The routines you’re about to read below are some of the most basic routines below that any beginner can do at any Muay Thai gym. These are extremely helpful, especially in times when trainers aren’t available or when, as a novice, you want to learn more than what your trainer is teaching you. That isn’t to say that you can practice and learn without someone teach you, but these routines are merely here to help.That said, here are a few Muay Thai workouts for the novices out there to try.
- NOTE: Before you start doing any of these workouts or routines, it’s best that you start stretching first. Be sure to ask other more experienced Muay Thai fighters for help, or better yet, ask your trainer.
- Running. It may take a while to get used to, especially since your training takes a lot out of you already, but running is the best way to improve your conditioning. Start with 10 to 15 minutes of light running two to three days a day after you stretch and before training. Gradually, increase the time you spend running and you’ll find yourself lasting longer while shadow boxing, training and more importantly, sparring and/or fighting.
- Shadow boxing. This is the sort of training that even the most experienced fighters do all the time. Requiring intense focus and concentration, shadow boxing has a wide slew of benefits that easily translate into a real fight, both in and out of the ring. If you’re new, try to go at it at 70% speed and only for two or three 3-minute rounds with a 1 minute break between each one.
- Rope skipping. If you think that rope skipping is only for boxers, think again. Do remember that Muay Thai is slightly similar to Western Boxing with footwork and agility important to becoming a successful fighter. And, there’s nothing like a session or two every now and then of rope skipping to help improve your footwork.
- Heavy bag work. Muay Thai being the art of the eight limbs, fighters need all the practice they can get for their strikes and the heavy bag proves to be just the perfect equipment for that. As a novice, it’s best to think of the heavy bag as your stationary sparring partner. Kick it, punch it, elbow it and do pretty much everything to it as what you would with your sparring partner
Master these basic Muay Thai workouts and you’ll find yourself making your sparring partner huff and puff while you dance circles around them.