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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 better 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 dont 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 your 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 Muay
and make huge strides in your overall development.
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. Dont ever stop learning.
NUMBER ONE
effective if used consistently. Using feints are a must, 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
opponents 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 technique 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 the techniques that will win you fights.
P RO TIPS :
Use Short Combinations One of the biggest mistakes I see instructors doing in Muay
Thai classes are teaching 6+ combinations. While you might be getting a better cardio
workout by adding more techniques in a combination, the reality is these are not
practical in a real situation. Stick with short 2-4 punch/kick combinations when you spar
that can translate into an actual fight.
Footwork Matters When I talk about basics I am also talking about 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 youve had 15+ fights doesnt mean you are
too good to sharpen up some of your basic tools. Going over some of the fundamental
moves of Muay Thai is something that should be in your daily regiment, regardless of
your experience.
NUMBER TWO
When you get more experience over the years, you will
notice that some trainers emphasize technique more than
to unlearn.
others. If a trainer doesnt 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 isnt 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 not? Make sure you check out
muaythaipros.com for complete guides that can help you improve your technique.
P RO 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 been
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 to video yourself while you are training. Seeing yourself on video is a great
way to discover some hidden flaws that you might have.
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.
P RO 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 the steps to ensure that you build a solid
foundation is a must before you start to solidify 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.
Always utilize both sides of your body for every technique. This will help make you a
versatile fighter and not a one trick pony.
Dont 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 notice is body language. One may look like a
complete beginner again. Being able to maintain your form no matter how 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 Muay 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 wont ever make an effort to correct their own technique.
There are plenty of ways that you can analyze your technique to look for improvements. Most
people are simply doing just because they are told to do, without thinking about how they are
performing that action and if it is done correctly.
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Even though it can be difficult to be critical of your own game, it is important to understand
some of the areas that need to be improved. This is a great way to ensure you dont 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.
P RO 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 game
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 the next level.
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While most people dread running, it should be something 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 you are not fit as you can be. Given
the extreme difficulty in maintaining a fight shape, maintaining a consistent running schedule
throughout the week is going to benefit your health and your training.
For people who cannot run because of an 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.
P RO TIPS
Build Up Your Endurance If you plan to start running, start slow! You shouldnt 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 dont have a routine. By
developing a realistic 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 wont even think twice about it. Creating habits is essential if you want to be
successful in training.
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NUMBER SIX
Sparring is Essential
Sparring is an essential part of Muay Thai development that helps build timing 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 Muay Thai.
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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.
P RO TIPS
Challenge Yourself Sparring You should always be looking to spar with people who are
better than you. 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 dont 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 and 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.
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NUMBER SEVEN
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 substitute 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 arent always the
best in Thailand, it is a great way to get started with your fighting career. Do your research and
pick a quality training camp that will take care of you while youre there.
P RO 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 wont get permanent
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
arent at a popular gym. If you arent living in a city that has a lot of other gyms, the best
thing you can do is head 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 experience as a guy who has beaten 10 quality opponents. Its
not how many people you fight, its 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 sport.
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NUMBER EIGHT
P RO 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 doesnt 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 something 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.
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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.
KEY TIPS
Dont 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 Dont 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. Dont 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 open a lot of doors if
you are constantly positive and pleasant to be around.
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NUMBER TEN
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P RO TIPS
Maintain a Poker Face in Training No matter how tired you are in training, dont let
exhaustion overtake you. The one thing you will notice when you watch a Thai fighter
kick pads, he never shows weakness during the round (after the round he 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 the reasons why people look exhausted
after pads is because they are often gasping for air and not 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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More Information
Contact
If you have any questions, comments, input or advice please send me an email at
muaythaipros@gmail.com or stephen@muaythaipros.com
I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, or questions you have about anything youve
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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