What should a beginner expect from training?

[Groin_Punter]

Hi.

I've recently taken an interest in Muay Thai. I've researched it somewhat, but i'm still very ignorant about it.

Could you write about what training is usually like? If someone isn't interested in getting their nose broken and unreasonable head tramua - should they look elsewhere? I'm not afriad of getting kicked around some, but permanent head injury does concern me.

I'm mainly interested in the fitness and practical self-defense aspects and have no desire to compete. I may down the line, but probably not.

Am I going to be expected to sparr hard (knees and kicks to the head type stuff)? I called the training place Friday, and they haven't gotten back to calling me yet to answer my questions.

Thanks

[zghfd]

No, unless you want to fight you dont have anything to worry about.

[Tom Yum]

The first 2-3 months of most MT programs will be about developing good basic techniques and solid conditioning.

The instructor will introduce you to fighting stance, throwing proper punches and kicks and teaching a few basic combinations, how to move and basic defense.

At first the conditioning might include stretching, jump rope, running (before or after class), calisthenics (pushups, pull ups, bar dips, squats without weights, jumping and ab work). The goal is usually to build strength and stamina using your own body weight.

Depending on the school/program from there you might focus on fitness and self-defense, while others might focus on competition fighting. If your focus is on fitness and self-defense you won't have to spar or worry about head trauma. You will work on putting together multiple kick-punch combinations for keeping the distance on an attacker. You might focus on learning muay thai's elbow and knee strikes from close range fighting. Doing these drills repetitively and quickly will challenge your fitness level better than Tae bo, plus you will learn how to hit hard and fast at several ranges, while making yourself hard to hit - they don't teach you that in Tae bo either

People who train to fight do pretty much the same program at about the same timeline, but they do extra conditioning to prepare the body for contact and they spar other fighters to work on live distancing, timing and strategy.

[Groin_Punter]

Great! Thanks for the info. It sounds like what I was looking for.

[MuayThaiFighter]

Originally posted by Groin_Punter
Great! Thanks for the info. It sounds like what I was looking for.

Just remember,just because it is up to you whether you want to compete or not doesn't mean you do not have to participate in sparring during class.

During your sparring in class anything can happen,if you are afraid of getting any bruises or a broken nose,then why even do martial arts?Regardless of training in a MuayThai school you are going to get hurt and more then just once,but with lots of practice you will become better and better and be able to avoid getting hurt more.

I myself have never had a broken nose sparring in class only in tournaments,because I am a MuayThai fighter.

However I have come home with some bruises from sparring in class infact several times,you learn from your mistakes though.

If you never get hurt you are probably not training properly or hard enough.

[JIMI]

what should you expect??? ummm lots of pain