Thai Boxing class workouts

[kh_s]

Well what workouts do they do ? Can anyone just list the most common exercises they do such as squats ? I wanna do soem at home to, if you guys ahve any advice or anythnig to say about them.

[Khun Kao]

Well, part of it will depend on what equipment you have access to....

I teach a 90-minute class. We start off with a 10 minute warmup (skip rope or jumping jacks) and then spend 5 minutes stretching.

Depending on the day, we will then do anywhere from 3-10 rounds of shadowboxing. For instance...

3 rounds:
Round #1: boxing & elbows
Round #2: knees & kicks
Round #3: combinations (hands & feet)

5 rounds:
Round #1: boxing
Round #2: elbows
Round #3: knees
Round #4: push kicks
Round #5: round kicks

10 rounds:
Rounds #1-2: Jab-Cross-Hook-Uppercut
Rounds #3-4: Push Kick-Cross-Hook
Rounds #5-6: Push Kick-Round Kick-Knee
Rounds #7-8: Jab-Cross-Round Kick-Push Kick
Rounds #9-10: Push Kick-Jab-Cross-Horiz. Elbow-Horiz. Elbow-Knee-Knee-Round Kick-Round Kick-Push Kick

*we don't always to the same combinations. I choose different combinations to mix it up. You want to to one combination over and over for 2 rounds so that these simple, effective combinations are ingrained into your head

Then, I follow with 3-6 rounds Clinchwork & Knees. If you are working on your own, your options for Clinch & Knee drills can be limited. If you have a heavy bag, then grab and knee it for 3-6 rounds. Working different knee strikes. For instance, you can do 1 round straight knees, 1 round curving knees, 1 round side knees. Or you can do 2 rounds of each.

At this point, I break my class up for Pad work and partner drills. We will go over attacks and defenses with partners either in medium- to hard-contact drills, or full-power with the Thai pads. For instance, I'll have my guys exchange Push Kicks or Roundhouse Kicks, so that they are learning their technique against a defending opponent, conditioning their bodies, and also learning to defend against real attacks.

Or we will just team up and start doing bagwork. Heavy bag, double-end ball, speed bag. Try to go about 3 rounds each. Unfortunately, my gym does not have a D.E.B., and becaue the gym is being remodeled, we don't have our Speed Bag up yet. We currently only have one available heavy bag, so our focus is on partner drills and pad drills. Once we get the bags up, though, that will change and I will be able to expand upon our drills.

Now, because you're asking about working out on your own, you're going to want to do bag work. So hopefully you have a heavy bag to work on. What you want to do on the heavy bag is mix it up between hitting for speed and power. You'll want to practice your combinations for power sometimes, and other times simply try to go for pure speed. Also, altering the pace of your attacks on the bag makes for a good workout. For instance, a boxing drill I used to do would be to throw Jab-Cross-Hook-(Bob n' Weave out) combo repeatedly with no pause for 30 seconds, then switch to body punches (uppercuts). You want to Bob-n-Weave out left and right, alternating. Then, at 30 sec's, switch to body shots while circling in one direction. At your next interval with body punches, circle the other direction. But you get the idea. Just use your imagination and alter your workout between drills designed for power, speed, and conditioning.

Khun Kao

[Khun Kao]

Now, that above was just a 'quick snapshot' of my average Muay Thai class. I mix things up a lot. I try to have my guys spar at least once a month, or twice a month. We have interval training and a number of other drills that we do depending on what I feel like drilling them on.

Now, as far as plain drills like squats & such...

I typically will have my guys do simple conditioning drills between sets. For instance, after our Shadowboxing is complete, I'll have everyone drop for 50 pushups. After our clinchwork session, we'll either duckwalk around the classroom, or do squats. We usually save Ab drills for the end of class. There is a footwork drill that I have guys do, where they circle up and everyone skips around in a circle in one direction, then I call out the direction changes. They are to stay on their toes, keep their guard and shoulders up, elbows in, chin down, and not bring their feet together.

Hop squats, jump squats, etc. There are all kinds of calisthenic drills you can do on your own. Just use your imagination depending on what your time frame is, available space, and what equipment you have.

Khun Kao

[retired]

try some pressup pyramids as these can break the boredom in the house eg:
5,10,15,20,25,20,15,10,5
this way you'll get more pressups out of yourself by fooling you into taking tiny breaks inbetween.
if you got a heavy bag try 30 second bursts of continuous punching (breathing out on the right punch).
mix your v-sits (leg raise & touch toes) with crunches (sit up with knee's up to chest then straighten without putting legs on floor), alternate between v-sit then crunches in reps of 20-30.
try pyramid free standing quats/pressups: 10/5, 20/10, 30/15, 40/20, 50/25 eg: 10 deep squats & 5 wide pressups, 20 deep squats & 10 close pressups (tuck elbows in & go right down then lock arms when back up) etc..., again pyramids make you work harder when on own because you think your not doing much BUT THEIR HARD!

[kh_s]

For the pyramid sets, you do 5 reps adn rest 5 seconds, then 10 reps 1- seconds, correct?

[retired]

You may need the 5-10 seconds rest in between depending on your fitness.
the good thing about pyramids is 1. you dont get so bored 2. you do more than just big numbers 3. better pressups 4. you cant win
you cant win because the better you become in say 5,10,15,10,5 then you just either do: 1. the pressups nice & slow 2. less recovery time 3. add a step to pyramid eg: 5,10,15,20,15,10,5

Important:
do all press ups (narrow or wide) at full extentions so you go as low as you can without curving back and then back up till arms lock out.(quality before quantity) as your quality rises your numbers will also.

[retired]

Try these on the thai pads:

Front kick, Knee then turning kick (all on same leg).

left jab, right knee, left upper cut, right cross, left hook, right cross, left switch turning kick.

left front kick, right upper cut, left hook, right elbow.

left switch kick, right cross, left hook, right turning kick.

left jab then turn it into left hook, right knee, left elbow defence against his right hook, left switch knee

left front kick, left jab, right cross, left hook, right turning kick

...........i'll stop now or i may never stop typing...........

[kh_s]

Hmm , when you guys first started Muay Thai, do you think you can share some of your experiences? Did you pass out ?

[retired]

I thought i was great because i had a "black belt" in kungfu at the age of 17 but when i heard about thaiboxing i thought i'd go along just to see what the fuss was about & was shocked!!!!
Most of my training was worth nothing when i joined in the class & i lasted about 5-10 mins, i also wasn't used to the contact in sparring but with practice while listening to the instructor got slowlly into it.
I trained for about 2 years before my first fight as i never felt fit enough as you'll find because the fitter you get the stronger you get, the harder you push yourself so you never think your winning until you stand back and look at how you have come on, everybody after a while when their strikes get very strong don't believe how hard they hit because they only see & feel the strike from their view but people who have trained with them holding the pads know (listen to your friends).
Having someone who can hold the pads correct makes a difference mind, you should get as much training out of holding the pads correctlly as hitting them, this is good for conditioning your arms and strenghtening your guard (your arms want to drop when tired-dont let them as as soon as they get tired in the ring they will drop), when holding the pads tense your stomach and breath out at the moment of impact letting your arms/wrists curve away from you inside the pad (like holding a bar & twisting your grip away from you) for stronger hold.

Ooops im off again........stop typing....

[Khun Kao]

Retired...

Don't stop!!! Its just beginning to get good! Lets hear some more combo's

*writing these down to unleash on my own students*

Khun Kao

[retired]

i just put some in Shin Blocks

[bruce415]

Workout

Originally posted by retired
try some pressup pyramids as these can break the boredom in the house eg:
5,10,15,20,25,20,15,10,5
this way you'll get more pressups out of yourself by fooling you into taking tiny breaks inbetween.
if you got a heavy bag try 30 second bursts of continuous punching (breathing out on the right punch).
mix your v-sits (leg raise & touch toes) with crunches (sit up with knee's up to chest then straighten without putting legs on floor), alternate between v-sit then crunches in reps of 20-30.
try pyramid free standing quats/pressups: 10/5, 20/10, 30/15, 40/20, 50/25 eg: 10 deep squats & 5 wide pressups, 20 deep squats & 10 close pressups (tuck elbows in & go right down then lock arms when back up) etc..., again pyramids make you work harder when on own because you think your not doing much BUT THEIR HARD!

Great post and workout! I like the way you set up the deep squat
series and in Between I do the duckwalk around the dojo.
Train hard and enjoy! You come from a beautiful country,I hope to
visit it some day
Bruce

[bruce415]

Workout

Originally posted by retired
try some pressup pyramids as these can break the boredom in the house eg:
5,10,15,20,25,20,15,10,5
this way you'll get more pressups out of yourself by fooling you into taking tiny breaks inbetween.
if you got a heavy bag try 30 second bursts of continuous punching (breathing out on the right punch).
mix your v-sits (leg raise & touch toes) with crunches (sit up with knee's up to chest then straighten without putting legs on floor), alternate between v-sit then crunches in reps of 20-30.
try pyramid free standing quats/pressups: 10/5, 20/10, 30/15, 40/20, 50/25 eg: 10 deep squats & 5 wide pressups, 20 deep squats & 10 close pressups (tuck elbows in & go right down then lock arms when back up) etc..., again pyramids make you work harder when on own because you think your not doing much BUT THEIR HARD!

Great post and workout! I like the way you set up the deep squat
series and in Between I do the duckwalk around the dojo.
Train hard and enjoy! You come from a beautiful country,I hope to
visit it some day
Bruce