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Beginner Questions

5K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  GlasgowKiss 
#1 ·
I'm looking to join a muay thai gym and have a few questions:

If you're not particularly fit, would it be better getting fit before you join, or is it OK just joining and getting fit while you do it? I'm not carrying any extra weight, but I've not been too active for the last 18 months or so.

Also, what do the first few classes generally consist of? Is it pretty intense right from the start, or is it just learning techniques etc? How were your own experiences when you first joined?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I recommend working on your cardio before you joining any gym.

I trained as a boxer for a few years, took some time off went back to the gym thinking I was in good enough shape and got embarrassed badly.

Beginners dont realize the amount of cardio you use and need while learning any kind of striking. Prepare to get your ass kicked, but that is a good thing.

I have never trained in Mauy Tai but I can imagine it is a lot more tiring than just plain ol' boxing.
 
#4 ·
Gotta go with Gland on this. Dive on in. Its not like your first lesson will consist of a beatdown. Show up and do the best you can. I joined a MMA gym at 42 and I work a desk job. Still going strong 2 years later. If I can do this, anyone can.

Training is a blast. Just do it.
 
#6 · (Edited)
yah, just get into it, you will either like or you wont. I fell in love with the sport about 10 minutes into the first session. I have no idea what your sessions will involve but to give you an idea of what you may or may not be doing i will tell you what we/I do.

Mondays - kicking, kneeing, clinches

Tuesday - boxing, elbows, clinches

Wednesday - technique/sparring

Thursday - kicking, kneeing, clinches

Friday - boxing, elbows, clinches

We/I do 2 cardio circuits per day, one at the end of each hour, about 15 minutes each.

Obviously i dont know what your schedule is like and how often you will attend but thats what we/I do 2 hrs a day.
 
#7 ·
i had done karate off and on since i was like 7 or so, but i went to my first mma gym at 17 and got so tired and so sick, i couldn't hold my hands up with my boxing gloves on them, and the trainer back then was quite a dick about it. i kept going though, and earned his respect a little, lol. I had been running a mile a day for about two weeks before i started, one that wasn't really enough, and 2 i made the mistake of eating before i went at 9 am. it was brutal. so if you want to build up your cardioo before hand do it, and don't eat to close to time to train. haha good luck.
 
#9 ·
jumping right in is probably the best thing to do. I mean you probably wont be able to keep up with the people who have been going for months or years. Ive been going for about a month, and its pretty intense. the people there have been going for like five months and longer. I last nowhere near as long as them. I end up pretty much spent by half way through the class. But it always ends up good and I last a little longer each time. The cardio and endurance comes with it.
 
#10 ·
Just go to class! Muay Thai will get you into the best shape you have ever been in your life if you attend regularly. People will understand that you are new.

At a class you can expect Thai pad and focus mitt drills, heavy bag work, calisthenics, and in ring drills. It is pretty intense!

The first time I went to a Muay Thai class I was frustrated that I couldn't keep up with everyone else! But, as I continued going to classes, I continued to improve.
 
#11 ·
well.. depends..

this is a basic and i mean basic assessment of shape.. can you do 30 push-ups in a row, 50 sit-ups, run a mile in under 8minutes?

if you can id say go ahead and start at the gym. if not, work on bridging the gap on those three things i mentioned. as i said it is a basic measurement of fitness.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Yesterday, I decided to go along to Griphouse MMA gym, and take the Muay Thai Fundamentals ( beginners ) class. It was the best fun ever, and I can already tell I'm hooked !

I'm 29 and have played sports at high level most of my life. Only thing is, I have relied on natural skills in those sports the past 8 odd years. I haven't been fit since I was 22 maybe. I'm not overweight at all, 6'0 and stocky, but I smoke cigarettes and a fair amount of ganja.

Anyways, this was a one hour class and we did....

15 odd mins of starjumps, burpees, push ups and general stretches.

Split into two's - one taking pads, the other gloves...

30 seconds doing a right cross ( left for me as I'm southpaw )
30 seconds right ( again left for me, just reverse everything) bodykick
30 seconds right cross, right bodykick combo
10 push ups ( burpees for dude on pads )
Repeat all of the above again.

Flat on your toes, elbows on ground, keep knees off ground for 1 min..

30 seconds right cross, left hook
30 seconds left bodykick
30 seconds right cross, left hook, left bodykick
10 push ups ( burpees for dude on pads )
Repeat this all again.

Switch with the person on pads, and do all the same again.

Some more cardio.

Split into groups of six and each group take a heavy bag.
3 do 1/2 combos as fast as possible for 15 secs
3 do burpees for 15 secs, then both groups switch
Did this maybe 10 times on bag for each group of three

Some cardio to finish.


I was fucked !! But it was amazing fun, and whilst I felt like I was gonna vomit for a while, I just stuck through it and got to the end. I didn't quite manage all the push ups, cardio stuff, in between all the bag work and pad work, but it felt great being pushed to the limit of my fitness.

Infact, it was only really the push ups, burpees that got me as my arms were just totally dead. The more mental stuff like going out flat on your toes and elbows and keeping knees off of the ground I was fine with. I took the pads first out of my group of two and my arms were feeling dead before I even got to strike, but it was a great feeling striking, I really felt like my left cross and left bodykicks had a lot of power !

Even though I'm having trouble moving my arms freely today, I'll be going back tomorrow for the 90 min fundamentals class.
 
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