Martial Arts Is not for Everyone!

I’ve recently been posting all over social media online forums the importance of training at a real Muay Thai gym. I've always been quite vocal stating that, it is not possible to teach yourself any Martial Art at a high level and these online home study courses are just crap.

If you are serious about competition, in particular fighting in Muay Thai, you need to find yourself a good gym and a good trainer. Keep in mind the nearest to your house isn't necessarily the best and  the same can't be said for joining the club your mate trains at. 

You need to understand however that once you’ve found a quality gym, many coaches / instructors will not give you much early attention, they will be watching and will be available to help, however statistically most people quit Martial Arts within the first few weeks. on this assumption therefore, don’t expect an experienced training partner or for the instructor to cater to your every need on your first day. 

As a beginner, you must prove that you are serious and willing to work, your progress will be monitored and the more you put back into the club the more elevated your status will become and the more attention you'll deserve.

Thai Boxing is incredibly difficult to excel at, everyone wants to become a fighter until reality kicks in, and they see how difficult it is to be a fighter. The average person has no idea how challenging it is to even train for 5x3 minute rounds at even a moderate pace. Simply hitting the bag for a few rounds will break most new starters, then we add in the physical impact you naturally take in the course of training.  

Every experienced instructor knows these facts, they are obvious aren't they? They know that Thai Boxing is tough and most will fail. The fact is most people who walk through their gym doors will not last long. Unfortunately, many beginners have no idea what they are getting into. Most people in today’s world don’t have Martial Arts experience, so its very difficult to get some advice from friends and family.

Any club or instructor worth his / her salt has seen plenty of beginners quit within the first few weeks. Some quit after their first sparring session and others quit after a few hard workouts on the mitts or bag or some after the first grading. Whatever the beginner thought he was getting into is entirely different from reality.

The instructor knows these simple truths when you first enter the gym, and already has dedicated students that he is committed to as a coach. As a result, you cannot fault him for questioning just how serious you are about the sport. Contrary to what some believe, many Muay Thai coaches volunteer much of their time. In other words, it is quite possible that the trainer is not getting paid by the club.

This is the case at our club.

He may have had a long day at work before heading to the boxing gym to volunteer his time. He is there to help, but will naturally be unwilling to help those who have not proven their dedication the sport “Actions speak louder than words” if the instructor asks for something in return, something like helping to promote the club using online media, helping at a charity function or attending an event its should be done in return for the time dedicated to you the student - not ignored.

No matter what the beginner says about how dedicated he or she is, the trainer has heard it before.  Someone else has already come in with the same lies, obtained the instructors attention and only to quit after the first few weeks. 

Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that most trainers won’t pay much attention to the words that come out of your mouth. Thai Boxing is an action sport. You can’t talk yourself through each round. The trainer only cares about what you will do, not what you say you will do.

Earn Respect.

The best way for a new starter boxer to attract the attention of higher graded students or instructors is to work so hard hard that everyone takes notice. Don’t waste time talking about what you are going to do, turn up and quietly put in your work.

If a coach or fighter gives you a suggestion, be thankful, practice it regularly. Continue to practice, practice, and practice some more. Make your face known as the new student who works harder than everyone. Be the beginner who puts in extra sets and extra rounds. Be the beginner who respectfully asks for advice without being a nuisance. 

Don’t be the beginner who messes around on the bag and then expects everyone to come running. Don’t be the beginner who questions every bit of advice that he is given. Don't be the "What if" guy, Sylvester Stallone is unlikely to bring a machine gun into the ring so chances are the advice your given can be taken as gospel. 

In addition, always remember that the gym was there before you. It will continue to operate with or without you. Nobody is irreplaceable. As I’ve said before, most Muay Thai gyms operate like large families. You can’t barge your way into a new family and force everyone to accept you. You need to slowly earn the family’s trust and respect. 

Whats the point of doing a Martial Art if you don't fight..

I recall having a conversation at a seminar a few years go. I was talking to a renown Martial Arts instructor from a Japanese background who has seen and done pretty much everything possible.

Those who know me know I don't tolerate idiots but in this situation I was cornered, my escape route was partially blocked and I didn't want to appear rude or disrespectful.

Anyway shortly after he was describing when he landed on the moon, the topic changed to Muay Thai, he obviously had competed in Thailand and won hundreds of bouts...

"Whats the point of Muay Thai" he went on to ask.. It doesn't work in "Real" situations - bang there goes another pet hate - "REAL" - ok at this point and I remind you that were surrounded by Martial Artists who have been in the game for years including Muay Thai Champions and very accomplished fighters. I found him very insulting and I wanted to push him more.

I asked him to elaborate and gave him a spade to continue digging, being a 4th Dan in his chosen field he was trying to make an uneducated comparison between arts - his being the best for self defence because it was used on the battlefield.. A few smug looking spectators looked on (Muay Thai Derived from the battlefield and some scholars believe its older in its original form that many Japanese arts)

Now at this stage it was pretty obvious that this idiot had never competed, and his knowledge was limited -  if he knew Muay Thai he would know it's very effective in "real" situations - the combination of using Elbows and Knees in a close quarter situation is very hard to beat - this is without taking into consideration the power and effectivness of the kicks and punches.

He went on to declare that if you are not fighting there is no point in learning a fighting art - I asked him if he competed in his art - "No, they would never allow it", "we break bones not score points" he went on to add. By this time I could see one of my fighters tensing up and clenching his fists and I thought it was best to drop the subject before my fighter got hurt lol - I knew deep down that there would be no shortage of partners on the tatami (mats) later in the seminar.

So what is the point of doing a Martial Art? For the idiots out there the benefits are endless. Practitioners gain fitness, confidence, new skills, greater visual awareness - the arts keep you focused, challenges you, pushes you beyond your limits. All arts teach you discipline, honour, loyalty and respect.

There is also the social side of Martial Arts, I personally travel all over the world, our club have plenty of social activities, events and shows not to mention parties. Students often meet up at the weekend and become good friends.

Then you have the benefits of more confidence like, less bullying, less chance of becoming a victim.. as well as the benefits of improved health like weight loss, toning and improved fitness.

So is that enough points for you?

I saw him again at the party on the evening, he was sporting a rather nice bruise on his thigh and was dragging his leg behind him with an awesome limp - I never asked which of my student practiced some low kicks with him....

Are you a Martial Arts Quitter?

I was recently told that the dropout rate in Muay Thai was 50% the first six months, a further 25% by the end of year one and 15% more in the first 3 years leaving around 1 in 10 sticking to the art.

So why is this? Personally I believe its because people underestimate what going to happen, they haven't done any research on the art, the club or instructor. Many have just watched UFC and have delusions of grandeur, they want the matrix download that gives them 3000 years worth of knowledge when the reality is years of pushups & drills.

Most of the time dropping out is a conscious decision made by someone who's bubble has been burst, they quickly find out there is no download and they just can't commit time, energy or money to a very difficult system to master..  All martial arts require a lifetime of study.

Another very popular dropout excuse is from people who have hit the wall or slump, they are finding something difficult and rather than asking for help the tell themselves they will take a break and return after there holiday / Christmas, Wedding etc... Most of them will never come back.

From personal experience I've found three times in Martial Arts training that students are most likely to quit.

1) Early grading success, this is where most students drop out, the first couple of gradings come around quickly, they are easy and because of this the pass rate is high, then the realisation sinks in, to achieve there 10th grading they have several more years or blood sweat and tears to go through, they may even have to do some academic research for later gradings - like going back to school? This isn't what Bruce Lee shows in his films so they get disillusioned with the future. Why not before the grading saving money? Well they want something out of it, a certificate, Kruang etc - something to show for the last few months training.

2) Brown Belt Quitters, By the time your 6th grading comes around your very nearly complete, its time to start thinking about sharing your knowledge and sowing the seeds for the next generation. Our syllabus requires you to learn about language, culture and history to progress. There is also a teaching element to the later gradings. Many people fear this part the most - standing in front of a class and delivering a lesson. The fact is that this makes you a more rounded martial artist - it makes you think about your performance before demonstrating.

Another closely connected fact is that by the time a student reaches brown they are already quite accomplished in self defence, fitness and often competition - the thought of another 9 months trained to get the next level is often off-putting.

3) Kru misconceptions, most people who start a Martial Arts system have one goal - to call themselves a black belt in any particular discipline. Muay Thai doesn't have a black belt, we have replaced it with a red belt (arm band) this takes explanation at every possible occasion - you will get fed up of saying "Red is equivalent to black" etc.

Getting your red band (black belt) is not proof that you have mastered the art, its likened to passing your driving test - its now the learning begins.. Sharing knowledge is high on the agenda and this level requires practice to maintain standards.

Its only when you have proved yourself in this aspect then you will be awarded the title of Kru (Teacher) If your not passing on your knowledge and actually teaching people - how can you be called a teacher? This bursts people bubble and again they leave with the misconceptions that they have learned everything there is to know!!

Wrong.

Getting back into training

Thinking of returning to the gym? Been away for some time? 

One of the hardest things to do is to get back in to it, your goals seem so far away at this stage, But your determined, you've told everyone on social media that your doing it and bought some new equipment that will help - right? 

Most people fail because they try to train at the same intensity as they used to before having a break, you push yourself like you were 18 again, you know the pain is coming, your exciting and pleased after your effort but this time its crippling and a complete turnoff.

Everyone at every level can feel an element of pain the next morning, its a reward for doing well, but because you've pushed to hard on this return its broken you and as a reward your already giving yourself a reward of a day off, excuses start formulating and you start thinking of why you shouldn't return to the gym.

Instead of the negatives you have to remember that you haven't trained for ages, your body needs a little time to re-adjust to your new lifestyle change it'll take several weeks of perseverance to notice a difference but it WILL be worth it.

You also need to factor in the potential for injury, training like you left off is only going to promote stress on your body and your more likely to break yourself. Just remember you will adjust again, you will form a new routine that your body will get used to and this happens very fast.

I've always said that you should go at your own pace and not complete or compare yourself with anyone else in the gym, if you can't do 20 sit-ups do 10, next time aim for 15 and so on. If you need to stop there will be no finger pointing or banter directed towards you.

Remember you may still ache for a few days but it won't be crippling, each week just add a little more to your training, give yourself intermediate goals - don't focus on losing 7 stone / fighting A' Class etc, think 1 stone, one inter club and then re-evaluate your goals.

Garden Training

Garden Training.

One of my favourite pastimes is humouring myself at people trying to replicate my lessons in the back garden. Nothing pleases me more than sitting back on a Saturday evening can of Banks’s in hand and watching the Muay Thai equivalent of X Factor.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for people doing extra training in their own time, I’m happy to advise people on what sort of exercises to compliment training and I’m all for people punishing a bag for half an hour after a stressful day at work – but not at the expense of actual classes.

One of the best clips I found on Facebook was a couple of ex-students “training” in the garden, one of the students who I shall name “Venom” cause of his poisonous gossiping was “instructing” and holding frankly inappropriate and poor quality pads while the other ex-student was training. I’ll call the other one “shame” because it’s a shame he was forced to quit by a family member over £2, just because they didn't check the up to date prices before returning from holiday everyone was ripping them off. 

Now “Shame” had massive potential when he was training with me, he was a fast learner and a good listener in the ring, he was destined to fulfil his ambition. Venom was the opposite, a dreamer who believes everyone owes him something for free if there were an organisation called “take what you can and f’off” he would be chairman.

What made this clip worthy of the X factor final was the running commentary – the verbal tuition the advice given and the lack of correctional pointers. Even funnier this was brandished all over FB in an attempt to stick two fingers up at the club for daring to have a price rise of £2 in 15 years – and it backfired in such a massive way because everyone who trained with them before the poison took over could see how fast “Shame” had deteriorated  – what was once a potential champion has become a chump!

On a serious note and excluding the comedic value of the story, training is not just thumping the pads, students can take years to qualify as instructors. 

Anyone can hold the pads up but without years of working knowledge you are just replacing the heavy bags. A good pad man is vital for progress but a bad one undoes all the previous hard work FAST.  There are so many vital factors to take into consideration when holding the pads, at the minimum - movement, weight distribution, balance, timing, accuracy, speed, power, guard, blocks and counters.

So in summary, absolutely YES to training outside the gym - but get a training plan that compliments what your doing in class.

Common Muay Thai Injuries.

I'm a strong believer that Muay Thai has something to offer for everyone, however people get so strung up on what might happen, they talk themselves out of training before even starting. 

At some point irrespective of how cautious you train or how good your club is your going to pick up an injury, accidents happen, we accept this in everyday life so why wouldn't it apply to a full contact Martial Art?

When I'm talking injures I'm talking about common injuries like blisters or black eyes, its very unlikely that you will have more serious injuries like broken legs so I've chosen to omit them from this article.

Most injuries will not prevent you from training, a good gym will allow its members to be flexible in return for attending class, for example if you sprain your wrist you simple punch more with the other hand.

7 Most Common Muay Thai Injuries And Remedies

1. Shin Splints

You'll recognise shin splints though the pain on your lower legs. In short its a horrendous condition commonly caused by compounding activities like running or skipping.  Shin Splints are when the tissues that attach your muscle to the bone become inflamed though the swelling of the calf muscle putting pressure on the bone or by small stress fractures caused by landing heavily when you run. 

Treatment: The doctor told me to rest instead of looking at what caused the problem. In my case i was over pronating (landing on the outside of my foot and rolling to the inside) caused by crap footwear. Hot and cold compression packs and anti inflammatory cream help but def invest in a good pair of shoes - I was told by pediatrist to avoid Nike, Addidas etc and go for New balance or Asics. He suggested that Hitec Silver Shadows (Army Issue) are the best.

2. Sprained Wrists

Cause: Usually sprained wrists stem from poor punching technique or not having your hands wrapped properly, or poor padman techniques. 

Treatment: Learn how to punch correctly, always wrap your hands and make sure the gloves your using have sufficient wrist support.

3. Bruised Ribs

Caused by getting smacked a few times in the ribs! 

To treat bruised ribs you need to firstly need to understand why and adapt your stance, guard etc to try and minimise impact. One of the main concerns is whats happened underneath i.e. cracked ribs. Rest is the treatment, Thai Oil will help alleviate the pain.

4. Blisters On the bottom of your feet

Cause: If you are training a surface that generates friction your likely to get blisters as you turn on the soles of your feet. 

The treatment is simple, if the blister hasn't burst its best to drain and then securely bandage to prevent contact with the floor. If the blister has popped its likely that your skin has also torn, this could take more time to heal while you wait for new skin to form underneath - just add sufficient packing to prevent additional damage - even ask your instructor if its ok to wear a sock for a few lessons. (he prop won't want blood and puss all over his mats)

5. Beat Up Shins

Caused by kicking hard pads, heavy bags or clashing shins with your sparring partner - relax this happens.

The bruising will fade over a few days, the indentation in the gristle under the skin needs flattening out to prevent calcification. Thai Oil will speed up the process and dull the pain. You can always wear shin pads during the healing process.

6. Foot Bruising / Broken Toes.

Usually caused by kicking your partners elbow or catching the edge of the pads. 

Treatment - RICE (Rest, ice, Compression, Elevation) Dont waste the A&E departments time, even if you've broken your toes the hospital won't do anything - apart from strapping a couple of toes together..

7) Bruised thighs

Cause - Low kicks

Treatment - relax hospital botherer this is normal, in order to progress your legs need to get tougher - surprisingly this level of bruising is not necessarily caused by several "Big" kick but many lighter kicks - Thai Oil and a can of "Man up" will do the trick.

Lose 5kg (11lbs) in 24hrs

This plan is simple but not easy. There is a difference between losing weight and cutting weight. When you lose weight, it pertains to the process of removing bodyfat over a longer period of time. 1 kg or 2lbs of fat is a good amount to target per week. However cutting weight is all about losing a larger amount of total body weight, over a short period of time (5 kgs or 12 lbs in 24hrs). This is a 5 day-4 step program to cut a minimum of 5kgs or 11lbs of body-weight.

Safety Warning:

This is an advanced level dehydration technique. It is intended to be used to make a specific weight for a competition and rehydrate after the weight is made. Please limit the amount of weight cut during the final 24 hrs to 8kgs or 17.5 lbs. You need to follow a strict diet in the months that precede the cut. Eat lean proteins, fruits and vegetables for months leading up to the weigh in.

Visit the below link to find out how the remove 20lbs of fat from your body before the cut.

http://fightshape.co/2014/09/08/lose-20lbs-of-fat-in-only-4-weeks/

STEP 1:

Begin 5 days before the weigh in. Increase your water consumption to 7.5L or 2 gallons of distilled water per day for 3 days (distilled water has been shown to help eliminate toxics and pull excess nutrients out of the body making the weight cut easier). On the 4th day, drop to 3.75L or 1 gallon of distilled water. During these four days eliminate starches for your diet. Focus on lean proteins such as fish, chicken, lean red meat with green vegetables.

STEP 2:

24hrs before the weigh in is when you stop all consumption of food and water. Your body will begin to flush itself out. You have fully hydrated yourself and now your body will continue to rid itself of water.

STEP 3:

Now the morning of the weigh in check your weight. If you still have not made weight, it is time to hit the sauna or hot bath. Before the cardio apply Albolene (a make up remover, which will open up your pores for a better sweat) and put on a plastic suit or sweat pants and a hoodie sweater. Do about 10-15 minutes of light cardio before the sauna, just enough to work up a light sweat and increase your body temperature. After you’ve done this, you’re now prepared to sit in the sauna.

Another option is the hot salt bath. The salt bath is faster method of pulling water out of the body. It is slightly more painful, but in my opinion is more effective and less taxing on the body.

Preparing the hot salt bath:

1. Begin by filling a bathtub with hot water.

2. The water should be hot but not scalding. It should be tolerable to the touch.

3. Add 250 grams of Epsom salt into the water. Epsom salt will help open your skin pores to increase the ability to sweat. (Continuing adding salt and hot water to the bath water to maintain the temperature of the bath)

4. Ease your way into the water and begin with 8 minute in the bath. Get out after 8 minutes and wrap yourself in towels to keep your body warm.

5. Rest for a maximum of 2 minutes and repeat the 8 minute cycle. Weigh yourself after a few rounds and repeat until you reach your target weight.

This is the tough. When you have no food or water in your system, losing the last few pounds or kilos is very hard. This process takes a high level of mental toughness to get to your goal weight. Going through a weight cut is difficult but it will make you mentally strong and help you condition your mind for enduring pain.

STEP 4:

Now that you have made weight, you need to begin the rehydration process. This is where many athletes make massive mistakes. Your stomach has been through months of limited food and is very sensitive. I know it’s gonna be tempting to eat all of your favorite foods in one sitting. But don’t do it. The hard part is done however you still need to compete the very next day, and how you re-fuel your body will affect your performance. Remember that.

Begin with small amounts of water and a electrolyte rich carbohydrate drink.
It would be best to have a medical professional to administer the IV procedure, however it is often difficult to find one. Self administration is an option, however not recommended. Find a qualified medical professional to help with the process. If you’re overseas, the internet is a good place to look up medical professionals. Use an IV solution with electrolytes, vitamins and saline- not just saline. It will help with the recovery. If no IV is available, it’s ok to hydrate without one but it will not be as effective.

After hydrating for an hour, slowly begin to eat high quality food. The food should be similar to the diet you have been following but just add high fiber carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, oats and fruits. Eating foods high in sugar and white flour will upset your stomach and prevent proper rehydration. The last thing you need is to have an upset stomach on one of the biggest days in your life.

Carb loading is not needed. Many think they need to carb load to maximize performance. However carb loading is used for endurance sports, where the event duration can last for many hours. The typical combat event lasts for 15-25 minutes.
Eat foods that make you feel good and perform to the best of your ability. There will be plenty of time after the competition to indulge. Remember, you are fueling your body for battle. Give yourself the best fuel possible, do your best and good luck.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

The use of a natural laxative is not recommended but it can help in clearing extra waste out of the intestinal tract. Senna is a natural laxative and can help excreting an extra kilo (a few pounds or so). Take the laxative the 2 days before the weigh.

The colonic is used to clear waste out of your excretory system. It involves flushing water or organic coffee into the rectum using special equipment. This equipment can be purchased in health food store and also online.

Colon therapy has been used for centuries to treat illness, rid toxins and parasites. There is no scientific research to prove the benefits of colonics. However, expelling any kind waste and toxin from your body will still result to a more effective digestive system and lower body weight.

How to perform a self-administered colonic:

1. Acquire proper equipment. Get it here http://amzn.to/1rIwwHE

2. Begin on the evening of Day 3 during the 5 day weight cutting process.

3. Fill the colonic container with 1-Liter of freshly brewed organic coffee.

4. Insert plastic tubing into rectum

5. Release the valve, emptying contents of the colonic container into rectum. (Once the liquid begins to enter, you will feel pressure and discomfort.

6) Relax as much as possible during the release. Once all the liquid has entered your body, close the valve and remove the tube.

7) Roll onto your right side and breathe. Hold for 10-30 minutes and relieve yourself. Eliminated the waste and repeat if necessary.

This 5 day program will prepare your body for the cut and remove all the excess waste from your digestive tract. During the last 24 hrs you will remove excess water from your body.

Stay tuned.. FightShape.co will detail out a diet program soon.

PS. It’s a good idea to get checked out by a doctor before beginning this plan. My team and I undergo in depth medical checks to make sure our bodies operate at a professional athletic level. Also when cutting weight, it is a good idea to have someone with you. Having a coach, training partner or friend will not only make it safer but it will also be someone to keep you company.

BY  FIGHTSHAPE.CO

Don Heatrick's Carbs for Muay Thai

This is one of the most factual documents I've ever read, to see the full article with illustrations please visit the author Don Heatrick's website http://heatrick.com/

Carbohydrates for Muay Thai

Are carbohydrates important for Muay Thai? For those that like a direct answer... YES! For a Thai boxer, carbohydrates play a major role in the following:
1. fat loss or gain
2. energy crashes during training and fights
3. fuelling for training sessions over an hour long
4. refuelling for multiple training sessions in one day 5. weight cutting for fights
Protein gets all the “airtime” (because there's more money in it!), and although protein is important, in my experience, sorting out your carbohydrate consumption will dramatically improve your physical performance and body composition – and is where most fighters go wrong.

Fat Loss or Gain
Carbohydrate is the body's primary energy source, but any surplus calories will be stored as fat. All carbohydrate foods have a glycemic index (or GI value) which indicates how fast the sugars absorb through your stomach and enter your bloodstream. High GI foods cause you blood-sugar levels to sky-rocket (the red line on the graph), forcing the release of insulin to bring it back down again. Insulin also causes surplus calories you've eaten to be stored as fat, and makes your body hold onto stored body fat reserves rather than burning them for fuel. Not good news if you're trying to lose fat.

Energy Levels
Also, when insulin is dumped into your bloodstream, it causes a rapid fall in blood-sugar below your resting level – this energy crash causes cravings for more high GI foods (to rapidly bring blood-sugar back up again). If you give in to the high GI cravings, this blood-sugar “see- sawing” continues, not only topping up fat reserves but also spiking and crashing your energy levels. Eating low and medium GI food (the green line on the previous graph) stabilises your blood sugar and energy levels, and your body will freely burn body-fat in the absence of extreme insulin release.
Carb Timing
The timing of your meals will also drastically effect your blood-sugar and energy levels throughout the day. Eat every 3-4 hours to keep things stable — going too long between meals causes blood-sugar to drop, only to spike when you eventually eat. So eat three main meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – and have a small snack between them too. Just distribute your daily calories evenly though out the day rather than starving all day and then pigging out in the evening. Eat little and often.

Fight Day Considerations

It's especially important to consider the carbs in pre-fight meals, to avoid an energy crash in the ring. Despite what you may have heard, necking a Red Bull before a fight really isn't the best strategy.
Don't eat anything within an hour of your fight to ensure it's properly digested – I've personally always felt I've fought best when I've just started to feel a little hungry before getting in the ring.
The meal should also be a tried and tested one that doesn't upset your stomach – fight day is no time to experiment (try meals out before training and monitor how you feel).
A meal with low to medium GI
carbohydrate and a little protein is by far
the best option. Too much protein will
slow digestion and can sit heavy in your stomach.
My personal favourite pre-fight meal is whole-wheat pasta with tuna, sweetcorn an a little salad cream. It fuels you up nicely, is easily stored in a plastic container, and above all is within my limited cooking capability!

Carbs For Fuel
So we've discussed how carbohydrates affect fat storage, and how to stabilise your energy levels to avoid crashing in the ring. Now we'll turn our attention to the stored carbohydrate (glycogen) in your body, and fuelling physical performance during longer duration training sessions between 1 and 2 hours, and multiple training sessions in one day.
Unlike fat storage, your body can store only a limited amount of carbohydrate in both the muscles and the liver – only enough to fuel approximately 60-90 minutes of high intensity Muay Thai training. Therefore, although carbohydrate intake isn’t necessary for short duration training sessions or events lasting 60-minutes or less, if you’re training for extended periods or using intermittent, high-intensity exercise like pad rounds, then you must take on some carbs during training. Running out of stored muscle glycogen results in premature fatigue and increased perceived effort, and a less than productive training session.

The glycogen stored in individual muscles can only be used to fuel that muscle, it can’t be shared with any other muscles. For example, if you’ve thrown lots of round kicks in the first 90 mins of training, your calves could be depleted of glycogen (energy), and they can’t borrow from the spare glycogen remaining in your chest.
Although your liver’s glycogen store can supply on demand via the bloodstream to any muscle in the body, its main function is to ensure your brain isn’t starved of fuel. The most effective way to re-stock your calves is to consume additional carbohydrate, which is transported via your bloodstream to your empty calves.

Training between 1 and 2 hours
Evidence shows that during medium duration training of up to 2-hours, extra carbohydrate intake will delay fatigue. It’s recommended that 60g of carbohydrate per hour in the form of glucose or maltodextrin is ingested. This can be consumed in any form – solid, liquid or gels, entirely dependant on personal preference.
I personally prefer drinks, as the liquid carbohydrate has the added advantage of preventing dehydration – and I sweat like a pig. Drinks alone can make some feel nauseous. If this is you, try some high GI carbohydrate foods such as cereal bars or white bread sandwiches. Check out the GI table of various foods on the previous page to find some other quick snacks.
My favourite training drink is pure orange juice (not from concentrate) diluted 50:50 with water. This tops up my glycogen stores and is an isotonic dehydration preventer. Particularly important when training in hot, humid climates like Thailand!

Training over 2 hours

If you’re training for longer than 2-hours it’s recommended you consume 90g of high glycemic index carbohydrate per hour. To
achieve this I top up my orange juice/water
drink with high glycemic index foods like
cereal bars.

Multiple training sessions in one day
In Thailand, it’s common to train in the morning and the afternoon. To get the best out of these sessions you should optimise your short-term recovery and begin taking on carbs as soon as possible after training.
Research shows that if carbohydrate alone is
being used, then supplementation should be
very frequent, such as every 30 minutes 1.2 to 1.5g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight should be consumed for up to 4-hours.
Studies have also shown that combining carbohydrate with protein increases the rate of glycogen storage. If this post training refuelling method is used, the recommendation is that 0.8g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight plus 0.2g of protein per kg of body weight (4:1 carb/protein) be consumed immediately and 2-hours after exercise during a 4-hour recovery period. This carb/protein method of replacing muscle glycogen also has the added advantage of promoting repair of damaged muscle tissue.
Research also recommends that during intense training periods, a daily total carbohydrate intake of 6-8g per kg of body mass is consumed to keep pace with energy demands. If you want to get your calculator out, then go for it (I must admit, I do). But the take-home point is get some carbs down you ASAP after training – it’s more important than protein (although some protein is a great idea). Carbohydrates spare the use of protein, meaning you're not wasting your relatively expensive protein fuelling movement rather than building and repairing muscle. The only time to watch your carbohydrate intake is when cutting body fat, since access calories will be stored as fat.
All of these refuelling strategies have a significant impact on subsequent physical performance and training quality, and play an important part in a Thai boxer (of any level) achieving their personal best.

Carbs and making weight for a fight

Let's now look at how carbohydrates affect your weight cut the final week before a fight. Your body composition should already be on point (less than 10% body fat) by managing your calorie intake (especially carbs) for the previous 4-weeks or so.
Previously I said, “Unlike fat storage, your body can store only a limited amount of carbohydrate in both the muscles and the liver.”
This equates to approximately 300-700g of muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) and 80-110g of glycogen in the liver, providing a storage capacity 400-800g. But this is only a portion of the associated weight resulting from stored carbohydrate or glycogen.
For every 1g of stored glycogen, your body also stores about 3-4g of water, which makes a big difference to your body weight. Glycogen and associated water stores could be adding between 1-3kg to your weight; and that’s without reducing water intake and dehydrating in any way, just running down your muscle glycogen stores.

It takes at least 20-hours to fully restore muscle glycogen (provided sufficient carbohydrate is consumed in that period), so this method of weight reduction is not for fights with the weigh- in on the same day. Your performance will be greatly reduced if you compete with low glycogen levels. Only consider running down muscle glycogen if your weigh-in is the day before the fight.
Larger, more muscular fighters have a greater muscle mass and therefore a greater capacity for muscle glycogen storage, and can drop more weight using this method. This final cut is a temporary glycogen and water weight dumping process. If done correctly, you’ll have regained your full weight again by fight time.
Minimising your carbohydrate intake in the final week of training will run down your glycogen stores quickly and strip off the weight. Bare in mind that toward the end of the week, when your glycogen stores are virtually depleted, training is going to be very tough. It’s important that you don’t train for too long. Your training programme should be periodised for short, high-intensity sessions in this last week to provide optimum peaking for the fight; this also allows you to train effectively despite running low on glycogen.
Glycogen depletion, combined with controlled dehydration through water loading is the most effective way to temporarily drop weight the day before the fight. Getting the weight off is only half the job. It’s crucial that you understand how to pack back on all that temporarily lost body weight before stepping into the ring, or you’ll squander your advantage.

Carbs ARE important in Muay Thai

I hope you can see why the quality, quantity and timing of your carbohydrate intake should be considered to maximise your Muay Thai training and fight performance – and this brief review has made you think a bit more about the carbohydrates that you eat. A better applied understanding will drastically affect your body composition, fight weight and energy levels both in training and during fights. It's important you balance your training, rest and nutrition – don't waste all your hard work with poor nutritional choices!
If you want more, please have a good look around my Strength & Conditioning for Muay Thai website – http://heatrick.com/ – there's plenty more nutritional, mindset, and strength and conditioning training info there for you.
I'd love to help you achieve your goals in the future, please stay in touch. Best of luck with your training, keep learning and smash it in the ring!

Kind regards,

Don Heatrick
Respecting the traditional, embracing the new.

Buying Gloves by Lauren Evans

I often hear people asking about gloves, With questions such as 'what are the best brands of gloves to buy?' Or ' whats a reasonable price to pay on gloves?' Or 'how much will i need to pay for a decent pair of gloves to last?' So im going to tell you what the best brands are out there and what ones to avoid.

When buying gloves always avoid mma brands such as tap out etc..  These are the worst types of gloves you could buy they come across very cheap but don't last long they can last from either one thai class up to 3 months maximum. 

Budget with bad brands will always make you think that they are good. You can get average gloves at around twenty pounds but they will not last long.

The best brands for muay thai gloves are the real thai brands such as;

Fairtex

Sandee

Twins

Windy

Boon

Raja

Yokkoa

They are the best brands that you could have if wanting a decent pair of muay thai gloves the budgeting costs between 45-100+ pounds at retail price.  That sounds a lot but even for £45 the gloves will last upto 10+ years and the most damage that will happen is the padding will slowly wear away. 

You can buy these products from everywhere,there are many shops all over the internet that sell them and they range from all different styles and colours.

For +15yrs If you are looking to compete in the sport and you start doing interclub or novice bouts you have to wear 16oz gloves as rules. But as the higher class you fight the smaller oz gloves you have to wear.

For 14-yrs if you are looking to compete you have to wear 10 oz gloves for under 50kg and 16oz gloves for over 50kg that goes for all class of fights.

But if you are just using them for training and want a decent pair of gloves you should go for 12-14oz as they wont be to heavy but will add more to a decent arm workout and will last long for a good budget.

Lauren Evans

Junior instructor

9th Khan

Thai Boxing & Bullies.

A Great little documentary by a kid who suffers at the hands of cowardly bullies..

Shin on Shin the complete series - A Must Watch

Grading Arm Bands - What do the colours mean?

I've often been asked by my students as to the origins of our grading syllabus, what the colours mean and if they they have any significance in Thai Culture.

Its widely recognised that Masters Sken, Toddy & Woody were the forefathers of the modern grading syllabus. In 1977 they looked for a way to asses their students in the art of Muay Thai. In Thailand there is no grading syllabus,  your merits as a Thai Boxer are measured in the ring. 

Understanding the wider reaches of Muay Thai (Not just for fighters) the Masters created an assessment processes which consisted of a series of examinations where successful applications would achieve a rank often known as a Khan.

Colours in recognition of rank is something first seen in Judo dating back to the mid 1800's, Japanese and Okinawan Martial Arts are believed to have followed suit in the early 1900's replacing the traditional white belts with a similar coloured system. 

In the UK there are many different grading syllabuses some with as few as 8 Khan's and some with Dan equivalent grades making the total amount of assessments reaching 20. 

We have an 11 grade syllabus and despite extensive research I've not yet found any correlation to the colours given to each grade and any significant meaning.. In fact colours are assigned to days of the week in Thailand. 
Monday (White)
Tuesday (Pink)
Wednesday (Green)
Thursday (Orange)
Friday (Blue)
Saturday (Purple)
Sunday (Red)

So taking these colours in particular the order of they fall in each week we have a similar progression to our grading syllabus. White being the first and Red being the last..? Coincidence - I'm not sure.

I was once told a different story as to the meaning behind the colours of our syllabus, unfortunately I can't find anything to back it up online but I quite like it - it helps the kids understand and remember the order and with Thailand being a Buddhist country I like the connection with the earth.

White - 1st Khan
White is a symbol of birth and beginning, indicating that the student is just starting to gain knowledge. Think of a seed first poking through the soil and being immersed in white light.

Yellow - 2nd Khan
Yellow symbolises sunlight, a new strength and the beginning of new life. This represents the student's progress as he receives knowledge from his instructor and become stronger and more skilled. Think of the yellow sunlight feeding the seed.

Green - 3rd Khan
As a martial arts student improves, The green khan represents the growth of a seed that sprouts upward, becoming a plant. Like the sprout, the student is becoming something greater.

Blue - 4th Khan
A blue khan represents the sky and signifies continued growth. A student moves upward in his development, just as a plant reaches up into the blue sky as it grows.


Blue / White - 5th Khan
The Blue & White khan recognises the relationship between the sky and the clouds without which there would be no water to feed the plant. Think of the relationship between student and beginners without which the club doesn't continue.

Brown - 6th Khan
Brown represents maturity. Like seeds that turn brown in the harvest season, the student has matured into something new at this stage in his development. The student will begin to see the benefits of his work, like a farmer reaping his crop at harvest.

Brown / White 7th Khan
Represents the seeds that fell from the harvested plant continuing the cycle of life. The students start to pass on knowledge to the next generation.

Brown / Yellow - 8th Khan
Brown / Yellow signifies that with the help of the mature plant the new seeds germinate and start to progress towards the sun. In the gym the next generation is being passed on knowledge to help with progression.

Brown / Green - 9th Khan
The cycle is almost complete, the new seeds are sprouting and growing strong as they continue upwards. The students knowledge is feeding the next generation of students and the camp is becoming strong.

Red - 10th Khan
Red is another representation of the sun - this time representing a close, hot sun. This proximity to the sun represents the student's detailed knowledge. 10th Khan is often associated with being equivalent to a black belt - Black, which is a mourning colour is worn at funerals and is a colour associated with death and grieving is not used in Muay Thai grading syllabuses, its taboo to wear a black except during the funeral.

According to the colour red - If you were born on a Sunday (Red Colour) your Character is thought to be respectable, wise and beloved by both friends and relatives, the idea job would be a doctor, police officer or other position of authority. - Quite fitting as our 10th Khan recognises successful participants as Kru Muay (Teacher of Thai Boxing)

Red / White 11th Khan
Symbolises the cycle continuing.


I like this concept of the grading colours, I'm not sure where the story came from but it works for our club and syllabus.