Muay Thai is referred to as the “Art of Eight Limbs” or the “Science of Eight Limbs”, because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes.
The history of Muay Thai can be traced back to the middle of the 18th Century. During the battles between Burma and Thailand.
As well as being a practical fighting technique for use in actual warfare, Muay became the National sport in Thailand which the opponents fought in front of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. These Muay contests gradually became an integral part of local festivals and celebrations, especially those held at temples.
There are fight-stadiums and Muay Thai camps all over Thailand, and often the local Thai fighters brought up and taught the art of Muay Thai in gyms from a early age. Often the Muay Thai Training start when they are around 7-8 years old. It takes hard work and dedication to be a Nak Muay (Muay Thai fighter). Running and skipping twice a day, many hours of pad/bag/clinch work, sparring, shadow boxing, stretching and strength and conditioning.
The Thai fighters often start fighting in local stadiums near there home and aim to progress to fighting in the bigger stadiums in Bangkok, where they can fight opponents from all over Thailand with a higher paid purse. The two biggest stadiums in Bangkok that any male Nak Muay can only hope to fight in is Rajadamnern and Lumpinee.
Where to train Muay Thai in Thailand?
There are hundreds of Muay Thai camps in Thailand to choose from. Some are very welcome to Farangs (foreigners) and some are more focused on their local Thai fighters. The location to choose depends on what you are looking for.
Do you want to train a little bit and enjoy the beach and have holiday too? Or do you want to mainly have focus on your training and learn as much technique as possible? Or do you even want to test your skills in the ring during a fight? The main thing you want to look for in any gym you choose is attention from the trainers. Find a place that can guarantee you 3-5 one-on-one rounds with a trainer per session. In the end you travelled a long way to learn as much as possible so attention and what the trainers are willing to teach you is the most important thing when you choose a gym.
What to expect in a training day in Thailand? Of course programs vary at camps but this is the usual training routine at most gyms here: All sessions start with a run, in mornings usually longer 6-10km and in afternoon shorter- around 2-5km After the run you skip around 15-30 minutes warmup is followed by some stretching, shadowboxing and wrapping hands.
Then you do 3 to¬† 5-minute rounds of heavy bag work or pads and switch to bag after pads, or the opposite if you started with bag. After bag/pad its usually 2-5 rounds sparring or technique followed by clinching 15-45 minutes. To finish off sessions its usually some kind of strength and conditioning training such as knees/kicks on the bag, push ups, sit ups, pull ups etc. Do not be scared by the amount of training and long sessions if you are a beginner, the trainers in Thailand will adjust the level and intensity of each session to your body’s capacity; you will not have to be in super shape when you arrive here (although you will be in super shape in no time if you follow the gym’s and the trainer’s instructions).
