Around 4 years ago a close friend suggested I go along to the Muay Thai gym with him and start training. I have to say I was keen but also a little cautious as I had seen what the inside of a Muay Thai gym in Thailand looked like. It was sweaty, ripped Thai guys smashing anything that gets in their way; they really don’t like those punching bags. Of course once I’d got into it I’d discovered a whole new great way of keeping fit and burning calories and I’m actually not too shabby at it now. Here’s 5 reasons why you should seriously think about giving it a go:
- Great cardio – Punching and kicking pads and bags for 5 x 3 min rounds is unbelievable cardio. As we all know good cardio training burns plenty of calories keeping that muffin top to a mimimum. It increases lung capacity and reduces the risk of heart attack. If I do a MT session in the morning I feel great for the rest of the day.
- Increases your flexibility – I’m not a very flexible guy but after a few years of MT training which incorporates plenty of stretching my body can do things I never thought it would. It took ages to be able to kick properly but my technique is actally not too bad these days. Of course other benefits are that you are less prone to injury and have better posture and balance.
- The gyms have plenty of equipment – Most MT gyms have plenty of weights and apparatus for lots of different types of exercise. When you pay for a session you not only get to train but you also get to use all of the other gym equipment on offer too.
- You learn how to fight – Not that I’d ever go out looking for a fight but it’s good to know I’ve got some skills in the bag should I ever need to defend myself. There’s a certain amount of confidence that comes from knowing you have that skill set to call on should the need arise.
- The camaraderie – I’ve trained in quite a few gyms around Bangkok and now in Hua Hin and the trainers (who are usually still fighting professionally) are always good fun. I currently train at King of Muay Thai up soi 94 in Hua Hin. They have a great group of guys whom all still fight professionally. There is always a nice atmosphere and I always enjoy a good laugh with them while they push me to my limit and laugh at me when I’m nearly dead at the end.
