Is Muay Thai Worth It? Pros & Cons

Muay Thai, also known as “The Art of 8 Limbs,” has grown in popularity worldwide. It’s the “go-to” striking art for most MMA gyms across the globe because of its effectiveness compared to other forms of striking. The beauty of this sport has created dividends in many health aspects, including cardio and fitness in general.

More than ever before, Thailand’s national sport has skyrocketed in popularity. No wonder various demographics from all corners of the globe have been taking classes to get that lean and shredded look.

So, is Muay Thai really worth it? Muay Thai is one of the most effective striking martial arts. Thai sparring is an effective and fun way to get ripped and achieve that body you’ve been looking for because Muay Thai enhances and changes your self-discipline. A typical Muay Thai session involves a 10-minute warm-up, shadow boxing, pad work, finished with some stretching. 

Muay Thai is probably the most effective striking martial art in your arsenal for self-defense situations. It is because it teaches close-quarter combat – elbow strikes and knees can be devastating from this proximity. Also, Muay Thai has other benefits that people should know.

Is Muay Thai A Good Martial Art To Learn?

It is pretty simple to start practicing Muay Thai. As stated previously, it has excellent benefits. Anyone from age four can reap what they sow from it. Despite having a deadly reputation as one of the most dangerous martial arts in modern times, it is perfectly healthy.

Its moves and techniques make the sport known for what it is. The techniques aren’t fancy or stylish like in Hollywood movies. Regular practice at a Muay Thai gym makes a strong case. You might be a complete novice, but it works.

To get proficient at Muay Thai, constant moves that showcase muscle memory must be practiced regularly. This is how most pros got to their status as fighters. Finally, it’s up to you to decide your goal and work towards it.

Like every martial art, there are pros and cons. Most people overlook a bonus benefit that could even save your life one day. Muay Thai provides an array of pros, including increased balance and, as a whole, boosted self-esteem. By doing this, you’re also training your body to become a weapon.

Sounds scary, I know, but it can be crucial, especially if your safety is at risk. The cons of Muay Thai can be that one would be more prone to injuries frequently because of the intensity of the sport. Constant repetitions can sometimes strain or tear muscles and ligaments.

Another thing worth considering is that unless you have grappling skills. Being taken down to the ground may not be a good idea as Muay Thai focuses mainly on striking and clinching but not on fighting on the ground.

Health Benefits

Muay Thai is brilliant for your health. If you’re thinking of saving money on gym memberships, then it’s a good switch. And this explains why Muay Thai is a perfect way to get rid of unnecessary fat and condition your muscles while improving flexibility and having a stronger core.

It’s a great way to work with your muscle memory too. Doing aerobics and anaerobic workouts and giving an hour to 90 minutes of training in Muay Thai will benefit you with up to 1,200 calories burned in a single session. Muay Thai enhances and changes your self-discipline. 

Self-Discipline

Muay Thai enhances and changes your self-discipline. Attending these classes and training regularly is a brilliant way to boost your self-esteem, and despite focusing more on physical health, mental health is also essential. Muay Thai is the ultimate stress releaser that wonders for your mental and physical health. 

Self-Defence

Muay Thai has extraordinary benefits to offer. It gets you in the best shape of your life, makes you more confident, and teaches practical self-defense techniques. After all, it’s very effective in street-fight because of its effective clinch techniques. 

Not that it needed reminding, but it’s excellent for counterattacking and defending against strikes and adequately knowing how to block them. Emphasis on clinch work is important as thing occurs when someone grabs or jostles you all of a sudden.

Self Confidence

Self-confidence is one of the most attractive benefits we can have. Who wouldn’t want self–confidence, right? Muay Thai helps just with that. After just a few months of training then, you will see the benefits it will have. As you’ve probably guessed, Muay Thai is a brilliant way to boost your resume.

It teaches them how to confront challenges early on. Not only that, but it also teaches you to view failure as an opportunity. Statistically, 95 percent of children who have learned how to defend themselves have been shown to have greater happiness levels. 

It’s Not Expensive

It might be a bit different than what you’re used to pricing-wise, but in Muay Thai, what you see is what you get. If it is something that you’ve got to know through social media or television, then it is precisely that. Don’t forget throwing kicks make up for it also.

Anything after that – hand wraps, gloves, and even shin pads – is accessible and affordable, making Muay Thai an attractive and popular sport. 

It Can Toughen Up The Body And Mind

We all know that practice makes perfect. Muay Thai is no different. After a few months of rigorous training, you will notice a sharp intake in fight IQ and body toughness. You are instantly more alert and aware of your surroundings and are searching for new ways to surprise an opponent.

Consistent training of the lower body will see you increase power in kicks and hip rotation. The upper part of the body focuses on the clinch work. Constant kick training can develop a set foot and shin as the muscles break down and rebuild after each session.

Muay Thai Vs Boxing

There has been an endless debate about which martial art is the best. There is no actual definite answer to this question. Each martial art is different. While some may present similar etiquettes, each has adapted its style.

Strike-based martial arts such as karate and kickboxing have developed a fearsome reputation over the years. A brainer there; no martial art is better than the next. It boils down to which martial art you would like to train. As we know, the elements of Thai boxing include striking methods that incorporate a more boxing environment. Or, like kickboxing, legs and shins may be used. 

Boxing remains the highest-paid sport ahead of MMA. A few notable similarities are present, but they’re both vastly different at the same time in terms of what they provide.

Some of the common elements include the use of boxing or muay Thai techniques. However, don’t be fooled by boxers only using their hands. Boxers have a lot to do with their feet to move and dodge quickly. Both allow you to build strength in your legs.

By rotating your feet and hips when throwing punches, you give your legs a lot of exercises. This invisible detail allows experienced fighters to generate more powerful punches. That said, a Muay Thai fighter will have an easier time than many think.

He tends to be more versatile in his striking because he has leg kicks. Not that it needs reminding, but they are great for counterattacking, defending against punches, and properly blocking punches. Knowing how to throw a few elbow strikes is enough to end a fight early.

Elbow punches are deadly, and a few of them are enough to decapitate a man. But if you remove the legs, the boxer’s technique will have an advantage over Thai boxing.

Muay Thai Vs MMA

Understandably, the popularity of mixed martial arts would have a much larger fan base. Muay Thai has existed for hundreds of years and is nowhere near the superstar level as the UFC. But MMA employs many martial arts in its stronghold (Hence mixed martial arts), and Muay Thai is visibly present in the pay-per-view promotion, UFC. 

MMA is an accumulation of techniques from many arts, like wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Muay Thai focuses only on using all limbs as weapons you can use in the stand-up. Hard, strong kicks make up for a good portion of it. It implies a little bit of dirty boxing and fighting at close range.

MMA became popular in the early 1990s. With the inception of the promotion called Shooto, It would then explode onto the scene around 1993. Over the years, the sport changed in terms of rules and fighting styles. Around that time, athletes started to train with grapplers that were entering gyms where striking or boxing was mainly used. As a result, MMA was born.

The first concept of MMA emerged in Brazil not too long ago (in the early 2000s), and it was called “Vale Tudo.” It was a home of early style vs. style matchups where fighters from different martial arts could come and test their skills against fighters from other combat systems.

Muay Thai is a much older martial art. Dating back to the 14th century, the Siam Kingdom and a combat system called “Muay Boran.”

MMA would be more taxing to the body because it applies grappling, something not present in Muay Thai as Thai boxing focuses on the power and techniques each “limb” produces. MMA goes much further in terms of the time it would take to get better – usually, 5 to 10 years – and also because nearly every martial art aspect would be covered in MMA.

For example, karate, boxing, taekwondo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills are on full display in a whole MMA bout. Muay Thai also is brutal on the body, but it is less complicated to learn. It would take someone 3 to 6 years to fully master the craft.

Conclusion

Muay Thai is rich in confidence building, conditioning, and endurance. One should get into it if one gets the opportunity. Chances are you might feel super confident and relaxed as it teaches the basics of patience through its teaching of striking and counter-striking. Almost all elements discussed are worth it. It’s a no-brainer.

While other martial arts might be more lethal, Muay Thai is perfect if you want to end a fight quickly and effectively. The surprising fitness it gives in such a short time is a fast tracker compared to if you were to use the gym. After all, lifting dumbbells may appear daunting for many, so Muay Thai replaces that fitness level with high-intensity workouts.

For the reasons listed above, the long-term benefits are extraordinary, so it is a sport that would be highly recommended by many martial art experts around the globe.