In this post, I will show you the general steps required for you to start your journey, and learn how to Muay Thai. Before we start, please note that there is no "magic pill" here. Like any other sport, you need to have the determination and willpower necessary to keep on consistently training, otherwise you are just wasting time.
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Step 1 - Join a Muay Thai gym
This will be the basis of your journey, so you should choose carefully here. Each gym will have a different training regime, so keep that in mind. Each Sensei will have his own mindset when it comes to Muay Thai, and this in turn will reflect on the training he provides his students.
Things you should look for in a Muay Thai gym:
- A good warm-up schedule
- Focus on conditional training
- Regular sparring
- A Sensei who's training philosophy is similar to yours
Step 2 - Learn the Muay Thai history
The next step you should do is to learn the past of Muay Thai. The origins of Muay Thai is very fascinating, and is a core step in your journey to learn how to Muay Thai. In a nutshell, Muay Thai's history is intertwined with that of Thailand's. Back in the early days of Thailand, it had many risks of invasions from neighboring countries while it was still in the process of forming itself. Since in these times, only short ranged weapons where available such as clubs, pikes, swords, etc, the body's natural weapons such as elbows and fists also came into play. It is from this fact that it was then developed into a systemized Martial Arts that came to be known as Muay Thai.
Step 3 - Spar often
Most people thing that a punching bag will teach them everything. This is a very wrong move to make in your journey to learn how to Muay Thai. The fact is that a punching bag is a static target and will only teach you limited skills. It is against other opponents that you will learn the full set of skills, including evasion and defense. It can be difficult at first if you have never sparred before, but in time it will become easier to fight, inside the ring and outside.
Step 3 - Train your Endurance
Stamina is going to be your best friend in the ring. Long hours of running will help, but you should utilize other forms of endurance training such as rope skipping.