A Muay Thai Strength Training Experience!
I remember when I first started back my Muay Thai training I went through a pain stage that lasted for 2 months before my body hardened for the task and I am a well conditioned individual! Take a minute to continue reading this article to learn more about why strength training for Muay Thai is so crucial and to learn about what it takes to adapt your body for this amazing art form. If you are experienced in the art of Muay Thai then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Muay Thai Strength Training
I want to begin by saying that my kettlebell program was a big factor in me even being able to survive the Muay Thai workouts. My good friend and top Muay Thai Kru Jeff Perry and I go way back and we never wasted any time on beating each other up in our own way when it came to physical training! Jeff has been a top Muay Thai competitor for a long time and he has the hardest kicks I have ever experienced. On the same token Jeff has respected my strength and conditioning philosophy for as long as we have known each other. I have been fortunate enough to train him for events and prepare him for fighters ranked as highly as #8 in the world. To be even more fortunate he always ended up winning in dominant fashion.
I can honestly say that Muay Thai is one of the hardest sports I have ever done. This martial art is as brutal as they come. The entire concept of the art form is predicated on the art of striking. Striking with your hands, feet, elbows, and knees all make Muay Thai the “deadly art.” I have always been a hard core strength and conditioning specialist and trainee, but Muay Thai took my mind and body to a whole new place. By incorporating kettlebells, dead lifts, and cleans into my strength and conditioning program I know without a doubt that I set myself up to not only survive in Muay Thai, but to perform as well.
To give you an example of the effectiveness of kettlebell training Jeff was quick to point out just how tough some of the base lifts of the kettlebell were the first time he tried them. Swinging and working his way up to my big red (32kg-72lb.) kettlebell was something that even got Jeff’s heart rate up to a noticeable rate. Eventually his kicks and punches got even more violent when I thought that wasn’t even possible. Kettlebells along with smart big core lifts such as dead lifts and cleans combined with Muay Thai to be a match made in heaven. Not only were my Muay Thai skills improving, but Jeff’s kettlebell skills were getting more and more impressive at the same time!
You see the key to performing and surviving in any physical sport is making sure you incorporate a formula of lifts and body weight movements that are designed to condition you for the stresses you put on yourself within those sports. This is certainly the case with Muay Thai training. Without mobility, strength, and cardiovascular conditioning you will NOT survive in the sport of Muay Thai. The thing to do is to work on your sport skills, but also make sure you are doing those other things, like strength training, to make you better at those specific sport skills. Kettlebells, cleans, and dead lifts are just what you need for your Muay Thai program!
If you want feel free to look into more of my posts for free. Remember that most any fighter can train hard, but only the champions train smart my friend. Start your smart training today!
