American Muay Thai practitioners

[Cthulhu]

For those on the board who have studied Muay Thai: do you guys/gals go through the same leg conditioning the pro fighters go through in Thailand? I know of one fella who trained with Muay Thai whose shin nerves were essentially dead. Shin kicks that would drop many people were hardly felt. What techniques are used in North America to develop this ability?

Cthulhu

I am not a Muay Thai practicioner. However, I have trained in a couple of Sifu Kevin Seaman's Muay Thai/Kali/JKD seminars held in Rochester, NY (Sifu Seaman's academy is in Cortland, NY). After those seminars, I continued to train and condition my shins basically by kicking the heavy bag or pads many, many times. The shins get red and a little sore, but I have noticed a difference in the long-short run. My TKD buddies occassionally front kick me when I raise my leg or go shin-to-shin with me accidently. I win out everytime as they go down in pain. I don't mean to hurt them, but I can't help it if they choose to kick me in the shin:-)

Bryan

Greetings,
I am a Muay thai Practitioner from Ontario. It has been my experience that Li chun (light sparring) for the legs only, is best for conditioning the shins. Kicking Pads and Heavy bags is effective in deadning the initial shock of shin on shin impact but Li chun can prepare your mind and body to perfect the use of the shin. Please don't buy into the myth of banging the shin with hard bottles or sticks. The tactic used should be a gentle rolling with a piece of dowl. To tap or bang is to leave knots in the shin and very dangerous. 2 to 5 rounds of Li chun or Light sparring Legs only 2 times a week, in addition to HeavyBag work wil do wonders for shin conditioning.

Chris (assuming your name is Chris:-),
Do Muay Thai practitioners use the method of rolling a dowl on the shin much? Since Muay Thai is not what I study, I just kick heavy bag and kicking pads for shin conditioning. I figure it is practicing the technique along with the conditioning. I guess I'm wondering how much that is done or if it is more of an optional method for shin conditioning.
Thanks,
Bryan

The practice of rolling the dowl is used about 6 weeks out from competition. It is done during or after the final cool down stretch. It is very gentle. No tapping or banging! The majority of your shin conditioning in muay thai comes from the constant Blocking with the shin, during Li chun ,and the dowl is pre competition only. This is the way it is done at our camp. I hope this has been of help.

[Cthulhu]

Thanks for the info, Chris and Bryan!

Back when I had access to a heavy bag, I recall that the shin kicks I did to it helped build them up a bit. I think working out on Century's B.O.B. helped in a similar manner. The only problem I have with that is B.O.B. can be kicked over without too much effort.

Thanks again!

Cthulhu

Thanks Chris for the info. Conditioning of the shins is sort of an "extra" thing I do since Muay Thai isn't a main art I study, but I have seen such benefits from it that I will continue with it!

Bryan

There is also different intensity of conditioning depending on the size and type of thai pads you are training with. Great conditioning with the perma built type

[arnisador]

How similar are Muay Thai and Bando? I am looking forward to my first Bando experience at Mr. Hartman's upcoming camp, where Dr. Gyi will be a guest instructor.

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by IFAJKD
There is also different intensity of conditioning depending on the size and type of thai pads you are training with. Great conditioning with the perma built type

FCS guy I'm training with has a set of Thai pads that refuse to soften up Must be what you're talking about.

Cthulhu

[KumaSan]

Originally posted by arnisador
How similar are Muay Thai and Bando? I am looking forward to my first Bando experience at Mr. Hartman's upcoming camp, where Dr. Gyi will be a guest instructor.

Well, I have zero exposure to Bando, but it sounds like it might be more similar to Krabi Krabong than Muay Thai.

[arnisador]

Originally posted by KumaSan
Well, I have zero exposure to Bando, but it sounds like it might be more similar to Krabi Krabong than Muay Thai.

The weapons part perhaps but I believe that Bando's open hand has a number of similarities to Muay Thai kickboxing.

[KumaSan]

Originally posted by arnisador


The weapons part perhaps but I believe that Bando's open hand has a number of similarities to Muay Thai kickboxing.

Do you know of a website that has a description/pictures? (I know, I know www.google.com, but I'm looking for a good Thai round kick visual for Cthulu in the other thread).

From what I know of Krabi Krabong (about as little as Bando), there is an empty hand component there, which I believe Muay Thai descended from, so it is entirely possible that they have things in common.

[Black Grass]

Burmese boxing is called Lethwei, this is the sport side of Bando. The techniques and rules are similar to muay thai. No wai kru though.

Regards,
Black Grass

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