The Best Muay Thai Workout Routine

INTENSE, HARD, TRADITIONAL MUAY THAI WORKOUT PLAN

By Sean Fagan

Almost all Muay Thai gyms in Thailand run basically the same type of workout routines because it’s intense, hard and focuses on the all the important aspects of Muay Thai that you should be working on day in and day out!

This type of training routine is used by some of the best fighters in Thailand and all around the world!

When I was in Thailand, it was pretty set in stone what my Muay Thai training routine would consist of:

Skipping Rope

Running

Shadowboxing

Thai Pad Work

Heavy Bag Training

Clinch Work

Sparring

Ab Work

Stretching

Meditation

Scroll down for a breakdown and descriptions of the best traditional Muay Thai workout routine!

Traditional Muay Thai Workout Routine:

Everyday in Thailand, my training program is basically this type of workout:

Group run – 2-4 miles

Skip Rope – 3 rounds

Shadow Box – 2 rounds

Pad Work or Sparring – 3-5 rounds

Heavy Bag Work – 3-5 rounds

Clinch 3-5 rounds

Stretch

Relax/Meditate during off time

All rounds run anywhere between 2-5 minutes. You should base your training program on for what you are training for;

If you are training for an amateur Muay Thai fight, chances are you are fighting 2-minute rounds.

If you are training for a professional Muay Thai fight, it will be 3-minute rounds.

If you feel like pushing yourself and your training partner, do 4-5 minute rounds!

This type of routine usually runs anywhere between 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on how many rounds you do and how long the rounds are.

A Day In The Life Of Training At Diamond Muay Thai

Why You Should Run In A Group

When you run or train in a group, you will work harder.

In a traditional Thailand gym, the pace is usually set by the most experienced Muay Thai fighter and the least experienced fighters are in the back.

Chances are you will run harder, faster and longer if you have a group of fighters pushing each other to the next level!

Why Skipping Rope Is Important For Muay Thai Training

Jumping rope is a great way to add an extra bounce to your step, strengthen your calves and warm up for your upcoming intense workout routine.

Concentrate on doing different types of techniques while skipping rope. For instance, instead of doing just a regular skip, try a crossover or jump side to side in orthodox or southpaw stance. Make sure to switch it up to work on your coordination and focus! Whatever you do, make sure you go with a comfy or, if you're lucky, the comfiest fighting shoes possible so you're protecting your ankles and the base of your feet.

You should focus your mind for your upcoming hard training session. Ask yourself questions while skipping rope. These are the types of questions I ask myself;

What are my goals for this training session?

What techniques do I want to focus on and improve?

What can I do to have the best training today?

Here's a quick little tutorial on jumping rope for Muay Thai:

Shadowboxing Before Your Muay Thai Workouts

Shadowboxing is where you begin your visualization process even further for what you want to accomplish today.

When you are shadowboxing, you should;

Focus on perfecting your technique

Focus on your breathing

Visualize your opponent in front of you

Change angles

Diversify your strikes

Have quick, precise movements

Don’t just go through the motions and punch/kick the air without any purpose or plan. Visualize yourself stepping into the ring, touching gloves and fighting a real fight. You will have much more purpose in your shadowboxing sessions if you pretend you are sparring a real opponent!

Try this follow along 10 Minute Shadowboxing Workout for Muay Thai!

How To Make The Best Of Your Muay Thai Pad Work

Pad work should be a good portion of your training routine so you are able to push your cardio, focus on improving your Muay Thai technique and improve your mental strength by pushing yourself past your comfort zone.

If you have an instructor or experienced pad holder able to hold pads, you are in luck. All you have to do is follow the lead of your instructor and you are sure to get the best pad training session.

If you don’t have an experienced pad holder, chances are you won’t be able to get as much out of the pad sessions as you’d like. This is where having a training partner who is as dedicated as you comes into play!

You both have to work together to improve your pad holding technique as well as your technique!

Here's a quick clip of my freestyle pad training with my trainer Kru Baow:

Muay Thai Sparring Tips

Every once in awhile (1-3 times a week), you should do some sparring in substitute of your pad sessions. Instead of doing five hard rounds of hitting Thai pads, you can either do 5 hard rounds of hitting your training partner in the face or 3 easy rounds of light technique sparring!

Don’t neglect sparring because this is where you all your hard work, technique training and conditioning into play. This is where you learn the most about yourself and how you react when you have an actual opponent in front of you!

Check out these Muay Thai sparring drills to improve your sparring sessions next time your at the gym!

How To Do Muay Thai Heavy Bag Work

You are getting towards the end of your workout and you are getting tired, I know. This is where you begin to focus primarily on technique and certain combinations you either need to work on from your pad sessions or other combinations you want to try out on your own.

Again, try to push yourself and work hard! Nothing comes easy. Training can suck, but Muhammad Ali said it best;

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a CHAMPION.” Follow Along With Me In This 20-Minute Heavy Bag Workout!

Why You Should Always Work On Your Muay Thai Clinch

Doing clinch work is tedious, hard and brutal… but it needs to be done.

Nearly every Muay Thai fight ends up in the clinch one way or another, and neglecting this part of your training routines can very well lose you fights. (Trust me, I’ve lost fights solely because of the clinch.)

You are almost done with your training session so get every last bit you can! If you are a little beat up, work on mainly the technique aspect of clinching. If you are healthy and uninjured, make the clinch session almost as real and hard as your sparring session!

Here are 3 Clinch Techniques from one of the best in the game:

Why You Should Stretch After Your Muay Thai Workout Routine

Relaxing your body is imperative if you want a full recovery after a good, hard workout program. Not to mention flexibility is important if you want to kick people in the head!

Stretching your muscles will help open them up so they have more room to grow and help flush lactic acid out of your body which will help your body heal up quicker.

You can stick with basic stretches like touching your toes, twisting your back and so on, but if you know more advanced stretches from yoga then definitely use those!

What Does Meditation Do?

Meditation is relatively new to my Muay Thai workout routines but I’ve found that they have been a great way to refocus, de-stress and get an idea of what thoughts are constantly on my mind.

Everyone should have the time for 5-15 minutes to relax, sit down, breathe and let their mind be calm. I guarantee if you learn how to meditate it will help with re-energizing your body and mind for your next training routine!