5 Ways To Get An Energizing Outdoor Muay Thai Workout
The nice weather is upon us, which means you’ll likely be spending more time at parks and beaches.
But if you’re anything like the athletes who grace the ONE Championship Circle, you won’t just be looking to lay around on the grass or sand.
With that in mind, here are five ways to get in an energizing Muay Thai workout the next time you’re outside.
#1 Run, Run, Run
Before you begin any outdoor workout, it’s best to warm up. And what better way to do so than by putting your kicks to the concrete.
Science tells us that running doesn’t just prepare your body for a workout – it can also keep you energized throughout the day. Even a 30-minute jog can lift your physical and mental states, making you more likely to grind through the rest of your outdoor exercises.
How do you think ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Janet “JT” Todd was able to outpace Stamp Fairtex in their clash for kickboxing glory? That’s right. Running.
#2 Bodyweight Exercises
After your run, you’ll want to get in some bodyweight exercises like push-ups, jumping jacks, and burpees.
Those moves will help you build strength, improve endurance, and correct balance issues – all of which are key to your growth in “the art of eight limbs.”
More specifically, strengthening muscles will make you more powerful on pads, endurance will keep you cracking mitts for the entire round, and having good balance will ensure you don’t topple over while throwing head kicks at taller sparring partners.
You can even include some shadowboxing during this portion of your workout, just like ONE Strawweight Kickboxing & Muay Thai World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao does.
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#3 Focus On Explosiveness
Strength isn’t everything in Muay Thai. You also need to be quick, which is why it’s important to build explosiveness during your outdoor fitness routine.
One way to do so is by sprinting. Or, if you’re looking to make things more challenging, sprinting with a tire tied to your body.
Dragging a large rubber ring, like one that comes from a truck, is the perfect way to build power in your legs. After this kind of intense exercise, you’ll be able to explode into those body kicks.
Just watch ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon drag around three car tires, and you’ll understand why the man from Pattalung rarely takes a backward step.
#4 Don’t Forget Pad Work
No outdoor Muay Thai exercise would be complete without a few rounds of intense pad work.
This type of training yields most of the benefits already mentioned above, but it also offers one thing the others don’t – fun!
Who doesn’t love to smash pads after a long, stressful day at work? And who doesn’t enjoy holding pads for their training partner to see if they can make them break?
We know one man who certainly digs his pad work: Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai.
In the video above, the man who loves cosplay just as much as he loves competing gets back to the grind in the heat of Thailand’s capital.
#5 Make Sure To Stretch
After pad work, you’ll need to cool your body down, and not just with drinks. Before you finish for the day, take 10-15 minutes to run through some static stretches.
Focus on your hamstrings, calves, abs, triceps, biceps, and back muscles, which should all need some attention after an intense Muay Thai workout.
Stretching after exercising rids your body of lactic acid while improving your range of motion and flexibility. But most importantly – since stretching also helps the brain release endorphins – you should continue to feel energized long after your outdoor Muay Thai workout ends.
Rika “Tiny Doll” Ishige knows how important stretching is after exercising. This is why the atomweight athlete can flick her kicks so effortlessly at her opponents.
