What exactly is Muay-Thai ?

Muay Thai is a combat sport of Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This physical and mental discipline which includes combat on shins is known as “the art of eight limbs” because it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins, being associated with a good physical preparation that makes a full-contact fighter very efficient. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the twentieth century when practitioners defeated notable practitioners of other martial arts. A professional league is governed by the World Muay Thai Council.

Benefits of Muay-Thai

Muay Thai benefits go beyond the traditional mind-body-spirit benefits because Muay Thai also has the power to provide social value.

Mental Benefits

The arduous nature of Thai Boxing creates a strong mind that is courageous, intelligent and disciplined.

Courage

Due to the rigorous nature of the training and the matches, Thai boxers develop courage, determination, and self-confidence. The exhausting training sessions create not only physical stamina but also mental stamina and determination that prevents from fighters from giving up. The focused training sessions allow fighters to hone techniques and develop the self-confidence in themselves to make sudden and timely decisions.

Intelligence

Thai Boxing fosters intelligence through tactics, techniques, and tricks. First, fighters learn techniques. Next, they learn tactics – the art and science of using their techniques to gain an advantage or success. Finally, they learn tricks – crafty stratagems intended to deceive the opponent. This training progression coupled with experience creates an intelligent fighter.

Discipline

To become a good Thai Boxer one must attend training sessions regularly, be obedient to the teacher’s instructions, focus on maintaining one’s health, and adhere to the prescribed pattern of training.Consistently doing each of these four things results in a highly disciplined fighter.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Proper and consistent Muay Thai training will produce a healthy and strong body.

Resistance to Illness

The demanding nature of Thai Boxing training creates a fit and healthy body that fosters resistance to disease or illness.

Strength and Agility

The demanding nature of Thai Boxing training also creates a strong and agile body. Training in various movements, tactics and tricks of Muay Thai increases strength, speed and agility.

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS

The rigorous nature of Thai Boxing promotes a variety of spiritual benefits that include things like calmness, peacefulness and acceptance. The constant training, sparring, and fighting create a high-level of
composure that allows the Thai Boxer to be calm in the face of furious attacks.

The constant strife encountered in training, sparring, and fighting typically creates a non-violent person in life who leads a peaceful existence.

The constant absorption of and doling out of punishment creates a hardened warrior who not only accepts the consequences of combat but also accepts the consequences of his actions in everyday life.

SOCIAL BENEFITS

There are many social benefits associated with traditional Muay Thai. Muay Thai training creates a healthier person. Healthier people create a healthier community and country.

Training and fighting teaches Thai Boxers obedience to teachers and referees, as well as respect for rules, which leads to the development of good manners and a sense of justice.

Good manners create a friendly and happy environment.

A sense of justice creates a comfortable and safe-feeling environment.

Great Physique

It is only natural that with such hard workouts such as those associated with Muay Thai, the physical fitness of a person greatly improves. The physique becomes well proportioned and the person gets into a great body shape. Muay Thai burns the fat quickly making a person lean and thin which is a great achievement in itself. It has been seen that those practicing Muay Thai have seen a better, glowing complexion as it releases all the toxins and waste from the body.

Mental Aspect

Muay Thai, as it teaches you methods of self-defence, toughens you from the inside. It helps in boosting the immune system of the body, providing strength and endurance to muscles. All this works on the mental psyche of a person as he gains self-confidence, and learns how to be disciplined. At a spiritual level, it surprisingly provides mental peace and relief from stress. Muay Thai also makes a person more self-assured and self-aware.

Additional Benefits

For generations, people have learned this martial art not only for self-defence but also for the physical and moral well-being. It is a good martial art technique that induces fear in the minds of others which is why scores of
children and women are learning this invaluable Thai combat sport. Proponents say that they have greatly benefited from Muay Thai as it has taught them virtues such as compassion, patience, endurance, gratitude and honesty.

For those who are obese, Muay Thai is nothing short of a boon as it makes a person lose fat in the shortest possible time. As such, to get back into shape and have a glamorous body, Muay Thai is a great workout. Those having low self-esteem have also benefited from this Thai martial art form as it instilled confidence in them and they learned how to value themselves more. For those who have a weak immune system, Muay Thai works to build up stamina and endurance and they face lesser diseases after indulging in this great martial art form. Muay Thai makes a person courageous and fearless but at the same time honest and compassionate.