Muay Thai is a martial art originating from Thailand, which has gained immense popularity over the decades. Being a professional Muay Thai fighter requires agility, endurance and speed as they use four limbs against their opponents. The fighters can use their fist, feet, elbow, and knees to strike making it ideal for self-defense. Incorporating Muay Thai in your fitness workout will help you with building your stamina and strength.
Muay Thai helps you challenge your body and improve your fitness level. Whether you’re trying to shed some extra fat, tone down your muscles or trying to get ripped, Muay Thai can help you reach that goal. Following are the eight reasons why training Muay Thai is beneficial for your health, mind and soul alike.

1. Improved Cardiovascular Conditioning- Muay Thai greatly focuses and stresses upon the cardiopulmonary systems, both aerobic and anaerobic. The techniques and skill-set required to become a pro in the sport will increase your cardiovascular conditioning tremendously. In addition, with practice and training, your body will get adapt to the intense demands of the sport and improve your cardiovascular health as a result.

2. Enhanced Leg Strength – Muay Thai kickboxing, as the name suggests, greatly emphasizes upon the footwork and kicking. Learning to kick and focusing on the right muscles would strengthen the musculature of the lower body. Practicing the various kicks such as roundhouse kick and footwork drill benefit every muscle of the lower body. This not only provides muscle endurance and force production but rather you can have those good-looking calves you always dreamed about.

3. Increased Core Strength – Core is often just termed as the six packs or abdominal muscles only however, it’s every muscle located in your trunk. Muay Thai uses rotational movements during offensive attacks, which strengthen the core. Not only this; even being punched in your abdomen will help you greatly. Clinching, Defensive movements and striking; all help the Muay Thai students in building their core muscles and increase their agility.

4. Allow Hip Mobility – Hips play a crucial role in preventing one from numerous medical conditions later in their life. Stretching and foam rolling are effective ways to ensure perfect healthy hips. The kicking and kneeing movements in the Muay Thai are effective tools that increase hip mobility significantly. However, this particular health benefit isn’t an overnight thing but rather continuous practice and training is required of the practitioner.

5. Makes you Emotionally Stable – Muay Thai serves as a stress reliever for majority of the people as the sport is fast paced and focusing on your worries would just get you knocked out. Everyone accumulates some form of stress during the day and Muay Thai provides an opportunity to relieve it in a controlled environment. It will make you focus on yourself and detach yourself of all the daily grinds ensuring you a happier and contented life.

6. Provides Great Physique – Muay Thai is an explosive combat sport that requires determination and strength. With regular training, it can help you achieve a great physique by making your shape more proportionate. It will not only burn down the excessive fat and allow you to lose weight but will also help you get that “dream body” of yours. In addition, people who tend to practice Muay Thai regularly have glowing complexions as toxins are released due to intense training.

7. Directly affects your mental health – Muay Thai is a combat sport that requires rigorous training and hence instills qualities such as determination, courage, and confidence in an individual. In addition, a practitioner of Muay Thai has to adhere to the trainer’s instructions, follow the timings, and be regular with the training session. This turns him into a more mature and disciplined person helping him in his life in the end.

8. Think logically and intelligently – Muay Thai isn’t just an art form where you can throw random punches and kicks at your opponent hoping that he’ll knock out eventually. Sometimes this over-aggressive behavior can have adverse effects on the fight and you may lose or hurt yourself. Muay Thai requires the use of strategies, techniques, and tricks to hold the adversary and deceive them. This particularly molds the intelligence of the practitioner and makes him or her sharper and more agile.


Muay Thai is an advanced combat sport, the word “advanced” seems daunting to many people. However, Muay Thai can benefit just about anyone as long as they don’t tend to over-do things. It’s recommended that you modify a drill to make it compatible with your fitness level. In addition, it’s advisable that you visit your doctor or a healthcare professional before beginning this physical endeavor. Necessary safety precautions should also be taken to get maximum benefits without injuring your own self.