Any martial art that focuses on strikes will typically include a mixture of live sparring, shadow striking, and heavy bag training. What does Muay Thai training consist of? As you might have already imagined, it’s a fast paced martial art that will build up your endurance and help you better utilize all “weapons” on your body, including your knees, elbows, and hands, and feet.
How Does Muay Thai Training Build Up Shin Strength
Building up shin strength in Muay Thai is crucial for allowing you to deliver more powerful kicks. Plus, it helps decrease the chances of experiencing an injury. So, how can you go about increasing shin strength? Fighters in Thailand have been known to kick banana trees, but this isn’t recommended if you haven’t trained before, or if you shins are relatively weak. Instead, it’s best to start off kicking a 50 to 100-pound heavy bag.
Most heavy bags tend to be the most solid around their bases, and more hollow towards the top. When you initially start off building up your shin strength, always start off towards the mid-upper part of the bag, and slowly work your way down as you start increasing the strength of your shins. Remember that this is mean to be a slow process. It shouldn’t cause you excessive amounts of pain while doing this. If it does, it means that you’re pushing yourself too much, and you should decrease heavy bag density.
Portland Muay Thai Technique: Kickboxing Combo Series – Combo #9
Shadow Boxing and Sparring – What’s the Difference?
Shadow boxing is done alone, while sparring is done with a partner. You might be thinking, “Why shadow box when you can train with a live partner?” The truth is that shadow boxing offers a ton of benefits. For one, it helps increase the quality of your footwork, and works wonders on your aim. Plus, when performed enough, it can help you master specific punch combinations, virtually allowing you to call upon them subconsciously at a moment’s notice.
What does Muay Thai training consist of? After signing up for your first Muay Thai class, expect to take things lightly. You’ll learn the basics of the sport (footwork, punching/kicking techniques, etc.) as well as have the opportunity to watch more skilled fighters show off their skillsets. Muay Thai is most effective when used at a close distance, so if you ever find yourself “trapped” in a self-defense situation, it can definitely come in handy.