INJURIES ARE INESCAPABLE IN THIS SPORT

By Randy Pilares

Injuries are common in most contact sports, and even more so in combat sports.

So you can just imagine how it is in Muay Thai. It's as common as being on the receiving end of an elbow or roundhouse strike. Virtually any strike or sequence can do it, too, serving up the terror of earning a random injury to the menu.

Are you thinking about taking up Muay Thai? Have you been to an open session at your local Muay Thai gym? Have you watched a lot of Muay Thai fights?

Are you truly mentally (not to mention physically) prepared for this? 

Today, we're talking the ugly side of Muay Thai: injuries - black, blue and otherwise.

TWO SIDES TO THE 'ART OF 8 LIMBS'

Muay Thai is a beautiful martial art which many even recognize as an art form. When its combatants or even sparring partners are in sync, the exchanges are spectacles to behold.

Practicing Muay Thai can mesmerize and inspire. There is a...

PREVENTING INJURIES STEMMING FROM BAD FIGHTER POSTURE

By Angela Chang 

Whether it’s a small ache or a full-on broken bone, injuries suck. They’re almost always sure to put you out of action for at least a little bit of time. But did you know a lot of injuries are totally avoidable?

Posture

It’s no shocker that a lot of martial artists have terrible posture. The fighting stance fosters some bad habits such as internally rolled shoulders, tight pec muscles, weak hamstrings and back muscles, and bad neck placement. 

Since we spend so much time in fighting stances while training, it’s easy to receive or develop injuries stemming from bad posture alone. Taking care of your posture can avoid a lot of annoying things like inflexibility and joint pain associated with your neck, shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles – after all, the body loves symmetry.

Luckily, with some strength exercises , we can “fix” this muscular...