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MUAY THAI

Muay Thai is a combat sport originally from Thailand that uses stand-up striking and clinching techniques.

 

This physical and mental discipline is also known as "the art of eight limbs" because of its characteristic of combining fists, elbows, knees, shins, associated with a good physical preparation, what makes a full-contact fighter very efficient.

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For safety and hygiene reasons, students are required to have their own gear (16oz. gloves, shin guard and mouth piece).

You are the weapon.

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Muay Thai is a full-body contact sport that originated in Thailand. In Muay Thai your entire body will become a weapon.

 

Muay Thai is often called “The Art of Eight Limbs.” That’s because this graceful and powerful martial art teaches practitioners to use their body like a weapon:

  • Your hands will become a dagger and sword

  • Your forearms and shins will harden to use as shields against your opponent

  • Your knees and legs will become a staff or axe

  • Your elbows will drive opponents to the ground like a hammer

  • Your body will spin and twirl as you avoid capture

  • Your entire body will work as a unit as you seek to grapple and clinch your opponent

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Other martial arts and fighting sports use two limbs (boxing), or four limbs (karate) to attack and defend. Muay Thai teaches you to use eight weapons, to bear on an opponent. That’s why Muay Thai has become the go-to training for many of the stand up cage fighters you see in mixed martial arts (MMA).

 

Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand and is revered as a cultural icon of their people. We practice Muay Thai for self-defense, exercise, and in deference to the history of this sport. Muay Thai embraces precision movements, posture, balance, and physical hardness, and combines it with situational awareness, fitness, and directed power to overcome an opponent.

 

Martial artists agree that Muay Thai training is an important step in becoming today’s multi-faceted well-rounded fighter.

What will I learn in Muay Thai?

The practice emphasizes strengthening the core of the body, which sets it apart from other martial arts. We focus on each of the nine weapons, by honing and training with jabs, kicks, blocks, and punches.

  • Elbows can be used like a hammer, to strike your opponent to the ground. Your elbows can slash your opponents face or blow their blow. Muay Thai hardens the elbows and forearms to serve as a living shield to block your enemies.

  • Feet and legs can use the full power of your torso to kick your opponent. Most MMA fighters have adopted Muay Thai’s angle kicks because of their powerful impact. These kicks have more force because they use the

rotation of your body and center mass for leverage. That’s why even the smallest Muay Thai fighters can bring down a larger foe.

  • Shins and forearms are actually the strongest part of a trained Muay Thai fighter. Traditional Muay Thai in Thailand requires fighters to toughen their forearms and shins by repeatedly striking banana trees until they fall over. While we use more modern equipment and techniques, the end result will be the same.

  • Feet can become pointed jabbing weapons in the art of Muay Thai. Foot jabs are a very common technique in the sport, allowing fighters to defend them selves by controlling the distance and balance of an opponent.

  • Whole body contact is used in the clinch. Traditional boxing separates fighters that grab and hold on to each other in the ring. In Muay Thai, the clinch is used to control an opponent while you hammer them with an elbow or use other techniques to wear them down. You can perform this maneuver with your arms, hands, and feet, making it an extremely difficult move to escape from for he untrained. Unlike Brazilian jiu jitsu, Muay Thai teaches the clinch maneuver as a way to set up a powerful blow from an elbow or knee at close range.

 

Sparring is the best way to improve these skills in Muay Thai. We teach strength training, muscle memory, and proper techniques in order to master this art form. One such series includes defending against an attacker.

Muay Thai & Fitness

Make no mistake; you will lose weight and get fit with Muay Thai. How quickly this happens is up to you, of course. But Muay Thai works well for core strengthening, which is the most difficult area of the body to keep toned, especially as you age.

 

Muay Thai is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The benefits of training even one day per week will improve your athleticism, balance, posture, and confidence – all while helping you build muscle and lose weight. Here are five key areas where your body will improve:

  • Cardiovascular conditioning is a given in any exercise designed to increase your heart rate. Muay Thai is both aerobic and anaerobic, which forces your heart and lungs to work together to keep your body moving. The cardiopulmonary benefits of Muay Thai are outstanding; as your body starts to adapt to the training, these crucial body functions will improve

  • Core strength in Muay Thai goes beyond your abdominal muscles to incorporate your whole torso and back. We’re not talking about a six-pack here; we’re talking about honing each individual muscle on the trunk of your body. This toning happens naturally as we practice kicks, because in Muay Thai you rotate your entire body to throw a kick. That rotation hones all the muscles in the center of your body. Defensive maneuvers, striking, and clinching, will all help increase your core strength.

  • Hip mobility improves dramatically with Muay Thai. Kicking, kneeing, and bending, all help open up your hips. While this may not seem as important if you’re young, maintaining hip mobility is crucial as you age.

  • Leg muscles are a crucial support system for your body, and Muay Thai will give you an incredible set of calf and thigh muscles. Kicking properly and practicing footwork will build muscles throughout the lower body, along with your endurance, strength, and determination to succeed.

  •  Stress relief may be the biggest benefit of Muay Thai that you experience. We live increasingly sedentary yet stressful lives. Muay Thai gives practitioners greater physical mobility but also an enormous stress release from hitting, kicking, and punching a heavy bag, and eventually, an opponent in the ring. The effect of this stress release will be felt in every area of your life, from work to relationships. During Muay Thai your mind will be completely focused on the task at hand and you will have no time to worry about bills or any other troubles that may be plaguing you.

 

Whether you are in your 40s and seeking an outlet from your daily grind, in your 20s and seeking that “ripped” look, or just looking for a way to protect yourself in ordinary every day situations, this is the sport for you. Muay Thai can benefit concentration in children and adults, while keeping them physically active no matter what their age. We’ve seen Muay Thai change lives; the only question is – what are you waiting for?

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