I don't know much about Muay Thai but some general advice I can do.

The Biggest thing is to stay calm and relaxed. When you're relaxed, you are: quicker, more flexible, you breathe better and when you do get hit it hurts less. Breathing is huge in any martial art, it can calm you down, make you strike harder, keep you endurance up longer, and with good timing, help take body shots easily.

Don't be afraid of being hit, you're paying them to train you. All schools are different but for the most part, they don't like their student being hurt by more advanced students.

And of course stuff like stretching, do a little bit of training out of class to stay fresh, and most importantly enjoy it.
Good Luck!

hey ! I have been doing it for a couple of months or so. bring a drink and a towel for wiping the sweat !! I really enjoy it. Have a class tonight in fact. Oh and thai liniment is good for achy mucles and arnica cream is great for bruises.

Be patient. Don't stress if it takes a while to figure out the proper technique. If your partner is kicking a little too hard, ask them to kick with less power. Relax and smile !! I was nervous as well for the first few lessons. Once you get into the class you soon forget to be nervous as your instructor is calling out what to do.

Our class is like an ongoing level 1. we start with a good warm up, then pair up with someone and either use the heavy bag for a bit, comb punches & kicks, sometimes we then hold the pads and do other random combos . Classes last for an hour. do a lot of sit ups and push ups as well.

I really like how during the class you forget about your everyday hassles, drama etc. No time to think as you are kicking, punching etc !

let us know how you get on !

Dont focus on using strength (hitting hard) at the beginning, focus on learning the techniques properly. You get more power when you do it right and less chance of injury. You can add speed and strength once you have the fundamentals down Its very addictive and fun. Have a great time with it.

took the words out of my mouth!

Don't try too hard. You won't improve if you are wound up tight.

Footwork, footwork, footwork, footwork, footwork.

@j75j75. I guess you failed to see the humor I was attempting in that paragraph about traditional Muay Thai. Perhaps I can take another crack at it. In western countries we bend over a lot to give it to people. In Thailand it is not so easy, and the conditions in a Thai camp can frequently be, well, Spartan.

Yes, there are a growing number of people outside of Thailand who know and can teach Muay Thai. (Questioning the integrity of that entire class of people was never my intent.) Some of those people even have detailed knowledge of its history and traditions. However, it should be noted that people can and do train fighters without such knowledge.

Regarding history of Muay Thai. I recommend "The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting" by Panya Kraitus and Dr. Pitisuk Kraitus. That book has a lengthy section on the history of Muay Thai and discusses Muay Thai in the context of its battlefield ancestors, Krabi-Krabong (sword & stick) and Muay Boran (Literally, ancient boxing). I would also recommend "A Brief History of Thai Boxing" by Thawat Watthana.

I'm sorry, but English language references on Krabi-Krabong are quite limited. The main text used in Thailand was written by Ajarn Sumai and has not yet been translated into English. I have tried to talk several Thai people into translating it, but nobody has been willing to tackle it yet. I would refer you to my own 1993 article on Krabi-Krabong, a reprint of which is available online at http://www.thaiboxing.com/ajarn_sumai. Unfortunately, Ajarn Sumai was the last of his kind. There will be no more grand masters of Krabi-Krabong. Perhaps the most senior living exponent is Col. Nattapong, but he is quite busy with his job on the staff of the King and has not had time to write anything down.

As far as Muay Boran, I know of no English language text. A lot of people throw around the name Muay Boran, but the list of people who really know it in the United States I can count on the fingers of two hands. However, there are many more people who use the term casually, and I would advise 'caveat emptor'.

Finally, if one maintains an interest in the traditions of Muay Thai, a discussion of discipline and respect is in order. The older generation of Muay Thai masters still alive in Thailand almost always emphasize one thing: Teach the foreigners discipline and respect. This, unfortunately, has been a casualty of the current MMA movement. Although I have great respect for MMA and practice it myself, I strongly support a more complete understanding of Muay Thai's tradition. Discipline and respect matter.

/wai (translation: with respect)
Singpraveh Camp

@j75j75. I guess you failed to see the humor I was attempting in that paragraph about traditional Muay Thai. Perhaps I can take another crack at it. In western countries we bend over a lot to give it to people. In Thailand it is not so easy, and the conditions in a Thai camp can frequently be, well, Spartan.

Yes, there are a growing number of people outside of Thailand who know and can teach Muay Thai. (Questioning the integrity of that entire class of people was never my intent.) Some of those people even have detailed knowledge of its history and traditions. However, it should be noted that people can and do train fighters without such knowledge.

Regarding history of Muay Thai. I recommend "The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting" by Panya Kraitus and Dr. Pitisuk Kraitus. That book has a lengthy section on the history of Muay Thai and discusses Muay Thai in the context of its battlefield ancestors, Krabi-Krabong (sword & stick) and Muay Boran (Literally, ancient boxing). I would also recommend "A Brief History of Thai Boxing" by Thawat Watthana.

I'm sorry, but English language references on Krabi-Krabong are quite limited. The main text used in Thailand was written by Ajarn Sumai and has not yet been translated into English. I have tried to talk several Thai people into translating it, but nobody has been willing to tackle it yet. I would refer you to my own 1993 article on Krabi-Krabong, a reprint of which is available online at http://www.thaiboxing.com/ajarn_sumai. Unfortunately, Ajarn Sumai was the last of his kind. There will be no more grand masters of Krabi-Krabong. Perhaps the most senior living exponent is Col. Nattapong, but he is quite busy with his job on the staff of the King and has not had time to write anything down.

As far as Muay Boran, I know of no English language text. A lot of people throw around the name Muay Boran, but the list of people who really know it in the United States I can count on the fingers of two hands. However, there are many more people who use the term casually, and I would advise 'caveat emptor'.

Finally, if one maintains an interest in the traditions of Muay Thai, a discussion of discipline and respect is in order. The older generation of Muay Thai masters still alive in Thailand almost always emphasize one thing: Teach the foreigners discipline and respect. This, unfortunately, has been a casualty of the current MMA movement. Although I have great respect for MMA and practice it myself, I strongly support a more complete understanding of Muay Thai's tradition. Discipline and respect matter.

/wai (translation: with respect)
Singpraveh Camp

I guess I did fail to see the humor lol :laugh: :laugh:

I have had two traditional Muay Thai/Kabri-Kabrong instructors, although we never went into a lot of detail with the traditions lol. One instructor is located in Orange County, CA. I studied with him while I was going to college there. He studied Kabri-Kabrong in Thailand and still makes regular trips there, my education centered around bladed weapons. The other instructor is located in San Jose, CA. He studied Muay Thai in Thailand, with him I currently study all aspects of Lerdrit, Muay Chau Chur, stick/knife fighting, bare knuckle boxing, and simultaneous close quarter combat. I have been fortunate to have found an trained with these two men. There really aren't too many schools like these in the U.S.

Also while I was living in the OC I found a school that teaches Pradal Serey, the Cambodian cousin of Muay Thai. I never had the chance to train there but that is another art which is almost impossible to find...

I guess I did fail to see the humor lol :laugh: :laugh:

I have had two traditional Muay Thai/Kabri-Kabrong instructors, although we never went into a lot of detail with the traditions lol. One instructor is located in Orange County, CA. I studied with him while I was going to college there. He studied Kabri-Kabrong in Thailand and still makes regular trips there, my education centered around bladed weapons. The other instructor is located in San Jose, CA. He studied Muay Thai in Thailand, with him I currently study all aspects of Lerdrit, Muay Chau Chur, stick/knife fighting, bare knuckle boxing, and simultaneous close quarter combat. I have been fortunate to have found an trained with these two men. There really aren't too many schools like these in the U.S.

Also while I was living in the OC I found a school that teaches Pradal Serey, the Cambodian cousin of Muay Thai. I never had the chance to train there but that is another art which is almost impossible to find...

Interesting. Bare knuckles..oh, man, that's hard to write down because the phonemes don't really occur in English: something like Muay Chauiyah. I've seen it in Thailand, the only person I know who has fought much of it is Ty Elliott, who went 48-0 in Thailand. He's a super nice guy and a very good coach 1 on 1. He's still learning to run the grid iron for a big class, but as a fight trainer 1 on 1 he's really great.

I'd be curious what the teacher/school is in San Jose. I have a 12-year old son I'm training, and he has a burning desire to learn Muay Thai & related arts. I might be able to drive down there and pay respects on the weekend sometime. I'm sure my son would flip to check it out.

Orange County. KK teacher. Do you mean Dan Sullivan? If so, he is an old and dear friend. If not, I wonder who it is. I don't think Erik Paulson. His MT is very very good, but he's mostly coaching cage fighters these days.

I guess I did fail to see the humor lol :laugh: :laugh:

I have had two traditional Muay Thai/Kabri-Kabrong instructors, although we never went into a lot of detail with the traditions lol. One instructor is located in Orange County, CA. I studied with him while I was going to college there. He studied Kabri-Kabrong in Thailand and still makes regular trips there, my education centered around bladed weapons. The other instructor is located in San Jose, CA. He studied Muay Thai in Thailand, with him I currently study all aspects of Lerdrit, Muay Chau Chur, stick/knife fighting, bare knuckle boxing, and simultaneous close quarter combat. I have been fortunate to have found an trained with these two men. There really aren't too many schools like these in the U.S.

Also while I was living in the OC I found a school that teaches Pradal Serey, the Cambodian cousin of Muay Thai. I never had the chance to train there but that is another art which is almost impossible to find...

Interesting. Bare knuckles..oh, man, that's hard to write down because the phonemes don't really occur in English: something like Muay Chauiyah. I've seen it in Thailand, the only person I know who has fought much of it is Ty Elliott, who went 48-0 in Thailand. He's a super nice guy and a very good coach 1 on 1. He's still learning to run the grid iron for a big class, but as a fight trainer 1 on 1 he's really great.

I'd be curious what the teacher/school is in San Jose. I have a 12-year old son I'm training, and he has a burning desire to learn Muay Thai & related arts. I might be able to drive down there and pay respects on the weekend sometime. I'm sure my son would flip to check it out.

Orange County. KK teacher. Do you mean Dan Sullivan? If so, he is an old and dear friend. If not, I wonder who it is. I don't think Erik Paulson. His MT is very very good, but he's mostly coaching cage fighters these days.

Here is the link for the school in San Jose, http://www.militarymuaythai.com/. It's called Muay Thai Academy International. I don't think your son could train there though, it's strictly 18+...But you could probably check out our sister school. It's a jujitsu school at the same location. The instructor used to be a head instructor at the academy. He could go over some things with you guys.

I only lived in Orange County for 18 months, so I never had the chance to train with Mr. Sullivan; although I had heard of him. I trained a bit with Khru Michael DeLio at Combative Fighting Arts, http://combativefightingarts.com/index.htm.

There is a great Muay Thai school in Seal Beach, CA. The head instructor/owner of the school is a guy by the name of Dave Jannson. He recently opened a training camp in the Phillipines. He is a true believer in traditional Muay Thai training. When I trained at his school which was, at the time, located in Santa Ana, he had me spend weeks walking on the balls of my feet until I "nailed" the Muay Thai stance before he would even think about teaching me anything beyond that. I believe that his approach showed as much respect and devotion to his students as it does to the art of Muay Thai. You'd be hard pressed to find a better teacher in the U.S. That, of course, is my personal belief. Dan Sullivan also has a good reputation here In Orange County. I think the guy in San Jose is Don Baker. You can see his stuff on You Tube if you do a search for "Donnie B's Old Style Muay Thai". You will also find some good videos on the "bare Knuckle" stuff at his site.