Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a form of kickboxing that incorporates knees and elbows as well as punches and kicks. This is an extremely physical class that will skyrocket both your fitness ability but also your skill set. With my 20 years of fighting experience, I run you through specific drills and techniques that will make you a better kickboxer. This class is a contact class, which involves pad work and sparring. All members who want to spar at the end of each class must first obtain a license from me to do so. This ensures safety and proper practice procedures.

The history of Muay Thai

The sport of Muay Thai was developed among the young thai servicemen returning from war who needed an outlet for their fitness and aggression. This started as small local bouts in Thai villages and towns, but has now become the national sport practiced over 500 years. The spark of the sport proper was initiated back in 1767 when the Burmese invaded Thailand. A local Thai fighter was brought forward to the Burmese King, who requested that he be matched against one of the king’s prize boxers. Opposing two different styles like this, the Thai boxer quickly emerged as the superior fighter and was subsequently demanded to fight 9 more opponents back to back. Upon defeating all of his opponents, the Burmese King was so impressed that he rewarded the Thai fighter for his dignity and prowess. This famous event has been deemed as the legitimisation of Muay Thai fighting, which draws a huge audience of fans and contributors from around the world today.

What to expect

• Cardiovascular conditioning – Muay Thai combines both aerobic and anaerobic activity that places great stress on your muscular power and stamina. Using all parts of your body, Muay Thai training will improve you cardiovascular system making it easy for you to train harder and longer.
• Leg strength – kicking and footwork plays a huge role in successful Muay Thai fighting. Kicks such as the roundhouse and front kick help strengthen the legs and improve their muscular endurance. The repetition of such varied movements also improves agility and your balance as the non-kicking leg supports whilst the other leg projects.
• Core strength – this style of fighting requires quick rotation of different parts of the body. When you punch you power through your core and when you kick you pivot your hips. Striking, defending and clinching with your opponent will help the fighter develop an incredibly strong core.
• Hip mobility – many of us spend hours a day sitting at a desk or watching TV. This tightens our hips and pulls on our hamstrings, making it harder to remain flexible. With Muay Thai training, overtime you will improve your hip mobility and strength. This will take pressure off of your lower back and help you to avoid injury.
• Stress management – life is hectic and stressful. With safe but challenging Muay Thai training you will have an effective outlet for aggression and tension. We respect one another’s boundaries but we encourage you to be aggressive on the pads. At the same time of releasing pent up aggression you are improving your health and learning a new skill. These can be the difference between protecting yourself or getting hurt in the outside world.Why Junior?I have trained in martial arts for over 20 years having won three British kickboxing and Muay Thai titles for the WKA and WMTO, as well as one Commonwealth title in kickboxing for the ISKA. I know what it is to win and lose on an international scale which as brought with it a lifetime of experience in forging physical and mental skills. I am a Third Dan Black Belt in Muay Thai and upon retiring from fighting, I have naturally progressed to passing on my wealth of knowledge to others.