Ladies, are you thinking about taking up martial arts but wonder if it’s right for you? If you are planning to jazz up your plain old boring workout regime, and switch to something more efficient and fulfilling, read on and find out the benefits of Muay Thai for women.
We will also cover some common questions that women like yourself may have about training Muay Thai.
A Brief History of Muay Thai
As with most martial arts, Muay Thai came about as a combat system meant for self-defense and military application.
Originating in Thailand, it developed into a formal sport in the early 20th century with a format similar to Western boxing in terms of a ring, referee, set rounds and boxing gloves.
Muay Thai gained popularity worldwide around the seventies after several fights where Thai fighters defeated practitioners of other combat arts. Since then, foreigners have flocked enthusiastically to Thailand to train and fight competitively.
(Read “Blessed with Venom: History of Muay Thai” for the evolution of the sport)
Can Women Train Muay Thai?
Women do train Muay Thai and it’s becoming very common around the world.
In fact, more and more women are competing in the sport at local events as well as promotions of the highest level. (Check out some of the “Top Female Muay Fighters“.)
Contrary to belief, you don’t have to be rough and tough to train Muay Thai. Anyone can train Muay Thai. The sport and pretty much all Muay Thai gyms are very welcoming towards beginners and fighters alike.
There are also Muay Thai gyms that cater specifically to female members or have female-only classes.
Is Muay Thai Dangerous?
One of the most common concerns that people have about Muay Thai is if it’s dangerous.
Muay Thai has a rep for being one of the most violent sports. As with all competitive contact sports, there are definitely health risks involved. The keyword here being “competitive”.
The fact is, a majority of modern Muay Thai practitioners aren’t actually competitive at all, and many do it purely for fitness and health purposes. Boys and girls alike.
So if you just want to pick it up for fitness, losing weight, or self-defense, the danger is minimal and this cardio-intensive and effective martial arts is really one of your best options.
(Read this article “Is Muay Dangerous?” for more information)
Benefits of Muay Thai for Women
Most people sign up for Muay Thai looking for some form of value-add to their lives. Some do it for their competitive goals, lofty world championship goals, or simply fitness goals. Here are some of the benefits that Muay Thai training has to offer:
Effective Calorie-burner
Very few sports make you burn as much calories as Muay Thai. If you are looking for an exercise to help you get leaner, look no further. Of course, on its own, Muay Thai won’t make you lose weight if you don’t pay attention to your diet but it certainly makes the job easier. Time to shed those fats and achieve that lean, toned body that you’ve dreamt about.
Simple to learn
No elaborate or complicated moves, Muay Thai is straight to the point. As a stand-up striking style, the techniques were developed to be effective and efficient so they are intuitive and easy to pick up.
By the end of your trial session, you would be able to execute most of the basic moves. Muay Thai training itself is not easy and will have you sweat buckets though.
Self-defense
As a woman, it’s nice to be equipped with some self-defense skills. Better safe than sorry!
Muay Thai is one of the most effective martial arts with practical self-defense techniques. This means that you can execute them easily and quickly under potentially threatening situations.
Strengthening
Training in Muay Thai regularly will improve your stamina, energy, overall fitness as well as make you stronger. Muay Thai makes you strong without adding bulk like weight lifting.
Muay Thai training builds lean muscle while burning body fat. A typical training session also incorporates some strength training. And you know what they say, “strong is the new sexy”.
Muay Thai is Fun
Without a doubt, an hour of Muay Thai is certainly a lot more fun and fulfilling than an hour on the treadmill or lifting weights. There is always something new to learn and makes your every workout interesting instead of the same old routines.
Challenge yourself
Unless you are a very driven and self-motivated individual, there is no way you can push yourself to the same degree as a Muay Thai training session.
Very often, your instructors will push you to your limits and beyond. If you keep doing this, training on a regular basis, you not only get stronger physically, but also mentally.
Whether you are a student, an office worker or a stay-at-home mum, Muay Thai will fortify you with the mental toughness to handle many of life’s challenges.
Builds Confidence
When you look and feel strong, and continually see improvements over your training journey, your confidence is bound to soar.
Additionally, as you get serious and start sparring, you acquire basic self-defense skills. Knowing that you can handle tough situations or unwarranted attention will certainly improve your confidence.
Community Support
The Muay Thai training community is a close-knitted one and a very supportive one especially at gyms. Training Muay Thai is always intense regardless of your fitness level or experience. There is a big difference trying to train on your own versus training at an actual gym with a trainer/coach to push and motivate you.
Humans are a social species. A welcoming gym also keeps training more enticing and keeps you going back instead of trying to train on your own. As they say, friends who train together, stay together.
Endorphins Rush
You know that high feeling you get after a really good workout? That’s endorphins at work and a Muay Thai session is guaranteed to give you an endorphins rush.
Endorphins are part of a group of chemicals secreted within the brain and nervous system. Among its many benefits, they trigger positive feeling, aid in your stress management, help you to relax and improve the quality of your sleep. Enough said.
Conclusion
Hey, you don’t have to take my word for it -although you should. Your local fight gym -if any decent- should most likely offer one or two free trial classes. So pick the phone, or drop-in at the gym, and make an appointment for a trial. (Check out “How to find Muay Thai Gyms near you” for a guide on helping you find the right gym to train at)
Never underestimate what you and your body are capable of. It’s time to realize your full potential and reap the benefits of Muay Thai.
You should still try past the trial though. It took me quite a while to adjust to the drills. I’ve been on pain reliever for days so I could continue with and adapt to the exercises. I am just so happy I didn’t quit when I wanted to. Muaythai helped me in a lot more ways than I could’ve imagined.
Muay Thai is another form of exercise. I joined a Muay Thai training club. I do for fitness and health purposes. I really enjoy when I practices with my trainer. He is very skilled and professional trainer. Muay Thai totally changed my life. I got many benefits from my training. I lose some weight. Thank you for sharing this valuable post.