Muay Thai, aka Thai Boxing, is one of the best martial arts one can learn. Most prominently, it’ll allow you to learn to fight and improve your physical health, which are the two primary factors for novice trainees constantly rolling into gyms.
Knowing the benefits a particular activity will give you if you stay consistent and dedicated for long enough will constantly refuel your motivation tank. The same applies to martial arts, and more specifically, Muay Thai. If you understand the benefits you’ll receive by staying dedicated, you’ll be more likely to keep up with your training schedule.
So this is why I’ve decided to write this article. My aim with this article is to list out the best benefits you’ll experience if you begin your Muay Thai training. As a result, you’ll be more eager to take the first step (which is the hardest one) and start your training – and keep up with your training schedule if you’ve already started your training.
So without further introduction, let’s dive into the first one!
#9 – Improved Physical Health
The first, and perhaps the most important, benefit we’ll review is improved physical health. At some point in life, everyone understands that our health is the most important metric for success. If you’re a Multi-Millionaire but experience severe health issues, you’ll buy a cure with all your money.
So your physical health is the most important metric you should be striving to improve. That’s all true. However, how many people in today’s society are putting in the work to work out and make their lives healthier and better? I’ll argue that not enough.
You can improve your physical healthy by training in Muay Thai, as it involves a few key activities. First, you’ll sweat like crazy, a sign of a vigorous workout! Likewise, you’ll move all your muscle groups around, which is why you burn so many calories in it (We’ll expand more on calories and weight loss later.)
I’m not even mentioning proper nutrition. My argument is that solely by doing Thai Boxing, you’ll be able to start noticing positive changes in your body, mindset, and fitness goals.
I can’t see myself not being healthy anymore. Ever since I began my martial arts training, I’ve been able to experience both the extreme sides of fitness and health. I (personally) have been both overweight and shredded. I know what they both feel like; let me tell you something, being shredded feels like being in heaven, as you treat your body like it’s supposed to be treated!
Hard” martial arts seem to have potential to improve balance and cognitive functions that decline with age, which can lead to poorer health outcomes among the elderly (e.g. cognitive decline, falls and fractures).
STUDY
#8 – Higher Self-Esteem
For this section, I want to start with a study that was conducted on Karate practitioners with visual impairment. This study, the way I see it, applies to Muay Thai as well since they utilize the same training methods and provide a similar training experience.
Findings suggest that karate practice may improve self-esteem, physical self-perception, and exercise self-efficacy in young adults with Visual Impairment.
STUDY
This study showcases precisely why Muay Thai, and most martial arts, will increase your confidence. The practitioners were able to go through a process where in the end, the way they perceive themselves—has greatly improved. They overcome countless obstacles that are there to teach them that they’re competent human beings. ALL trainees will go through some type of pain, whether mental or physical. This is critical for improving self-esteem since going through hard times makes us value ourselves.
Self-esteem, according to Mind.org, is how we value and perceive ourselves. Together with confidence, it’s one of the most influential metrics to your success in life, in all realms. For instance, it makes sense that someone that values himself highly will be more competent in everything he does compared to another person who doesn’t value himself as capable.
Although a cliche, understanding that if you think you can achieve something, you’re already halfway there—is an accurate statement. You’ll be able to go through life with a better mindset, all just by doing Muay Thai.
If you want to start training Muay Thai at home, you can follow the link to read a complete guide I wrote to do so. You’ll be able to commence your training today – cost-free!
#7 – Increased Mental Focus
Muay Thai training demands concentration and mental discipline. Through repetitive practice and learning complex techniques, you can improve your ability to focus, both inside and outside the training environment.
Focus is, in my eyes, a critical factor in how much work you can produce and how capable you’ll be in everything in life. If we dive deeply into the subject of focus, which I write a lot on, we understand that it’s a scarce asset in today’s world.
Look around you the next time you’re in a public place. How many people are focusing on the external world and how many are with their phones? Although I’m a big fan of using our phones productively, most of the time and for most people, unproductive use is much more common (hence scrolling on Instagram, Tiktok, or any other focus-depriving platform.)
On the other extreme side, martial arts, through hardships, discipline, and vigorous training, develop mental and physical focus in the long term. You’ll be working hard for more than an hour without looking at your phone, which is a fantastic way of forcing your brain to stop and focus on the external world.
When you spar against someone stronger or more experienced than you (worse, both) you’ll focus on how to survive. That’ll be your sole focus, which will highly benefit your concentration ability in the long term!
#6 – Enhanced Flexibility
The next benefit we’ll review is being more flexible. Being more flexible is key to sticking with fitness and physical training in the long term. Whether you’re a climber, hiker, biker, or even a hunter; being more flexible will help prevent injuries and allow you to stay consistent and dedicated to the craft for longer.
When discussing martial arts, it’s even more important to be flexible. Not only will it help prevent injuries in both the short and long term, but it’ll also allow you to learn to use various movements that otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to do.
Muay Thai requires a wide range of motions, including high kicks, low kicks, and dynamic movements. The training helps improve your flexibility, making you more agile and reducing the risk of injuries.
Kicking higher is a critical skill to have in Muay Thai. If you can hit your opponent’s face with a kick, you will cause tons of damage, allowing you the advantage in the fight.
Contrary to that, if you get hit in the face with a fierce high kick, your opponent is likely a solid, competent fighter.
So by training in Muay Thai, your flexibility will increase, as you’ll be performing various stretches and working on your kicks, which is excellent news for my less flexible readers.
#5 – Improved Discipline
Benefit #5 is improved discipline. I believe that this benefit is an exceptional one, and let me tell you why. There are two reasons for that and they both make it attractive. First, you’ll achieve it simply by staying consistent, which is fairly passive. And the second reason is that it’ll allow you to control your mind.
So let’s dive deeper.
First, to improve your discipline, you don’t need to stretch a certain way or hit a punching bag. In fact, just by showing up to training and stepping out of your comfort zone (by showing up time after time) your discipline in all realms of life will improve.
Now, once you do that, you’ll notice you’re able of controlling your mind. Today, it’s extremely hard to do so, although it’s the only asset we can really control. If you think about it, all of our possessions are out to control us.
And by training Muay Thai, your ability to control your mind—and tell it what to do—will improve. Of course, because it’s such a desirable trait and because you’re currently wired by everything around you, such as social media and your phone, it’ll take time until you can really control your mind.
But don’t worry, you’ll notice spurs of discipline and control soon after starting your Muay Thai training. So if that’s something you desire, Thai Boxing is a suitable activity for that.
#4 – Stress Relief
Engaging in physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Muay Thai provides a healthy outlet for stress and frustration, helping you unwind and improve your overall mental well-being.
I think everyone can benefit from being less stressed. Really ask yourself the next question: how many times per day are you feeling stressed? While stress is the best motivator, we should all strive to reduce the number of times we allow ourselves to overthink.
You’ll be much less stressed as a result of consistent and dedicated Muay Thai training. Have you ever finished a REALLY intense workout and felt calmer? That’s the natural response of our minds and body to the fatigue we just underwent.
If you want to read more about why martial arts make you less violent and stressed, follow this link.
#3 – Increased Confidence
Confidence is one of the most important metrics for success. If you’re confident in yourself, you’ll be able to sell yourself better to the world. If that’s the case, your life would be better (more fulfilling, satisfying, etc…) overall.
As you progress in your Muay Thai training, learn new techniques, and overcome challenges, your self-confidence will naturally improve. Mastering this demanding martial art can instill a sense of accomplishment and self-assurance.
You’ll overcome countless obstacles throughout your training. Do you think the training will be easy? If you think the answer is yes, you’re not prepared for what’s coming your way.
Every time you finish a training session, your sense of confidence and self-esteem will immediately increase. Training will get demanding, especially if you spar with someone more experienced, bigger, or stronger than you.
So once you successfully tackle that, there’ll be nothing stopping your confidence from increasing.
#2 – Weight Loss
Most people that are currently reading these words have long waited for me to present this benefit. Losing weight and getting fit—really is one of the most desirable results in today’s society. There’s no stopping those who truly want to lose weight and are putting in the work at the same time.
Muay Thai workouts are intense and can burn a significant amount of calories. Engaging in regular training sessions can aid in weight loss and promote lean muscle development, leading to improved body composition and toning.
In fact, you can burn up to 1000 calories in an hour of Muay Thai training. For those who are familiar with calories and how to lose weight, you know that burning 1000 calories, even if only once a week, can easily be the difference between gaining and losing body fat.
But you must understand something. Burning more calories is always beneficial to losing weight, but it’s not a guarantee.
You must eat healthily if you want to lose the slightest of body fat. For example, let’s assume two Muay Thai trainees. Both are training at the same intensity and weigh the same (with the same body fat percentage.) The first is eating whatever he wants and the other eats for weight loss (consumes less than what his body burns per day.)
Who, in your opinion, will lose body weight and reach his fitness goals faster?
I’ll share my secret with you. I started intermittent fasting and it was the best thing I’ve done to myself. It helps me shed body fat while remaining exceptionally productive. Watch the video below!
#1 – Learning to Fight
The last benefit is also the reason why many people will start their martial arts training. In fact, from my own experience, it’s the primary reason most trainees start their Muay Thai training, but I don’t have the statistics to back it up.
Muay Thai is a practical martial art that equips you with effective self-defense techniques. Learning how to strike, clinch, and defend yourself can boost your confidence and provide you with the skills needed to protect yourself in real-life situations.
Knowing to fight will give you a certain feeling of assurance you can’t get anywhere else. Feeling defenseless is something we all tend to experience. However, once you know deep down you can defend yourself assuming something goes wrong, you’ll be more equipped mentally and physically.
I want you to watch the video above and see for yourself the aggressiveness and fearlessness that both of these fighters have. By the way, on the left is Rodtang, one of the more feared Muay Thai fighters globally.
Anyways, the point is that if you begin training in Muay Thai, there’ll be nothing stopping you from becoming a fierce, feared fighter. You’ll learn to strike powerfully and defend yourself effectively.
If you want to begin your Thai Boxing journey, I wrote a complete guide to Muay Thai that you should definitely be eager to learn if you’re serious about your training!
Final Words
That’s it for the nine best benefits of consistent Muay Thai training. Of course, the more and harder you train, the more likely you are to experience these benefits on a long enough time scale.
So you can’t expect to learn to fight or your stress levels to lower if you’re not keeping up with your training schedule. You must put in actual effort to make these benefits show up.
But the good news is that most people will never put in the work it takes. You, however, are already better off, as you know what to expect.
Here are other articles you’d enjoy reading:
The Beginner’s Guide to Training Muay Thai at Home