Is Muay Thai Good for Fitness?

Muay Thai is one of the most common combat sports practiced in the world, today. Let us look at some of the Muay Thai benefits to understand the way in which it can be used for good health.

The answer to the question Whether Muay Thai is good for Fitness is YES. Muay Thai is a striking art, which uses attacks from the elbows, fists, knees, and feet. Strikes can be thrown from close, mid or long range. An element of grappling, referred to as the clinch, is also present in Muay Thai. These clinch maneuvers are quite different from the grappling techniques used in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Muay Thai clinches are used to set up knee and elbow strikes or throw the opponent to the ground. Since this sport requires the practitioners to possess a large number of athletic qualities, Muay Thai benefits are plenty that help to maintain health and fitness. Muay Thai is a form of martial art, which can help you with weight loss, make you muscular and improved body strength.

Some of the Top Benefits of Muay Thai for Fitness Include:

Most types of such sports or physical activities do not even come close to delivering the cardiovascular conditioning which Muay Thai offers. Since Muay is both aerobic and anaerobic, it puts huge stress on the cardiopulmonary systems. Improved cardiovascular conditioning is one of the greatest Muay Thai benefits. With regular practice, the body gets accustomed to the demand of this sport, and hence the cardiovascular performance improves.

Footwork and kicking play a crucial role in Muay Thai. Roundhouse kick is a movement distinctive to Muay Thai. Kicking helps in strengthening the musculature of the lower body. Every muscle in the lower body gets benefitted from practicing the different kicks and footwork drills of this sport. From agility, muscle endurance, force production, to plain old good looking calves, Muay Thai delivers them all. So, to add to the Muay Thai benefits for fitness, you get strong and well-toned legs.

Not only the six packs, but every single muscle located in the body’s trunk makes up the core. One of the most desirable Muay Thai benefits is that the rotational nature of all movements helps in strengthening the core. Even, getting punched in the body helps a bit. Clinching, striking, and defensive movements, all help a Muay Thai practitioner develop a stronger core.

Although, it does not happen overnight, but kicking and kneeing movements of Muay Thai increase hip mobility over time. Having healthy hips alone can offer protection from many chronic medical conditions and serious pain, later in life. Strong and flexible hips add to the benefits of Muay Thai for fitness. But it is advisable to do stretching foam rolling without fail, and also get an occasional hip massage to help the muscles relax.

One of the most important Muay Thai benefits is relief from stress. Majority of people get fairly stressed during the day. Having an outlet for such stress can feel fantastic and work wonders for the mental and physical health. When agitated at work, or stressed about daily chores, hitting something just feels good. This is surely one of the much needed Muay Thai benefits. Due to the fast-paced nature of Muay Thai, one does not get time to worry while training. If one loses focus, they are likely to get hit in the face or mess up the drill they are working on. Practicing a martial art allows the individual to concentrate on them self and nothing else. Also, doing something regularly which detaches a person from the daily grind helps them become a more carefree and happier person.

To sum it all up, the Muay Thai benefits are many and when practiced regularly, one can surely enjoy good health and fitness. Those practicing Muay Thai, must make sure to adapt the workout to their level of fitness when starting out. Also, one should trust their instincts and take a break or modify a drill, if needed, to make it fit for them self. Like any other sport, remember that there is always a risk of injury in this too. Before beginning with any new type of physical activity, it is better to seek medical opinion. The coach should also be informed about any injury or physical condition which a person has before beginning to practice.

Nevertheless, for people who are fit and would love to enjoy the Muay Thai benefits, this is a great new form of workout. Regular practice can help overcome some initial hurdles and once set, one can have a great exercise routine with this sport.