papa

Well today i took my first MT class and it was sick. First we started jump roping, then mad cardio work, then some some thai pad striking and worked on low kicks...I have much more respect for MT fighters not that i have finally found a school, and have been able to train.

Does anyone have any tips for starting out?


thanks

-papa-

Damian Mavis

Just take it easy at first, don't burn yourself out... I don't know what kind of shape you are in but start easy and you will get stronger and better... it's just practice practice practice. If something really hurts take it easy on that part, don't injure yourself needlessly as that interferes with training and you don't want that!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Athecy

your shins are gonna get bruised and sore. Its all good though... its just gonna make it stronger. Man i havent been to my gym for about 3 weeks now. Ive been so damn busy. I miss coming home all tired and barely being able to walk, and smelling like thai linament. haha

barspinmatt

I have been training in Thai Boxing for about 6 weeks. And it still hurts! ha ha. I would say just stick with it, it does get a lot better and you will be able to push yourself rather than your trainer pushing you, and it happens fairly quickly....well that's just my opinion of course. I used to cycle eight miles a day, but my first lesson was very hard, and the next day I was off work and the stairs were a challenge.....never mind picking up a tin of beans! ha ha. I still fear skipping every time, cheery red, sopping wet and gasping for air soon follow!

I train at Prestwich, and the instructor (Kru Rick Lewis) is a very clever man indeed! and he really is bringing the best out of myself and my brother. I don't know what to say on the shin front though, as my kicking form is really racing know, and the technique is strong, and the power from it is very scary from my point of view, before I trained I couldn't really move a 5 foot punch bag with a kick, and last week I kicked our home bag off the mounting.....but still no bruising or soreness? a few nicks and scapes but nothing of a bruised nature. I am investing in something a lot harder soon maybe hessian or similar. So I think the shins are a person to person variation.

The only advice I would give you is enjoy it, feel the natural high of endorphines after training, and don't miss a session when your up to speed, it's a killer when you go back! but again it's a person to person variation, it doesn't affect my brother like it does me so I wouldn't say my opinion is correct, maybe just a friendly exchange of days training.

Good luck, I hope you get as much out of it as I have.

Matt

sslinky

I agree with Damian. Just take it easy and find your own limits - as you found out by being sick, you just went past them!
Most people tend to get a bit over excited when they start training, but there's no point completely destroying yourself every session. You will only find that you are constantly tired and aching etc. You will get much faster results if you train within your limits and give yourself time to recover. It is not true that pushing yourself ridiculously hard will achieve results - you will get the best results with a sensible balance. After a couple of months you will probably find what is right for you.

Also, one of the biggest aspects of MT training is cardiovascular fitness. But, MT training (in my experience - but it depends on your gym etc) tends to consist of relatively short (couple of mins), very high intensity exercise. Whilst this is very tiring, it is not actually that useful for achieving fitness. The way to a high level of cardio fitness is longer, lower intensity exercises, such as running. I can't recommend highly enough that on the days you don't train MT, go for a run. I would suggest around 3-4 miles, or 20 mins to start with, but it depends on your level fitness.

shadowkiller

Dont think he was sick. He was using a slang term. I.E Sick= cool

But I have to disagree with you on the running aspect. Dont get me wrong running is a great way to increase cardio but running is nothing like being in the ring. When you are fighting you are using bursts of speed and then going back to being almost still. Running improves your skills for running around the ring. High intensity training readies you for the short and fast paced action of a fight.

Dont stop the running but maybe add a little short distance speed drills.

sslinky

Haha - I see! I'm not used to that American slang!

Yeah, I know what you mean about bursts of speed. However, I trained in the standard MT gym type training, which relies on bursty stuff, but seemed to reach a fitness plateau no matter now much effort I put in. I personally found that adding running to my training made a *huge* difference, especially after a couple of rounds. I think it's the most important part of my fitness training - I find it very difficult to achieve a high level of cardio fitness without it. But that's just me...
I read on the internet once, in something like the "american college boxing handbook", regarding boxing training, and training schedules etc:
"if you have time for only one exercise, run"

I can't find it again now, but if I do, I'll post the link.

barspinmatt

I would say that running helps myself and a lot of people at any level of fitness, but as we say it's a personal thing.

If I run 10 mins every morning before work, every day, it helps me in a massive way! but again my brother doesn't do anything but sleep and go to work and he's fine when we train, little bugger!

I read somewhere that the point of running within training for boxing, was so you could regain your breath much faster after burst's of intense movement. I can kind of see that point. But I also read that resistance training is good for ring sports.

But it's probably all good advice, I wish I knew about this web site before I started Muay Thai so I could have grabbed some advice. Bring on the Inter Clubs!