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If you're just starting your Muay Thai training, prepare to fall in love. So many people like The Art of Eight Limbs because it provides endless benefits to your life. There's no lack of reasons people love it, which is what this article is going to be about. My goal with this article is to remind you of the primary reasons that people are starting their Muay Thai learnings and continuing to stay consistent for years. These trainees are investing days of their time that they could spend somewhere else than learning Thai Boxing, which we shouldn't take for granted. I was surprised to see the exact benefits and results I experienced when I first began my Muay Thai training (and still do, by the way) in other people. Other fighters have noticed the same benefits, precisely the same, as me. This tells me that learning to fight in Thai Boxing is one of the wisest decisions you can make as a person. So without further ado, let's dive into the seven reasons why people like Muay Thai so much. Here's the first one! Leave a comment at the end of this article saying why you love Muay Thai! I really want to see the opinions of more fighters. :) #7 – Betters Physical Shape The first benefit is that it betters physical shape. If you've been doing Muay Thai for at least a single session, you know just how hard it can get. I live on suffering, but it's really hard when it comes to sparring and fighting, as you're tired physically and are in major physical pain. Muay Thai betters your physical shape by being a perfect endurance workout that can burn up to 800 calories per hour, which is plenty. It'll condition your body by improving your aerobic and anaerobic shape, resulting in you being fitter. One of the most desired and attractive results people are looking to achieve in today's world is to get into better physical shape. We all know how hard it is. However, it's actually hard not to stay in shape when you train in Muay Thai at least twice per week. If that's the case for you, you'll be able to lose body fat while getting into better physical shape quickly. As one study found: The study concludes that compared to the Bodybuilding group, the Muay Thai group had higher levels of coordination and nondominant lower extremity functional performance. SOURCE This is just one study out of plenty in this realm. They've all come to the same conclusion, which is that Muay Thai betters physical shape. However, you must stay consistent, which really is the hard part. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxs9UonR-10 Notice How Sweaty I Get While Training #6 – Strengthens You Mentally The next benefit of Muay Thai is mental strength and discipline. I notice a pattern in my Muay Thai training. Whenever there's more pain involved in training, I notice I'm more disciplined as a whole. Now this requires constant training. So if you attend just one training session, you won't permanently be more disciplined for the rest of your life. It's like an effect that you constantly need to replenish. Training in Muay Thai requires mental focus and discipline. Practitioners must stay present at the moment and concentrate on the techniques being taught. This mental discipline carries over into other aspects of life, helping individuals become more focused and determined. There's also another key reason why people love Muay Thai so much that you might not have picked up from the previous paragraph. Your mindfulness is going to drastically get better as a consequence of your fighting training. When you fight, you must be in the moment. The more you're in the moment, the easier fighting will get. That should remind you of meditation and mindfulness. I meditate daily and I can assure you that both fight training (specifically sparring) and meditation provide the same benefits. The majority of studies reported positive effects resulting from hard martial arts practice, showing some improvement and maintenance of balance, cognitive function and psychological health. SOURCE #5 – Relieves Stress and Anger In my research for this article, I came across an extremely interesting and well-made study. It perfectly clarified why vigorous martial arts training relieves stress and anger. But martial arts don't just relieve stress and anger in training, they also decrease your baseline stress and aggression levels outside training. I think this is one of the most worthwhile benefits vigorous martial arts training can have on you. And it's a primary reason why people fall in love with Thai Boxing. It gives them a better sense of clarity and peacefulness in life, which is lacking in today's world. Martial arts apprentices turned out to present a statistically significantly lower level of hostility and of the general aggression index than combat sports athletes. SOURCE Comparison of the level of aggression dimensions between the respondents' results and the normative value. This is one of the most interesting studies I've stumbled upon because it explains so much about what I'm feeling and experiencing when I train in Thai Boxing. I'm able to reduce my anger, aggression, and stress levels by training hard, which is a major reason for my crush on Muay Thai. #4 – Boosts Self-Confidence As individuals progress in their Muay Thai journey and develop their skills, they gain a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. Mastering techniques and overcoming challenges in training can translate into increased self-esteem in daily life. A primary problem people experience in today's world is not trusting themselves as much. People are simply not going through enough suffering and pain, so they're not even gaining the self-respect they need so badly. Muay Thai will give you that sense of accomplishment. It'll allow you to win the respect of yourself by overcoming obstacles and ignoring fear. Your confidence is eventually going to skyrocket as a result of that, regardless of what you do outside training. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Here's a trainee that started training this year and is already experiencing immense results. Check it out: I started in January this year at 29 to take control of my mental and physical health. I always wanted to learn a marital art but always made excuses. Muay Thai has changed my life and is now an obsession. It’s given me confidence in myself, my health and it’s an added bonus to know that you can throw down with confidence if ever in danger. This is one trainee out of thousands upon thousands who experience the same thing. And trust me, it's an addicting feeling, to say the least. #3 – Gives You a Sense of Community The next reason why people like Muay Thai so much is because it gives you a sense of community. We're social creatures. Even if you see "lone wolfs" wanting to be alone all the time, it's rarely a good thing. We need a group to be a part of to become the best version of ourselves. However, it seems like many people don't have that group. Or, they might be a part of a group of people who aren't on the daily grind, which can actually put you down instead of the opposite. So the community you're a part of can either have a good or a bad effect. But what if you meet like-minded people who want to improve themselves every single they while taking actual steps toward their goals? Wouldn't you be more likely to improve as a person quicker than if you hadn't joined that group? The last example I'll give you is the famous saying: "You're the average of the five people you spent the most time with." I think it's partly true. When you're a part of a community like a Muay Thai gym, you'll gain their values over time, even if you spend only two hours per week with them. Hard work will become second nature regardless if you want it or not. A sense of community is one of the most addictive feelings we pursue as human beings. And, it lacks the most in today's world. #2 – Cultural Appreciation Muay Thai has a rich cultural heritage in Thailand. Learning the sport allows people to connect with this ancient tradition and appreciate the art form's history and significance. Sometimes, going back in history and appreciating the culture that existed back then—will give you an odd sense of satisfaction you wouldn't get anywhere else. This bond with history is something that's very fulfilling and can make you fall in love with a certain action. By doing Muay Thai, you're continuing the history of martial arts and slightly changing it because you're doing it. And who knows, you might be the next most influential Muay Thai fighter worldwide. You can never truly know for sure what the future holds for you. We have a duty to appreciate the way martial arts were developed thus far. And what better way is there to appreciate it than by learning it? If you want to improve your resemblance with Thai culture, buying a pair of Thai Boxing shorts will do the trick. Here are the best Muay Thai shorts for your money! (Follow the link to see the complete list) #1 – Teaches You Practical Self-Defense Muay Thai is not just a sport; it's also a practical form of self-defense. Learning effective striking techniques and defensive moves can empower individuals and make them feel safer in various situations. This correlates back to self-confidence. Knowing deep in your heart that you can defend yourself if you ever need to is one of the most empowering feelings you can have. I think that ego is one of the most beneficial things to have in life. But not the kind of ego that you're thinking about, which is typically unjustified. What I'm talking about is the type of ego you develop through achievements. You'll learn to punch, kick, clinch, and use your shin, elbow, and knee while learning to defend yourself. These are all effective techniques to know for when you're preparing for a real fight. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1SI1hgomVAc Types of Elbows in Muay Thai I fell in love with Thai Boxing because it allowed me a platform to work on myself in all these areas. I want you to appreciate the number of benefits and the number of reasons there are to fall in love with this fighting style. There's no reason not to like and appreciate it with all your heart since it's one of the most beautiful things you can do to yourself. If you want to start training in Muay Thai at home, I wrote the ultimate guide to doing so, which you read by following the link! Final Words Ultimately, people fall in love with Muay Thai for its holistic benefits, both physical and mental. It's not just about learning how to fight; it's a journey of self-discovery and personal growth that leaves a lasting impact on many practitioners' lives. People like Muay Thai because it's one of the only platforms in today's world that allows you to work on yourself intensely. So while it can definitely be hard to keep up with your training schedule and remain consistent and dedicated, you'll keep on improving yourself in all realms of life by participating in it. And this is why people like it so much! If you want to learn what are the pros and cons of Muay Thai, and read whether it's worth the risk, follow this link. Here are other articles you'll benefit from reading: Here’s How Long Learning Muay Thai REALLY Takes (Timeline) Do You Need to Be Strong to Do Muay Thai? The Hard Truth Can You Do Muay Thai if You’re Skinny? Fighter Weighs In Is Muay Thai Hard to Learn? Can Anyone Get Good at It? The True Cost of Muay Thai Classes – Beyond the Price Tag