Maybe you’ve been entertaining the notion of learning to fight. Maybe you’ve already dipped a toe in and decided that grappling isn’t for you. Or maybe – just maybe – your interest has been piqued by the latest breakout of White Lotus fever. Whatever the case, starting Muay Thai (also stylised as Muaythai) could very well be one of the greatest decisions you ever make in this lifetime.
Having dabbled in Chinese kickboxing (Sanda/Sanshou) as a teen before becoming a full-blown Brazilian jiu-jitsu devotee as a young adult; only to come full circle as a hobbyist striker after a brief experiment with mixed martial arts; I can personally attest to the Art of Eight Limbs being more than just a combat sport – and something many develop a lifelong love affair with.
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“Using the mind to push your body past the barriers to finish those last few kicks, helps shape our students into real-life warriors,” said Michael Green, proprietor of Soi 18, 1774 Muay Thai Series co-owner/promoter, and ONE Championship official.
“It’s so efficient. There are few sports and martial arts that even come close to giving you such an intense workout in such a short period of time,” added Joe Lam, President of Sydney Uni Muay Thai and kid’s coach at Maneema Muay Thai.
Here’s what you should know before you wrap your hands, according to someone who’s enjoyed paying money to get beaten up recreationally for the past four years (along with a few experts).
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The History of Muay Thai
From its hypothesised origins at the hermit Sukatanata’s school (established circa 657 AD) and quite possibly during the Sukhothai Kingdom; to the seminal 1988 showdown between Rick “Duke” Rufus and Changpuek Kiatsongrit (the latter of whom triumphed despite an unfavourable ruleset and weight disadvantage) – the story of Muay Thai is rich with near-mythological moments.
Originally developed as a successor of older close-combat systems like Muay Boran, which soldiers of Siam used when they lost their weapons on the battlefield, this martial arts style relies on punches, elbows, knees, and kicks (hence “eight limbs”).
Around the 16th century, Muay Thai gained royal recognition when King Naresuan popularised it as a means of self-defence and military training. It continued to flourish, particularly under King Prachao Sua (known as the “Tiger King”), who was a skilled practitioner in his own right and promoted it throughout his reign.
The fall of Ayutthaya to Burmese invaders proved to be a legendary moment for Muay Thai. In 1774, captured Thai fighter Nai Khanom Tom earned his freedom by defeating 10 Burmese champions – one after the other “without pause” – cementing his status as a national hero.
Arguably the most crucial chapter of the Muay Thai story, however, involves the martial arts’s cross-pollination with Western boxing during the early 20th century, dramatically shaping what we know it to be in the present day.
Prior to this, traditional Muay Thai strikes were primarily linear and centred on powerful elbows, knees, as well as round kicks, with minimal emphasis on extensive punching techniques; suddenly the art had a full arsenal of jabs, straights, hooks, overhands, back fists, uppercuts, and even a Superman (or “cobra”) punch.
Muay Thai fighters in antiquity would also maintain an upright posture to focus on clinching and close-range strikes as opposed to the forward-leaning bob now utilised for a seamless transition between punches, kicks, and checking kicks.
Once Western boxing was introduced to Thailand, so too was a new dimension of head movement, footwork, and most importantly, punching/counterpunching combinations; with fluid angular movements and strategic boxing-style setups adopted to make Muay Thai even more dynamic.
Around this time, gloves also replaced traditional rope bindings (or kard chuek), weight classes were established, and stadiums like Rajadamnern and Lumpinee emerged as iconic arenas.
This basically brings us to the present day…
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Muay Thai vs Kickboxing
History and cultural roots aside, while Muay Thai has been referred to as both Thai boxing and Thai kickboxing, there is in fact a stylistic difference between it and Western kickboxing.
The most prominent distinction is the points of contact: as touched upon earlier, Muay Thai utilises all eight (fists, feet, elbows, knees) whereas kickboxing is restricted to just punches and kicks (elbows and knees are prohibited in competition).
In turn, this informs two very different stances – Muay Thai is squared at the hips, idling in a slower and more deliberate rhythm, designed to not only “check” heavy kicks delivered from a shin but also return to sender with powerful kicks. Kickboxing, which emphasises more agile footwork and evasive movements, relies on a bladed side-on stance that’s halfway between boxing and karate (easier to dart in and out).
The other key divergence is the use of clinches: in kickboxing, it’s employed minimally and often for defensive purposes. Muay Thai clinching is a core component of offence (a prime opportunity to elbow and knee at extremely close range) as well as a way to strategically off-balance and “sweep” your opponent.
Broadly speaking, a kickboxer is more likely to touch you up with a flurry of hits and retreat to a safe distance before you can even register what’s happened; a Muay Thai fighter is more likely to stand in front of you, weather the storm and absorb your hits, before breaking you at the right moment.
Muay Thai Styles
Within the umbrella of Muay Thai are the following subsets – in time, your body and natural athleticism will determine which style best suits you:
- Muay Mat (Puncher)
Powerful punches and low kicks, ideal for those with a Western boxing or Dutch kickboxing background. Fighters are aggressive and constantly pressure their opponents. - Muay Khao (Knee Fighter)
Masters of the clinch, these swarming operators dominate in close range with relentless knee strikes. - Muay Femur (Technician)
Highly strategic, high fight IQ, Femurs rely on superior footwork, timing, and counter-attacks. Their style is about precision and intelligence… and they’re beautiful to watch. - Muay Sok (Elbow Specialist)
Devastating elbow strikes, also paired with clinch mastery for short-range carnage. - Muay Tae (Kicker)
Powerful roundhouse and teep (front) kicks are the main weapon, maintaining distance, breaking down the defence, and controlling the fight’s rhythm. - Muay Bouk (Aggressor)
Absolute tanks. Constantly moving forward, steamrolling opponents with volume and aggression. Certainly not for the faint of heart or weak of stamina.
Equipment
Generally speaking, you will need:
- Boxing gloves (10-12 ounces to develop hand speed during pad work, a cushiony 14-16 ounces for sparring and live drills with a partner)
- Hand Wraps (crucial for the protection of your wrist and knuckles)
- Shin Guards (pretty self-explanatory, shin bone against shin bone collisions suck)
- Mouthguard (the best dental plan there is)
- Groin Guard (also pretty self-explanatory for the fellas)
- Towel
“The best brands for Muay Thai training? There is no straight answer, but traditional Thai brands like Twins, Fairtex, and Yuth Sport Gear are the best place to start. See what fits your body,” suggested Michael Green.
“Cheap gear is a no no. Invest in some good training equipment, like any good tradesman would.”
“I’m training in InFightStyle gloves and shin guards right now, and I think the gloves provide the most wrist support I’ve felt. Underneath I’ve got wraps from Yuth Sport Gear, which are a nice material and length,” offered Joe Lam.
“If we’re talking longevity, I have a pair of 14-year-old Top King shin guards that I still use from time to time.”
“And as for mouthguards, it’s better to visit a dentist and get something custom-made. I had one made at Shield in Sydney’s Inner West and it made a world of difference in comfort – and I can finally breathe properly while wearing it.”
Eventually, you may also need elbow guards and headgear to prepare for that amateur debut; ankle wraps and a knee guard if your body is made of shortbread like mine. Muay Thai apparel (i.e. shorts and singlets) are optional given the only real criteria is whether you can move in your clothes but recommended.
Training
“The start of your journey should emphasise the basics in a slow and digestible manner. Smashing the pads feels great but often leads to bad technique,” said Michael Green.
“Trust your coach and the pathways they have in place. Speak to them about your goals and how to achieve them. The coach doesn’t know now how hard to push you if you don’t tell them.”
“Be consistent – training once a week will not be enough to get good at Muay Thai.”
In an ideal world, you’d have time for three to four training sessions a week (each one split evenly between conditioning, drills, and sparring). In an ideal world, running also wouldn’t be a chore and you’d have the time/energy to bang out 10 kilometres a week to maintain ring readiness (have I mentioned how much I hate running?).
Ultimately, your schedule will obviously dictate the cadence of training; as will the structure of the classes you sign up to. The biggest lesson I’ve come to learn as a working stiff who only tallies a private session and two classes on a good week? Make the absolute most out of it whenever you can: if you’re going to show up, show up.
You might not be winning world championships any time soon, but you owe it to yourself to commit. Combat training is about breaking your ego and glimpsing your highest potential. In the ring, the only currency that exists is how far you’re prepared to push yourself.
Other aspects to focus on aside from levelling up cardio include plenty of extracurricular stretching and mobility exercises, in addition to shadowboxing in front of a mirror to refine your form – particularly for what will feel like a completely foreign action in checking kicks (prioritise technique over intensity first, the intensity will follow with familiarity).
If all goes to plan, after a few months, you won’t even recognise the person you were before wrapping those knuckles.
When prompted about what he wished he knew during the beginning of his own journey, Joe Lam had this to say:
- Learn defence and get comfortable with someone hitting you as soon as you can.
- Always prioritise technique over strength.
- Also, learn to hold pads, it’ll teach you timing and rhythm.
Surviving Your First Sparring Session
Congratulations, after a few weeks of training, you’ve finally been sanctioned for sparring by the coach; and get the prime opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in a live round.
But what happens now?
Unless you’ve already had some experience sparring in another discipline – or a problematic past as a scrapper out in the wild – you will most likely feel a spike in adrenaline: heart pounding, mind going a million miles, hands twitchy, perhaps even weak at the knees. It’s a completely natural response, and over time, you won’t even feel it. That’s the beauty of combat training.
In the meantime, however, there are a few ways you can make the process easier for yourself:
- Remembering to breathe cannot be emphasised enough (you need oxygen to move).
- Always keep those hands up and chin tucked.
- Relax your arms, tensing only makes you slower (only tense at the moment of impact).
- Resist the urge to shell up when you get hit, it limits visibility, encourages you to freeze up, and only makes you a standing target.
- Be mindful of where you move, not just to avoid colliding with other people but avoid being boxed into a corner (this is called ring awareness)
- Don’t look a your partner’s feet, keep your eyes fixed on their shoulders – the shoulders tell you everything you need to know about what’s coming; your peripheral vision will take care of the kicks.
- Don’t be an asshole – abide by the “hit as hard as you want to be hit” principle, which goes
doubletriple for knees, elbows, and sweeps (assuming they’ve been greenlit). - Remember that it’s just sparring, not a real fight – keep it chill and playful, and if you need to take it down a notch, there’s no shame in communicating that.
If you walk away from a round having learned nothing, you’re doing it wrong. Sparring isn’t about proving something, and it definitely isn’t about “winning”: it’s about practical education and getting acclimated to the context of a physical confrontation.
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The Most Common Mistakes Beginners Make
“The most common mistake we make as beginners is going too hard too fast. Waking up sore in the morning makes training the next day hard, so take it easy,” advised Green.
Lam echoed a similar sentiment: “Thinking they need to do everything with power. And by that same token, hurting their training partner. No one wants to train with someone who can’t control themselves.”
“Thinking Muay Thai is only about fighting. People train for all sorts of reasons and it’s not for you to decide how or why.”
“Ignoring proper stance and footwork is another one – the base is where it starts and ends, so having a good stance helps the pieces of the puzzle come together,” Green elaborated on the technical side of rookie errors.
“And forgetting to control your breathing – take time building your fitness in beginner classes before trying to advance.”
A final tip from personal experience for anyone who’s coming from a boxing background: avoid reliance on head movement early on until you’ve adjusted to the stylistic difference (read: knees, kicks) – ducking and slipping have a time and place once you properly account it. Your jaw and the bridge of your nose will thank you (trust me).
Nutrition
Carbohydrates have been demonised over the last few decades, with misconceptions wrongly taken to be fact amongst us ordinary folks. But they’re non-negotiable for a sustained and often high-intensity activity like Muay Thai (and the recovery process thereafter).
“You cannot train like a combat sports athlete without carbs,” revealed sports dietitian Kristóf Szántó of Strive Dietetics.
Szántó went on to rule out the likes of a keto diet for those who intend on taking Muay Thai seriously; before suggesting the consumption of fast-digesting carbs like a bagel with jam (or simple jam sandwich) and rice cakes with banana and honey roughly 90 minutes before a training session.
Don’t worry: you’ll burn them almost immediately before they get a chance to settle on the waistline.
“If you eat for weight management instead of performance, you’re leaving about 30% on the table every time you train.”
In terms of protein (the other non-negotiable pillar of nutrition for combat sports), approximately 2g of protein per kilo of body weight daily is a core pillar of a well-balanced diet.
Caffeine and creatine will also be among your greatest allies in your Muay Thai journey.
The former provides noticeably sharper reaction times, though given you can quickly build a tolerance with regular use, Kristóf Szántó suggests you reserve that Red Bull or coffee for sparring and competition days to experience the full benefits.
The latter, on the other hand, is even more intriguing. Not only does the supplement supercharge your muscular strength, but studies have found it can play a role in concussion prevention (read more about it here).
Hopefully, you’ll never have to seriously consider neuroprotection.
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Finding The Right Muay Thai Gym
Like we’ve said before in our breakdowns of the best boxing gyms, best Brazilian jiu-jitsu gyms, and best MMA gyms, personal goals will invariably dictate what’s the best fit in the specific context of you. But there are a few things you should always look out for.
Instructors
Are they actually qualified to teach you and what are their credentials? A good indication, especially within the realm of Muay Thai, is a) their own training pedigree, and while not essential, c) whether they’ve competed themselves. A cardio kickboxing certification and two weeks at a tourism gym somewhere vaguely in Southeast Asia probably won’t translate to a first-class education.
Hygiene
Is the gym you’re choosing well-maintained? On a related note, don’t buy into the Hollywood (or Bangkok-bred) cliché of grinding away in some dingey warehouse without proper building safety standards. Getting tetanus from a rusty pillar or rolling your ankle because of poorly installed mats won’t magically make you Buakaw or Saenchai. Neither will a nasty case of staph that rips through the entire team like wildfire.
Atmosphere
Yes, learning to get comfortable in the uncomfortable is a major part of the process; although where you train should also be a place where you genuinely want to spend time. Are your potential teammates welcoming and kind? Do they understand you’re a beginner and ease you into the arts or are they tuning you up during what should be light drills/sparring sessions for a quick ego boost?
“Definitely find a gym with a good vibe, because without that, training won’t be very fun (because you are meant to enjoy this),” noted Michael Green.
As with other facets of life, avoid the dickheads wherever possible.
For all you Sydneysiders reading this, check out a few of our Muay Thai gym recommendations (which include the aforementioned Soi 18 and Maneema Muay Thai).
Also read:
- So You’ve Signed Up For A Triathlon: Here’s Everything You Need To Know Before Race Day
- So You’ve Signed Up For A HYROX: How Should You Be Training?
- Jake Gyllenhaal’s Workout & Diet Plan To Get ‘Road House’ Ripped
- Joe Rogan’s Workout & Diet Plan Isn’t For The Faint-Hearted
- The Secret Life Of Anthony Bourdain
