Joining gyms, playing team sports, and running are popular choices for people who want to be more active, but if you are looking for something unique and fun, joining a Muay Thai program may be just the activity for you. Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that originated in Thailand. It uses stand-up striking using punches, kicks, elbows, knee strikes, and clinching techniques.
In addition to allowing you to get a great work-out and increase your level of physical activity, learning Muay Thai will afford you many benefits and below are reasons why you should consider learning this sport.
1. Relieve stress
After a hard day of work or school, it is great to have an outlet to relive yourself of the day’s stresses. Participating in a Muay Thai program can definitely provide this opportunity for you. While it may sound negative, it is a proven fact that people who are stressed or upset feel better after hitting something. Muay Thai training can help you in this regard because it can consist of practicing against someone or hitting identified targets, providing you with a healthy outlet to take out your frustrations on.
When you are concentrating on a drill or accurately striking an objective, it is difficult to be concerned about your work performance, a school exam, or paying bills. Muay Thai requires your undivided attention and for this reason you are able to forget about the stressors of everyday life.
2. Weight loss
Muay Thai training is an appealing option to those who want to learn a fun yet disciplined sport and loss some weight at the same time. This sport results in a rigid, tough, whole-body workout and this allows participants to burn fat and earn a leaner physique.
A typical Muay Thai regimen consists of sessions that teach basic punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and stances with participants expected to jog and jump rope to maintain a healthy cardiovascular level on off-days. All of these activities combined often result in substantial weight loss for people who keep up with expectations of the program.
3. Strengthens muscles
Not only will those who participate in a Muay Thai program achieve significant weight loss, they will be able to strengthen and tone muscles as well. As mentioned, this sport works out the whole body meaning that after a month or two of training you will see significant results in many parts of your body. For instance, constantly throwing kicks and knees will result in the toning of your gluteus as well as your core abdominal muscles. The kicks and footwork will also lead to stronger muscles in the lower body and legs.
When attempting to strengthen muscles in the body, a majority of people’s routines neglect important parts of the body. Training in Muay Thai works out everything without you really even realizing it.
4. Improved confidence
It is easy and extremely common to fall into a repetitive funk of jobs, classes, and family obligations with people often feeling like they have no time or energy to do something to break this cycle. Muay Thai allows you to try something different and can be learned by anyone regardless of gender, age, or body type. By training rigorously, you will eventually notice that you have increased determination and self-confidence.
In the event that you practice your methods on another person, you will be pleased with the skills you have developed to be smart in your technique and quick on your feet. While it is not recommended that you use your Muay Thai skills in a fight, the technique will provide you with skills you can use if you are confronted with violence and are unable to escape to safety.
