WHY THE JUMP ROPE MATTERS

By Evan Lee

The highest aim of fighting is to hit and not get hit.

You want to knock your opponent’s face into the dirt while yours remains in pristine condition. But without good footwork, you’ll become a human punching bag. And being a human punching bag, surprise surprise, isn’t good for your health. Jumping rope will improve your footwork.

The lightness of your feet will be demonstrated in how you jump rope. If you’re slamming your heels down and jumping too high, how do you think your footwork is going to be? Not great. There are many mistakes people make when jumping rope that completely jeopardizes their training. If you’re uncertain how to use the jump rope to improve your footwork, we’ve got you covered:

The jump rope is a lovely tool that serves as the basis for all of your footwork training. It gives you the endurance and the coordination necessary for all of your movement inside the ring or cage....

THE DON’TS OF YOUR VERY FIRST FIGHT

By Angela Chang

In my last article on Muay Thai Guy, we talked about what you should do during your first fight. Frankly, there’s plenty of fight advice of what you should do during your first fight. You’ll hear it from teammates, friends, and may even read it online through self-research.

Your first fight can be daunting. There are several things you have to keep in mind through training and the fight and make sure you do. You can just as easily make mistakes that will cost you the fight. Here’s what not to do during your first fight.

DON’T: Worry About Using Perfect Technique

It’s extremely rare to see someone throw anything with flawless technique during their first several amateur fights. Your focus should be more on landing your shots rather than executing those shots perfectly. Waiting around for the perfect shot will only waste time you could be spending at least trying...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #32

By Sean Fagan

Everyone makes mistakes when they first make the voyage to Thailand to train Muay Thai, but you can avoid some of these common mistakes by learning from people who’ve already made them… like myself and Paul.

In this most recent podcast episode, Paul and I discuss the most common mistakes we made (and still continue to make) whenever we make the trip to Thailand. If you’re heading to Thailand in the near future, this podcast is a MUST listen to because it covers the top 10 mistakes including:

1. Not Doing It Sooner – Putting off your trip to Thailand can result in you NEVER making the trip. The sooner you go the better because it will open new doors of opportunity for you and open your eyes to new possibilities.
2. Not Planning Ahead – Although you want to do it as soon as possible, you do need to plan accordingly in order to make sure you have enough money and plan the proper itinerary for...

THE FUNDAMENTAL WAYS ORTHODOX FIGHTERS CAN STIFLE & WILT SOUTHPAWS

By Angela Chang

Are you an orthodox fighter? Do you have trouble when you’re sparring a southpaw? No need to worry – you’re not the only one.

With only a handful of the world’s population being lefties (and some righties that box lefty), stumbling upon someone who stands like a mirror image of yourself can be confusing.

A lot of people don’t know how to spar or fight southpaws. This reason, among others, contributes to the success many southpaw fighters find in the ring. However, going up against a southpaw won’t be as scary as long as you practice and keep these three pieces of advice in mind.

#1 – YOUR LEAD (LEFT) FOOT STAYS OUTSIDE OF THEIRS

This is a solid piece of advice for those just starting out.

Keeping your lead foot outside of theirs ensures you’re always off their centerline.

Being off their centerline means they’ll...

 IF YOU DREAM OF FIGHTING IN THAILAND, THIS STORY COULD BE YOURS

By Evan Lee

“What’s it like fighting Muay Thai in Thailand?”

I get asked this question a lot, particularly from family and friends who just don’t quite “get” the difference. Fighting back home, where you’re comfortable and surrounded by love and support, is a lot different than fighting in Thailand– birthplace of the sport and home to the best nak muay in the world. Even the dude who delivered your pizza in Bangkok last night could (and would, for the right amount of baht) whoop your ass. Having your first fight in Thailand is a mountain to climb, my friends.

But check this out: imagine having your first fight in Thailand surrounded by well-wishers and team members; imagine having legitimate Muay Thai training in the weeks leading up to this fight; and imagine feeling more ready, more confident, and more pumped than ever to bang in the...

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MUAY THAI FIGHTER?

By Angela Chang

There is always something in Muay Thai that anyone can find purposeful, enjoy doing, or make great use of.

When you go to a gym, you will find people there for different reasons. The most common reasons are to get fit, to lose weight, to learn self defense…and then there’s a population at the gym who are there because actively fight or say they want to fight.

As with any setting, you will find people of many different personalities and occupations, so there is no specific “cut” of person that makes it as a fighter.

That being said, fighting is not something that is for everyone. A respected coach will never make anyone fight if they don’t want to. They recognize that not everyone who trains wants to fight, and not everyone who says they want to fight actually have what it takes to be a fighter.

Intention

Intention is the starting point of many great things.

You may...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS: EPISODE #60

By Sean Fagan

“What training camp should I go to in Thailand?”

This is by far one of, if not THE most asked question Paul and I get from fans from all over the world. And guess what? We almost never have a good answer to give because it depends on such a wide variety of factors including your goals, budget, likes/dislikes, experience, etc.

Instead of giving a vague answer to this extremely common question, we figured that covering it in detail in a podcast would be the best way to go. So, if you are in the midst of deciding which gym you should be training at in Thailand, this podcast episode will hopefully answer all your questions!

Click here to listen to TMTG 060: What Gym Should I Train at in Thailand?

(My voice is a bit echo-ey in this podcast, so my apologies on that, I’m not sure why that happened. I do sound much more epic when I talk though.)

We talk about all the things you should consider when traveling to...

MY BEST MUAY THAI DIET ADVICE TO IMPROVE YOUR TRAINING & LIFE!

By Sean Fagan

Any dumbass knows that the nutrition and diets for Muay Thai fighters are almost completely different than the eating habits of everyday people.

Having a solid nutrition plan for your training camp can mean the difference between winning and losing your next fight!

It is way too common for people to underestimate the importance of eating healthy.

Are you one of them?

If you are, then my advice, tips and guidelines will help you develop healthy eating habits that will give your mind and body the energy and focus it needs to compete at it’s highest level.

If you are already on top of your shit and know all about dieting, cutting weight and eating right, I’d still recommend reading through the tips to see if there is anything you can add to make your Muay Thai nutrition even better!

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” -La...

HOW TO MAKE THE LEAP TO TRAINING IN BANGKOK

By Sean Fagan

Thinking about training Muay Thai in Bangkok? I don’t blame you. You’re bound to improve your technique, conditioning and overall Muay Thai training if you travel to the capital of Thailand to train.

But, is living and training at a Muay Thai camp in Bangkok the best fit for you?

There are so hundreds of awesome Muay Thai training camps to choose from all over Thailand, it can be difficult to figure out what location and what gym would be best for you.

That’s where I’ll be trying my best to help you! The Bangkok tips below will give you an idea for whether or not living and training at a camp in Bangkok is an ideal situation for you. I’ll supply you with all the resources possible to make your decision easy and stress free!

Is The Bangkok City Life For You?

Training in Bangkok is definitely only for the people who can handle the city atmosphere. There are a lot of great benefits you can...

WHY A MUAY THAI RETREAT IN COSTA RICA MAY BE FOR YOU

By Liz Gaschler

After a two-year hiatus, my first semester back as an undergraduate was far from painless. Having recently returned from traveling Southeast Asia, I needed to get back in shape.

Body-image is a constant battle for me and somehow life always seems to get in the way of my diet, exercise routine and motivation… I’m sure you could relate in one way or another, right?

Whether you’re hustling at your job and working long hours or you get overwhelmed with the endless to-do list, it can be extremely hard to focus solely on your health and well-being.

By the time March came around this year I was ready to celebrate spring-break with a vacation, but I was NOT ready to hop in my bikini just yet. I had to do something that would help me lose the weight and get back into shape..

… and that’s when I made the decision to take a Muay Thai retreat!

Now I’ve been...