Scuba Diving for the first time at Club Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas

When I first came in at Pound for Pound Fitness Angono (PPF Angono) to enrol in their Muay Thai program, I didn’t know what to expect. In fact, I went on a sunny weekday afternoon, at a time when they have NO schedule for Muay Thai. Luckily, Coach Lloyd, a pro featherweight boxer, was considerate enough to accommodate me. 

I had been wanting to enrol in a Muay Thai class since 2016 but hadn’t found any gym in my area that offered this class until last month.

Honestly, I have no previous experience in Martial Arts so I can’t imagine how a class was going to go. I had boxing lessons (for fitness) before at my previous gym. That’s the closest experience I have. So, I am a bit concerned if the class would be too difficult or if I’d embarrass or injure myself doing some techniques. BUT at the same time, I was very excited.

Today is officially my 11th class. I am proud to say, I am injury free… and though I still have a lot to learn, I decided to share with you about the benefits of training Muay Thai, what to expect in a class, some tips and guidelines to help you in case you’re planning on enrolling to one.

What is Muay Thai?

Muay Thai literally translates to “Thai boxing“. It originated from Thailand and has a history that can be traced back to the 14th century.

As Thailand’s traditional Martial Art that uses the “Art of eight limbs”, Muay Thai uses eight points of the body namely: 2 legs, 2 arms, 2 knees, 2 elbows to strike an opponent or use as a weapon to fight.

Muay Thai is referred to as the “Art of Eight Limbs” or the “Science of Eight Limbs”, because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight “points of contact”. This is of course opposed to “two points” (fists) in boxing and “four points” (hands and feet) used in other more regulated combat sports, such as kickboxing. A practitioner of Muay Thai is known as a nak muay.

Many people refer to Muay Thai as kickboxing, however, it is much more than just kickboxing. With its rich history, there are many traditions that go along with it, similar to how many other beautiful martial arts share values and historical traditions.

Personally, I like Muay Thai because, to me, it’s RELATIVELY easier to learn than other Martial Arts. In addition, it’s a total workout for my mind and body so I’m definitely keeping my physical and mental health and my body in shape while learning some necessary techniques to defend myself.

Some people might associate Muay Thai (or other Martial Arts) to violence but actually, learning this or any other contact sports can help develop a person’s discipline, humility, sense of responsibility, among other great values.

What to expect during your first Muay Thai class at Pound for Pound Fitness Angono

A typical Muay Thai class in Pound for Pound Fitness Angono can last anywhere from one hour to one hour and a half, depending on how fast and efficient you do your assigned workouts and stretches.

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• A typical Muay Thai class at PPF Angono:
• ✓ Warm-up and stretching
  ✓ Pad exercises (4 rounds of beginner techniques and drills)
  ✓ Intense cardio session
  ✓ Ab workout
  ✓ Cooldown and stretching

The class begins with a warm-up.

Because Muay thai is a total body workout, expect to sweat a lot even during the warm-up. A warm-up can be 2 mins of jumping jacks or use of jumping ropes. Then followed by a light stretch. Then some more cardio exercises like 2 rounds of high knees, butt kicks, side squats, front kicks, and 10 burpees.

After you are warmed up and stretched out, you’d have the pad exercises where you get a one-on-one session with your trainer. Sounds intimidating I know. But the good news is that the trainers are approachable and friendly, they can help you ease into it without feeling any pressure, fear or intimidation.

During the pad exercises, you’ll have 4 rounds with your coach, each round would typically be around 3 minutes but could vary depending on how you’d last in the ring. During this time, your coach will teach you basic techniques such as kicks, punches, elbow and knee strikes.

After this, you’ll have an intense cardio session that varies every class. I like doing TRX and some cross-training boot camps. You’ll also do some ab workouts.

After all this, you’d cool down and do a final stretch.

How to prepare for your first Muay Thai Class

1. Wear comfortable gym clothes and bring a towel and extra clothes for changing

You’ll be sweating a lot in your Muay Thai class. It’s always a good idea to bring a towel and an extra shirt for changing. It would be best if you have a sweat absorbing headband. Also, do not forget to tie your hair up. During the start of my training, I wore leggings but now I wear Muay Thai style shorts to facilitate better leg movements. As for shoes, wear a pair that is durable – something ideal for workouts. But during the one-on-one session with your trainer, you gotta be barefoot.

2. Bring lots of water (or purchase unlimited water Php10 at the gym) to stay hydrated

Because you’ll sweat insanely a lot, I can’t recommend this one enough. You can also drink some energy drinks. There are times when I drink Gatorade or Pocari Sweat. DO NOT FORGET TO BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE/ TUMBLER!

3. Show up early or before the cut-off time

The Muay Thai classes at Pound for Pound Fitness Angono are scheduled M-W-F-Sat: 8-12NN and 6-10PM. On Sundays, just 10AM to 5PM. But they have a cut-off time at 11AM and 9PM. Make sure you arrive early to start a good relationship with your trainer and will give you the proper amount of time to get acquainted before you start your training session.

4. Don’t eat too much before your class

This goes for any fitness activity. You can eat to have enough energy but not too much food beforehand or else you’re going to throw up depending on how much cardio is involved. If you’re not regularly active, there’s a high possibility of getting sick during your first Muay Thai class. It’s always safe to eat one or two bananas 30-45 minutes before class starts. In my case, I eat rice and fried egg or chicken at 9AM. I start my training at 10:30AM.

5. Get enough sleep the night before

Muay Thai is a total body workout. It is important to have the optimal body condition so as to avoid a lack of focus during your training as well as sub-par performance. This also means you’d be avoiding any risk of injury.

Things I wish I had known before my first Muay Thai class

There are many things I wish I had known before my first Muay Thai class. I am sharing some points below with you:

1. Muay Thai shorts are amazing

Muay Thai shorts are better than leggings or joggers. They may look uncomfortable, but they make kicks much easier. If you plan on purchasing shorts online, make sure to size up.

2. Spend less by enrolling monthly rather than per session

I do Muay Thai 4 times a week. That means Php300 + Php 50 per session. Do the math. In a month it totally costs Php5,600. Whereas if you enrol for a month or two (esp on a promo period), you’d only be paying Php1,800 and Php2,800 respectively. You’re saving much money.

3. Invest in your own gloves and hand wraps

I know I love Muay Thai so much but I didn’t know I need to rent gloves every time. That means Php 50 every session. But even if there’s no rental fee, there’s no guarantee you’d always get the pair that perfectly fits. So, I highly recommend you to get your own pair. including your hand wraps.

4. It is important to throw kicks every single day

To improve anything, practice is the key. I read from a website (and also watched from some interviews) the best way to learn kicks is to do a lot of them. How many? About 250-500 a day. Or for us beginners, 100 times a day for both legs. But be gentle. Do proper warm-up before you start kicking.

5. Make sure you throw punches correctly 

You should always be hitting/ punching with a perfectly straight wrist. If you bend your wrist or hit with the smaller knuckles of the ring or pinky fingers, you will injure your wrist and it is painfully nasty.

6. Expect to have bruises on your shin, thighs, elbows

I wasn’t expecting I’d get some bruises, but I did. And I continue to from time to time. The important thing to remember is to not panic. It is normal. You’d also feel sore after the class. The bruises and the soreness will heal on its own. And with consistent training, your body will be able to adapt. That means no more soreness unless you’re pushing yourself really hard.

7. You may get headaches or migraines after your workout

This will happen if you don’t keep yourself properly hydrated before, during, and after your workout. In my case, if I don’t eat before and after working out, I would have migraines. So I try to properly nourish my body.

8. Don’t forget to stretch

Stretching eases your muscle tension and makes you more flexible. Improving your flexibility would also improve your limb strikes. The more flexible you are, the higher your kicks will be. So it is important to stretch every single day. Stretching regularly also lowers your risk of getting any type of injury or soreness.

Remember this rule of thumb: stretch 3 times a day to become more flexible, and 2 times a day to maintain your flexibility.

Enrol in Muay Thai at Pound for Pound Fitness Angono

GYM RATES (Promo Period June)

Boxing and Muay Thai 

1 Month P2200

2 Months P3700

(+ P500 Annual Membership Fee (for new enrollees) )

Combo Promo ( Boxing & Muay Thai + Fitness ) 

1 Month P2500

2 Months P4500

(+ P500 Annual Membership Fee (for new enrollees) )

Inclusions:

Unlimited Session 

Trainer Included

 Free Parking

Visit Pound for Pound Fitness Angono at 3rd Flr EC Valle Commercial Center Angono Rizal or contact them at 0917 – 830 – 0523

Parting Words

Learning Muay Thai is one of the best things that’s happened to me. Because of this sport, much of my stress is relieved. Also, I manage to start my day early, feel healthier and more productive. It’s also developed my patience and endurance more. Even if I don’t get in a fight and don’t get to strike anyone in real life, I know that the lessons I learn in Muay Thai is invaluable. If you’re considering to try this sport, my advice to you is to drop all your worries, go to the gym if you really want to learn Muay Thai. It might be difficult at first, but all struggles are worth it!

Have you ever tried any contact sports? Do youw ant to try muay Thai? Is there a fitness gym near you that offer Muay Thai training? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.