4 Ways To Increase Stamina When Training Muay Thai

Muay Thai can be a demanding, yet rewarding combat sport. Nak Muays (Muay Thai fighters) train for hundreds or thousands of hours to deliver proper technique with unparalleled power. In a typical Muay Thai match, strategy is just as important as any technique. Muay Thai fighters position themselves in the ring and are constantly seeking weaknesses in their opponent before just throwing a knee or elbow or even clinch out there. Throwing and countering those blows in between maintaining a constant eye on your opponent’s next move requires some serious stamina. A loss in energy levels can mean a lost match or getting your butt kicked. [Train with us]

#1 You are what you eat.The old adage is true. If you eat foods that are great for kicking back on couch potato days, that is what you will resemble on fight night too. Steer away from sugars, processed wheats, processed snacks, fructose corn syrup and foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce. That leaves plenty of ethically-treated lean meats, veggies, fruits and delicious grains like quinoa, brown rice or wild rice. And don’t forget to hydrate!Want to speak with a performance nutritionist? Holler at Trin Perkins in Manassas.

#2 Get moving.Every day we are presented with choices to accept convenience or improve our mobility. When parking at a store, stop looking for the closest spot, park as far away as possible (well-lit though). Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs!Outside of practicing drills and conditioning in your home gym, try running to improve stamina or circuit training which forces your body to use bursts of energy and muscle power at intervals (much like fighting). Try Sculpted Fitness at Calvert MMA if you are local to Virginia, this interval training is designed for fighters interested in Muay Thai and BJJ.

#3 Timing.Appropriate timing won’t just help you win a fight, it can save you a lot of wasted energy. If your Kru or Ajarn uses a metronome, that will help you develop a rhythm to your movements – which is great! Also, make sure that you are sparring with people of all different body types so that your mind is able to better calculate timing for those with a long reach, etc. Check out “How To Improve Muay Thai Timing” for more tips straight from Kru Chris.#4 Technique. Technique. Technique!!!The interval training combined with drills should help you improve the impact that each Muay Thai movement provides. You will be able to better focus your energy, but all of this is pointless if your technique is wacky. Shadow box at home on commercial breaks, watch Lion Fights and YouTube instructional videos, and most importantly, go to class!—To re-cap, eating right, moving more, improving timing, and practicing technique are the best ways to increase your Muay Thai stamina or endurance.

If you are local to Northern Virginia, stop by our gym to take advantage of our FREE 14-Day trial. Not local, follow us on YouTube for Muay Thai tutorials and take a glimpse at our gym on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.