Muay Thai is a combat sport that started in Thailand and is the country’s national sport. It’s known as “the art of eight limbs” as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. Muay Thai practitioners execute strikes using eight points of contact, as opposed to two or four points.
Even if you’ve not had any previous training in Muay Thai, it’s a sport for all levels of experience and fitness. And here are a few tips for Muay Thai beginners:
1. Form over fitness.
Muay Thai will improve your fitness, but you don’t need to be a well-conditioned athlete to start. As a beginner, you’ll get plenty of conditioning work. But the primary focus will be on form and learning the proper mechanics of techniques. Tackling both form and fitness will be challenging at first. But with consistent training, you’ll begin to notice improvements over time. Focus on learning the fundamentals, including proper stance, footwork, basic punches, kicks, and basic elbow techniques. And your conditioning will progressively improve.
2. Be a beginner.
Learning something like Muay Thai is not an easy task. You might feel slow, uncoordinated, and always five steps behind the rest of your class. You might get frustrated with yourself and expect to execute all that you’re learning perfectly. But let yourself be a beginner. Be curious and committed to getting better each time.
3. Winning is not the goal.
When you’re a beginner, winning will never be the goal. Even once you begin to spar, it’s not about winning. Instead, it’s about learning, observing, and being consistent with your training. If you tend to be competitive, leave your ego off the mat and shift your mindset to the process.
To learn more about the programs and classes we have to offer at Classic Fight Team in Fountain Valley, contact us today.
