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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. (This includes ripping the content and putting it up on a blog post) The information provided within this eBook is for general informational purposes only. There are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information contained in this eBook for any purpose. Any use of this information is at your own risk. Like any sport involving physical contact, Muay Thai poses inherent risk. The author advises readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the skills and strategies described in this book, be sure you are comfortable with sparring, have a supervision of a trainer, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience or comfort level. This book was written from years of experience in the ring and training in Thailand. The views and opinions expressed in this eBook are written from the author, Stephen Kong. For permission requests, emails may be sent to:
[email protected]
Copyright © 2015 by Stephen Kong
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Introduction When it comes to achieving success in Muay Thai there are a few core principles that can help you. No matter how much research and analysis you do, the only way you can get b etter is to train with the purpose of improving. To become good at Muay Thai you need to dedicate yourself to the sport. The more hours you put into your training and development, the faster you will make improvements. While there is no substitute for a good coach, there are certain things you can do to ensure you are developing good technique. Even if you don’t have access to a top notch training environment, you can make big improvements with the right attitude and willingness to learn. The rise of the all-in-one MMA/Muay Thai Gyms have resulted in a lot of people who “know” Muay Thai, without actually “knowing” what real Muay Thai is. Most people get their Muay Thai source from the standup guys in MMA, who have a completely different style and movement than traditional Muay Thai. People who are training in these gym environments often lack technical knowledge of the sport because they have never been taught good technique. You have to think of your Muay Thai journey as y our personal business. The only person who is responsible for your business’ success is you. While your coach is there to help guide you along the way, it is up to you to ensure you implement everything you are taught. By taking an active approach to learning, you will continually develop into a better Nak M uay and make huge strides in your overall development.
What You Can Expect From This Guide This guide outlines specific factors that play an important role in the development of any successful Muay Thai fighter. Whether or not you have aspirations to be a top level fighter, there are universal principles that can be applied to everyone. This guide is designed to provide an overview of s ome core concepts that can help take your Muay Thai game to t he next level. Hopefully, you are already familiar with some of these concepts.
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No matter how good you are, there are always areas that need improvement. The moment you start thinking you know everything, is the moment you stop learning. Don’t ever stop learning.
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NUMBER ONE
Focus on the Basics As much as you want to learn all of those fancy techniques that they show in the fight highlights, the basics are going to win you fights. Most beginners don’t want to learn the fundamental techniques like the jab and body kick; they want to learn a spinning elbow or a flying knee because it looks cool. While you might find it boring focusing on basic techniques, you have to learn how to walk before you can run. Basic techniques that you learn are going to be the offensive weapons that you use the most. Muay Thai has certain techniques that are used more often than others. The rest of your weapons will help complement these core techniques.
Key Techniques to Focus On Jab/Cross - The two most basic punches in Muay Thai is the jab and cross. While you might think there is not much involved in these techniques, mastering the jab/cross is about timing, placement, and technique. Learning the technique itself is only one aspect to being able to punch effectively. Utilizing these two attacks during training and sparring will help solidify them as weapons that you can add to y our Muay Thai arsenal.
Left/Right Body Kick - The body kick is going to be t he most important weapon you use in Muay Thai. Not only does it score the most points in a Muay Thai fight, it is the most effective technique that you can use. Mastering the body kick will not happen overnight, so be pr epared for some hard work.
Front Teep – The teep is one of the most effective offensive and defensive weapons that you can use in Muay Thai. A strong Teep will counter almost every attack. Practice using this weapon in sparring to develop your timing of t his important weapon.
Low Kick – The low kick is a devastating weapon that can be used to h urt an opponent’s movement in t he later rounds of a fight. Basic combinations like a Jab-Jab-Low Kick are very
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effective if used consistently. Using feints are a m ust, if you want to land your low kicks without getting blocked.
Slashing Elbow: The slashing elbow is an elbow technique that is used to cut across an opponent’s guard in a slashing motion. These elbows can cause a lot of damage to an opponent if they are used correctly. Straight Knee: The straight knee is a t echnique that you can use to damage your opponents
body. These knees are often used when a fighter is coming forward towards their opponent. Since knees score a lot of points in Muay Thai fights, you will need to master this particular technique. Taking the time to work on mastering the basic attacks is going to ensure that you have a solid base when you start learning other techniques. As much as people love spinning elbows and flying knees, these are t he techniques that will win you fights.
PRO TIPS :
Use Short Combinations – One of the biggest mistakes I see instructors doing in Muay Thai classes are teaching 6+ c ombinations. While you might be getting a better cardio workout by adding more techniques in a c ombination, the reality is t hese are not practical in a real situation. Stick with short 2-4 p unch/kick combinations when you spar that can translate into an actual fight.
Footwork Matters – When I talk about basics I am also talking a bout the importance of really good footwork. Maintain balance whenever you throw an attack or block an attack is extremely important. Without proper footwork you will easily get thrown off balance when you are performing a technique. Balance and footwork is the difference between average and good Muay Thai fighters.
Always Sharpen Your Tools – Just because you’ve had 15+ fights doesn’t mean you are too good to sharpen up some of your basic tools. Going over some of the fundamental moves of Muay Thai is s omething that should be in your daily regiment, regardless of your experience.
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NUMBER TWO
Perfect Your Technique Developing good technique is essential to creating a good Muay Thai found ation. Once you have a solid foundation to your ga me, you can start sparring and working o n developing soft skills that can add more depth to your game. If you want to work on your technique, you should perform each movement with slow precision in front of a mirror. While it might seem boring to learn the fundamentals the correct way, taking the time to perfect your technique is
The first gym I trained at did not emphasize
essential. This will prevent you from having to relearn
good technique. This
something later on.
caused me to develop
Find a Trainer that Emphasizes Technique When you get more experience over the years, you will notice that some trainers emphasize technique more than
a lot of bad habits that would take years to “unlearn.”
others. If a trainer doesn’t teach a beginner the right technique, they will develop bad habits instantly. Even though an instructor might have a class full of new students, teaching each student the right technique should be the first priority. Unless you are training in a cardio kickboxing class, technique should be emphasized throughout training. The problem with learning poor technique is you will cement bad habits into your brain, which can take years to change. Although technique isn’t always going to be the determining factor if you win or lose a fight, creating a solid foundation will pay dividends if you get to the higher levels of Muay Thai. How do you know if your technique is good or n ot? Make sure you check out muaythaipros.com for complete guides that can h elp you improve your technique.
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Start from the Ground Up Building good technique starts from the ground up. If you have developed poor habits, it can affect your overall game significantly. People who have poor footwork are going to have a difficult time being in a good position to land various techniques in a fight.
How Can You Build Solid Fundamentals? It Starts With Your Feet The best way to i mprove your movement is l earn the “Muay Thai Walk.” What is the “Muay Thai Walk?” This is the rhythm and movement that traditional Muay Thai fighters utilize to keep your body relaxed and put you i n a position to be ready to attack or defend. If you are able to walk and move like a “T hai Fighter” than you will be a ble to add more weapons to your arsenal and help further develop your Muay Thai.
Always Reset After an Attack Whenever you attack you s hould always reset your stance so you are back into a neutral position – ready to attack and defend. Whenever you watch a high level Thai fighter in the ring, you will notice that they are c onstantly in a very neutral position. This is how they are able t o block and counter so many different techniques.
PRO TIPS
Train in Thailand - Anyone who is serious about having good technique needs to learn from the source. Obviously, if you are blessed with a very good instructor who has b een to Thailand and teaches the correct way of doing things, consider yourself lucky. For those who have the opportunity, book a trip to Thailand.
Shadowbox in the Mirror – One of the best ways to analyze some of your technical abilities is to look in the mirror and see how your form looks. While it is always better to have someone else look at your movements, using the mirror can help you pick out little things that you might be doing wrong.
Take a Video of Your Training – Another great way to discover problems in your technique is t o video yourself while you are training. Seeing yourself on video is a g reat way to discover some hidden flaws that y ou might have.
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NUMBER THREE
Embrace Repetition Repetition is often associated with things that are boring, mundane and uninspiring. This perception that repetition is a bad for development is completely false. Not only is repetition a good thing, it is essential in developing fundamental Muay Thai skills.
Repetition is the key to creating habits. Even though you might want to practice every technique, it is im portant to consistently repeat your basic weapons that you are going to be utilizing the most. Kicks, punches, elbows and knees should all be practiced daily, with hundreds of repetitions of each exercise. By continually repeating the different exercises you will start to solidify these techniques and they will become second nature to you.
Repeat the Correct Techniques As I mentioned before, repeating poor techniques is a sure way to cause a lot of frustration later on. Once you have learned the proper technique of a movement, you will need to repeat this movement so that it is engraved and it becomes second nature. How do you think people can pull off flying knees in fights? They repeatedly practice these techniques until they don’t even think about using the technique. In order to truly master any Muay Thai technique, hours have to be spent repeating and practicing the technique. If you want to ensure you’ll use any weapon in a fight or real life situation, you have to repeat that technique so you don’t have to think about using it.
PRO TIPS
Build a Solid Foundation First – Repeating bad habits is the worst thing you can possibly do for your Muay Thai career. If you learn poor habits at the start of your Muay Thai journey, it can take years of undoing. Taking th e steps to ensure that you build a solid foundation is a must before you start to s olidify them.
Practice Both Sides – If you throw 100 right kicks, always make sure you throw 100 left kicks. You should never neglect one side of a technique because you favor another one.
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Always utilize both sides of your body for every technique. This will help make you a versatile fighter and not a one trick pony.
Don’t Get Sloppy When You Are Tired – One of the most common mistakes that Muay Thai practitioners do is their form gets compromised when they are tired. The moment the energy drops, the first thing to n otice is body language. One may look like a complete beginner again. Being able to maintain your form no matter h ow tired you are is an essential part of getting to the next level. If you observe any high level athlete, in any sport, they will always maintain their technique regardless of how exhausted they are.
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NUMBER FOUR
Always Be Thinking One of the biggest things you will notice at a M uay Thai gym is people are often doing the motions, without actually thinking, “Am I actually doing this right?” Some people are too reliant on their coaches and won’t ever make an effort to correct their own technique. There are plenty of ways that you can analyze your technique to look for im provements. Most people are simply doing just because they are told t o do, without thinking about how they are performing that action and if it is done correctly.
You Must Learn to Analyze Your Own Game Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fighter, taking the time to sit back and reflect on your game is a habit that you need to start using. People who just do, without thinking about what they are doing, are often missing out on opportunities to improve their technique. You are never too good to learn. No matter how experienced you are, you should always be looking for something to improve. That’s what separates the amateurs from the professionals.
Learning to Breakdown Your Strengths and Weaknesses Taking the time to reflect on y our game is a skill every fighter should use to improve. Imagine you are fighting yourself, what areas would you exploit and what are specific things that you like about your style? How would you beat yourself in a fight?
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Even though it can be difficult to be critical of your own game, it is i mportant to understand some of the areas that need to be improved. This is a great way to ensure you don’t become stagnant and are continually improving in your Muay Thai techniques. Sometimes it helps to actually break down your game on paper. Some of us are visual learners and writing down specific strengths and weakness can help give a different perspective when training. It is a very good exercise to continually analyze your own game to see if you have progressed or if you have plateaued in training. If you are continually working on something while you are training, you will continue to improve. Creating measurable goals can help you develop a strategy that will keep you improving, even after years of training.
Ask For a Second Opinion If you aren’t very good at self-analysis, then ask someone to help dissect your game. Whatever you do, don’t ever get offended if someone corrects you. They’re only trying to help and it can be very beneficial and knowledgeable information. The truth is nobody is perfect. Taking constructive criticism is something that you should focus on. The more opinions you have, the more information you have that can help develop you as a fighter. Always be willing to learn and change things that are not working. Becoming stagnant will prevent you from becoming better. Lifelong learning is the only way to go in Muay Thai.
PRO TIPS
Record Your Sparring Sessions - Take videos of your training to further break down technique and see what can be improved. Videos analysis is a great way to look at how you perform specific techniques during shadow boxing, pad work and sparring.
Watch Your Old Fights – Looking at your old fight videos is a great way to see what needs improvement. Whenever you are analyzing yourself, look at both your strength and weaknesses.
Create a Game Plan to Beat Yourself - Although it might sound odd, creating a ga me plan of how you would beat yourself in a fight is a great way to look at weaknesses in your game. Think about how you fight and what are the best styles and techniques that counter your style. By going through the different aspects of fighting styles, you can look for holes in your game that you can fix during training.
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NUMBER FIVE
Conditioning Is Key Train your body like a Champion Whether you have ambitions to be the best in the world or simply want to be as good as you can be, training like a champion will take your game to t he next level.
What does it mean to train like a Champion? Training like a champion means you need to put in the hours outside of training to ensure you are physically fit. Whether or not you plan on fighting, being in top shape will allow you to exert a lot more effort in your training, which will vastly increase the amount of learning at every session. Conditioning is essential in Muay Thai. The more physically conditioned you are, the more receptive you are at training. Your mind will be able to concentrate on other things like technique and timing, rather than surviving the round.
Putting in Extra Work Training consists of two main aspects: training in the gym and training outside of the gym. If you want to become high level, what you do outside of training is as equally important as when you are at the gym. If you want to hit pads harder and have more energy in your training, then you need to figure out the steps to do so. Running daily is beneficial to every Nak Muay, regardless of if you plan on fighting. Running is great for your overall conditioning and will help you have more stamina during your pad rounds.
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While most people dread running, it should be s omething that you embrace as a training method that will help condition you to improve you technique a lot more. Running every day throughout the week will ensure that you are able to maintain your fitness and keep up with everyone at the gym. There is nothing worse than hitting pads and knowing that y ou are not fit as you can be. Given the extreme difficulty in maintaining a “fight s hape”, maintaining a consistent running schedule throughout the week is going to benefit your health and your training. For people who cannot run because of a n injury, biking is a good alternative. It is important to have any kind of aerobic activity in your training regimen to help keep you on top of your Muay Thai training.
Don’t Make Excuses Excuses are for people who aren’t serious about what they’re doing. They often justify why they can’t or shouldn’t be doing something, instead of just g oing out and doing it. Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t run long distances because there are more efficient ways to do things. There are a million excuses as to why you shouldn’t do something, but I am a firm believer in putting in the time. I know from first hand, that when I am running daily, I a m always in good shape. I can hit pads harder, longer, and faster. Mentally, you know you’ve put in the hours and you can sustain the grueling session. Even if you don’t have a fight c oming up, being able to train harder will only make you stronger.
PRO TIPS
Build Up Your Endurance – If you plan to start running, start slow! You sho uldn’t start running 10k on the first day. Start with 4k the first week or whatever distance it is you can do, then add more distance every week. If you immediately start on a long run then you will fatigue a lot faster. Remember, you want to be able to sustain this energy for the rest of the week. By starting with a reasonable distance, your body can adjust and running long distance will become easier.
Integrate Sprints Into Training – I am a firm believer that long distance runs are important in training, but I also think sprints can be beneficial. If you think about the components of a Muay Thai fight, there is both endurance and explosiveness required. Running sprints will help condition your body and the recovery time will become easier for you in a fight between rounds.
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Develop a Routine – The easiest way to slack off is when you don’t have a routine. By developing a r ealistic routine, you are more inclined to stick to it and incorporate into your lifestyle. Instead of forcing yourself to run before training, it will become habitual and you won’t even think twice about it. Creating habits is essential if you want to be successful in training.
Recommended Reading : Muay Thai Conditioning 101 This is part one of a three part conditioning series for Muay Thai. It breaks down everything that you need to know to help you ac hieve unstoppable conditioning in Muay Thai. This is a must read article for everyone who is interested in developing peak conditioning.
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NUMBER SIX
Sparring is Essential Sparring is an essential part of Muay T hai development that helps build ti ming and reaction. While shadow boxing, hitting the bag, and kicking pads are great for solidifying good technique, sparring is where you start using techniques in real situations. If you never spar, you are missing out on a huge aspect of M uay Thai.
You won’t get better without sparring. Sparring is arguably the most effective way to develop skills that can only be learned through experience. While you might understand in t heory why you should have your hands up, getting punched hard in the face will force you to change bad habits that you might have without sparring. Hard, soft, and technical sparring are all valuable tools that you can use to improve. Beginners who learn the basics should avoid sparring until they have a good understanding of the basic techniques. Having a solid foundation of all t he Muay Thai techniques is i mportant to prevent the development of poor habits. Putting someone who does not have good fundamentals in a sparring situation will make them nervous causing them to brawl. Ideally, the perfect situation is to spar with people who are better, worse and the same level as you. This will ensure that you have a variety of partners with different skills. It will help you develop and get accustomed to different types of opponents.
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Maintaining a positive attitude is an essential part of maximizing your sparring. Try your best to avoid turning sparring matches into brawls, because you can injure your partner and your technique will suffer.
PRO TIPS
Challenge Yourself Sparring – You should always be looking to s par with people who are better than y ou. Even if you our outmatched in the ring, a better opponent will force you to adjust. Try to be the little fish in a big pond, rather than the big fish in the little pond.
Train in Thailand - Going to Thailand is an experience that every Nak Muay should have. I don’t care if you have never fought before or you have 30 fights back home, training in Thailand will make you better. The opportunity to spar and train with legends is something that can take your game to the next level.
Spar with Confidence – Whenever you spar you should be confident an d try to improve your technique. Never fear your opponent or it will make you weaker. Always focus on trying to continuously improve, while simultaneously mastering the basics.
Recommended Reading : 12 Sparring Tips That Will Make You Better This article gives you actionable tips that you can use to improve in sparring. Anyone who is sparring should read this article.
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NUMBER SEVEN
Get Ring Experience One aspect of Muay Thai that many people neglect is ring experience. Although fighting is not meant for everyone, if you have an opportunity to fight, do it.
Fighting will elevate your game to another level. When it comes to fighting, winning or losing is not important. The experience you get from fighting is the most valuable lesson you can learn. In Thailand, it doesn’t matter if you have won or lost all your fights, it’s what happens in the fight that counts.
Get Experience Experience is the key to getting better in Muay Thai. The more ring experience you have, the more prepared you will be to handle different situations that occur in a fight. You should never expect to have easy fights in Muay Thai. Always go into every fight and expect a war. This mentality will ensure that you never take an opponent lightly, even if you should win on paper. Getting good quality fights is a sure way to help you grow and improve in Muay Thai. While sparring and training at the gym can help sharpen your weapons, their truly is no s ubstitute for ring experience. Even though you might only be in the ring for a short 15 minutes, those minutes will feel like an eternity and you can learn a lot in that short period of time.
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Fight in Thailand Fighting in Thailand is a great way to get ring experience. While the matchups aren’t always the best in Thailand, it is a great way to get started with your fighting career. Do your r esearch and pick a quality training camp that will take care of you while you’re there.
PRO TIPS
Get Amateur Fights – Most countries have an amateur Muay Thai circuit. For people who are just starting off in the sport, the amateur circuit is the best place to start. Fighting with shin guards and headgear can give you peace of mind that you won’t get p ermanent injuries in your fight. Any amount of experience obtained from fighting will pay dividends in your training and help you become better.
Fight In Thailand – A lot of people have a difficult time getting a fight lined up if they aren’t at a popular gym. If you aren’t living in a city that has a lot of other gyms, the best thing you can do is h ead to Thailand and have a fight over there. Thailand has hundreds of gyms throughout the country so you will never have a shortage of opponents to choose from.
Quality over Quantity – Someone who has beaten 30 bums in the ring is not going to have the same level of e xperience as a guy who has beaten 10 quality opponents. It’s not how many people you fight, it’s the level of opponent that you are fighting that matters. Always try and find quality opponents who are similarly matched to you, but beatable. This will ensure you continue to develop in the s port.
Recommended Reading : The 5 Matchup Scenarios You Will Face in Thailand If you have ever wondered what it is like to fight in Thailand or plan on fighting in Thailand, this article is for you. It breaks down the 5 different matchup scenarios that you will encounter when you fight in Thailand.
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NUMBER EIGHT
Develop Mental Toughness If you could pick one attribute as a fighter that will give you the biggest edge in a fight, mental toughness is by far the most important trait. Being able to push yourself when you don’t feel like going any further is something that can carry you through the difficult moments as a fighter. Looking at any of the best fighters in the world one of the m ost common traits is they are all mentally tough. These are guys who will fight tooth and nail until they are fully unconscious in the ring. The importance of a strong mind is often underestimated in fighting. A strong mind can carry you to victory, even when it seems impossible.
If you want to win fights you need a strong mind In order to build mental toughness you have to work on pushing your body to its limit. One of the benefits of the rigorous training sessions and constant challenges is you are forced to build a strong mind.
A Strong Mind Starts In Training The best way to develop a strong mind is t o start pushing yourself to your limit in training. If you don’t think you can do something, do it. No matter how tired you feel, don’t fall short of what you want to accomplish. By accomplishing the vigorous training sessions, when it comes to a fight situation, giving up will not be an option. You won’t have a way out of a fight; there is only a way forward. By not allowing yourself to quit, you will be forced to find a way to win, no matter what the odds are. Everyone has a mental breaking point, a point in which their minds can take no more. The harder you train, the more difficult it becomes to reach that breaking point. Fighters who are fearless in training will often develop that same attitude when it comes to a fight.
PRO TIPS
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Never, Ever, Quit – Quitting is not an option for someone who wants to be good at Muay Thai. No matter how tired you are, always push past your pain. It doesn’t matter if you can barely stand after a round of pads, you never give up. Fighting through the pain is the first step into ensuring that you become a mentally strong fighter.
Push Yourself Hard – Taking the short cut in training is the last thing that you should be doing. If you have a choice between 10 kicks or 50 kicks, always take the harder path. This will develop your mental strength to continue to push no matter how tired you are in training or a fight. Remember, it all starts with training. If you are tough as nails in training, you will be even tougher in the ring.
Believe in Yourself – Whether you are sparring with someone better than you, you should always believe in yourself. Accepting defeat is s omething that should never cross your mind. You should always be pushing yourself hard and believe that you can overcome any opponent, no matter what the odds are. Believing that you can finish 100 kicks with each leg on pads is something that you have to do if you want to finish it.
Recommended Reading: What It Means To Have Heart in Muay Thai This article breaks down exactly what it means to have heart in Muay Thai. The word ‘Heart’ is simply another word for mental toughness. You will learn exactly what separates fighters who are mentally tough from those who are not.
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NUMBER NINE
Always Be Respectful Respect is everything in Muay Thai. Always treat your training partners and opponents with respect no matter what happens in the ring. Your demeanor in the gym is a reflection of your attitude and personality. People who walk around the gym with arrogance often foster a negative training environment for others. Regardless of skill, a Muay Thai practitioner should always remain humble and be willing to help those around him. Keeping a positive attitude will help you build connections that can last you a lifetime.
Treat people how you wish to be treated. Being respectful will go a long and people will want to train with you. If you are perceived as someone who is an asshole, nobody will want to work with you or even spar with you. Always maintain a friendly attitude and remember that the people around you are there to help you get better. Your team will be there behind you whether you win or lose. So always make sure you show them the respect they deserve.
KEY TIPS
Don’t Have an Ego – Having an ego is bad for you and bad for people around you. Nobody likes a guy that walks around with arrogance and attitude. You are never too good to spar with anyone. Get that idea out of your head. There is always something that you can practice or learn against any opponent that you will face.
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Treat everyone equally – Don’t only treat people who you look up to with respect, respect everyone around you. Even if someone is new to the gym, be humble and help them out. You never know how good that beginner can become if he puts his mind to it.
Be Positive – Maintaining a positive attitude no matter what is happening is a great way to ensure that you get the most out of your Muay Thai. Don’t ever get too down on yourself if you lose a fight or have a bad sparring session. Keeping a positive attitude is the key to growth and getting better at the sport. Trust me, it can o pen a lot of doors if you are constantly positive and pleasant to be around.
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NUMBER TEN
Develop a Poker Face The art of concealing emotions can be extremely difficult when you having someone punching and kicking you with full power. Developing a poker face in Muay Thai is something that takes continual practice. It is not natural to be stoned faced when you feel like death and out of breathe. Not showing any weakness or emotion in a fight will wreak havoc on your opponent’s mind. You would be surprised how fast a fighter will lose confidence in a fight if their opponent never shows emotions during the fight.
Never reveal your weakness to anyone This is one aspect of fighting that the Thai fighters in Thailand have mastered brilliantly. No matter how tired they are, they never show signs of fatigue until they collapse. They maintain complete composure and never show an opponent how much pain they are actually feeling in the fight. The poker face starts with always maintaining a calm state in training, even when the body feels like collapsing. Keeping a poker face when you can barely stand up is something that takes a lot of practice. After you c omplete 5 rounds of pads, not showing any signs of fatigue is almost as challenging as the pad rounds themselves. By keeping a strong poker face in a fight, an opponent will never know what you are feeling inside. This will prevent them from gaining any confidence or fuelling anything inside of them that could give them an advantage. A poker face is mentally important in Muay Thai, as it k eeps your opponents guessing at all times. You will become more unpredictable and intimidating in the fight.
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PRO TIPS
Maintain a Poker Face in Training – No matter how tired you are in training, don’t let exhaustion overtake you. The one t hing you will notice when you watch a Thai fighter kick pads, he never shows weakness during the round (after the round h e will often collapse). Even if the trainer asks him to do 100 kicks, he will often pause to breathe, collect his composure and just do it.
Focus on Breathing – The key to being able to maintain a poker face in any situation is being able to control your breathing. One of t he reasons why people look exhausted after pads is because they are often gasping for air and n ot correctly breathing. If you are able to master your breathing, this will translate to when you are fighting in the ring. Always focus on maintaining a state of relaxation.
Stay Relaxed – One of the biggest reasons that people gas out in the ring or in training is they are extremely tense. You will often notice that the whole body is tensed up as they punch or kick in the ring. By relaxing your body, you will be able to conserve energy and reduce the amount of fatigue you experience. This will help you maintain a poker face in training or a fight.
Recommended Reading: Why You Need to Develop A Muay Thai Poker Face This article goes into detail about the importance of keeping a Muay Thai poker face in Muay Thai. It talks about how you can develop a poker face in training that will translate to the ring. I highly recommend that you read this article.
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Never Stop Learning Muay Thai is about c ontinual growth and commitment. At no stage should you ever t hink you are done learning. The best coaches in the world are constantly working to improve their own teaching methods to better themselves and their students. In order to be a successful Nak Muay you have to have a good work ethic. If you are lazy and don’t put in enough hours into your training, you will plateau a lot fas ter. Work ethic is something that is developed by c ontinual habit. Putting in the hours will help you develop into the Nak Muay you want to become. Remember to train hard and always focus on improving. Good luck.
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Did you LIKE the book? If you enjoyed reading this free eBook you will definitely want to check out my Muay Thai Strategy books that I recently released. Here is a breakdown of each book.
MUAY THAI STRATEGY Muay Thai Strategy (over 125 pages) focuses on developing the fundamentals of Muay Thai. It will teach you how to develop a winning strategy to achieve success in Muay Thai. Each chapter focuses on a different a core aspect of Muay Thai that will help you understand what it takes to be successful in the sport. This is an essential book that you will help you improve you own Muay Thai game. Click Here to Learn More about Muay Thai Strategy
MUAY THAI COUNTERS Muay Thai Counters was written as a complete Strategy manual (over 175 pages) designed to help you counter your next Muay Thai opponent. I break down 18 different types of fighting styles and advantages you might encounter in the ring. This is a book you should keep with you at all times. It has some essential strategies for anyone who is sparring and wants to learn how to beat their next opponent in the ring. Click Here to Learn More about Muay Thai Counters
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More Information Contact If you have any q uestions, comments, input or advice please send me an email at
[email protected] or
[email protected] I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, or questions you have about anything you’ve read here, or just hear about your Muay Thai journey so far. I try to respond to every email that I receive, so feel free to send me a message and you will get an answer.
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