THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #42

By Sean Fagan

Training in Thailand can be a daunting task. Everyone who has done it has made a number of mistakes (including Paul and I) and are constantly learning new things about training in the motherland of Muay Thai.

Our goal for this podcast episode is to get you as prepared as possible for the intense training that comes with Muay Thai in Thailand. Follow these 10 survival tips for training in Thailand and you’ll be happy you did 

Click To Listen ===> 10 Survival Tips For Training In Thailand

Here’s a brief summary of the things we cover in this weeks podcast:

#1. Proper Cooldown – It’s critical to minimize delayed onset muscle soreness and keep the body from locking up in future sessions.

#2. Thai Liniment – This stuff is awesome! It will help warm up stiff joints, minimize pain and help keep you from being unbelievable sore.

#3. Electrolytes and Hydration –...

TRY THIS HEAVY BAG DRILL TO PRACTICE GOOD CHIN DEFENSE

By Sean Fagan

This was one of the first heavy bag drills I did when I started boxing when I was younger. I learned really quick that I need to keep my chin tucked, especially if I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose any money! You’ll get what I mean once you watch the video of this type of Muay Thai heavy bag drill:

Chin Tucked Heavy Bag Drill

See what I mean? There’s much more on the line now when you hit the heavy bag if you are holding money underneath your chin.

Of course, although using money as the tool for this drill can be highly motivated, if you’re a broke joke like myself and can’t afford to put some bills underneath your chin, you can also use a tennis ball or rubber ball of some sort.

HOW TO HEAL BRUISED SHINS, SHIN SPLINTS & SPRAINED WRISTS

By Sean Fagan

Sorry to break it to you, but at some point in your Muay Thai career, you are going to get hurt.

This could be a common Muay Thai injury like a blister or black eye, or it could be more serious like a sprained ankle or broken bone. In any case, being mentally prepared for roadblocks and learning how to persist past these obstacles is key to any nak muay’s career and overall sanity.

Before I go into some of the most common Muay Thai injuries, I want you to understand that when you are injured and can’t train, it is not the end of the world! I have had minor injuries and serious injuries that have kept me away from the gym, but there are always other ways to improve yourself and stay productive that do not always have to relate directly to training.

Also don’t be a dumbass. If you are seriously hurt, do not try to push through more training sessions and risk getting injured...

COMMON MISTAKES IN MUAY THAI STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

By Sean Fagan

The combination of Muay Thai and strength and conditioning is now not only accepted, but actively sought by many competitive fighters and recreational Thai boxers alike.

This is great news. When I first started my website over five years ago, my emphasis was on why Thai boxers should be using strength and conditioning.

Now I enjoy explaining how you do this rather than justifying why – and that’s where things get exciting.

The enthusiasm the Muay Thai community now has for supplemental training has also led to some misconceptions. And in this article, I’ll highlight some of these so you can either steer-clear, or confirm you’re on the right track!

Making resistance sessions look like Thai boxing sessions

I get it. You love Muay Thai – I do too. But that doesn’t mean that allyour training sessions need to look like Muay Thai. In fact, you’ll run...

AVOID THESE TRAPS WHEN TRAINING IN THAILAND

By Sean Fagan

Are you thinking about training Muay Thai in Thailand?

Do yourself this one favor. Before you head over to train at a Muay Thai training camp in Thailand, get an of idea of what to expect for the training and living conditions.

Training in Thailand is no joke and you have to do your research and be prepared!

Muay Thai training camps in Thailand provide Nak Muay (muay thai students) like yourself with the perfect venue to take your skills to the next level. By traveling to the home of this awesome martial art you will have access to the best teachers, great training partners and the most effective training routines.

Chances are it will mean training at an intensity that your mind and body are not used to. The initial adjustment period can be a bit of a challenge, but the potential payoff makes the hardships along the way worthwhile.

If you want to make training Muay Thai in Thailand a positive life changing...

WOULD YOU TAKE A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM THE GREATEST?

By Sean Fagan

When is the last time you got to shoot practice shots with Michael Jordan?

Can you recall the last time you swapped opening move strategies with Bobby Fischer? Or played a friendly round of 18 holes with Tiger Woods?

Have you ever been granted the amazing opportunity to learn from and practice with a real, live legend of sports?

Well, recently, my friends, I got to do just that. Let me tell you all about my Muay Thai private with the one, the only, the king of the cartwheel kick...

SAENCHAI!!!

This wasn't my first time meeting Saenchai, but it was the longest private I've ever had with the man. And let me tell you: he is EXACTLY what you think he's like.

"Playful" doesn't begin to describe him. Where do I even begin?? When we sparred, every time he landed clean, he started counting me out... LOL. He's so loose no matter what he's doing or showing you. The constant "oooweee!" coming out of his mouth had me grinning...

The Best Methods For Recovering Quickly For Your Next Training Session

From Muay Thai Guy

Recovery is by FAR one of the most overlooked aspects of Muay Thai training.

Do you understand the importance of treating your body right after intense training sessions?

Whether you actually take the time to recover after workouts or you want to find out better ways to feel less sore/beat up, this guest post by Jerry from PNP Supplements will shine some light on areas that will help you with your post workout recovery.

Top 5 Tips to Improve Your Recovery

By Jerry Teixeira of PNP Supplements

One the most important aspect of training is your recovery. Although training is where stimulation for development and growth accurse, it is during your recovery where actual progress is made. Needless to say, the better you take care of your body during recovery, the more you will benefit from your training sessions.

With a good recovery regimen in place you can cut down on the time need for...

 SPOTTING THE GOOD (AND BAD) IN MUAY THAI TRAINERS AND COACHES

From Muay Thai Guy

Who you choose to train under is the singularly most important factor that determines the rest of your martial arts career. Are you going to go all the way and compete and chase after the belt? Or you purely want to learn for the discipline and self-defense aspect? And for each goal, what kind of coach will you train under?

I’ve been doing Muay Thai over seven years now. I’m not a pro fighter and can barely consider myself an amateur, but I have put in the necessary time and energy. 

I’ve learned that a good coach is flexible to their student’s wants and needs, and is able to cater to both type of students described above. In addition, a good coach makes you feel like you’re wanted in the gym when he/she sees that you put the effort in and will welcome you into their inner circle. A good coach pushes your limits within reason to make you better, they build...

Muay Thai Workout For Explosive Power and Optimal Strength

From Muay Thai Guy

If you’re like most nak muay, you have limited time to work on strength and conditioning for your muay thai. Fortunately, doing a kettlebell workout can yield amazing benefits for muay thai fighters in a relatively short amount of time. Not only that, but training with kettlebells will also dramatically improve your explosive power, muscular endurance, balance, coordination, overall strength and cardio.

Movements patterns done with kettlebell training can be very similar to the movements used in muay thai. Whether you’re punching, kicking, knees or clinching, all of those movements use the same biomechanics that you will use in the Kettlebell For Fighters Program.

Obviously as a fighter, you’re going to want to generate explosive strikes to dominate your next fight. The ballistic movements of kettlebells will help you develop that explosive strength and will give you more...

Why “Training Like A Thai” Isn’t For Everyone

By Sean Fagan

I get it, you’re in Thailand and you want to train as hard and as often as possible. You want to make the most of your time in the mecca of Muay thai and “train like a Thai” by putting in two intense training sessions a day, six times a week. There’s only one problem…

You’re not a Thai.

Now I’m not saying that you won’t be able to handle the daily grind of training that the Thai’s go through, I’m just asking the question, do you think it’s worth it?

Yes, you’ll be putting in the hours when it comes to hitting pads, punching the bag, clinching and skipping rope, but how many of those hours will you actually be focused on what you’re doing? Will you be benefiting from the amount of hours you are putting in, or will it end up being more detrimental to your technique and overall health?

These are serious questions to consider,...