Why Muay Thai Is So Hard On The Body

Muay Thai is known for being one of the most effective martial arts on the planet. However, it’s also known for its brutal reputation. If you think about it, these things go hand in hand, and the more it works, the more tough and difficult it’s likely to be.

This is why many Nak Muay are known for being both mentally and physically tough. This results in many people who are thinking about starting Muay Thai to ask a common question – which is whether Muay Thai is tough on the body. The short answer is yes, Muay Thai is hard on your body. Read on for the longer answer.

Muay Thai is hard on your legs

Muay Thai is hard on your leg muscles, as well as the bones in your legs. These are two separate things that can cause an equal amount of pain when training, so you’ve been warned. Firstly, Muay Thai is known for its kicks which require a lot of training. Sometimes, you’ll drill kicks that require great flexibility or athleticism to pull off. As a result, this can be painful for your leg muscles, especially as a beginner.

Even if you’re not a beginner but you’re a hobbyist, this can put a lot of pressure on muscle groups such as your groin, thighs, and calves. This can lead to very sore and achy leg muscles which can last for days after training. The good news is that the more you train, the more conditioned your muscles will become. Whilst you may always feel soreness, this will fade significantly over time.

The second issue with Muay Thai is more serious and involves your bones. As you’re throwing lots of kicks, your bones will get hurt at times and may even break. Sometimes for instance, you’ll see MMA fighters break their legs whilst throwing a kick.

They may have good technique but it only takes one particular kick to break your leg. This may be rare for most people, but you can expect swollen legs, bruises, and other problems along the way. If you fight as well as train, you can expect this even more so.

Muay Thai can lead to concussions

If you plan on fighting in Muay Thai then sadly, you may get concussed at some point. Obviously, Muay Thai involves big head kicks and doesn’t use head gear. Therefore, the chances are at some point you may take a big kick whilst fighting. For that matter, you can also include elbows and punches too. This is really something that each individual has to weigh up and see if it’s worth fighting for.

Alternatively, if you train without fighting, the chances of getting a concussion are far lower. Still, it only takes on bit of bad luck or a crazy training partner to potentially concuss you or knock you out. For many hobbyists, the prospect of this isn’t worth it which is probably the main reason why people get put off training.

Obviously, cautious training and smart sparring partners will negate this, but it’s always a looming possibility. Muay Thai is one of those disciplines that needs you to commit as well, so if you avoid sparring altogether then it kind of defeats the purpose of training.

Muay Thai can lead to falling over

One of the lesser spoken-about issues of Muay Thai damaging the body is falling over. In Judo, it’s widely acknowledged that your body will take hits from being slammed into the floor. Obviously, this is a part of Judo that will hurt.

Whilst throws aren’t something that goes on in Muay Thai, it does have foot sweeps. This means literally kicking the opponent off their feet and them landing on the floor. Typically, people will land on their buttocks or hips. If you do this for years then this can also break bones, but will normally result in bruises. Another thing to note is that if you don’t breakfall properly then you could potentially break your arms.

In other words, Muay Thai trips are probably unlike to end your fighting career. However, they do come with their own set of problems and over years, numerous falls to the ground can result in damaging your body. In this sense, it’s a numbers game similar to punches in sparring. Over the years, your body may begin to break down.

How to stay injury free in Muay Thai

So far, we’ve been completely honest and training Muay Thai can be tough but rewarding. However, it’s not all bad and there are ways to lessen your injuries. As stated, smart, cautious sparring is one method, and training without fighting in tournaments is another way if you’re not serious.

As well as this, you can also choose to strengthen your body. Recovery is one way of fighting against body damage. This means eating healthy foods and lots of protein, as well as getting rest and enough sleep. Whilst this method may not completely heal your body, it will help prevent minor injuries which is useful.

Another method that takes more dedication is to enhance your body with strength and conditioning. Examples of this can be strength training and generally becoming more athletic through stretches similar to yoga. As a result, your body should be able to hold awkward positions for longer, as well as take hits easier.

In short, these won’t bring your body back to life, but they will prevent a lot of injuries. Imagine an MMA fighter taking a beating in an out of shape person’s body. The result would be disastrous but at least you can improve your chance of recovery. Ultimately, even with a healthy lifestyle you will still get injured.

How Muay Thai can help the body

So far, this article is honest but also paints Muay Thai in a fairly negative way. However, it wouldn’t be right without giving a balanced look at Muay Thai. Basically, one of its biggest strengths is promoting an active lifestyle.

In other words, whilst you may not get injured staying at home, you may become sedentary which is arguably more dangerous. The beauty of Muay Thai is that it will toughen your body and improve your strength. As you age, this will work wonders and keep you in good physical shape.

Everyone gets weaker as they get older, but by training Muay Thai, you will guarantee a baseline of strength that will stop you from going down hill rapidly. Another positive is the cardio benefits. Yes, you may get injuries and you may be in pain, but your cardio will be fantastic.

It’s no secret that Muay Thai requires great cardio and training it will improve your endurance. Therefore, your outer body may feel rough at times, but internally it will enhance your heart’s health and fight off obesity. Combined with a good diet, this means that Muay Thai may hurt your body, but it also may help it if that makes sense.

In summary, Muay Thai will hurt and it’s certainly hard on the body at times. However, overall it offers many benefits that outweigh the negatives. If you want to get into good shape whilst learning self defense then Muay Thai makes for a great option.

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