Muay Thai: 7 main health benefits

Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a martial art known as the art of the “eight weapons”, as it strategically uses the 8 regions of the body: the two fists, the two elbows, the two knees, in addition to the two shins and the feet . According to the history of Muay Thai, this sport was created by the Thais to defend themselves in wars and its objective is to immobilize the opponent using accurate blows, such as punches, foot strikes, knees or elbows.

Muay Thai is a dynamic sport that promotes improved physical conditioning, in addition to promoting muscle strengthening, increasing elasticity and promoting good cardiovascular functioning. This is because classes last between 60 and 90 minutes and involve different punching routines and other physical exercises, such as running, push-ups, sit-ups or jumping rope, for example.

As it is a sport that involves direct contact with the opponent, it is important to consult a doctor before starting to practice, in addition to using appropriate equipment, such as shorts, gloves, bandages, shin guards and mouth protectors.

Health benefits of Muay Thai

1. Improve body contour

The classes are intense and the muscles are well worked, so the thighs, glutes and arms become firmer and stronger, becoming well toned, without layers of fat and cellulite.

2. Improve physical conditioning

When exercising intensely, blood circulation increases, causing the heart to work harder and more intensely, which improves physical conditioning. As the days go by, fatigue, which initially arrived after 3 minutes of class, takes a little longer to appear.

3. Strengthen and tone muscles

As kicks and kicks are given with force and repeatedly, the muscles need to work more intensely, increasing their tone, becoming firmer. Furthermore, with each class the muscles become increasingly resistant.

4. Increase elasticity

To perform the movements during a Muay Thai class, you must stretch before and after training, which increases the range of movements. Furthermore, for each blow to be performed correctly, you must have good motor coordination and range of joints, which naturally improves the elasticity of the muscles.

5. Lose weight

To perform the training correctly, you must have good concentration and coordination of movements between arms and legs, which increases the caloric expenditure of the exercises and facilitates fat burning. However, to lose weight faster it is important to adapt your diet.

6. Improve self-esteem

This happens because the person starts to feel safer and more confident every time they go to a class, improving their image of themselves and their relationships with others. See other martial arts that help increase a sense of security.

7. Discipline the mind and body

This practice requires training discipline so that the fight can be dominated and better results can be observed. The concentration to perform each movement means that the mind is focused on just one thing, which also favors school and work performance.

To achieve these benefits, classes must be practiced regularly, at least twice a week and results can begin to be seen in about 1 month.

How many calories do you burn per class?

Muay Thai, combined with a healthy diet, helps you lose weight, as depending on the intensity of the training and physical preparation, calorie expenditure can reach up to around 1,500 calories per class. Even beginners can burn up to around 750 calories per class. As it is a martial art that demands a lot from the muscles of the entire body, it helps to define the muscles, defining and improving the body contour, combating fluid retention and cellulite.

Check out a list of 8 other exercises that help you burn a lot of calories and lose weight.