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Introduction When it comes to achieving success in Muay Thai there are a
few core principles that can help you. No matter how much
research and analysis you do, the only way you can get better
is to train with the purpose of improving.
To become good at Muay Thai you need to dedicate yourself
to the sport. The more hours you put into your training and
development, the faster you will make improvements.
While there is no substitute for a good coach, there are
certain things you can do to ensure you are developing good
technique. Even if you don’t have access to a top notch
training environment, you can make big improvements with
the right attitude and willingness to learn.
The rise of the all-in-one MMA/Muay Thai Gyms have resulted
in a lot of people who “know” Muay Thai, without actually
“knowing” what real Muay Thai is. Most people get their
Muay Thai source from the standup guys in MMA, who have a
completely different style and movement than traditional
Muay Thai.
People who are training in these gym environments often lack
technical knowledge of the sport because they have never
been taught good technique.
You have to think of your Muay Thai journey as your personal
business. The only person who is responsible for your
business’ success is you. While your coach is there to help
guide you along the way, it is up to you to ensure you
implement everything you are taught.
By taking an active approach to learning, you will continually
develop into a better Nak Muay and make huge strides in your
overall development.
What You Can Expect From This Guide
This guide outlines specific factors that play an important role
in the development of any successful Muay Thai fighter.
Whether or not you have aspirations to be a top level fighter,
there are universal principles that can be applied to everyone.
This guide is designed to provide an overview of some core
concepts that can help take your Muay Thai game to the next
level. Hopefully, you are already familiar with some of these
concepts.
No matter how good you are, there are always areas that
need improvement. The moment you start thinking you know
everything, is the moment you stop learning. Don’t ever stop
learning.
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#1 - Focus on the Basics
Learn To Walk Before You Can Run
As much as you want to learn all of those fancy techniques
that they show in the fight highlights, the basics are going to
win you fights. Most
beginners don’t want
to learn the
fundamental
techniques like the
jab and body kick;
they want to learn a
spinning elbow or a
flying knee because it
looks cool. While you might find it boring focusing on basic
techniques, you have to learn how to walk before you can run.
Basic techniques that you learn are going to be the offensive
weapons that you use the most. Muay Thai has certain
techniques that are used more often than others. The rest of
your weapons will help complement these core techniques.
Key Techniques to Focus On
Jab/Cross - The two most basic punches in Muay Thai is the
jab and cross. While you might think there is not much
involved in these techniques, mastering the jab/cross is about
timing, placement, and technique. Learning the technique
itself is only one aspect to being able to punch effectively.
Utilizing these two attacks during training and sparring will
help solidify them as weapons that you can add to your Muay
Thai arsenal.
Left/Right Body Kick - The body kick is going to be the most
important weapon you use in Muay Thai. Not only does it
score the most points in a Muay Thai fight, it is the most
effective technique that you can use. Mastering the body kick
will not happen overnight, so be prepared for some hard
work.
Front Teep – The teep is one of the most effective offensive
and defensive weapons that you can use in Muay Thai. A
strong Teep will counter almost every attack. Practice using
this weapon in sparring to develop your timing of this
important weapon.
Low Kick – The low kick is a devastating weapon that can be
used to hurt an opponent’s movement in the later rounds of a
fight. Basic combinations like a Jab-Jab-Low Kick are very
effective if used consistently. Using feints are a must, if you
want to land your low kicks without getting blocked.
Slashing Elbow: The slashing elbow is an elbow technique that
is used to cut across an opponent’s guard in a slashing motion.
These elbows can cause a lot of damage to an opponent if
they are used correctly.
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Straight Knee: The straight knee is a technique that you can
use to damage your opponents body. These knees are often
used when a fighter is coming forward towards their
opponent. Since knees score a lot of points in Muay Thai
fights, you will need to master this particular technique.
Taking the time to work on mastering the basic attacks is
going to ensure that you have a solid base when you start
learning other techniques. As much as people love spinning
elbows and flying knees, these are the techniques that will win
you fights.
PRO TIPS:
Use Short Combinations – One of the biggest mistakes
I see instructors doing in Muay Thai classes are
teaching 6+ combinations. While you might be getting
a better cardio workout by adding more techniques in
a combination, the reality is these are not practical in a
real situation. Stick with short 2-4 punch/kick
combinations when you spar that can translate into an
actual fight.
Footwork Matters – When I talk about basics I am also
talking about the importance of really good footwork.
Maintain balance whenever you throw an attack or
block an attack is extremely important. Without proper
footwork you will easily get thrown off balance when
you are performing a technique. Balance and footwork
is the difference between average and good Muay Thai
fighters.
Always Sharpen Your Tools – Just because you’ve had
15+ fights doesn’t mean you are too good to sharpen
up some of your basic tools. Going over some of the
fundamental moves of Muay Thai is something that
should be in your daily regiment, regardless of your
experience.
#2 - Perfect Your Technique
Learn the Right Way from the start.
Developing good technique is essential to creating a good
Muay Thai foundation. Once you have a solid foundation to
your game, you can start sparring and working on developing
soft skills that can add more depth to your game.
If you want to work on your technique, you should perform
each movement with slow precision in front of a mirror.
While it might seem boring to learn the fundamentals the
correct way, taking the time to perfect your technique is
essential. This will prevent you from having to relearn
something later on.
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Find a Trainer that Emphasizes Technique
When you get more experience over the years, you will notice
that some trainers emphasize technique more than others. If a
trainer doesn’t teach a beginner the right technique, they will
develop bad habits instantly. Even though an instructor might
have a class full of new students, teaching each student the
right technique should be the first priority. Unless you are
training in a cardio kickboxing class, technique should be
emphasized throughout training.
The problem with learning poor
technique is you will cement bad habits
into your brain, which can take years to
change. Although technique isn’t always
going to be the determining factor if you
win or lose a fight, creating a solid
foundation will pay dividends if you get
to the higher levels of Muay Thai.
How do you know if your technique is good or not? Make sure
you check out muaythaipros.com for complete guides that can
help you improve your technique.
Start from the Ground Up
Building good technique starts from the ground up. If you
have developed poor habits, it can affect your overall game
significantly. People who have poor footwork are going to
have a difficult time being in a good position to land various
techniques in a fight.
How Can You Build Solid Fundamentals?
It Starts With Your Feet
The best way to improve your movement is learn the “Muay
Thai Walk.” What is the “Muay Thai Walk?” This is the rhythm
and movement that traditional Muay
Thai fighters utilize to keep your body
relaxed and put you in a position to be
ready to attack or defend.
If you are able to walk and move like a
“Thai Fighter” than you will be able to
add more weapons to your arsenal and
help further develop your Muay Thai.
Always Reset After an Attack
Whenever you attack you should always reset your stance so
you are back into a neutral position – ready to attack and
defend. Whenever you watch a high level Thai fighter in the
ring, you will notice that they are constantly in a very neutral
position. This is how they are able to block and counter so
many different techniques.
The first gym I trained at did not
emphasize good technique. This
caused me to develop a lot of bad
habits that would take years to
“unlearn.”
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PRO TIPS
Train in Thailand - Anyone who is serious about having
good technique needs to learn from the source.
Obviously, if you are blessed with a very good
instructor who has been to Thailand and teaches the
correct way of doing things, consider yourself lucky.
For those who have the opportunity, book a trip to
Thailand.
Shadowbox in the Mirror – One of the best ways to
analyze some of your technical abilities is to look in the
mirror and see how your form looks. While it is always
better to have someone else look at your movements,
using the mirror can help you pick out little things that
you might be doing wrong.
Take a Video of Your Training – Another great way to
discover problems in your technique is to video
yourself while you are training. Seeing yourself on
video is a great way to discover some hidden flaws that
you might have.
#3 - Embrace Repetition
Repetition is the key to creating habits.
Repetition is often associated with things that are boring,
mundane and uninspiring. This perception that repetition is a
bad for development is completely false. Not only is repetition
a good thing, it is essential in developing fundamental Muay
Thai skills.
Even though you might want to practice every technique, it is
important to consistently repeat your basic weapons that you
are going to be utilizing the most. Kicks, punches, elbows and
knees should all be practiced daily, with hundreds of
repetitions of each exercise. By continually repeating the
different exercises you will start to solidify these techniques
and they will become second nature to you.
Repeat the Correct Techniques
As I mentioned before, repeating poor techniques is a sure
way to cause a lot of frustration later on. Once you have
learned the proper technique of a movement, you will need to
repeat this movement so that it is engraved and it becomes
second nature.
How do you think people can pull off flying knees in fights?
They repeatedly practice these techniques until they don’t
even think about using the technique.
In order to truly master any Muay Thai technique, hours have
to be spent repeating and practicing the technique. If you
want to ensure you’ll use any weapon in a fight or real life
situation, you have to repeat that technique so you don’t have
to think about using it.
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PRO TIPS
Build a Solid Foundation First – Repeating bad habits
is the worst thing you can possibly do for your Muay
Thai career. If you learn poor habits at the start of your
Muay Thai journey, it can take years of undoing. Taking
the steps to ensure that you build a solid foundation is
a must before you start to solidify them.
Practice Both Sides – If you throw 100 right kicks,
always make sure you throw 100 left kicks. You should
never neglect one side of a technique because you
favor another one. Always utilize both sides of your
body for every technique. This will help make you a
versatile fighter and not a one trick pony.
Don’t Get Sloppy When You Are Tired – One of the
most common mistakes that Muay Thai practitioners
do is their form gets compromised when they are tired.
The moment the energy drops, the first thing to notice
is body language. One may look like a complete
beginner again. Being able to maintain your form no
matter how tired you are is an essential part of getting
to the next level. If you observe any high level athlete,
in any sport, they will always maintain their technique
regardless of how exhausted they are.
#4 – Always Be Thinking
Analyzing your own game is a must.
One of the biggest things you will notice at a Muay Thai gym is
people are often doing the motions, without actually thinking,
“Am I actually doing this right?” Some people are too reliant
on their coaches and won’t ever make an effort to correct
their own technique.
There are plenty of ways that you can analyze your technique
to look for improvements. Most people are simply doing just
because they are told to do, without thinking about how they
are performing that action and if it is done correctly.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fighter, taking
the time to sit back and reflect on your game is a habit that
you need to start using. People who just do, without thinking
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about what they are doing, are often missing out on
opportunities to improve their technique. You are never too
good to learn. No matter how experienced you are, you
should always be looking for something to improve. That’s
what separates the amateurs from the professionals.
Sit Back and Analyze Your Game
Taking the time to reflect on your game is a skill every fighter
should use to improve. Imagine you are fighting yourself, what
areas would you exploit and what are specific things that you
like about your style? How would you beat yourself in a fight?
Even though it can be difficult to be critical of your own game,
it is important to understand some of the areas that need to
be improved. This is a great way to ensure you don’t become
stagnant and are continually improving in your Muay Thai
techniques.
Sometimes it helps to actually break down your game on
paper. Some of us are visual learners and writing down
specific strengths and weakness can help give a different
perspective when training.
It is a very good exercise to continually analyze your own
game to see if you have progressed or if you have plateaued in
training. If you are continually working on something while
you are training, you will continue to improve. Creating
measurable goals can help you develop a strategy that will
keep you improving, even after years of training.
Ask For a Second Opinion
If you aren’t very good at self-analysis, then ask someone to
help dissect your game. Whatever you do, don’t ever get
offended if someone corrects you. They’re only trying to help
and it can be very beneficial and knowledgeable information.
The truth is nobody is perfect. Taking constructive criticism is
something that you should focus on. The more opinions you
have, the more information you have that can help develop
you as a fighter.
Always be willing to learn and change things that are not
working. Becoming stagnant will prevent you from becoming
better. Lifelong learning is the only way to go in Muay Thai.
PRO TIPS
Record Your Sparring Sessions - Take videos of your
training to further break down technique and see what
can be improved. Videos analysis is a great way to look
at how you perform specific techniques during shadow
boxing, pad work and sparring.
Watch Your Old Fights – Looking at your old fight
videos is a great way to see what needs improvement.
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Whenever you are analyzing yourself, look at both
your strength and weaknesses.
Create a Game Plan to Beat Yourself - Although it
might sound odd, creating a game plan of how you
would beat yourself in a fight is a great way to look at
weaknesses in your game. Think about how you fight
and what are the best styles and techniques that
counter your style. By going through the different
aspects of fighting styles, you can look for holes in your
game that you can fix during training.
#5 – Conditioning Is Key
Train your body like a Champion
Whether you have ambitions to be the best in the world or
simply want to be as good as you can be, training like a
champion will take your game to the next level.
What does it mean to train like a Champion?
Training like a champion means you need to put in the hours
outside of training to ensure you are physically fit. Whether or
not you plan on fighting, being in top shape will allow you to
exert a lot more effort in your training, which will vastly
increase the amount of learning at every session.
Conditioning is essential in Muay Thai. The more physically
conditioned you are, the more receptive you are at training.
Your mind will be able to concentrate on other things like
technique and timing, rather than surviving the round.
Put in the Hours Outside of the Gym
Training consists of two main aspects: training in the gym and
training outside of the gym. If you want to become high level,
what you do outside of training is as equally important as
when you are at the gym. If you want to hit pads harder and
have more energy in your training, then you need to figure out
the steps to do so. Running daily is beneficial to every Nak
Muay, regardless of if you plan on fighting. Running is great
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for your overall conditioning and will help you have more
stamina during your pad rounds.
While most people dread running, it should be something that
you embrace as a training method that will help condition you
to improve you technique a lot more. Running every day
throughout the week will ensure that you are able to maintain
your fitness and keep up with everyone at the gym.
There is nothing worse than hitting pads and knowing that you
are not fit as you can be. Given the extreme difficulty in
maintaining a “fight shape”, maintaining a consistent running
schedule throughout the week is going to benefit your health
and your training.
For people who cannot run because of an injury, biking is a
good alternative. It is important to have any kind of aerobic
activity in your training regimen to help keep you on top of
your Muay Thai training.
Don’t Make Excuses
Excuses are for people who aren’t serious about what they’re
doing. They often justify why they can’t or shouldn’t be doing
something, instead of just going out and doing it.
Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t run long
distances because there are more efficient ways to do things.
There are a million excuses as to why you shouldn’t do
something, but I am a firm believer in putting in the time.
I know from first hand, that when I am running daily, I am
always in good shape. I can hit pads harder, longer, and faster.
Mentally, you know you’ve put in the hours and you can
sustain the grueling session. Even if you don’t have a fight
coming up, being able to train harder will only make you
stronger.
PRO TIPS
Build Up Your Endurance – If you plan to start running,
start slow! You shouldn’t start running 10k on the first
day. Start with 4k the first week or whatever distance
it is you can do, then add more distance every week. If
you immediately start on a long run then you will
fatigue a lot faster. Remember, you want to be able to
sustain this energy for the rest of the week. By starting
with a reasonable distance, your body can adjust and
running long distance will become easier.
Integrate Sprints Into Training – I am a firm believer
that long distance runs are important in training, but I
also think sprints can be beneficial. If you think about
the components of a Muay Thai fight, there is both
endurance and explosiveness required. Running sprints
will help condition your body and the recovery time
will become easier for you in a fight between rounds.
Develop a Routine – The easiest way to slack off is
when you don’t have a routine. By developing a
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realistic routine, you are more inclined to stick to it
and incorporate into your lifestyle. Instead of forcing
yourself to run before training, it will become habitual
and you won’t even think twice about it. Creating
habits is essential if you want to be successful in
training.
#6 – Sparring is Essential
You won’t get better without sparring.
Sparring is an essential part of Muay Thai development that
helps build timing and reaction. While shadow boxing, hitting
the bag, and kicking pads are great for solidifying good
technique, sparring is where you start using techniques in real
situations. If you never spar, you are missing out on a huge
aspect of Muay Thai.
Sparring is arguably the most effective way to develop skills
that can only be learned through experience. While you might
understand in theory why you should have your hands up,
getting punched hard in the face will force you to change bad
habits that you might have without sparring.
Hard, soft, and technical sparring are all valuable tools that
you can use to improve.
Check out: 12 Sparring Tips For Muay Thai
Beginners who learn the basics should avoid sparring until
they have a good understanding of the basic techniques.
Having a solid foundation of all the Muay Thai techniques is
important to prevent the development of poor habits. Putting
someone who does not have good fundamentals in a sparring
situation will make them nervous causing them to brawl.
Ideally, the perfect situation is to spar with people who are
better, worse and the same level as you. This will ensure that
you have a variety of partners with different skills. It will help
you develop and get accustomed to different types of
opponents.
Maintaining a positive attitude is an essential part of
maximizing your sparring. Try your best to avoid turning
sparring matches into brawls, because you can injure your
partner and your technique will suffer.
PRO TIPS
Challenge Yourself Sparring – You should always be
looking to spar with people who are better than you.
Even if you our outmatched in the ring, a better
opponent will force you to adjust. Try to be the little
fish in a big pond, rather than the big fish in the little
pond.
Train in Thailand - Going to Thailand is an experience
that every Nak Muay should have. I don’t care if you
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have never fought before or you have 30 fights back
home, training in Thailand will make you better. The
opportunity to spar and train with legends is
something that can take your game to the next level.
Spar with Confidence – Whenever you spar you should
be confident and try to improve your technique. Never
fear your opponent or it will make you weaker. Always
focus on trying to continuously improve, while
simultaneously mastering the basics.
#7 - Get Ring Experience
Fighting will elevate your game to another level.
One aspect of Muay Thai that many people neglect is ring
experience. Although fighting is not meant for everyone, if you
have an opportunity to fight, do it.
When it comes to fighting, winning or losing is not important.
The experience you get from fighting is the most valuable
lesson you can learn. In Thailand, it doesn’t matter if you have
won or lost all your fights, it’s what happens in the fight that
counts.
Get Experience Experience is the key to getting better in Muay Thai. The more
ring experience you have, the more prepared you will be to
handle different situations that occur in a fight.
You should never expect to have easy fights in Muay Thai.
Always go into every fight and expect a war. This mentality will
ensure that you never take an opponent lightly, even if you
should win on paper.
Getting good quality fights is a sure way to help you grow and
improve in Muay Thai. While sparring and training at the gym
can help sharpen your weapons, their truly is no substitute for
ring experience.
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Even though you might only be in the ring for a short 15
minutes, those minutes will feel like an eternity and you can
learn a lot in that short period of time.
Fight in Thailand Fighting in Thailand is a great way to get ring experience.
While the matchups aren’t always the best in Thailand, it is a
great way to get started with your fighting career. Do your
research and pick a quality training camp that will take care of
you while you’re there.
PRO TIPS
Get Amateur Fights – Most countries have an amateur
Muay Thai circuit. For people who are just starting off
in the sport, the amateur circuit is the best place to
start. Fighting with shin guards and headgear can give
you peace of mind that you won’t get permanent
injuries in your fight. Any amount of experience
obtained from fighting will pay dividends in your
training and help you become better.
Fight In Thailand – A lot of people have a difficult time
getting a fight lined up if they aren’t at a popular gym.
If you aren’t living in a city that has a lot of other gyms,
the best thing you can do is head to Thailand and have
a fight over there. Thailand has hundreds of gyms
throughout the country so you will never have a
shortage of opponents to choose from.
Quality over Quantity – Someone who has beaten 30
bums in the ring is not going to have the same level of
experience as a guy who has beaten 10 quality
opponents. It’s not how many people you fight, it’s the
level of opponent that you are fighting that matters.
Always try and find quality opponents who are
similarly matched to you, but beatable. This will ensure
you continue to develop in the sport.
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#8 - Develop Mental
Toughness
If you want to win fights you need a strong mind.
If you could pick one attribute as a fighter that will give you
the biggest edge in a fight, mental toughness is by far the
most important trait. Being able to push yourself when you
don’t feel like going any further is something that can carry
you through the difficult moments as a fighter.
Don’t Miss: What It Means To Have Heart In Muay Thai
Looking at any of the best fighters in the world one of the
most common traits is they are all mentally tough. These are
guys who will fight tooth and nail until they are fully
unconscious in the ring. The importance of a strong mind is
often underestimated in fighting. A strong mind can carry you
to victory, even when it seems impossible.
In order to build mental toughness you have to work on
pushing your body to its limit. One of the benefits of the
rigorous training sessions and constant challenges is you are
forced to build a strong mind.
A Strong Mind Starts In Training The best way to develop a strong mind is to start pushing
yourself to your limit in training. If you don’t think you can do
something, do it. No matter how tired you feel, don’t fall short
of what you want to accomplish.
By accomplishing the vigorous training sessions, when it
comes to a fight situation, giving up will not be an option. You
won’t have a way out of a fight; there is only a way forward.
By not allowing yourself to quit, you will be forced to find a
way to win, no matter what the odds are.
Everyone has a mental breaking point, a point in which their
minds can take no more. The harder you train, the more
difficult it becomes to reach that breaking point. Fighters who
are fearless in training will often develop that same attitude
when it comes to a fight.
PRO TIPS
Never, Ever, Quit – Quitting is not an option for
someone who wants to be good at Muay Thai. No
matter how tired you are, always push past your pain.
It doesn’t matter if you can barely stand after a round
of pads, you never give up. Fighting through the pain is
the first step into ensuring that you become a mentally
strong fighter.
Push Yourself Hard – Taking the short cut in training is
the last thing that you should be doing. If you have a
choice between 10 kicks or 50 kicks, always take the
harder path. This will develop your mental strength to
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continue to push no matter how tired you are in
training or a fight. Remember, it all starts with training.
If you are tough as nails in training, you will be even
tougher in the ring.
Believe in Yourself – Whether you are sparring with
someone better than you, you should always believe in
yourself. Accepting defeat is something that should
never cross your mind. You should always be pushing
yourself hard and believe that you can overcome any
opponent, no matter what the odds are. Believing that
you can finish 100 kicks with each leg on pads is
something that you have to do if you want to finish it.
# 9 - Always Be Respectful
Treat people how you wish to be treated.
Respect is everything in Muay Thai. Always treat your training
partners and opponents with respect no matter what happens
in the ring.
Your demeanor in the gym is a reflection of your attitude and
personality. People who walk around the gym with arrogance
often foster a negative training environment for others.
Regardless of skill, a Muay Thai practitioner should always
remain humble and be willing to help those around him.
Keeping a positive attitude will help you build connections
that can last you a lifetime.
Being respectful will go a long and people will want to train
with you. If you are perceived as someone who is an asshole,
nobody will want to work with you or even spar with you.
Always maintain a friendly attitude and remember that the
people around you are there to help you get better. Your team
will be there behind you whether you win or lose. So always
make sure you show them the respect they deserve.
KEY TIPS
Don’t Have an Ego – Having an ego is bad for you and
bad for people around you. Nobody likes a guy that
walks around with arrogance and attitude. You are
never too good to spar with anyone. Get that idea out
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of your head. There is always something that you can
practice or learn against any opponent that you will
face.
Treat everyone equally – Don’t only treat
people who you look up to with respect,
respect everyone around you. Even if
someone is new to the gym, be humble
and help them out. You never know how
good that beginner can become if he puts
his mind to it.
Be Positive – Maintaining a positive
attitude no matter what is happening is a
great way to ensure that you get the most
out of your Muay Thai. Don’t ever get too
down on yourself if you lose a fight or have a bad
sparring session. Keeping a positive attitude is the key
to growth and getting better at the sport. Trust me, it
can open a lot of doors if you are constantly positive
and pleasant to be around.
#10 – Develop a Poker Face
Never reveal your weakness to anyone
The art of concealing emotions can be extremely difficult
when you having someone punching and kicking you with full
power. Developing a poker face in Muay Thai is something
that takes continual practice. It is not natural to be stoned
faced when you feel like death and out of breathe.
Not showing any weakness or
emotion in a fight will wreak
havoc on your opponent’s
mind. You would be surprised
how fast a fighter will lose
confidence in a fight if their
opponent never shows
emotions during the fight.
This is one aspect of fighting
that the Thai fighters in
Thailand have mastered
brilliantly. No matter how tired they are, they never show
signs of fatigue until they collapse. They maintain complete
composure and never show an opponent how much pain they
are actually feeling in the fight.
The poker face starts with always maintaining a calm state in
training, even when the body feels like collapsing. Keeping a
poker face when you can barely stand up is something that
takes a lot of practice. After you complete 5 rounds of pads,
not showing any signs of fatigue is almost as challenging as the
pad rounds themselves.
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By keeping a strong poker face in a fight, an opponent will
never know what you are feeling inside. This will prevent them
from gaining any confidence or fuelling anything inside of
them that could give them an advantage.
A poker face is mentally important in Muay Thai, as it keeps
your opponents guessing at all times. You will become more
unpredictable and intimidating in the fight.
PRO TIPS
Maintain a Poker Face in Training – No matter how
tired you are in training, don’t let exhaustion overtake
you. The one thing you will notice when you watch a
Thai fighter kick pads, he never shows weakness during
the round (after the round he will often collapse). Even
if the trainer asks him to do 100 kicks, he will often
pause to breathe, collect his composure and just do it.
Focus on Breathing – The key to being able to maintain
a poker face in any situation is being able to control
your breathing. One of the reasons why people look
exhausted after pads is because they are often gasping
for air and not correctly breathing. If you are able to
master your breathing, this will translate to when you
are fighting in the ring. Always focus on maintaining a
state of relaxation.
Stay Relaxed – One of the biggest reasons that people
gas out in the ring or in training is they are extremely
tense. You will often notice that the whole body is
tensed up as they punch or kick in the ring. By relaxing
your body, you will be able to conserve energy and
reduce the amount of fatigue you experience. This will
help you maintain a poker face in training or a fight.
Work Hard and Never Stop
Learning
Muay Thai is about continual growth and commitment. At
no stage should you ever think you are done learning. The
best coaches in the world are constantly working to
improve their own teaching methods to better themselves
and their students. In order to be a successful Nak Muay
you have to have a good work ethic.
If you are lazy and don’t put in enough hours into your
training, you will plateau a lot faster. Work ethic is
something that is developed by continual habit. Putting in
the hours will help you develop into the Nak Muay you
want to become. Remember to train hard and always
focus on improving. Good luck.
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MuayThaiPros.com Reading List:
What It Means to Have Heart
Finding the Right Muay Thai Trainer – 5 Essential Tips
Top 10 Muay Thai Fighters of All Time
Kickboxing vs Muay Thai
Muay Thai for MMA – An Introduction
10 Types of People You Find Sparring
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Disclosure: The information contained in this guide is for informational purposes only. No part of this publication shall be reproduced,
transmitted, or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author (Stephen Kong). This is a guide created for
muaythaipros.com and should not be distributed on any other platform.
(In summary, please don’t copy any part of this guide without my permission and paste it elsewhere.)
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