Most easily understood as a form of kickboxing that also involves clinching and sweeping, Muay Thai, also know as Thai Boxing, is an art form originating in Thailand that is both a modern ring sport and a martial art with roots reaching into ancient history.

Muay Thai is known as the “Art of Eight Limbs,” due to the training involving striking not only with punches and kicks, but knees and elbows as well – hence there being 8 total weapons on both sides of the body. This makes Muay Thai an ideal form of striking for self-defense, because the student will learn how to strike with the various tools of their body instead of just their hands.

Additionally, the Muay Thai clinch provides a framework for training the interaction between striking and grappling – which traditionally boxing and western kickboxing lack.

For this reason, Muay Thai emerged as the preferred striking art for MMA fighters. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gyms in would commonly partner with Thai Boxing instructors to grow both arts in the west.

Muay Thai is a rapidly growing international sport that’s gaining popularity due to the excitement of the matches.

However, the best thing about the art is that it’s not just a sport for competition athletes – anyone can train as a hobby for health and recreation. It’s fantastic for fitness & weight loss as well as being an effective art for self- defense.

Our typical training sessions in Thai Boxing/Muay Thai involve:

• various warmups, bodyweight exercises, and stretching
• Shadowboxing and footwork training
• Heavy bag training – practicing your various strikes on a punching bag for timed rounds, similar to boxing training but with all your limbs
• Padwork: hitting, kicking, and kneeing pads held by the coach or training partners in specific sequences, or as the trainer holds up specific targets. This teaches you how to move with someone and use your vision to watch for targets opening as well as programming effective combinations into your body
• Partner training: acting out attack and defense responses to learn the correct reaction to various fighting situations
• Sparring: Sparring is available only to experienced students with coach approval, but newer students can participate in defense training with senior students to give a safe alternative to start with. Due to the danger of the various striking tools of the art form, there is a culture in Muay Thai of playful touch-sparring called “flow training.” However, it requires calm and control so it is a privilege that is earned on our team. Our first priority is always making sure that everyone is having safe, enjoyable training sessions while being physically and mentally challenged.
• Conditioning: we encourage new students to take up running and home calisthenics to supplement their training. Muay Thai is typically supplemented with running, push-ups, and abdominal training.