stance. Step forward with your rear foot orjump back with your front foot.

• Deliver the knee kick in a direct line. In the process,your heel is raised and your stretched pivot leg turnsalong with the move to the outside.

• On impact, move your hip forward and lean back withyour upper body. Pay attention to your guard.

• Quickly return to your fight stance.

A: The front knee kick.

B: The rear knee kick.

Forms Derived from the Basic

TechniquesThese days, forms, also called kata, are used for trainingin Muay Thai. The forms are not traditional and clearlyde ned, however, which means that trainers can developtheir own forms. When organizing the forms, it isimportant that all basic techniques are trained in.

This section introduces a kata made up of basictechniques that must be learned rst in Muay Thai. Youcan use the form after your general warm-up exercises andbefore technical training. If you’ve already mastered otherattacking techniques, you can add them.

Execution: Train the kata in front of a mirror andcorrect your techniques in the process. Perform all thetechniques in succession in the air, initially at a slowpace, and then faster and faster for as long as it takes youto master the kata quickly and without interruption. Bemindful of the correct use of each technique. Advancedathletes can carry out the complete form in one minute,and they also train in it on a punching bag.

1. Front and rear straight punch to the head2. Front and rear side hook to the head3. Front and rear uppercut to the head4. Rotating elbow to the head from the front and rear5. Front and rear side elbow to the head6. Low kick from the front and rear7. Round kick to the body from the front and rear

8. Round kick to the head from the front and rear9. Front and rear push kick to the leg

10. Front and rear push kick to the body11. Front and rear push kick to the head12. Straight knee kick to the body from the front and rear

3. Stretching and LooseningA exible body is necessary to be able to carry out MuayThai techniques. You don’t need extraordinary agility forMuay Thai, however. There is no need, for example, to dothe splits. The term stretching covers the targetedexecution of exercises required to improve agility. Thismeans slowly assuming a position where you experience aslight stretching sensation in your muscles. In thatposition, you then improve your agility by doing astretching method.

Stretching improves agility, helps reduce restrictions inagility, and supports posture and body perception.Alternatives to these stretching exercises can be found inthe book Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters (2006).

Important Tips: Organizing Muay ThaiTraining

Start training with a warm-up exercise such as, forexample, skipping rope. Train in the exercise forapproximately ten minutes, but do it at lowintensity and avoid extreme strain and complexjumping patterns. If you feel your muscles are strained or sti , or ifyour movement is restricted in speci c muscles,

for example your inner thigh muscles, you can dotargeted static stretching exercises. Don’t hold astretch position for more than ten seconds, andsubsequently reactivate your performancepotential with rapid movements and rotation ofthe joints. Some Thai boxers intensify that part oftheir preparation; other athletes completely gowithout it. Decide on your approach depending onhow your muscles feel. Perform swinging movements in preparation forthe requirements of Muay Thai. These include, forexample, moves like arm swings while rotatingyour body. Leg swings are recommended toprepare for high kicks. Alternately, you can alsocarry out the basic techniques of Thai boxingseveral times and increase your radius of motioneach time, for example for kicking height. Now you can train your Muay Thai techniques,followed by some strength training. If you didn’t nd the training overly intensive,you can add one to three intensive stretchingexercises for muscle groups where you want toachieve better mobility. If the training intechniques has been exhausting, however, it isbest not to do intensive stretching exercises andto avoid injury due to putting excessive demandson the muscles.

To cool down the body, do an exercise at lowintensity for about ve minutes. This couldinclude slow jogging or relaxed rope-skipping. Finish the training with a few static stretchingexercises for stressed muscles. You should not,however, assume any intensive stretch positions,and you should not hold the stretch positions formore than ten seconds.

ApplicationStretch in preparation for training in Muay Thaitechniques and afterward to accelerate the process ofregeneration. Well-developed exibility in the shoulders,hips, and inner and back leg muscles is important in MuayThai. If these groups of muscles are too short, you shouldconcentrate additional training sessions exclusively onstretching. If you don’t have the time for additionalsessions, you can do some static stretching exercises at theend of a Muay Thai training session. Concentrate on thegroups of muscles that you want to improve. An extensivestretching program after an intensive Muay Thai trainingsession isn’t useful, as the body is too tired.

Pre-Stretching: Stretching before TechnicalTrainingEach training sessions starts with a warm-up exercise.Follow with some stretching exercises with routines andmethods, depending on your requirements. More thananything, stretching in the warm-up phase prepares youfor athletic demands. You can brie y stretch all themuscles groups or train in a short program for the muscle

groups where you have mobility restrictions. These couldbe the neck and shoulder muscles, for example, or themuscles in the lower back, the hip muscles, the inner andrear leg muscles, and the calf muscles.

Stretching exercises can be done with a static or adynamic method. You can also follow stretching exerciseswith dynamic swinging movements such as leg swings.Instead of swings you can perform Thai boxing techniquesat low intensity in the air with ever-increasing pace andrange of movement.

Prior to a competition it’s necessary to do a specialwarm-up specific to Muay Thai. For example, fighters haveto perform a number of techniques in shadowboxing andon the pads to achieve the optimum performance level forcompetition.

Frequently Asked Questions: Static orDynamic Stretching?

In the past many Western Thai boxers used thewarm-up phase for a static stretch program coveringthe whole body. It was assumed that this kind ofstretching would ensure that the techniques couldbe carried out with optimum range of movement,thus improving performance and reducing the riskof injury. Research has now shown that an extensive

static program of stretching prior to practicingMuay Thai lowers muscle tonus and thereforelowers performance potential. It was found, forexample, that performance in terms of potentialstrength and bounce decreases. Some Thai boxersare now convinced that they should completely gowithout static stretching in their warm-ups and thatthey should concentrate on dynamic exercisesinstead. Other Thai boxers don’t share that view andask why they should change their warm-up routinesif their years of static stretching have proved to besuccessful. When deciding on the right stretchingmethod, keep in mind that the scienti c researchhas produced varying results, and that there has notbeen sufficient research done into agility training.

It is important to use a stretching program in yourwarm-up that is tailored to your individualrequirements. If the warm-up program includesstatic exercises, don’t hold the positions for morethan ten seconds. You should also rotate your jointsand make some rapid movements after the stretchingexercises so that you are ready to perform again.

Post-Stretching: Stretching afterTechnique Training

Post-stretching can be divided into two phases: stretchingto improve performance, and stretching at the end of thecooling-down period to help the body regenerate and tomaintain agility.

Stretching to Improve AgilityFollowing the main part of the training session, you cando a number of exercises that will improve your agility.Start by stretching while your body is still warmed up. Itis best to concentrate on one or two groups of muscles.How much you stretch depends on how much strain youexperienced in your training. In a club, these exercises arefrequently done with a partner.

Do the stretching exercises using the methods describedhere. Athletes have a wide variety of experiences with thee ectiveness of these exercises; test the methods and usethe one that o ers the best results for stretching while notoverexerting your body. As a matter of principle youshould not hold a stretch position for very long because itwill lead to poor blood circulation in the muscles, whichmeans the metabolites produced in training will not beflushed as efficiently from the body.

After very intensive main training, you should forgostretching exercises to improve your performance. Thereasons for this are that the body will tend to cramp,there is an increased risk of injury, and it will prolong theregeneration process.

Stretching at the End of Training

To cool down, do a steady, low-intensity exercise, such asa slow jog or skipping rope, for about ve minutes.Subsequently you can brie y stretch the muscle groupsthat were predominantly activated in the main part ofyour training and that clearly feel tense. This approachhelps to “switch o ” from training and prevents themuscles from shortening. If your training was veryintensive and you feel too tired to stretch, you canpostpone the exercises for one to two hours.

In the nal phase of training, you should also not holda stretch position for more than ten seconds. Thisrecommendation follows the current ndings in trainingscience in order not to slow down the regenerationprocess. Furthermore, do each exercise only once; don’tdo a second set of stretches with extended positions.Important areas for post-stretching that merit speci cmention are the muscles of the chest, neck, and calves aswell as the front, rear, and inner thigh muscles.

Stretch Training: Stretching as the MainObjective of TrainingYou can do separate training sessions to improve youragility. In stretch training you can develop a better feelingfor the muscles, and you can get rid of musclecontractions that developed, for example, during one-sided training activities or after injuries. Some Muay Thaitechniques require good exibility in certain musclegroups that you can work on in separate trainingexercises. Again, you don’t have to assume any extreme

stretch positions that exceed the agility required for MuayThai techniques. Remember that too much agilityincreases your risk of injury.

Start agility training with a moderate warm-up exerciseof about ten minutes. Only a warmed-up body can take onintensive stretch positions. In the main part of thetraining, concentrate on exibility and stretch all musclegroups, speci cally targeting your weak points and thoseareas you are focusing on in training. Conclude thestretch training with a cool-down exercise at low intensityfor about ve minutes. Plan about sixty to ninety minutesfor a complete stretch training session, including thewarm-up and cool-down phases.

In your agility training you can use all the stretchingmethods to reach your goals. Stretch your musclesintensively, and hold the stretch position for ten to sixtyseconds. Avoid areas of pain in your training. You will seesuccess in your agility training if you stretch intensively atleast twice a week.

Important Tips: Stretch Training

Choose a program for stretch training that coversall the important muscle groups. Focusspecifically on your weak points. Stretch intensively: only stretches that come close

to your limit result in better exibility. If you feelpain, though, you must pull back carefully fromthe stretch position. Use all the stretching methods introduced in thisbook when training your weak points; variedtraining leads to the best results.

Stretching and Loosening-up ExercisesThis section provides an overview of stretching andloosening-up exercises that can be used in training. Testthem out and choose those that feel best for your muscles.

Relax-Extend MethodIn the rst stretching phase, carefully assume a positionwhere you experience a minor stretch stimulus. Maintainthe position for about twenty seconds and consciouslyrelax your muscles. In pre-stretching and post-stretching,hold for a maximum of ten seconds.

Once you have more experience with stretching, youshould stretch based on your own physical sensationsrather than holding a stretch for a speci c length of time.Stretching tension should decrease somewhat after a shortperiod of time. Even though you may not feel the tension,you should feel comfortable in the position and be able torelax. Should that not be the case, relax slightly and

decrease the tension.In the second stretching phase, intensify the position

until you experience a new reaction. Maintain theposition for about twenty seconds. The extended positionmust also be comfortable; otherwise you have to correctit. To finish, carefully move out of the stretch position.

Positions in the static stretching warm-up and cool-down phases should not be held for more than tenseconds. In stretching at the end of training, it’s notnecessary to do the second stretching phase.

Execution of Stretching

• Move your muscles slowly into a position where youexperience a slight stretching reaction.

• Maintain the position for about twenty seconds in therst phase, and for a maximum of ten seconds in pre-

and post-stretching.• Extend the stretch until you feel new tension. Maintain

this position for about twenty seconds, and amaximum of ten seconds in pre-and post-stretching.

• Move carefully out of the stretch position.

Tense-Relax-Extend MethodIn the rst stretching phase, slowly move into a positionwhere you feel slight stretching tension. Tense the muscleto be stretched with medium intensity against somethingsolid and don’t change positions. Depending on the

starting position, it can be a wall, the oor, or a trainingpartner. The tension can also be applied to an imaginaryobject.

There are di erent opinions about how long and withwhat intensity tensioning should be done. One opinion isthat tensioning should be done at full intensity for one ortwo seconds. This entails too much risk of injury, though,and it’s also di cult to fully activate the muscle in such ashort amount of time. I recommend a stretch at mediumintensity for about ve seconds, subsequently relaxing themuscle for one to three seconds. The exact amount of timedepends on the time your muscles need to relax.

In the second stretching phase, intensify the positionuntil you experience a new reaction. Brie y maintain theposition before tensing the muscle to be stretched againand relaxing to extend the position. This should be doneat least once but can be repeated. Extension of the stretchposition will decrease with each exercise until nearly nofurther extension can be felt.

In principle it can be assumed that the more intensivethe stretch tension is and the longer it lasts, the greaterthe relaxation will be and the more e ective subsequentstretching will be.

Tensioning Muscle Groups

Consciously notice where exactly the stretching

tension can be felt. Next, tense the stimulatedmuscle group. Tensioning is applied opposite to thedirection the body is moved, and the joint doesn’tmove. If you return the body in the direction of thestarting position, it will subsequently be impossibleto achieve further extension of the stretch position.

Execution of Stretching

• Move the muscles slowly to a position where you feelslight tension.

• In the rst phase, tense the muscle to be stretched withmedium intensity against a real or imaginary object forabout five seconds without changing the joint position.

• Relax the muscle for one to three seconds withoutchanging your position.

• In the second phase, extend the stretch until youexperience a new reaction, and maintain this stancefor a few seconds.

• Next, repeat the first phase.• Carefully move out of the stretch.

Dynamic Stretching MethodDynamic stretching can be understood as careful rhythmicmovements that lead to a position with noticeable

stretching tension that is then quickly abandoned. SomeThai boxers train in rhythmic bouncing with such smallsteps that you can hardly see their movements.

In the process of dynamic stretching, perform theexercise so that you initially take on slight tension, andfrom that position repeat the exercise ve to ten timeswhile cautiously increasing the extent of your movementseach time. Afterward, relax the muscles that were used.

Use dynamic stretching to prepare your body formovements with a large range of motion. Before dynamicstretching exercises you should thoroughly warm up yourbody, as the method runs the risk of injury by bouncingbeyond slight stretching tension. This method is primarilyused by advanced athletes who have already a well-developed sense of perception of their bodies.

Execution of Stretching

• From a position of slight tension, carry out littlebouncing movements to a deeper stretched position,and then return to the original position.

• Carry out ve to ten moves while trying to extend thestretch position until you have reached the maximumrange of motion.

• Carefully pull out of the stretched position.

A–B: Little bouncing movements to the front.

Swing MovementsSome athletes integrate swing movements in their warm-up program as a variant of dynamic stretching. Some Thaiboxers even concentrate exclusively on swing movementsafter warming up the body. Newcomers should rst startwith some stretching exercises, however, as the excessiveradius of a swing runs the risk of injury.

Swing movements are usually done with the legs and thearms. Swing the stretched leg, for example, slightly awayfrom the ground to the top while keeping the muscles asrelaxed as possible. Repeat the swing ve to ten timeswhile increasing the height and pace. As soon as you have

reached the maximum range of your movements, changeto the next exercise.

Perform the arm swings laterally to the outside, up,and down. You can also combine lateral arm swings withturning the body.

Perform the leg swings to the front, side, and rear. Forbetter balance you can hold onto the back of a chair,which allows you to concentrate on the exercise. Next,you can carry out circular movements with the leg fromthe inside out and from the outside in.

Execution

• Swing a part of the body into a position of slightlystretched tension.

• Carry out ve to ten repetitions while trying to extendthe range of the movements continuously until youreach your maximum range.

• Continue with the next swing exercise.

A–B: Leg swings to the front.

Rotating the JointsTo relax the body, athletes frequently move their joints incircles after the stretching exercises. Moving the head,wrist, shoulder, knee and foot joints is especiallyimportant. It is best to do ve to ten circles in onedirection and then five to ten in the opposite direction.

Execution

• Stand in an upright position.• Rotate the joint with medium force.

• Do ve to ten repetitions in one direction and then veto ten in the opposite direction.

• Continue with the next exercise.

A–B: Moving the head.

Stretching ProgramWhen organizing a stretching program, consider whichgroups of muscles will primarily be activated. Thesemuscles must be part of the warm-up, cool-down, andstretch training. Generally, you should stretch your weakpoints intensively but not exclusively. If, for example, themuscles at the back of your leg on the right side are lessexible than those on the left, train both sides, but add

one extra cycle for the right side.

Also consider whether to use the program in the courseof warming up, cooling down, or for special stretchtraining. The requirements for a stretching program di erdepending on your muscle tension, training goals, andtraining intensity. Newcomers can use a basic program,but advanced athletes should vary their stretchingprogram according to their different daily requirements.

The following section contains a starting program withexercises for all muscle groups and a stretching programfor groups of muscles that tend to contract and frequentlybecome weak points in executing Muay Thai techniques.You can use the full-body program for pre-stretching andindividual stretch training. The short program can be usedfor pre-and post-stretching for Muay Thai training. Usethese programs as suggestions, adapting them to your ownrequirements based on your progress in stretching.

Guidelines

Stable Starting Position and Slow MovementAssume a stable starting position so that you canfully concentrate on stretching. In intense stretching,an unstable stance can make you overstep the bestposition, resulting in an injury. Find the correctstretching position by moving slowly and carefully;rapid moves can lead to injuries. Next, move out of

the stretch position just as carefully.

Correct Stretch PositionYour performance level determines your stretchingposition. Don’t attempt to do the same stretchingposition as your training partner or as shown in thisbook, but be guided by your own perception; eachindividual has a di erent physical con guration.You will also nd that your muscle tension variesfrom day to day. Never try to achieve a stretchingposition by force. Once you feel pain, you have topull back from the stretching position promptly, asotherwise the muscle will continue to harden andnot relax. Your exibility will improve only if youget used to relaxed muscles moving slowly to thenext stretch position, and if stretching is carried outregularly.

Consistent BreathingOnce you have found the correct stretching position,concentrate on the muscle to be stretched. Breatheslowly and regularly in the relaxation process, andnotice the relaxation in the muscle. Extension of thestretching position is done while exhaling.

Stretching Program: Full BodyThis stretching program is for use in warming up orcooling down and in stretch training. It is designed tostretch all muscle groups with as few exercises aspossible.

If you use the stretching program in the warm-up orcool-down phase, you should do the exercises only onceand not hold the positions for more than ten seconds. Instretch training you can hold the positions for twentyseconds or even longer. Always stretch the left and rightside of your body. Make sure that your breathing isconsistent, and concentrate on and relax the musclesyou’re working on.

1. Stretching the neck muscles: Lean your head to oneside and pull your other arm down. The stretch canbe intensified by pushing your head down.

2. Stretching the chest muscles: Stand upright with yourarms spread to the sides or raised in a U shape. Moveyour chest to the front and pull your arms back untilyou feel a slight stretching sensation.

3. Stretching the shoulder and back muscles: Move yourhands crossways in the direction of your shoulderblades. Your upper arms remain in a horizontalposition.

4. Stretching the shoulder and arm muscles: One handpoints down behind your head with your upper armin a somewhat horizontal position. Push with yourother hand against your elbow, thereby pushing yourarm down in a straight line.

5. Stretching the front thigh muscles: From a standingposition, grab one foot and pull it toward yourbuttocks until you feel a slight stretching sensation. Inthe process, move your hip consciously toward thefront.

6. Stretching the calf and rear thigh muscles: In anupright stance with legs stretched, move your upperbody to the front. Shift your hip forward, and avoidrounding your back.

7. Stretching the inner thigh muscles: In a standingposition, spread your legs to the outside until youfeel a slight stretching sensation. Move your upperbody to the right, to the center, and to the left.Maintain each position for a few seconds.

Stretching Program: ImportantMuscle GroupsThis program can be used before and after Muay Thaitechnique training. The stretching is focused primarily on

the muscle groups whose exibility is important forperforming Muay Thai techniques. You can swap exercisesfor the same muscle group or add other exercises. Forpre-and post-stretching, maintain the position for aboutten seconds.

1. Stretch your shoulder and arm muscles: Your handsmove behind your back. One hand grabs from aboveand the other from below.

2. Stretching the hip and front thigh muscles: Aftertaking a lunge step, your rear leg is resting on thefloor. First, move your hip downward. Then yieldslightly and pull your lower leg in the direction ofyour buttocks.

3. Stretching the rear thigh muscles: Your legs arestretched and point straight in front. Move the upperpart of your body forward.

4. Stretching the inner thigh muscles: Sitting on the floorwith your legs pulled in, the soles of your feet arepressed together. Let your knees sink to the sides. Thepressure can be increased with your arms.

4. Stamina TrainingYou are already training in stamina for Muay Thai withexercises speci c to the sport, such as shadowboxing,punching bag and pad training, clinching, and sparring.Additional sessions to improve your stamina are helpful ifyou have di culty in keeping up with the trainingintensity at your club, and also in preparation for ghts.Separate stamina training sessions are also necessary tolose weight and to reduce body fat.

You can improve your stamina by adding separatejogging units or by adding twenty to forty minutes ofjogging to a Muay Thai training session. Skipping ropeand swimming are also good methods to improve stamina.

It is important to determine the appropriate intensityfor stamina training; the options are described below.Training with basic stamina intensity is recommended forbeginners. Martial arts training certainly includes staminatraining, but it involves constantly changing intensity. It’snecessary to do additional training sessions with basicintensity for stamina and fitness.

Good basic stamina lowers the heart rate in the shortlulls between attacks. That means you are conservingenergy and staying t for longer periods. Good tnessstamina helps you through intensive training sessions andcompetitions.

Training IntensityThe best possible training intensity depends on yourphysical condition and training goals. Four intensity

levels are described below.

1. Regenerative TrainingRegenerative training involves activities of very lowintensity such as, for example, slow jogging, cycling, andswimming. You are at this intensity level for as long asyou perceive the strain as comfortable. Once it becomesstrenuous, you have exceeded this level. This intensitycorresponds to about 65 percent of your maximum heartrate.

A low degree of intensity for faster regeneration isrecommended after a strenuous athletic activity.Immediately after training, you can jog for another ve orten minutes. You can also plan a separate training sessionfor this intensity level. If, for example, you trainedintensively the day before or took part in a competition,which leaves the body tired and the muscles tense, thistype of training can accelerate the regeneration of yourbody.

2. Basic Stamina IntensityBasic stamina is trained at moderate intensity. In thecourse of training, you still have to be able to speak. Thelevel of intensity is too much, however, if you feel tiredand exhausted in training. Basic stamina intensity can bedetermined precisely with a heart monitor; this level ofintensity corresponds to about 75 percent of yourmaximum heart rate.

In terms of health, this level of intensity is the most

important in training. It develops blood circulation,strengthens the immune system, and uses a substantialproportion of energy extracted from body fat. The types ofphysical activity recommended are jogging, cycling,walking, and indoor training while connected to a cardiodevice. Well-developed basic stamina has a positive e ectin all kinds of sports. The heart rate quickly returns tonormal, and the time required for regeneration is reduced.This is especially important in competition, as it makesyou physically t and able to concentrate for longerperiods. Regular training in this area lowers your restingheart rate. After a few weeks you will perform better atthe same heart rate, meaning, for example, that you willbe able to run longer distances and run faster.

3. Fitness Stamina IntensityYou will be at this intensity level if you exert yourself intraining but still able to continue for several minutes. Thisintensity level is too much if you have to stop because ofexcessive acidity in the muscles. Fitness stamina intensitycan be determined precisely with the help of a heartmonitor. This level of intensity corresponds to about 85percent of your maximum heart rate.

At this level you train your muscles and general tness.In training this level of intensity feels like a strain, andafter training your muscles clearly feel more strained aswell. You can use any kind of stamina training to achievethis level of intensity, including especially those activitieswhere the level of intensity can be adapted to these

requirements. This level of training intensity is a necessityfor advanced athletes to achieve performanceimprovements. Before you start with this type of training,you rst have to have built up a solid stamina base.Stamina training for tness can also be enjoyed more, asyou don’t exceed the intensity level even though youincrease your running speed. In addition, your bodyregenerates quickly, and tness returns soon aftertraining.

Frequently Asked Questions: Is ItBetter to Reduce Body Fat through

Slow Jogging?

To reduce body fat, you can run at a slow or a fastpace. Regardless of the intensity, you can onlyreduce body fat if you achieve a negative balance ofcalories. That means eating fewer calories in a daythan what you burn.

When training in basic stamina intensity, a goodpart of the energy you use is taken from body fat.This is why lots of people believe that this is theoptimum approach to reducing body fat. Fitnessstamina intensity, however, clearly burns morecalories in the same amount of time, which is why

the absolute degree of fat reduction is higher at thetness stamina intensity level. The more intensive

the strain is, the lower the proportion of fat is usedfor energy, and the higher the absolute amount offat consumed.

This does not necessarily mean that the tnessstamina intensity level is better for reducing bodyfat, because not only calorie consumption but alsocalorie intake has to be considered. After anintensive training session, the body wants to quicklyreplenish its empty carbohydrate stores. If you thentake in more calories than you used, the training hasbeen wasted. Following training at the basic staminalevel, you will be less hungry than after training atthe tness stamina level, and it will be easier to eatthe right amount of food.

After an intensive strain, the body needs moretime for regeneration. As a result of intensivestamina training, the body may be too tired forMuay Thai training the next day. Intensive trainingalso hampers the immune system and makes youmore susceptible to injury and infection. Training atthe basic stamina level, on the other hand, improvesthe immune system, as the body is only slightlystrained.

Conclusion: the best level of intensity to reducebody fat depends on your performance level and

your training goals. Beginners should only train atthe basic stamina intensity level in their rstsessions, as this type of training is less strenuous forthe body. Advanced athletes choose between the twointensity levels and adapt their calorie consumptionand regeneration periods according to theirindividual requirements.

4. Anaerobic IntensityAt the threshold between aerobic and anaerobic energygeneration, the body is trained to withstand more strainfor longer periods. In the process, the body partially gainsits energy anaerobically, meaning the body is unable toacquire all the oxygen needed for energy conversion. Thebody now primarily burns carbohydrates, which producesthe residual substance lactate, the base of lactic acid.Lactate can’t be broken down quickly by the body. Oncethe threshold between aerobic and anaerobic energygeneration is exceeded, like during a hard exchange ofblows in a Muay Thai ght, the production of lactic acidwill increase disproportionately. This causes hyperacidity,and activity must stop after a short amount of time.

Health-oriented stamina training is not aimed attraining at this level of intensity. Professional athletes,however, do some of their training sessions at this level,which requires a solid stamina base. The heart rate dropsquickly after the strain, and training can continue.

Determining and Controlling TrainingIntensityFirst, you have to know your maximum heart rate beforeyou can determine the training heart rate best suited toyour stamina training. It is the basis of calculatingtraining intensity. The easiest way to determine yourmaximum heart rate is to use the formula: Maximum heartrate (MHR) = 220 – age

This method has been proven in many tests, but it maybe di erent for some individuals. Professional athletesfrequently use the maximum heart rate test, in which theheart rate is pushed to its maximum during intenseactivity. This could include, for example, a sprint up totheir personal performance limit. The test is notrecommended for tness-oriented athletes, as theunusually intensive strain runs a strong risk of injury.

MHR 220 – age

Regenerative training level about 65% of MHR

Basic stamina level about 75% of MHR

Fitness stamina level about 85% of MHR

Example for a thirty-year-oldMaximum heart rate per the formula: 220 – 30 = 190

MHRRegenerative training level: 190 × 0.65 = heart rate of

124Basic stamina level: 190 × 0.75 = heart rate of 143Fitness stamina level: 190 × 0.85 = heart rate of 162

Your Training Intensity LevelIn your training sessions, try to get close to your optimumheart rate.

Training pulse rate

Regenerative training area

Basic stamina area

Fitness area

Important Tips: Measuring Intensity

For stamina training, you should use a heart ratemonitor. You wear a belt around your chest thatmeasures your heartbeat. A heart rate–monitoring

watch can show you the information on your wrist.These devices can usually be adjusted to yourindividual stamina level for training. The unit beepsif you exceed the target heart rate. Good models areavailable at specialty stores from about $100.

Khru Pit trains Nonsai in knee techniques.

Selecting Your Stamina ActivityBeginners train at the basic stamina intensity level, as thistype of training makes the body more resistant and lowers

the resting and active heart rate. For moderate staminatraining, choose a physical activity that allows you tomaintain a nearly constant pace throughout so that yourheart rate remains at the planned intensity level.

Advanced athletes can train at the tness stamina level,increasing the pace and integrating interval training withvarying speeds into the stamina training. In runningtraining, for example, you alternate quick runs over shortdistances with longer runs at reduced speed. The bodygets used to strain at di erent levels of intensity andlearns to normalize the heart rate again after the e ort.Interval training can be any physical activity that iscarried out at different speeds.

Important Tips: The Structure ofTraining

Stamina training can be done in separate trainingsessions or in combination with Muay Thai training.Even though many Thai athletes begin their trainingwith a stamina unit, it’s better to do it after thetraining in techniques. That way you conserveenergy and are better prepared for the trainingspecific to Muay Thai.

Stamina training should be done at least once aweek. Each stamina unit must last a minimum of

twenty to thirty minutes to achieve an e ect.Beginners train in stamina at moderate intensity;advanced athletes can train with varying intensities.

Skipping RopeSkipping rope is an important type of training for MuayThai, as it develops stamina, power, coordination, andspeed. You will quickly see your coordination improve,and after a few training sessions you’ll be able to skipfaster without getting caught in the rope.

Hold each end of the rope in your hands and place bothfeet on the middle of the rope. Stretch your arms sidewaysat about a forty- ve-degree angle to your ribs. This is thecorrect length for skipping. Shorten the rope until thehandles are in the required position. If you use a skippingrope without handles, wrap the ends of the rope aroundyour hands to create the right length. Try to skip withlittle e ort, your upper body erect, and your shouldersrelaxed. Start to jump across your toes and from the ballsof your feet, and return to the starting position.

• Standard skip: swing the rope from back to front overyour head. Jump simultaneously with both feet abovethe swinging rope, and return to the oor with bothfeet at the same time. Return smoothly to the balls ofyour feet.

• Running skip: skip as if you were running. Jump with

one foot across the moving rope onto your other foot.This is the fastest possible way to cross the rope.

• One-legged skip: skip several times with one foot acrossthe moving rope before changing legs. Beginners willstart to feel the intensity after ve skips. Advancedathletes can easily perform twenty consecutive skipson the same leg.

• Skipping with bent knees: pull one knee toward yourupper body while you jump across the rope with yourother leg. Then pull up your skipping leg and jumpwith your other leg. Alternate the right and left legs,and keep pulling up the knee of your opposite leg.

• Skipping with crossed arms: jump o the oor andcross your arms in front of your body before the ropegoes under your feet. Uncross your arms as soon as therope is above your body.

• Double-rotation skip: jump with both feet far o theground and pull your knees toward your chest. In theprocess, the rope passes twice before your feet returnto the oor. Only advanced athletes can use thistechnique as it takes a lot of strength and goodcoordination.

5. Strength TrainingStrength training is an important component of trainingfor Thai boxers to improve their performance. Strengthtraining helps to increase power in punches, blows,throws, and kicks, and it allows for better reaction to anopponent’s techniques. Strength exercises are usually doneafter the training in techniques, but separate strengthsessions can improve muscle power. You can also usestrength training to counter any muscle imbalances, whichincrease the risk of injury.

The following section contains exercises and programsto strengthen the body that are particularly suited forMuay Thai practitioners. These are balanced programsthat can be adapted to your own requirements. Whenplanning your program, make sure that you not only trainthe muscles used predominantly in Thai boxing but alsodo balancing exercises, such as the Shoulder Bridge forthe muscles in the back of the leg.

Some of the exercises presented are demanding andmust be practiced carefully to avoid the risk of injury.Di cult exercises such as the Kick out of a One-LeggedKnee Bend and Handstand Push-Up are initially trained inwith a limited range of movement, and then progressivelyextended with more experience. If an exercise isn’tworking as described, use another exercise for the sameset of muscles. You can nd more exercises in the bookFitness for Full-Contact Fighters (2006).

In many exercises it is possible to use an exercise ball, abalance board, and a balance cushion. Even if you haven’t

used this equipment before, you should put it to the testin these exercises. Training with equipment helps improvethe interplay of muscles and provides excellentstrengthening of the trunk muscles.

Pushups with a balance board and an exercise ball.

Stimulation TrainingTo improve continually in your strength training, youhave to stimulate your body. Our bodies react to physicalstrain with an adaptation process. If you train harder thanin the previous session, your body will reach a higherlevel after a period of regeneration. This process is calledsupercompensation. The intensity and method are extremelyimportant for the adaptation process and performanceimprovement. Allowing for appropriate regeneration and a

healthy and balanced diet are also important factors forsuccessful strength training.

Training FrequencySigni cant change in the shape of the body andstrengthening muscles can only be achieved throughregular training. Strength training once a week willmaintain strength, but improving performance requirestwo weekly training sessions for all muscle groups. If thetime between sessions is any longer, the muscles willslowly degrade. That is why you should try to train allmuscle groups at least once a week, even if you don’t havemuch time to spare. If you are ill, don’t do strengthtraining, as it can endanger the healing process.

Regeneration PhaseThe time required for regeneration and adaptationdepends on how much you’ve stimulated your body, thetraining conditions, and the training method you used.Appropriately organizing the time for regenerationaccelerates recovery.

The best results from training are achieved if the breakbetween training sessions is correct. If the body doesn’thave su cient time for regeneration, it can lead toovertraining and deterioration in your level ofperformance. Performance levels also decline if you leavetoo much time between training sessions. It’s di cult toset the regeneration phase precisely because various

factors in uence it. The time for regeneration is usuallygiven as twenty-four to forty-eight hours. The goal insetting your regeneration time is to understand your bodybetter to establish an optimum training plan.

Listen to your body; train if it’s ready to perform. If youfeel weak and tired, you should train other muscle groupsor skip a training session. The rst signs that you aretraining too much are feeling weak, poor sleep, sweating,and a slight increase in body temperature. If you continueoverexerting your body, your performance will declineand you’ll be more susceptible to injury and infection.This applies more to competitive athletes than tobeginners, although even for them it’s fairly rare.

Selecting Exercises and ProgramsThe exercises introduced in the following sections trainall the muscle groups. Use the training variants totechnically master the skills, and choose those thatcorrespond to the training intensity you have planned.The workouts are kept short to allow you to do severalstrength training units per week so that you don’t have tolimit your Muay Thai training. Remember not to do thesame workout two days in a row, and to strengthen allmuscle groups intensively at least once a week.

Training Intensity and RepetitionsNewcomers to training should perform the exercises atlow intensity. At any level, the intensity you choose

should tend to be low rather than high. Muscles get usedto new demands faster than tendons and ligaments, so thebody should be allowed to adapt slowly to more intensivetraining. Before you increase the strain, you have toincrease the number of repetitions.

For beginners, fteen to twenty repetitions of thedynamic exercises are recommended. Some of theintensive exercises introduced below can’t be done toomany times when you’re new to them; the programs givean indication of the appropriate number of repetitions. Toavoid injury it is important that the exercises are donecorrectly. If it turns out that you can’t do the minimumnumber of repetitions, do a less demanding exercise forthe same muscle group. Advanced athletes do morerepetitions of the dynamic exercises or choose moreintensive training variants.

Static exercises are done so that the ending position isheld for thirty to sixty seconds. Advanced athletes hold aposition for one to two minutes, or they use a moreintensive training variant.

Breaks between SetsIf you exercise with lots of repetitions at fairly lowintensity, you take a break of one or two minutes betweensets. The body requires a regeneration phase of two tothree minutes between sets, however, if you do fewerrepetitions at high intensity. As a variant, advancedathletes can use one set for each exercise before theycontinue with the next set. Once you have done all the

exercises in one set, start again with the first exercise.

Important Rules for TrainingTake a stable starting position to allow you to fullyconcentrate on executing the exercise. Tense yourabdominal muscles, the muscles from your shouldersdown your back, and the glutes, and keep your backstraight. Occasionally, check your starting position andhow you carry out the exercises in front of a mirror.

Concentrate on the muscles you are targeting in eachexercise, and be aware of how they move during theexercise. The target muscles must remain active during theentire exercise. In a pull-up, for example, don’t relax yourarms, but keep them tensed in a slightly bent posture. Dothe exercises in slow, even movements, and focus oncorrect execution; the goal of strength training is e ectivetraining of the muscles. For jumping exercises, moveslowly into the jump position, and only from there shouldyou move quickly in the jump. Avoid gaining momentumand also taking evasive action using other muscle groups.If your movements are jerky or you twist your body, youmight be able to do one extra repetition, but there will beno bene t to training your muscles; moving incorrectlywill only help you complete the exercise.

These exercises can strain and exhaust the body. If youfeel pain, take a break. If the pain recedes in the restingstate, think about the underlying reason for it and try torepeat the exercise. Stop the exercise if the same painoccurs again and continue with the next thing in your

training plan. If the pain doesn’t subside while resting,end the training session and contact a doctor.

Exercises for the left and right sides of the body shouldalways be done at the same intensity; make sure yourtraining is balanced, and integrate all the large musclegroups into your training program.

BreathingIt is better to do the exercises at a fairly slow pace withsteady breathing. Don’t interrupt the rhythm of yourbreathing, as this leads to insu cient oxygen intake andconsiderable health risks. If you do rapid exercises at highintensity, breathe in on the way down and breathe out inthe exertion phase when stretching or straightening up.Continue with the same breath rate in all repetitions. Ifyou hold the ending position for some seconds, make sureyou are breathing consciously.

Execution of the ExerciseTake the starting position and do the exercise based onthe instructions provided. Do the number of repetitionsindicated for your performance level. Choose an intensitylevel where you are able to perform the repetitionstechnically correctly and without taking any wrongpositions or compensating movements. Even though anexercise is described for only one side of the body, alwaysstrengthen both sides.

Neck pulls strengthen the neck muscles.

The priority of these exercises for muscle strengtheningis marked high (++) or low (+).

Strengthening:++ Chest muscles

+ Lower arms, front shoulders, lower back,stomach, rear upper-arm muscles

Starting PositionRest with your hands on the oor and your toes or lowerlegs on an exercise ball. Hold your hands apart atshoulder width with your ngers pointing up. Tense yourabdominal muscles and the muscles of your buttocks tostabilize your back, and pull your shoulder back anddown. Your head and eyes point to the floor.

ExecutionBend your arms until your upper body nearly touches theoor. Your elbows stay close to your body. Next, stretch

your arms and move back into the starting position. Keepyour entire body tensed, and make sure that your backstays straight.

VariantsIf you don’t have an exercise ball, you can rest your toeson an object of medium height, but this will reduce theintensity of training.

A–B: The starting and ending positions.

C–F: Rowing pushups.

Pushups on the sts help stabilize the wrists. Doing stpushups on an exercise ball is very intensive.

Advanced athletes can strengthen the hand muscles with

pushups on the inner and outer edges of the hands.Advanced athletes can also do pushups on the ngers; thehigher the performance level is, the fewer ngers areused.

You can also train explosive strength by thrusting withyour hands out of the low push-up position and clappingyour hands in the air.

Another very intensive variant is to do the exercise ondumbbells and combine it with rowing. Start with theplanned number of repetitions in a rowing motion on theright side, then on the left, and finally as pushups.

Strengthening:++ Upper back, front upper-arm muscles

+ Shoulder, stomach, hand muscles

Starting PositionHang on a pull-up bar. Your arms are close to each other,and the palms of your hands point forward. Your bodyposture is straight, and your stomach muscles are tensed.

ExecutionPull yourself up with an even movement until your chin isabove the bar. In the process of the movement, bring yourelbows to your ribs. Brie y hold the ending position

before you slowly return to the starting position. Loweryour body only so far that your arms are still slightlybent, and avoid any compensating movement, such asraising your shoulders.

VariantsYou can also grip the bar at shoulder width with the backof your hands facing forward. A very e ective variant ispulling yourself several yards up a rope. You can achievea similar e ect if you put a towel around a high object,grab the ends of the towel, and pull yourself up.

A–C: Pull-up sequence.

Strengthening:++ Upper back muscles

+ Neck, rear shoulder, front upper-arm muscles

Starting PositionTake a lunge step and support yourself with one hand onan exercise ball, another object, or your front thigh. Yourother arm hangs down with a dumbbell held in that hand,your palm pointing toward your body. Your back isstraight, and the muscles of your stomach and buttocksare tensed.

ExecutionPull your elbow up as far as possible to the rear and closeto your body. Next, lower your arm slowly, but not to fullextension. Repeat the exercise. Avoid compensatingmovements of the upper body and shoulder, and makesure your upper body is straight.

VariantsAdvanced athletes can row with both arms and the upperbody bent forward. To do this, hold a barbell at shoulderwidth, or hold two dumbbells in corresponding positions.At the end of the movement, pull your elbows up and tothe rear, and move your shoulder blades toward oneanother. Your back should remain immobile in theprocess. Make sure that your abdominal muscles remaintensed.

A–B: The starting and ending positions.

C: Rowing with both arms.

Strengthening:++ Shoulder muscles, especially the lateral parts

+ Neck, rear upper-arm muscles

Starting PositionSit upright on an exercise ball or a chair. Your arms arein the air, elbows pointing away from your body, yourhead between the dumbbells. Hold the dumbbells withyour thumbs pointing to one another. Tense yourabdominal and buttock muscles.

ExecutionLift the dumbbells to a position next to each otherwithout changing the position of your hands. Next, moveyour arms slowly back into the starting position beforerepeating the exercise. Avoid pushing your head forward,avoid compensating movements to the front or rear withthe dumbbells, and make sure your back is straight.

VariantsThe exercise can be done in a standing position or with along bar instead of dumbbells. The handstand push-up is agood alternative. Put your hands against a stable wall andraise your stretched legs. In a nearly vertical position,bend your arms until your head is close to the oor. Next,stretch your arms up again.

A–B: The starting and ending positions.

C: The handstand push-up.

Strengthening:++ Neck and jaw muscles

Starting PositionHold a cable between your teeth with several weightplates attached to it. Slightly bend your head to the frontand tense your abdominal and buttock muscles.

ExecutionSlowly raise the back of your head. Next, lower your headagain and repeat the exercise. Make slow and evenmovements, and don’t use too much weight, as you coulddamage your teeth.

VariantsThe exercise can also be done with the weight on the backof the head. Other variants are putting tension on thepalms or against a towel, which allow you strengthen theneck muscles from the rear, front, and side. These variantsdon’t train the jaw muscles, however.

A–B: Tension on the back of the neck.

C: Tension against the towel.

Strengthening:++ Thigh muscles, particularly the front thigh

muscles, glutes, back muscles+ Calves, front of the upper arm, lower arm, back

muscles

Starting PositionTake a lunge step. Your rear leg rests on your toes, orplace your instep on an object. Hold dumbbells in yourhands or a weight such as a punching bag. Tense yourabdominal muscles, and keep your upper body straight.

ExecutionBend your knees as much as possible, but don’t rest themon the oor and don’t change the position of your feet.Make sure that your front knee remains above your footand doesn’t move to the front or side. Next, stretch yourlegs and repeat the exercise.

VariantsAdvanced athletes can rest the front foot on a moveablesurface such as a balance board or a balance cushion.

A–C: Lunge step sequence.

Strengthening:++ Thigh muscles, especially the front part of the

thighs, and glutes+ Calves, upper and lower arm, back muscles

Starting PositionStand upright with slightly bent knees. Your feet areslightly farther apart than the width of your shoulders,and they point slightly to the sides. Hold a weight, forexample a punching bag, in front of your body with yourlower arms. Tense your abdominal muscles and glutes and

keep your back straight.

ExecutionBend your knees until your thighs are slightly belowhorizontal. In the process, shift your buttocks backward.Brie y hold the ending position, tense your leg muscles atfull strength, and breathe evenly. Next, stretch your legsand raise your heels at the end of the movement. Makesure that your knees remain above your feet and don’tmove to the front or side. Then do a repetition.

VariantsBeginners should do the exercise with a limited range ofmotion or without a weight. You can vary the weight byholding the punching bag on your shoulder or by usingdumbbells.

A–C: The sequence for squats.

Strengthening:++ Thigh muscles, particularly the front part of the

thighs, glutes+ Calf, abdominal, lower back muscles

Starting PositionStand upright with slightly bent knees. Your feet are apartat about shoulder width, and they point slightly to thesides. Hold your arms up in front of your body. Tenseyour abdominal muscles and glutes.

ExecutionBend your knees until your thighs are slightly belowhorizontal, and at the same time push your buttocksbackward. Next, jump up and deliver a knee kick. Afterthat, return to the bent-knee position and repeat theexercise. Make sure your execution of the exercise iscontrolled and that your knees stay above your feet whilebending.

VariantsAdvanced athletes can vary the jump to do a ying kick orelbow and st techniques. The knee bend can also be

done with one leg. Another training variant is to do thejump while on a tire.

A–C: The sequence for jumping out of the squat.

D: Doing the variant exercise on a tire.

Strengthening:++ Thigh muscles, particularly the front part of the

thighs, glutes, calf muscles+ Abdominal and lower back muscles

Starting PositionTake a lunge step, and then raise one leg up in the airbehind you. For a stable stance, distribute your weight onthe ball of the foot, the outer edge of the foot, and theheel. Your arms form an easy guard in front of your body.Tense your abdominal muscles and glutes.

ExecutionBend the knee of your pivot leg until your thigh is slightlybelow horizontal, and push your buttocks backward at thesame time. Next, stretch your pivot leg in an explosivemotion while delivering a push kick with your other leg.Then repeat the exercise. Make sure that your knee staysabove your foot and that your leg muscles arecontinuously activated during the bend.

VariantsThe kick can be into the air or against a punching bag.Beginners do the knee bend with both legs. Advancedathletes can deliver ying kicks. Other options are kneekicks and round kicks.

A–C: The sequence of kicking out of a one-legged squat.

Strengthening:++ Rear thigh muscles, glutes

+ Front thigh, lower back muscles

Starting PositionLie on your back with your legs nearly stretched out andyour heels on an exercise ball. Your hands are relaxedand rest on the oor. Tense your abdominal muscles andglutes, and tense your heels somewhat into the ball. Liftyour pelvis so that your thigh and your back form a line.

ExecutionRoll the ball with your heels in the direction of yourbuttocks and keep raising your pelvis. Stop brie y in theending position before you roll the ball back to thestarting position. Make sure your movements are even andyour buttocks are tensed.

VariantsAdvanced athletes can do the exercise with one leg. If youdon’t have an exercise ball, put your heels on a towelspread out on a smooth oor. As an alternative, take smallsteps with your heels in the direction of your buttockswhile your pelvis remains elevated.

A–B: Rolling the exercise ball.

C: The one-legged variant for advanced athletes.

Strengthening:++ Front and lateral abdominal muscles

Starting PositionLie on your back with your legs bent or stretched andyour heels on the oor. Your hands are at your temples.During the exercise, push your heels against the oor

slightly so that your back isn’t hollow.

ExecutionRaise your upper body slowly and don’t develop anymomentum so that the entire motion is controlled by yourabdominal muscles. Turn to the left and to the rightbefore you lower your upper body. Don’t rest your bodyon the oor but rather repeat the exercise to ensurecontinued muscle tension.

VariantsYou can intensify the exercise by holding a medicine ballor a weight disc in your hands. The exercise can also bedone on an exercise ball.

A–C: The sequence for crunches with turns.

Strengthening:++ Front abdominal muscles, particularly the

sloping muscles+ Lateral abdominal muscles

Starting PositionLie on your back with your hands at your temples. Raiseyour head with your arms and legs o the oor to buildtension in your body.

ExecutionMove your upper body to the right while pulling yourright knee and your left elbow toward each other. Next,return slowly to the starting position, but don’t rest yourbody on the floor. Alternate by raising your upper body tothe right and left until you have completed the plannednumber of repetitions. Avoid swinging motions andhollowing your back.

VariantsYou can also start by doing the rst half of the plannednumber of repetitions to one side before you continuewith the remaining repetitions on the other side. For

higher intensity, hold your arms stretched upward in thestarting position.

A–C: The beetle.

Strengthening:++ Front abdominal muscles

+ Lateral abdominals, shoulder, lower back, frontthigh muscles

Starting PositionLie on your stomach with your shins resting on anexercise ball. Shift your weight to your lower arms so thatyour elbows are below your shoulder joints. Tense yourabdominal muscles and glutes.

ExecutionPush your upper body up until your back is straight andyour legs are stretched. Tense your lower legs and elbowsagainst each other, and concentrate on the activity of yourabdominal muscles. Depending on your performance level,hold the ending position for twenty to sixty seconds. Makesure your breathing is even and that your back isn’thollow. Static execution over several seconds correspondsto one set of dynamic exercises.

VariantsAdvanced athletes can support themselves with their toes

on the ball. You can also alternate by raising one leg. Ifyou don’t have an exercise ball, rest your toes on the flooror on an object of medium height, although this lowersthe intensity of the exercise.

A–B: The starting and ending positions.

Strengthening:++ Lateral abdominal muscles

+ Front abdominals, outer thighs, lower back,shoulder muscles

Starting PositionLie on your side and support yourself with your forearmpositioned under your shoulder. The side of your pelvisand lower leg are resting on the oor. Tense your forearmand your foot against each other.

ExecutionRaise your pelvis and your thigh so that only the outsideof your foot is touching the oor. Brie y hold the endingposition before your pelvis moves down but don’t let itrest on the oor. Next, repeat the exercise. Make sureyour breathing is even and avoid compensatingmovements such as twisting your upper body.

VariantsYou can intensify the exercise by raising your upper legand your upper arm. Very advanced athletes do theexercise with the outside of the foot or the forearm on anexercise ball.

A–B: The starting and ending positions.

C: Higher intensity achieved by raising the arm and the leg.

Strengthening:++ Shoulders, lower back, rear thigh muscles

+ Abdominal muscles, glutes

Starting PositionLie on your back with your heels on the oor. Supportyour weight with your forearms so that your elbows arebelow your shoulders. Tense your abdominal muscles andglutes.

ExecutionRaise your upper body until your back is straight andyour legs are stretched. Tense your heels and elbowsagainst each other and concentrate on the activity of yourcore muscles. Hold the ending position for twenty to sixtyseconds. Make sure your breathing is even and that yourback isn’t hollow. Static execution over several secondscorresponds to one set of dynamic exercises.

VariantsAn alternate for advanced athletes is to raise each leg inturn and hold them brie y in the ending position. Veryadvanced athletes place their feet on an exercise ball. As avariant you can do the exercise with outstretched arms.Concentrate on tensioning your hands and feet againsteach other without any movement.

A–B: The starting and ending positions.

C: Higher intensity using the exercise ball.

Strengthening:++ Lower back muscles

+ Neck, rear shoulder muscles, rear thigh muscles

Starting PositionLie with your stomach on an exercise ball. Your handsand feet are on the oor, and your head hangs freely.Tense your abdominal muscles and glutes.

ExecutionRaise your head, left arm, and right leg at the same time.Raise your arm higher than your head, with your foreheadremaining parallel to the oor. Depending on yourperformance level, the exercise will take twenty to sixtyseconds. Make sure your breathing is even and that yourabdominal muscles are tensed. Next, do the exercise withthe right arm and the left leg. Holding this positioncorresponds to one set of dynamic exercises.

VariantsAdvanced athletes use only one hand or foot for support.Very advanced athletes don’t require any point of support.If you don’t have an exercise ball, you can do the exerciseon the floor, but this decreases the intensity.

A–B: The Superman sequence.

C: Intensifying the exercise.

Strengthening:++ Front and lateral abdominals, chest, rear upper

arm, lower back muscles+ Shoulders, front thigh muscles

Starting PositionStart in push-up position with your shins positioned on anexercise ball. Put your weight on your hands so that theyare beneath your shoulder joints. Tense your abdominalmuscles and glutes, with your shoulders down and to theback, and keep your back straight.

ExecutionPull your stretched legs toward your chest, thereby rollingthe exercise ball forward. Your buttocks move up duringthe process. Brie y hold this position. Next, roll the ballback into the starting position and do a push-up. Thenrepeat the exercise. Make sure that pulling in the legs andthe pushup are done in one uid motion and that yourback remains straight or slightly arched upward.

VariantsYou can simplify the exercise by pulling in your kneesrather than your extended legs. If you don’t have anexercise ball, you can rest your feet on a folded towel onan even surface to do the exercise.

A–C: The sequence of leg pulls and pushups.

Strengthening:++ Thigh muscles, particularly the front part of the

thighs, chest muscles, glutes+ Calves, front of the shoulders, rear upper-arm

muscles

Starting PositionStand upright with slightly bent knees. Your feet areslightly farther apart than shoulder width, and they pointslightly outward. Your hands hang freely at the sides ofyour body.

ExecutionFirst, bend your knees as your heels rise, and place yourpalms on the oor in front of you. Then jump back withyour feet into the push-up position and do a push-up.Next, jump back to the front, and nally back into thestarting position. Then repeat the exercise. Make sure thatyour motion is uid and that your knees don’t move in orout.

VariantsThe exercise can be intensi ed by stretching your arms

above your head during the jump and by holding anexercise ball in your hands.

A–D: The sequence of squats and pushups.

Strengthening:++ Lower back, thigh muscles, glutes

+ Forearm, upper back, front and rear upper arms,calves, chest, neck muscles

Starting PositionStand upright with knees slightly bent. Your feet areslightly farther apart than shoulder width, and they pointoutward. On the oor between your legs is a punchingbag. Bend your knees while shifting your buttocksbackward and grab the punching bag. Tense yourabdominal muscles and glutes, and keep your backstraight.

ExecutionLift the punching bag while stretching your legs. Rest thepunching bag brie y on your shoulder, and continue bylifting the bag into the air. Next, return the bag to theshoulder position before you put it back on the oor in acontrolled sequence of motion. Make sure that yourabdominal muscles remain continuously tensed and thatyour back stays straight. Follow up with a repetition.

VariantsBeginners can use a medicine ball for the exercise. Veryadvanced athletes don’t rest the bag on the oor or ontheir shoulder. As an alternative you can do the exercisewith a barbell. Hold onto the barbell with a wide grip.

A–C: The sequence of lifting the punching bag.

6. WorkoutsThis section describes workouts that can be performed insolo training. Use these workouts as inspiration for yourtraining plans and adapt them to your own requirements.The more speci cally the training plan is adapted to yourrequirements, the better your results in training will be.

The workouts include a warming-up phase, a main part,and a cooling-down phase. First, you have to warm up bydoing a warm-up exercise such as jogging or skippingrope at low intensity. Next, do some stretching and loosenup. Depending on your experience, decide whether you’llstretch dynamically or statically. In the main part,concentrate on training in techniques, stamina, orstrength. You can start out with the workout programprovided and adapt the sequence and type of exercises toyour own needs. Finish the training with a cooling-downphase. This could be some light rope-skipping beforesome nal stretching of the muscles that are prone toshortening.

These workouts are kept relatively short to allow you todo many repetitions, to reduce the strain on your body,and to shorten the time the body requires forregeneration. You can intensify the workouts byincreasing the number of rounds or sets as well as theintensity; you can also reduce the intensity. It is alsopossible to exchange the exercises for others for greatervariety in the workouts. Don’t repeat the same workouttwo days in a row.

You should skip training completely one day a week,especially if you train at high intensity the other days ofthe week, regardless of the type of training you’re doing.Make sure to change up your training program after atraining cycle of six to twelve weeks so that your bodyfaces continually changing demands and so that yourperformance doesn’t stagnate. When you set up a trainingprogram, take into consideration the time needed for

regeneration before the next training session. Whenorganizing your workouts, keep in mind that each musclegroup must be strengthened intensively at least once aweek to maintain your performance level.

Workout A: Training in Techniques

This program can be used for your individual Muay Thaitraining. If you don’t have a punching bag available,extend your shadowboxing. In your training, you shouldimagine that you are fighting a real opponent.

Initially warm up the body with light rope-skipping,followed by stretching and loosening exercises. Next,continue with repetitions of a Muay Thai kata, followedby training in techniques in shadowboxing and on apunching bag. In shadowboxing and punching bagtraining, it is best to train in a combination sequence inthe rst rounds. Choose one or two sequences and

practice them in the course of one round. In the lastround, train by instinct. Next, continue with speedtraining. Practice speci c st, elbow, kick, and kneetechniques in sequence. Swift execution with power andwithout breaks is important. Follow up with body-weightexercises, pushups, sit-ups, and the Superman exercise.Select exercises that are particular useful for yourtraining. Skip rope at di erent speeds for ten to twentyminutes. Training concludes with slow rope-skippingalong with stretching and loosening-up exercises.

Workout B: Stamina Training

This workout can be done on a running track in a stadiumor outside. The exercises require a heart-rate monitor.Don’t overestimate your performance level, or you’ll bevery tired in your next Muay Thai training. This programis a suggestion for the structure of your training in

running; adapt it to your requirements. Start at Level 1with the main training at basic stamina intensity. Onceyou have reached a satisfactory level in one area, you canmove to the next level.

Start by warming up the body with a light jog, followedup with stretching and loosening exercises. Once yourbody is warmed up, do the runs at increasing speeds. Theruns comprise continuous changes between fast and slow,and they train the body to return quickly to a normalheart rate. Don’t run at full speed; 80 percent is su cient.Advanced athletes do sprints and four-hundred-yard runs.Between sprints they take a break of one to two minutes,and between four-hundred-yard runs they take two tothree minutes. This break means a continuation of the runat very low speed, but not at complete rest. The training isdone at tness stamina intensity and basic staminaintensity. Finally, wind up the program by jogging at avery slow pace and stretching and loosening.

Workout C: Strength Training

Warm-up exercises and stretching1. K1: Intensive PushUps, with or without an exercise

ball2. K2: Pull-Ups or Pull-Ups on a Rope, or K3: Dumbbell

Rowing3. K4: Overhead Press or Handstand PushUps4. K7: Squats, or K6: Lunge Steps

5. K10: The Shoulder Bridge, with or without an exerciseball

6. K11: Crunches with Turns, with or without an exerciseball, or K12: The Beetle

7. K16: The Superman, with or without an exercise ballCooling-down exercise and stretching

Beginners: 2 sets, 10–20 repetitions per setK2: 10–15 repetitions per setK16: 20–40 seconds per set

Advanced athletes: 3 sets, 10–20 repetitions per setK16: 40–60 seconds per set

Workout C: K1, K2, K4, K7, K10, K11, K16

Workout D: Punching Power

Warm-up exercises and stretching

1 . K1: PushUps with hand-clapping

2. K1: PushUps with an exercise ball

3. K3: Dumbbell Rowing, or K2: Pull-Ups or Pull-Ups ona Rope

4. K4: Overhead Press or Handstand PushUps5. K19: Lifting the Punching Bag, or K6: Lunge Steps6. K13: The Plank, with or without an exercise ball, or

K12: The Beetle7. K15: The Reverse Plank, with or without an exercise

ballCooling-down exercise and stretching

Beginners: 2 sets, 10–20 repetitions per setK13, K15: 20–40 seconds per set

Advanced athletes: 3 sets, 10–20 repetitions per setK13, K15: 40–60 seconds per set

Workout D: K1, K1, K3, K4, K19, K13, K15

Workout E: Explosive Kicks

Warm-up exercises and stretching1. K8: Jumping out of a Squat

2. K9: Kicking out of a One-Legged Squat3. K18: Squats and PushUps

4. K6: Lunge Steps5. K10: The Shoulder Bridge, with or without an exercise

ballCooling-down exercise and stretching

Beginners: 2 sets, 5–10 repetitions per setK10: 10–20 repetitions per set

Advanced athletes: 3 sets, 10–20 repetitions per set

Workout E: K8, K9, K18, K6, K10

Workout F: Building Resilience

Warm-up exercises and stretching

1. K18: Squats and PushUps

2. K2: Pull-Ups or Pull-Ups on a Rope, or K3: DumbbellRowing

3. K5: Neck Pulls, with weights, a resistance band, or atowel

4. K17: Leg Pulls and PushUps, or K12: The Beetle5. K13: The Plank, with or without an exercise ball6. K14: The Lateral Plank, with or without an exercise

ball7. K15: The Reverse Plank, with or without an exercise

ballCooling-down exercise and stretching

Beginners: 2 sets, 10–15 repetitions per setK13, K15: 20–40 seconds per set

Advanced athletes: 3 sets, 15–30 repetitions per setK13, K15: 40–60 seconds per set

Workout F: K18, K2, K5, K17, K13, K14, K15

Khru Pit holds a pad for Sok Tee.

1. Introduction to TechniquesIn a competition, both competitors usually have a similarlevel of technical skill and physical performance. To end acompetition in your favor, you need an advantage, whichyou can acquire with the help of the techniques describedin this chapter. World Champions Nonsai, Kem, andSaiyok rst demonstrate the combinations they use intraining to create the patterns of action for a ght. Kemand Saiyok then introduce some of their best countertechniques, which they use successfully in their ghts.Next, the most important feints are explained, because asuccessful feint can lead to a quick end to a ght. Withthe help of the combinations, counter techniques, andfeints discussed below, you can acquire an edge over youropponent.

Always change things up in a ght. Study youropponent, get to know his or her patterns of action, andcounter e ectively. Apply pressure with combinations anduse feints to generate a defense reaction. Put all of thetechniques described here to the test and perfect those

that are best suited to your ght style. Practice themrepeatedly in club training and also in solo training. Touse a technique successfully, you have to learn it by heart.Continue adding new techniques to your repertoire tokeep improving your fight style.

Additional information can be found on the DVDs MuayThai: Training and Techniques (2013) and Muay Thai:Training with World Champions: Saiyok and Kem (2013).

Khru Pit trains Nonsai’s kicks.

Fight Strategies: An Interview withTrainer Khru Pit

This interview took place in Bangkok in 2012.

Christoph Delp: Which ght strategies do yourecommend against di erent types of ghters?What strategy do you recommend against aclincher?Khru Pit: You have to keep your opponent at baywith a lot of punches and front push kicks to thestomach and legs. You also have to deliver powerfulround kicks so that your opponent isn’t able to useknee kicks. It’s important to stay calm and toconcentrate on the ght. A clincher will becomemore and more careless while pushing forward toapply a grip. You have to wait for the right momentto deliver an uppercut elbow to the chin, which willoften result in a knockout.

What strategy do you recommend against adistance fighter?

Against a distance ghter, you have to bridge thedistance while not getting careless. Kicks have to beblocked from a stable stance before you follow upwith powerful punches, kicks, and knees. Onceyou’re close to your opponent, you mustn’t let go,and follow if the opponent attempts to dodge.

What strategy do you recommend against atricky or unfair opponent?It’s important to stay calm. Don’t get rattled or letyour opponent’s conduct impress you. Above all, actfull of con dence, stick to your own style, and don’tbe swayed by any provocation. The spectators andthe referee will comment and react to youropponent’s style. Even if you get spit at, don’t letyourself be provoked. You have to impress theaudience with the consistent assertion of your ownfight style.

What strategy do you recommend against a fastand aggressively approaching opponent?The most important thing in this case is very secureprotection and defense. Pay particular attention toyour guard. An opponent who approachesaggressively will become slower and less powerfulduring the course of the ght. If your opponent’s

pressure subsides in the third round, for example,you can become more active and take command ofthe fight.

What strategy do you recommend against asouthpaw?I make sure that my ghters frequently change theirstance in training. That way they have no di cultychanging their stance or ghting a southpaw.Athletes have to be able to change their stance to bemore variable and to surprise the opponent.

Do you have any special tips for an athlete to besuccessful in a fight?On the day of the ght, athletes have to get a gripon their nerves. Prior to the start of the ght, bemindful of your breathing, calm down, andconcentrate. Avoid hasty attacks. In Thailand we say“sabai, sabai” (“relax”).

2. CombinationsCombinations teach the swift delivery of consecutiveattacking techniques. These are studied in shadowboxing,

on training equipment, and with a training partner.Combinations must be practiced repeatedly, because in a

ght situation there is no time to think about theappropriate technique or how techniques can becombined. Only the techniques and combinations that youhave frequently trained in and that you are able to useinstinctively can be used in a fight.

Professional athletes also train in combinations to setup a pattern of action for a competition. A selection ofcombinations is made once the opponent is known andthat person’s strong and weak points have been analyzed.

The following section introduces combinations thatThai boxers Nonsai, Kem, and Saiyok often include intheir training. You can practice these combinations atyour club or in solo training. It is best to do one or twosequences in the course of a round in training. Nonsaiand Kem ght in the conventional stance and Saiyok inthe southpaw stance. If you ght with a stance opposite towhat’s shown in the images, you should reverse left andright in the instructions.

Kem demonstrates a powerful elbow technique. He is considered one of the best

elbow fighters.

List of Combinations

Nonsai 1: front straight punch (left), rear rotating elbow(right), pulling in and rear knee kick (right)

Nonsai 2: front straight punch (left), rear straight punch(right), pulling in and rear knee kick (left)

Nonsai 3: front side hook (left), rear round kick (right),push kick (left)

Nonsai 4: front straight punch (left), rear straight punch(right), change of stance, rear round kick (left), rearknee kick (right)

Kem 1: rear straight punch (right), side hook (left), kneekick with pulling (right)

Kem 2: rear round kick (right), change of stance, rearknee kick (left), rear elbow hit (right)

Kem 3: change of stance, rear round kick (left), rear kneekick (left), rear knee kick (right), release with a pushkick (right)

Kem 4: rear body punch (right), front side hook (left),rear low kick (right), rear rotating elbow (right),pulling in and rear knee kick (left)

Saiyok 1: front straight punch (right), front push kick(right), rear round kick (left)

Saiyok 2: rear straight punch (left), front rotating elbow(right), rear knee kick (right)

Saiyok 3: rear round kick (left), front reverse elbow(right), rear rotating elbow (right)

Saiyok 4: front straight punch (right), front uppercutelbow (left), rear rotating elbow (right), rear knee kick(right)

Nonsai: Combination 1Nonsai demonstrates the combination of a front straightpunch, rotating elbow, and knee kick while pulling in hisopponent. From the ght position, Nonsai steps forwardto bridge the distance. In the process, he delivers a frontstraight punch. He follows promptly with a rotating elbowfrom the rear. Next, he pulls in the trainer with the aim oflanding an effective knee kick.

Nonsai: Combination 2Nonsai frequently uses the combination of a front straightpunch, rear straight punch, and knee kick. He starts thecombination with a small step forward and a front straightpunch. He then promptly continues with a powerful

straight punch from the rear. Next, he changes his stanceby jumping back with his front leg. He grabs his opponentand finishes with a powerful knee kick from the rear.

An alternative is to perform the knee kick with the otherleg, which does not require an initial change of stance.

Nonsai: Combination 3Another combination, made up of three techniques, that’soften used by Nonsai: a side hook, a round kick, and apush kick. He starts from the ght position with a stepforward and delivers a side hook with his front st. Hethen continues with a powerful kick from the rear beforehe leaves the fight distance with a front push kick.

Nonsai: Combination 4Nonsai demonstrates the combination of a front straightpunch, a rear straight punch, a round kick, and a kneekick. He starts from the ght position with thecombination of front and rear straight punch. He jumps

back with his front leg and uses this leg for a powerfulkick. Then he puts down his kicking foot in front of him,following up with a knee kick from the rear and at thesame time pulling in the trainer.

As an alternate change of stance prior to the kick, youcan also place your rear leg on the oor in front of you.This maneuver is particularly useful if your opponent ismoving back.

Kem: Combination 1Kem recommends training in the combination of a rearstraight punch, a side hook, and a knee kick. From the

ght position, he starts with a powerful straight punchfrom the rear. He promptly follows up with a front sidehook, putting his weight behind the strike. Now he grabshis opponent diagonally with his rear hand and pulls himin for an effective knee kick from the rear.

As an alternative, you can also perform the kneetechnique without a prior grip.

Kem: Combination 2Kem frequently uses the combination of a round kick, aknee kick, and an elbow strike. From the ght stance, hestarts with a round kick from the rear. He places hiskicking leg on the oor in front and delivers a prompt

knee kick with his other leg. During the knee kick, he pullsthe trainer toward him. Next, he places his foot on theoor in front of him and continues with a rotating elbow

from the rear.As an alternative, you can also nish the combination

with an uppercut elbow.

Kem: Combination 3Kem recommends training in the combination of a roundkick, left and right knee, and release with a push kick. Hestarts the combination with a change of stance, for whichhe jumps back with his front leg. Then he promptlycontinues with a powerful round kick with this leg. Heplaces his kicking leg on the oor behind him andcontinues with a knee kick from this position. He thenputs his kicking leg on the oor in front of him andfollows up with a knee kick with his other leg. Kem

nishes the combination sequence by releasing himselfwith a push kick.

For the change of stance, you can either jump back withyour front leg or move your rear leg quickly to the front.

Kem: Combination 4Kem shows a combination sequence made up of vetechniques: a body punch, a side hook, a low kick, arotating elbow, and a knee kick while pulling in. From the

ght position, Kem steps forward and carries out a rearstraight punch to the opponent’s body. He continues witha front side hook and a low kick from the rear. Then hereturns his kicking leg to the oor behind him and

delivers a rotating elbow from this position. Next, hechanges his stance and nishes the sequence with a kneekick.

Make sure to carry out the sequence quickly but nothastily. Each technique must be delivered with power andbe technically correct. In the process, you must alwaysmaintain a stable standing position.

Saiyok: Combination 1Saiyok frequently uses combinations comprising a frontstraight punch, a front push kick, and a round kick. Bear

in mind that Saiyok is ghting in a southpaw stance andthat he is leading with his right hand in his startingposition. If you ght with a conventional stance, use thesequence with the sides reversed. He starts with a stepforward and a front straight punch. Next, he createsdistance from his opponent with a front push kick. Heplaces his foot on the oor in front and follows with apowerful round kick from the rear.

When you deliver the combination of a straight punchand a push kick, you have to be especially mindful ofmaintaining a stable stance.

Saiyok: Combination 2Saiyok recommends training in the combination of a rearstraight punch, a rotating elbow, and a knee kick. As avariant of the rotating elbow, he uses a reverse elbow,which he delivers to the target from below without prior

rotation. Saiyok is in a southpaw position and starts witha rear straight punch. Next, he takes one step forward inthe direction of the trainer and delivers a rotating elbow.He nishes the sequence by pulling in the trainer anddelivering a powerful knee kick from the rear.

Saiyok: Combination 3Saiyok uses the combination of a round kick from therear, a front reverse elbow without rotation, and arotating elbow. He is in a southpaw position and beginswith a swift round kick from the rear. He then returns thekicking leg to the rear. He twists his body slightly to theleft and continues with a reverse elbow. The combinationfinishes with a rotating elbow from the rear.

Saiyok: Combination 4Saiyok demonstrates a combination comprising four steps:a front straight punch, an uppercut elbow, a rotatingelbow, and a knee kick. From the ght position, Saiyokmoves forward with his front foot and delivers a front

straight punch. In direct sequence, he continues with anuppercut elbow with this arm. Next, he uses a rotatingelbow from the rear, and nishes with a powerful kneekick.

For swift execution, it is important to deliver theuppercut elbow immediately after the punch without rstretracting your arm.

3. Counter TechniquesCounter techniques are always a combination of defenseand attacking techniques. Either you prevent the successof your opponent’s technique by using a quickertechnique, or you use a defense technique beforecontinuing with a swift counter. Your opponent will needto be hit e ectively to stop the subsequent technique.Always try to counter after a defense; otherwise youropponent can continue to attack with new techniques.

Generally speaking, counter techniques are moresuccessful when they require fewer steps to implement.Some trainers teach techniques with many steps, andalthough the use of these techniques is theoreticallypossible, in a real ght they are very rare. A ghter won’twait until you’ve nished your counter technique but willtry to interrupt it as quickly as possible.

Counter techniques have to be practiced again andagain to perfect the timing for competition. You willgradually be able to carry out the techniques faster, withmore power, and with better timing until you succeed inusing them instinctively in a fight. It doesn’t make sense totrain in a large number of counter techniques for shortperiods; if you do not perfect the techniques in training,you won’t be able to deliver them in ght. Professionalathletes train in counter techniques in each trainingsession and improve their skills in this way. Once you findout who your next opponent will be, your trainer willstart training you in counters speci cally adapted to youropponent’s conduct in a fight.

This section presents some of the best counters fromWorld Champions Saiyok and Kem. Use these techniques,which are frequently employed by both athletes, tobecome a versatile ghter that your opponents won’t beable to gure out. You can watch more techniques inmotion on the DVDs Muay Thai: Counter against Fist and LegTechniques (2012) and Muay Thai: Counter against Elbow,Knee and Clinch Techniques (2012).

The Muay Thai stars Kem Sitsongpeenong and Saiyok Pumphanmuang/Windysport.

Practice some counter techniques in each trainingsession, agreeing on the attacking and counter techniqueswith your training partner. Your partner attacks you withthe same attacking techniques for some minutes while youdefend and counter. To avoid injury to your partner, don’tperform the techniques with full power. The technicalexecution of the techniques must be completely correct,however, or they won’t often be successful. Next, switchroles and attack your training partner.

In the images below, keep in mind that Saiyok isghting in a southpaw position, and Kem is in a

conventional stance. If you use the opposite stance,reverse the sides shown.

The Muay Thai stars Kem Sitsongpeenong and Saiyok Pumphanmuang/Windysport.

List of Counters

Saiyok 1: Counter against a PunchSaiyok 2: Counter against an ElbowSaiyok 3: Counter against a Round KickSaiyok 4: Counter against a Push KickSaiyok 5: Counter against a Knee KickSaiyok 6: Counter in a ClinchKem 1: Counter against a PunchKem 2: Counter against an ElbowKem 3: Counter against a Round KickKem 4: Counter against a Push KickKem 5: Counter against a Knee KickKem 6: Counter in a Clinch

Saiyok uses this counter against an opponentwho uses a lot of punches.

ExecutionWait for the right timing, and dodge the punch by leaningback. Once you are able to identify an imminent powerfulstraight punch at an early stage, lean to the outside to getclose to your opponent. Follow up with a rotating elbowwhile shifting your weight forward. Alternately, you can

deflect the punch with your opposite hand to the outside.

A–D: Saiyok’s opponent (left) attacks with the combination ofa front and a rear straight punch. Saiyok initially leans backand then to the side. Finally, he follows up with a rotatingelbow.

Saiyok uses this counter against a rotatingelbow, side elbow, or uppercut elbow.

ExecutionDefend yourself by stepping back with your rear foot andleaning back with your upper body. Pay attention toprotecting your head and swift execution of the move.Follow up from the rear with a kick to the inside of theleg. As a variant, you can take a large step to the rear andlean back slightly, which will give you more distance fromyour opponent.

A–D: Saiyok defends by leaning back against a rotating elbow.He promptly follows with a low kick.

Saiyok uses a variety of counter techniquesagainst round kicks, and recommends thisvery effective counter.

ExecutionDefend yourself by kicking with the opposite leg to youropponent’s pivot leg. Deliver the side kick swiftly and leanback with your upper body. Your opponent loses balanceand the attack stops. Your opponent is now in anunfavorable position, and you can continue with moreattacking techniques. Be mindful of using good timing andyour balance in this counter.

A–D: The opponent attacks with a round kick. Saiyokrecognizes the impending technique at an early stage anddefends with a swift side kick to his opponent’s pivot leg.

Saiyok uses this counter against a front kickor a side kick to the leg or body.

ExecutionTo defend against a push kick, take a big step back. You

must be very fast. Your opponent will miss the target andbe in an unfavorable position, and you can follow up witha round kick from the rear. As a variant, you can alsofollow up with a straight punch, a knee kick, or a yingelbow.

A–D: The opponent attacks with a powerful push kick to theleg. Saiyok defends himself by taking a large step back andfollows with a round kick from the rear.

Saiyok recommends this counter against afront or rear knee kick from a distance.

Execution

Defend against the knee kick by taking a step to the frontwhile attacking your opponent with a front straight punch.Move swiftly and stretch your arm. You will stop youropponent’s technique and be able to continue with anattacking technique, such as a low kick. In a competition,aim the punch to the face; in training, push the palm ofyour hand slightly to your opponent’s chest.

A–D: The opponent attacks with a knee kick. Saiyok defendshimself with a front straight punch and follows with a low kick.

Saiyok uses this counter against anopponent’s grip in a clinch.

ExecutionPut one hand to your opponent’s chin, and use your otherhand to grab your opponent’s elbow. Next, push awayyour opponent’s chin, push up the elbow, and take a stepto the outside. Once you have released yourself from theclinch, you can continue with an e ective knee kick. It isimportant that the movements are carried out with speedand with a jerk.

A–D: The opponent has applied a powerful grip in a clinch.Saiyok releases himself by taking a step to the right andfollows up with a knee kick.

Kem uses this counter against a powerfulstraight punch from the rear.

ExecutionDe ect the straight punch to the outside with youropposite hand. Follow up with an uppercut elbow withyour other arm. Move forward in the process, and putyour weight behind it. The de ection and the countermust be done in a swift and even sequence. An alternativeis a counter with a knee kick from the rear.

A–D: Kem’s opponent (right) attacks with a rear straightpunch. Kem de ects the punch down and to the outside. Hepromptly follows with an uppercut elbow, for which he takes asmall step forward.

Kem uses this counter against a rotatingelbow or a side elbow.

ExecutionBlock the opponent’s attack with an uppercut elbow. Aimfor the center of the arm, as this will reduce the e ect ofthe opponent’s strike as much as possible. Shift yourweight forward in the process. Follow up with an elbowor knee kick from the other side of your body. For thecounter to succeed, it is important that you deliver theuppercut elbow quickly—without hesitation—from thefight position to the front.

A–D: Kem blocks a side elbow and follows up with an uppercutelbow with his other arm.

Kem demonstrates a technique that hefrequently uses against a round kick to theleg or the body.

ExecutionBlock the kick with your opposite shinbone, and payattention to maintaining a stable stance. Return your footto the oor. Next, you can follow up with a round kick ora straight punch from the rear. You can also pull in youropponent with your rear hand before you use a knee kick.As an alternative, you can also return your foot brie y tothe floor before you deliver a kick with this leg.

A–D: Kem blocks a kick and returns his foot to the oor infront of him. He then continues with a round kick from therear.

Kem often uses this counter against a pushkick to the body.

Execution

De ect the attack to the side so that your opponent willbe in an unfavorable position. You can do the de ectionwith your inner or outer hand. You can also take asimultaneous step back or to the outside. Depending onthe distance to your opponent, continue with a roundkick, a straight punch, or a knee kick. In this countertechnique, don’t hold on to your opponent’s kicking legbut deflect it to the outside in an even motion.

A–D: Kem de ects a push kick to the side. He now faces hisopponent’s back and can follow with an effective round kick.

Kem recommends this counter against a kneefrom a distance, such as a straight, lateral, orround knee kick.

ExecutionDefend against a knee kick by blocking it with a pushagainst the inside of the opponent’s thigh. In the process,make sure that your stance is stable, and keep your guardup. Next, return your foot to the oor in front of you andcontinue with a rotating elbow from the front or rear.

A–D: The opponent attacks Kem with a rear knee kick. Kemblocks it with a knee to his thigh. He grabs his opponent’s fronthand, pushes it down, and opens his guard. He then followswith an elbow to the unprotected side of his opponent’s head.

Kem uses this counter in a clinch situationagainst a knee kick from the outside.

ExecutionDefend against the attack by throwing your opponentalong in the direction of the kick. To do this, pull youropponent to the side with a jerk, bring in your weight,and step slightly back with your inner leg. Attack youropponent with a knee kick as your opponent is losingcontrol and falling to the side. In this counter, theimportant elements are using the right timing for thethrow as well as maintaining your own balance.

A–D: Kem throws his opponent in the direction of his kick andfollows up with a knee kick.

4. Misleading the OpponentUse feints to mislead and to tempt your opponent to leavea protective stance. Direct your feint to a speci c part ofthe body. As a result, your opponent will reduceprotection of another part of the body, which you canthen attack e ectively with your subsequent technique.Feints must be swift, and you have to keep your body in arelaxed state. If your feint is slow, your opponent will beable to stop your subsequent technique. A feint is oftencarried out as an incomplete move, and your opponentsu ers only a slight impact; the subsequent technique isdelivered with full power. Make your feints at a level orto the side of the body that is di erent from what youplan to attack for the follow-up technique. The goal is thatyour opponent will change his or her guard, enabling youto attack an unprotected part of the body with yoursubsequent technique. To achieve this, focus on the targetof the feint and not on the actual target of the follow-uptechnique.

Not all feints can be performed easily by all Thaiboxers. Test the feints and choose those that are bestsuited to your fight style. Train in feints until they becomeautomatic moves. Only a perfect feint will be successful ina fight, so it’s necessary to repeat time and again the feintsthat you’ve already learned in order to optimize theirtiming. The feints shown here can be carried out from thefront or rear side of the body. You can see the feints inmotion on the DVD Muay Thai: Training and Techniques(2012).

Feint Follow-up Technique

1. Straight punch Spinning elbow

2. Elbow hit Knee kick

3. Kick to the inside ofthe leg

Kick to the head with the sameleg

4. Round kick Push kick with the same leg

5. Round kick Side kick with the same leg

6. High kick Elbow hit

7. Push kick Straight punch

8. Push kick Elbow hit

9. Push kick to thebody

Round kick to the head with thesame leg

10. Push kick to the leg Knee kick

11. Knee kick Rotating elbow

12. Knee kick Spinning elbow

13. Knee kick in aclinch

Sweep

Follow-up technique: spinning elbow

ExecutionMislead the opponent with a straight punch or side hook.Move your foot on the same side of your body so that itpoints to the outside, and turn across this foot. Continuewith a spinning elbow. The strike can be aimed frombelow to the chin, or laterally from the outside to the jaw.If you feint with a left punch, turn clockwise and hit withyour right elbow. If you feint with a right punch, turncounterclockwise and hit with your left elbow.

A–D: Kem (left) feints with a straight punch. His opponenttries to defend against the punch and changes his guard. Kemsteps forward with his left foot, turns clockwise, and continueswith a spinning elbow.

Follow-up technique: knee kick

ExecutionFeint with the use of an elbow technique from the side. Ifyour opponent attempts to block your elbow with the

lower arms, attack with a knee kick to the center of thebody. You can use your pushing arm for a grip aroundyour opponent’s neck to pull your opponent in. The feintand the follow-up technique can be done from the frontor rear side of the body. You can also use the feint fromone side and continue with a knee kick from the otherside. Test the variations, and perfect the one that’s best foryou.

A–D: Armin (right) feints with an elbow from the rear. Hisopponent attempts to defend against the attack and changeshis guard. Armin promptly grabs his opponent’s neck, pulls himin, and delivers a powerful knee kick.

Follow-up technique: kick to the head withthe same leg

ExecutionStarting from the ght stance, deliver a fast kick to the

front inner part of your opponent’s leg. Slight impact withthe instep is su cient. Continue quickly with a powerfulround kick to the head. To achieve this, make a full turnof your hip and move your pivot leg farther back. Executethe move quickly to surprise your opponent, who willconcentrate on defense of the leg. Fighters usually deliverthe kick to the head without rst returning the foot to theoor. If you move really fast, you can brie y rest your

foot on the floor between kicks to generate momentum.

A–D: Kem feints with a low kick. His opponent tries to defendhimself with a block. Kem promptly follows with a round kick tothe head.

Follow-up technique: push kick with thesame leg

ExecutionFeint with a round kick so that your opponent is misled

into a corresponding defensive reaction. Instead of kickingall the way through, turn your leg in the move andsurprise your opponent with a push kick to the head orbody. Your leg does not return to the oor between thekicks. The feint is usually done with the rear leg, but it isalso possible with the front leg.

A–E: Kem starts with a round kick. His opponent raises his legto block the kick. In the course of the kicking motion, Kemturns his leg and makes impact with a push kick.

Follow-up technique: side kick with thesame leg

ExecutionMislead your opponent with a round kick to the body sothat your opponent raises the leg to the outside to blockit. In the course of the kicking move, rst pull your leg intoward your body and then follow with a side kick to thecenter of the body. Execute the move quickly, and do itwithout returning your foot to the floor.

A–D: Saiyok (right) begins with a round kick. His opponenttries to defend himself with a block. In the course of the block,Saiyok pulls his leg in and follows with a side kick.

Follow-up technique: elbow hit

Execution

Mislead your opponent with a high kick. Return yourkicking foot to the oor in front of you, and follow upwith an uppercut elbow from the other side of your body.Execute the move quickly, and shift your weight in thedirection of your opponent during the elbow technique.The goal is that your opponent concentrates on protectingagainst the high kick. Then you can attack the center orthe other side of the head.

A–D: Kem feints with a high kick. He rests his foot on thefloor in front of him and follows up with an uppercut elbow.

Follow-up technique: straight punch

Execution

Feint with a push kick to the body so that your opponentconcentrates on defending against it. Instead of deliveringa powerful execution of the kick, return your foot to theoor in front of you and at the same time deliver a

straight punch. Shift your weight forward during thepunch, and execute the move quickly.

A–D: Saiyok feints with a push kick by bending his front knee.His opponent tries to defend himself with a knee block. Saiyokquickly returns his foot to the oor in front of him and deliversa powerful straight punch. Next, he follows with a low kick.

Follow-up technique: elbow hit

ExecutionFeint with a push kick to the body so that your opponent

lowers one hand to catch or de ect the kick. Instead ofcompleting the kick, lower your leg and quickly returnyour foot to the oor. Next, quickly continue with anelbow, for which you shift your weight to the front.Execute the move quickly so as to surprise your opponent.

A–D: Saiyok feints a push kick to the body. His opponentlowers his hand to catch the kick. Saiyok returns his foot to theoor and continues with a rotating elbow to the now-

unprotected side of his opponent’s head.

Follow-up technique: round kick to the headwith the same leg

ExecutionFeint with a push kick to the body. Instead of completingthe kick, pull your leg up in a rapid move and continuewith a round kick to the head. If you move really fast, youcan brie y return your foot to the oor between kicks togenerate momentum. The goal is to get your opponent tolower his opposite hand to catch or de ect your pushkick.

A–C: Kem feints a push kick to the body. His opponent lowershis opposite hand. Kem follows up with a round kick to the nowunprotected side of his opponent’s head.

Follow-up technique: knee kick

ExecutionFrom the ght position, feint with a push kick to the leg.

Instead of completing the kick, quickly return your foot tothe oor in front of you. Next, quickly continue with apowerful knee kick from the rear. The goal is to promptyour opponent’s defense action, such as pulling the legback or taking a step to the rear.

A–D: Kem feints a push kick to the leg and prompts hisopponent to pull his leg back. Kem quickly returns his kickingfoot to the oor in front of him and follows up with a knee kickfrom the rear while pulling his opponent toward him.

Follow-up technique: rotating elbow

Execution

Feint with a knee kick to the body. Instead of powerfullycompleting the knee kick, return your foot to the oor infront of you. Continue with a rotating elbow from thesame side of your body. Keep your body straight duringthe knee kick so that you can put your weight behind thefollowing elbow technique.

A–D: Kem feints with a knee kick. He quickly returns his footto the floor in front of him and continues with a rotating elbow.

Follow-up technique: spinning elbow

ExecutionFeint with a knee kick. Return your foot to the oor withyour toes pointing to the outside, and rotate with yourweight on that foot. Follow up with a spinning elbow. Youcan aim from below to the chin, or sideways from theoutside to the jaw. If you feint with a left punch, you haveto turn clockwise with a subsequent right elbow. If youfeint with a right punch, you have to turncounterclockwise with a subsequent left elbow. As analternative, you can also feint with a push kick and followup with a spinning elbow.

A–D: Kem feints a left knee kick. He promptly returns his footto the oor on the outside, turns clockwise, and continues withan elbow.

Subsequent technique: sweep

ExecutionIn a clinch, feint with a knee kick to the ribs. Swiftlylower your foot so as to floor your opponent with a sweep

technique. Back up your motion by pushing your forearmsagainst your opponent’s upper body. Make the sweep withyour shin or with the inside of your leg. Performing thetechnique with the inside of the foot violates the currentMuay Thai rules.

A–E: Kem feints a knee kick and follows with a sweep. In asimultaneous move, he pushes his opponent to the oor on theright.

Kem presents the famous kick “Chorakee Fard Hang.”

A high round kick from Nonsai Sor Sanyakorn.

1. BasicsA sensible training plan is necessary for successfullytraining your body and for continuously improving yourperformance level. In this chapter you will learn how atraining session should be structured for beginners. Youwill also nd a weekly training plan that ensurescontinuous improvement in your performance, and anexplanation of how the training intensity for amateurathletes should be increased. There is a ten-week trainingcycle that can be adapted to your personal needs.Professional athletes have to train according to anindividual program; a sample eight-week training plan forsemiprofessional athletes is outlined here, with thetraining plans of two Muay Thai superstars, Saiyok andKem, shown for comparison. Additional details ontraining plans are included in the book Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters (2006).

2. Training Plans for BeginnersBeginners in Muay Thai rst learn the basic attackingtechniques and a selection of defense and countertechniques. It is necessary to practice Muay Thai at leasttwice a week to see progressive improvement. If your goalis signi cant improvement in your tness, you should adda weekly training session for power and stamina.Practicing twice a week for at least six months, you shouldbe able to perform the basic techniques correctly.Continue perfecting the techniques in your repertoiremore and more, and incorporate more demandingtechniques, and you will become an expert in Muay Thaiin the course of the coming years. To participate incompetitive ghts, however, two training sessions perweek won’t be enough, especially if you don’t do anyadditional power and stamina exercises.

World champion Armin Windysport.

Daily Training Plan

Activity Intensity

Warm-up with jogging orskipping

10–15 minutes

Stretching 5–10 minutes

Shadowboxing 2–3 rounds × 3 minutes

Pad training 2–3 rounds × 3 minutes

Punching bag training 2–3 rounds × 3 minutes

Partner training 10–15 minutes

Clinch training 5 minutes

Power exercises 5–10 minutes

Cool-down 10 minutes

This intensity is useful for ninety minutes of training. Ifyou practice Muay Thai in solo training and don’t have atraining partner available, you should extend yourshadowboxing, punching bag training, and strengthexercises.

Weekly Training Plan

Day Activity

Day 1 Muay Thai

Day 2 Power training or a day off

Day 3 A day off

Day 4 Muay Thai

Day 5Stamina training or a dayoff

Day 6 A day off or Muay Thai

Day 7 A day off

3. Training Plans for AmateursYour performance will quickly improve with three MuayThai training sessions per week along with extra tnesstraining. Stamina training gives you better and extendedability to absorb the Muay Thai–speci c training, andstrength training enables you to deliver the Muay Thaitechniques with power. For amateurs, good results can beseen with ve or six training sessions per week. This canbe the basis for attaining competitive goals as well,

provided that you don’t have to lose too much weightbefore a ght. If you have to lose a lot of weight to reachyour weight class, more than six training sessions a weekwill be needed, even if you’re an amateur.

Daily Training Plan

Activity Intensity

Warm-up with jogging orskipping

15 minutes

Stretching 5–10 minutes

Shadowboxing 2 rounds × 3–4 minutes

Pad training 3 rounds × 3–4 minutes

Punching bag training 3 rounds × 3–4 minutes

Partner training 10–15 minutes

Sparring15 minutes × 2 sessionsper week

Clinch training 5–10 minutes

Power exercises 5–10 minutes

Cool-down 10 minutes

This level of intensity allows for 90 to 120 minutes oftraining. If you practice Muay Thai in solo training anddon’t have a training partner available, you should extendyour shadowboxing, punching bag training, and strengthexercises.

Weekly Training Plan

Day Activity

Day 1 Muay Thai

Day 2Power training and/orstamina training

Day 3 Muay Thai

Day 4A day off, or power trainingand/or stamina training

Day 5 Muay Thai

Day 6Power training and/orstamina training

Day 7 A day off

Christoph with his trainer, Master Deycha.

The Ten-Week Cycle

Your training plan has to be updated often to make newdemands on your body. If your body gets accustomed tosame routine and training becomes monotonous, yourperformance will stagnate. New training cycles withsomewhat di erent training goals should be set outcontinually to cover periods of six to twelve weeks, asshown, for example, in the following ten-week cycle. Afterconcluding a cycle, practice with a slightly altered plan. Ifyou keep notes about your cycles in your training diary,you will be able to monitor the long-term development ofyour physical performance.

This program aims to improve Muay Thai–speci cperformance, initially through the development of basicstamina in combination with building up physicalstrength. Weeks 1–6 allocate three weekly sessions forimprovements in Muay Thai performance, along with twosessions to improve basic stamina. You will getaccustomed to power training or the appropriateperformance level in one session per week. Weeks 7–10maintain the intensity of Thai boxing training. The maingoal of stamina training is to maintain your performancelevel, for which one session a week is enough. Powertraining increases to two sessions per week.

In the preceding table, stamina training sessions caninclude, for example, running, cycling, or swimming.Power training sessions should involve a program for theentire body, using dumbbells or power equipment. Daysoff are training-free days for regenerating the body.

4. Training Plans forProfessional AthletesProfessional athletes dedicate their entire lives to thesport to achieve the best possible level of performance.Equal importance must be placed on correct nutrition andallowing the body to regenerate. One training session isusually planned for the morning and one for theafternoon. Sunday is a day to rest to regenerate the body.

Athletes often prepare themselves for a ght with aneight-to twelve-week training plan. Once they nd out

who their opponent will be as well as the framework ofthe ght, the trainer develops a training program tailoredto the individual requirements of the athlete that includes,for example, how much weight will be lost and preparingfor the opponent’s fighting style.

After the ght, the training intensity is slightly reducedto allow for regeneration of the athlete. For several weeksa new cycle proceeds that allows the current performancelevel to be maintained and that eliminates weak spots inperformance. As soon as the date for the next ght hasbeen set, the trainer will develop a new competitivetraining program.

Fights can be also agreed to on short notice—forexample, if another athlete is unable to compete and thepromoter has to nd a replacement. Thai athletes in thelower weight divisions frequently compete in numerous

ghts, which requires them to train at high intensity year-round so that they are ready and t for a competition at amoment’s notice and are able to accept such offers.

Kem and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong while sparring.

Training for Thai ProfessionalsIn many of the Thai gyms, the ghters follow a trainingprogram that corresponds to the one below or is verysimilar. Training comprises six morning and six eveningtraining sessions per week at di erent levels of intensity.Most Thai gyms are closed on Sunday to allow for the

regeneration of the athletes.

Morning Training

Hard Soft

Running or skipping4 miles or 15minutes

2 miles or 10minutes

Shadowboxing 15 minutes 10 minutes

Punching bag training 5 rounds 3 rounds

Pad training 5 rounds 3 rounds

Partner and clinchtraining

20 minutes 15 minutes

Power exercises as needed as needed

Afternoon Training

Hard Soft

Skipping or running20 minutes or 4miles

15 minutes or 2miles

Shadowboxing 15 minutes 10 minutes

Punching bag training 5 rounds 3 rounds

Pad training 5 rounds 3 rounds

Sparring at high ormedium intensity (3rounds per week)

20 minutes 10 minutes

Partner and clinchtraining

20 minutes 10 minutes

Power exercises as needed as needed

Note that only professional athletes can train at suchhigh intensity twice a day. This training also includes abreak for regeneration at midday. Semiprofessionalathletes usually only have time for one session per day,which they have to maximize to achieve their traininggoals.

Fight PreparationAmbitious athletic goals require you to work out adetailed training program if you hope to achieve a higherperformance level than your opponents. No singleprogram works for all Thai boxers; you have to set up aprogram appropriate to your individual characteristicsand requirements.

This section presents a training plan with sensible ghtpreparation techniques for semiprofessional Thai boxers.

Professional Thai boxers usually have two daily trainingsessions six days a week, which requires adequate breaksfor regeneration. In setting up an individual trainingprogram, you have to prepare your body for martial artscompetition and in all aspects of tness, especially interms of stamina, power, and speed. Generally speaking,hard and soft training sessions should alternate everyother day. The intensity of training is reduced somewhat afew days before the ght, and sparring sessions are leftout so as to avoid injuries. Athletes usually relax the daybefore a fight.

In speci c Muay Thai training, the program is tailoredto the ght as soon as the opponent is known, and theintensity of training is increased. The trainer determinesthe ght tactics to be used and chooses appropriatecounter tactics and combinations. If the opponent hasexcelled as a hard hitter in previous ghts, for example,training will focus on high round kicks to the upper arm,and the trainer will have his athlete concentrate on padtraining in repetitive kicks from various positions.Repeated knee kicks and push kicks from the opposite sideare also suitable in a ght against this kind of opponent.The athlete trains in the appropriate ght tactics over andover until they are known by heart, which means that anathlete’s sparring partner has to imitate the ght style ofthe upcoming opponent.

Kem and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong while sparring .

Sample Eight-Week Training Program forCompetitionThis program shows how advanced Thai boxers set out aplan for an eight-week training cycle to prepare for acompetition. This plan should only be viewed as a basicexample, since individual factors, such as the need to loseweight before a ght, for example, aren’t taken intoconsideration.

Week 1

Day 1 Muay Thai

Day 2Jogging at medium intensityfor 40–60 minutes

Day 3Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 4 Muay Thai

Day 5Jogging at low intensity for40–60 minutes

Day 6Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 7 Rest

Week 2

Day 1 Muay Thai

Day 2Interval runs for 40–60minutes

Day 3Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 4 Muay Thai

Day 5Power training whole-bodyprogram and jogging at lowintensity for 20–30 minutes

Day 6Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 7 Rest

Week 3

Day 1 Muay Thai

Day 2 Interval runs for 40–60minutes

Day 3Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 4 Muay Thai

Day 5Power training whole-bodyprogram and jogging at lowintensity for 20–30 minutes

Day 6Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 7 Rest

Week 4

Day 1 Muay Thai

Day 2Interval runs with shortsprints for 40–60 minutes

Day 3 Muay Thai

Day 4Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 5 Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 6 Swimming

Day 7 Rest

Week 5

Day 1Muay Thai with emphasison competitive tactics

Day 2Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 3Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 4Muay Thai with emphasison competitive tactics

Day 5Interval runs with shortsprints for 40–60 minutes

Day 6Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 7 Rest

Week 6

Day 1Muay Thai with emphasison competitive tactics

Day 2Interval runs with shortsprints for 40–60 minutes

Day 3Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 4Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 5Swimming or jogging at lowintensity for 40–60 minutes

Day 6Muay Thai with emphasison competitive tactics

Day 7 Rest

Week 7

Day 1Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 2Sprint training: sprints over60 yards alternating withrelaxed jogging

Day 3Power training whole-bodyprogram

Day 4Muay Thai with emphasison competitive tactics

Day 5 Interval runs for 40 minutes

Day 6Muay Thai with emphasison sparring

Day 7 Rest

Week 8

Day 1Muay Thai with review ofcompetition tactics

Day 2Shadowboxing with reviewof competition tactics

Day 3Jogging at a low heart ratefor 30 minutes

Day 4 Relaxed shadowboxing

Day 5 Rest

Day 6 Competition

Day 7 Rest

Notes on the Training Program• Interval runs are for a set amount of time at different

speeds. Alternate a quick run over a distance of fourhundred yards, for example, with a slow jog of a fewminutes until your heart rate has gone down again.

• For strength training, do full-body training made up ofeight to ten exercises. Reduce the intensity of thestrength training in the last weeks before a fight.

• Stick to a healthy diet tailored to your needs and goals,and eat protein-rich foods so that you can achieveoptimal results and minimize the risk of injury andinfection.

• Extend your sleep time to regenerate your body. Otherrecommended regenerative measures are massages andsauna visits at least once a week.

• After a competition, take a recreational time-out forseveral days. Light training, such as jogging at lowintensity, resumes after one week at most. At that pointyou should set up your next training cycle.

Saiyok’s and Kem’s Daily Training Plans

Saiyok and Kem compete in a lot of ghts, which is whythey train at competitive intensity nearly all year long.Saiyok eases o training at competitive intensity only onSunday, when he does normal intensity training. Saiyoktrains in clinching only four times a week, and he doespush-ups between the training rounds on the pads and onthe punching bag.

Kem training elbow strikes.

Morning Training

Afternoon Training

Saiyok’s and Kem’s Weekly Training Plans

Morning Training

Afternoon Training

A high kick from world champion Saiyok Windysport.

Books and DVDs by Christoph Delp

Muay Thai Basics: Introductory Thai Boxing Techniques.Berkeley, CA: Blue Snake Books, 2005.

Kickboxing: The Complete Guide. Berkeley, CA: Blue SnakeBooks, 2006.

Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters. Berkeley, CA: Blue SnakeBooks, 2006.

Muay Thai Counter Techniques. Berkeley, CA: Blue SnakeBooks, 2013.

Muay Thai DVD: Training and Techniques (PAL).Lampertheim, Germany: Delp Sportverlag, 2013.

Muay Thai DVD: Training with World Champions: Saiyok andKem (NTSC). Walnut, CA: Cranes Production, 2013.

Muay Thai DVD: Training with World Champions: Saiyok andKem (PAL). Lampertheim, Germany: Delp Sportverlag,2013.

Muay Thai DVD: Counter against Elbow, Knee and ClinchTechniques (NTSC). Walnut, CA: Cranes Production,2012.

Muay Thai DVD: Counter against Elbow, Knee and ClinchTechniques (PAL). Lampertheim, Germany: DelpSportverlag, 2012.

Muay Thai DVD: Counter against Fist and Leg Techniques(NTSC). Walnut, CA: Cranes Production, 2012.

Muay Thai DVD: Counter against Fist and Leg Techniques(PAL). Lampertheim, Germany: Delp Sportverlag, 2012.

Muay Thai DVD: Basic Techniques. Lampertheim, Germany:Delp Sportverlag, 2012.

Online Resources

www.muaythai.comwww.muaythai.dewww.muaythai-dvd.comwww.youtube.com/muaythaidvdwww.facebook.com/muaythaidvdwww.facebook.com/muaythaibooks

The Book Team

About the Athletes in This Book

Surasak Pakcotakang

Fighter name: Kem SitsongpeenongApproximately 140 professional fights as of August 2012A selection of his titles: World Champion (WMC 154 IBS),

two-time Thai Champion, Rajadamnern Champion, ThaiFight Champion www.sitsongpeenong.com

Sakda Neamhom

Fighter names: Saiyok Pumphanmuang, WindysportApproximately 230 professional ghts as of August2012

A selection of his titles: World Champion (WMC),Lumpinee Champion, Rajadamnern Champion, ChannelTV3 Champion, Thailand Champion Awards: BestFighter 2010

Armin Matli

Fighter names: Armin Pumphanmuang, Black Dragon SwissApproximately 120 professional ghts as of August

2012A selection of his titles: World Champion, two-time

Thailand Champion Fights and participates in seminarsworldwide

Nonsai Srisuk

Fighter name: Nonsai Sor. SanyakornApproximately 150 professional fights as of August 2012A selection of his titles: WMC international Champion,

Champion WPMF, Isaan Champion Fights andparticipates in seminars worldwide

Pit Khaisaeng

Trainer of many world champions, including Saiyok,Nonsai, Armin, and Jaochalam

About the Author

Christoph Delp

MBA and author; Muay Thai and fitness coachTrainer education 1995–2001 with ght experience

Producer and author of the 2012–2013 Muay Thai DVDseries Some of his publications: Muay Thai CounterTechniques (2013), Kickboxing: The Complete Guide(2006), Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters (2006), Muay ThaiBasics (2005), www.christophdelp.de,www.muaythaibook.com, www.muaythaidvd.com,

www.youtube.com/muaythaidvd,www.facebook.com/muaythaibooks

About the Photographer

Nopphadol Viwatkamolwat

Professional photographer since 1996Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA

www.astudioonline.com

Other Resources

Muay Thai Basics: Introductory ThaiBoxing Techniques978-1-58394-140-9$22.95 / $29.95 CANBlue Snake Books

Muay Thai, also referred to as Thai boxing, combines

tness training, self-defense, and competitive sport. In thishands-on guide, renowned trainer Christoph Delp presentsthe sport’s history, development, rules, and equipment.

He explains basic skills, such as the correct startingposition and footwork, and o ers a complete list of allo ensive techniques, as well as a selection of e ectivedefensive and counterattack strategies. The techniques arepresented step-by-step by Thai champions from thefamous Sor Vorapin gym in Bangkok, showing readers the

ne details of each technique. The training sectionprovides detailed information about the structure,content, and planning of training regimens; this includeshistorical training methods, a stretching program, andtraining schedules. Suitable as both a self-training guideand a supplement to club training, Muay Thai Basics o ersauthoritative instruction for Thai boxers and other martialarts enthusiasts.

Muay Thai Counter Techniques:Competitive Skills and Tactics for Success978-1-58394-543-8$22.95 / $25.95 CANBlue Snake Books

Designed for intermediate-level Thai boxing and MixedMartial Arts (MMA) ghters, Muay Thai Counter Techniquesteaches how to counter a wide range of opponents’attacks. Over the last twenty years, Muay Thai, also knownas Thai boxing, has become popular around the world as aform of tness training, a competitive sport, and a meansof self-defense. In this thoroughly revised and updatededition of Muay Thai: Advanced Thai Kickboxing Techniques,author Christoph Delp helps intermediate Muay Thaistudents (those with at least six months of training)further their study of their art. Delp explains the rules andceremonial procedures unique to Muay Thai competition,demonstrates historical and modern techniques, providestraining tips, and details the bene ts of training inThailand—experiencing the art in its country of origin.

A primary focus of Muay Thai Counter Techniques is oncounter tactics, or techniques used to counter an attackfrom one’s opponent. Muay Thai is a martial art with avariety of impressive techniques; every attackingtechnique can be countered with a large number ofvariants. No two ghters will react to an attack in thesame way, because while most Muay Thai ghters learnthe same basic techniques (as presented in Delp’s earlierbook Muay Thai Basics), each ghter will go on to learn awide variety of secondary techniques and will adapt themto his or her individual ghting style. This editionincludes new full-color photographs throughout in whichmany well-known Muay Thai ghters—includingchampions like Saiyok Pumphanmuang, KemSitsongpeenong, and many others—demonstrate the most

important techniques for competitive success.

Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters: Trainingfor Muay Thai, Karate, Kickboxing, andTaekwondo978-1-58394-157-7$22.95 / $28.50 CANBlue Snake Books

Physical tness is an absolutely vital element for success

in the martial arts. It is the only way to ensure thatpowerful attacking techniques and rapid defense andcounterattacking techniques can be employed over the fullcourse of a competition. Martial artists require a special

tness training program that covers all aspects of physicalperformance.

In Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters, author Christoph Delppresents a tness training program tailored to the martialarts. The book details the basics of tness training ando ers an in-depth description of the various elements of

tness training: exibility, stamina, and power. Theexercises are presented step-by-step by leading martialartists. The book focuses on planning and monitoringtraining and presents complete training programs fornewcomers as well as those at an advanced level. There isalso advice about the correct diet for martial artists. Thisbook is an indispensable guide for martial artists of allabilities, and it will help them to improve their ability toperform in training and competition.

Kickboxing: The Complete Guide toConditioning, Technique, and Competition978-1-58394-178-2$26.95 / $34.95Blue Snake Books

This comprehensive training manual features all theinformation needed for a successful start in kickboxing,right up to winning the match in the ring. AuthorChristoph Delp, an expert tness coach and anexperienced kickboxing and Muay Thai trainer, begins bydescribing kickboxing’s history, development, and rules.The technical section explains all of the attackingtechniques found in kickboxing, as well as importantdefense and feinting skills. In spectacular photographs,champion kickboxers demonstrate the skills step by step,enabling the reader to easily duplicate the exercises andunderstand the technical ne points. Chapters dedicatedto training and competition contain vital information ontraining plans and structure, contest preparation, andcompetitive strategy. An ideal companion for beginners,the book is also an excellent reference for activekickboxers and other martial arts athletes who want toimprove their punching and kicking techniques. Readerscan use the book to train on their own or as acomplement to club training.

North Atlantic BooksBerkeley, CaliforniaPersonal, spiritual, and planetarytransformation

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