SMASH THE HEAVY BAG WITH THESE MUAY THAI DRILLS

By Sean Fagan

The heavy bag is undoubtedly an important piece of training equipment.

Heavy bag drills not only build up endurance and strength but hone technique and help one develop and perfect combinations.

There are many useful exercises, but here is a selection of five to experiment with during the next training session.

WATCH: Best Beginner Heavy Bag Drills For MMA, Muay Thai & Kickboxing

#1: 100 Push Kicks/Teeps

Focus on accuracy and control.

When you kick, time each one with the backswing of the bag so that you fall into a rhythm. View the bag as an opponent: don’t let it gain the advantage and follow-up each kick with another before the bag can swing back.

Keep your kicks sharp and quick during each rep. Try to land each one in the same spot so that the bag swings back and forth rather than all over the place.

Alternate your stance after each rep. Take your time between reps if you need to, but maintain...

INTENSE AB EXERCISES & CORE CIRCUIT WORKOUTS FOR YOUR NEXT MUAY THAI SESSION

By Sean Fagan

Abs workouts and core conditioning for a fighter means much more than just developing a six-pack.  You must focus on training your abs to help you improve movement patterns, strength, and overall performance.

Obviously, your core is extremely important as a Muay Thai fighter. If you have a strong and stable core it will lead to more powerful kicks and punches, better footwork, more efficient clinching, and the ability to absorb more punishment.

You must understand that improving your abs and core region is much more than crunches. In fact, I’m not a big advocate of crunching but I do understand Muay Thai and combat fighters are different and some crunching exercises can be performed.

Today I am going to share two Core and Abs Finisher workout circuits that I use with my fighters at the end of our conditioning for fighters session. These are short, but intense Muay Thai abs...

LOSING SUCKS BUT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO GROW

By Sean Fagan

It’s fight night. You feel more ready than ever to step into the ring and you feel confident about coming away with another hard-earned win. How could you not feel that way after all the hard work and sacrifices you’ve made, right?

You’ve put rigorous hours in the gym banging the heavy bag, hitting pads, and sparring tough, experienced guys.

You’ve obsessively watched your diet for weeks making sure you were simultaneously losing weight, eating healthy and getting enough nutrients into your body to train hard.

You’ve visualized the fight over and over and over and over again replaying what felt like every possible scenario that could happen in the context of a fight.

You just finished warm-ups. You take the walk down the hallway towards the ring. You start to feel the energy of the crowd and you hear the music blasting it’s bass...

WHAT IS SAK YANT & HOW DO YOU GET ONE?

By Angela Chang

Sak yant is extremely popular in the Muay Thai community, namely with those who have visited Thailand. With geometric shapes and depictions of animals and gods, sak yant is as beautiful as it is painful to receive.

Who does sak yant?

Sak yant are done by monks or arjans who have studied the art for a very long time. (They are also usually longtime ex-monks.) Monks are not allowed to make profit off doing the tattoos as part of their code, so going to a temple to get it done is always donation-based. One of the most popular temples to get sak yant done is Wat Bang Phra.

If you go to a temple, be sure to dress appropriately by covering your legs and shoulders. ...

GREAT BRITAIN'S BEST MUAY THAI HERO

By Kyle Gilmore

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF PETER CROOKE VIA FACEBOOK

Using just a few words, how on earth can one begin to properly describe a Muay Thai champion? Luckily for one such champion, it can be done with the use of a single word — gentleman.

Given that nickname when he fought in his Super League days, Peter “The Gentleman” Crooke has left a mark on the Muay Thai and kickboxing worlds that will never be forgotten. He accomplished this all while being a full-time police officer and competing with a massive injury early in his career, leaving him with no ACL in his left leg.

Crooke amassed titles in SIMTA and WAKO Pro (being the champ in both the Super Welterweight and Light Middleweight division), as well as becoming the WMTC champion and fighting the top fighters in his division the whole time.

Crooke, born in Wombourne, England and now retired from the fighting world, entered Muay Thai much like his friend Ole Laursen...

SPOILER ALERT: YOUR FIRST MUAY THAI CLASS MAY SUCK.

By Rosy Lynch

There are some rather jarring differences between spin group at the local fitness club and a typical Muay Thai class.

Besides the obvious differences, there is an entirely different level of commitment and tenacity required to train in Muay Thai.

The first class will set a high bar for your tolerance.

If you’re feeling a bit unsure about just picking a gym and turning up to a session, here are some tips on what you can expect from your Thai boxing experience:

Class Structure

A typical beginners’ class is likely to include most of the following:

• You’ll warm up – Maybe skipping, or shadowboxing (yes, you’ll feel like an idiot but I promise nobody else cares), or a run from the gym.
• You’ll drill – The bulk of a beginners’ class is likely to be focused on practicing techniques and combinations on Thai pads and/or the heavy bag. You’ll probably be...

SHARPEN YOUR ELBOWS WITH THESE 7 TECHNIQUES

What is not to like about elbows? They’re deadly daggers yet also devastating clubs. These so-called “hellbows” are what makes Muay Thai stand out.

Elbows are one of the tools that, if your opponent is unskilled with them, could result in their complete obliteration. If you’re one of the fellas that isn’t as skilled with elbows, this post is for you.

Like punches, there’s a basic vocabulary that you must be familiar with before you can add in the grammar (in other words, striking principles – e.g. setups, angles, etc.).

In this Evolve MMA video, Kwankhao Mor. Rattanabandit, a former Rajadamnern stadium champion, will demonstrate seven elbow strikes you must know.

ELBOWS & GAUGING DISTANCE

Now that we’ve got a basic vocabulary, let’s start putting some sentences together.

Like in all strikes, distance is the all-important...

THE TOP TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGHTERS ACROSS COMBAT SPORTS

By Charlie Hustle

We often see top X lists revolving around some sort of variation of “Who is the P4P greatest (insert combat sport) fighter of all time?” This tends to open up the subjective conjecture floodgates instantly. Soon your favorite fighter is being derided, you’re comparing someone to Hitler and the topic ultimately peters out with nothing of substance having been said or realized.

It’s just the nature of the conversation and it’s all in good fun most of the times. Who doesn’t love it when the “Keyboard Warrior Memes” start flying around?

I often think, “Why do these topics, which should simply be fun and lighthearted, so quickly devolve into online verbal death matches?”

I think the answer is because perhaps our identification with certain fighters and certain types of fighters tends to resonate with us more so on an emotional or personal...

BE A BETTER LIAR: ALL ABOUT FEINTING FOR MUAY THAI

By Brandon Ray

From hiding an injury to camouflaging a kill-shot, there are plenty of reasons we lie in the ring. Today, we focus on feinting.

It has been said that boxers excel at disguising their punches, and I agree: with fewer weapons, you have to get creative with your setups. But this isn’t about “boxing feints.” Though this breakdown draws from boxing experience, it’s about feinting tactics that work across all combat sports.

Feinting Fundamentals

In order for any of the feints covered in this article to work, you must establish real threats. Maestro Charles Selberg explains from a fencing perspective, but the combat sports carryover is clear:

“My policy is to give them a smashing, fast, direct attack, straight at the target [and] meant to land, in the very opening moment of the bout. I make it, fine; if I don’t make it, fine. The idea is not...

WANNA GET FIT, HAVE FUN & CHANGE YOUR LIFE? MUAY THAI MIGHT BE YOUR ANSWER

By Isabel Speckman

Known as the "Art of Eight Limbs," there's a lot more to Muay Thai than just learning kicks, knees, punches, and elbows. In fact, like many martial arts, learning this ancient style offers a lot of rewarding health benefits.

Besides equipping you with vital skills to protect and defend yourself, you will also notice some changes in your appearance and behavior. How so? Well, the Muay Thai mindset is aimed to push you to your limit, but more on that later.

It Helps You Get Leaner and Stronger

With that, an hour of practicing Muay Thai is way better than having an hour swimming lesson which can help you burn 400 calories or lifting weights at the gym (300 calories)!

Physical benefits are one of the most rewarding benefits that Muay Thai has to offer. Since a Muay Thai class moves typically at a fast pace, students can usually burn up to 1,000 calories an hour spent...