Mind Training in Muay Thai

Whilst maintaining a peak level of physical fitness is one of the most important aspects of a Muay Thai fighters training, it is also important that Muay Thai fighters focus on the training aspect of their mind set as well. Muay Thai is a full contact Mixed Martial Art that can appear daunting to any newcomer or trainee fighter due to the close-combat techniques used and the prospect of real, physical injury, as such, many Muay Thai fighters need to ensure that they are in the right state of mind before stepping into the fighting ring, and that they are focused in order to win against their opponent effectively.

Ensuring that fighters are in the right frame of mind before stepping into any fighting ring is an essential element in any Muay Thai fighters career, as a weak mind set that is anxious or worried could allow an opponent to swiftly attack whilst the fighter is off guard causing injury to the fighter himself, or subsequently losing a Muay Thai fight. Unfocused and unprepared Muay Thai fighters are known to not succeed as well in the ring as more focused and confident Muay Thai fighters that have dedicated time to effective mind set and mental state training.

The journey of mental training begins when fighters first prepare for their beginners Muay Thai fighting training, it is important at this point that fighters work on positively changing their mind set and mental state to achieve the free flowing state required for fast paced, intense Muay Thai training. At the beginning of any fighters training, they should be within an open mind set, willing to learn the unique techniques and methodology of Muay Thai without questioning or doubting your ability at any time. Learning not to doubt your own ability throughout your Muay Thai training is one of the most important aspects of training successfully, being confident in your own personal ability and having assurance that you’re training effectively, working hard and to the best of your own ability is key to succeeding in anything, especially Muay Thai.

As a fighters Muay Thai training begins to progress, fighters may find that their mind set and mental training may need to be changed in order to cope with the demands of fighting within a professional ring against another professional fighter. Any fighters first professional fight will always be one of the most terrifying points of their life, and as such, fighters may begin to doubt themselves, their ability and their skill before entering the ring, it is often at this point, that the fighters who have not adequately prepared their mind set for the oncoming fight and subsequently not won the internal battle of doubt and confidence, fall at the hurdle and end their fighting career on a low due to having a weak mind set and lack of self belief. Fighters that have prepared their mind set efficiently and have won the internal battle with themselves, believing in their ability and portraying their confidence, will step into the ring in the right state of mind and subsequently, have a better chance of winning professional fights and overpowering their opponents.

Mental training is just as important as physical training in Muay Thai due to the nature of the sport and the vigorous training regimes. If fighters are not willing to prepare their mind effectively for the gruelling training sessions to come and the feeling of stepping into a ring for the first time for real, fighters won’t succeed in Muay Thai due to a lack of self belief, confidence and dedication to preparing themselves both physically and mentally for Muay Thai training.

Some of the ways that fighters improve their mind set and their mental state during and after intense Muay Thai training is simply through meditation. Meditation is available in many forms today in the modern world and is popular amongst thousands as a way of focusing your mind and achieving results from mind set training as well. Meditation is an extremely useful mind set training tool to utilize as a Muay Thai fighter, as by directing your focus, moving away from the anxious thoughts and negative energy you feel, you can achieve a state of self belief and motivation to succeed in your sport as a confident Muay Thai fighter.

One of the most popular forms of meditation for Muay Thai fighters is the simple ‘Body and Breath’ exercise, like with all meditation forms, this form specifically requires fighters to focus on their body and the natural movements within it and subsequently focus their mind to concentrate on these parts of the body without naturally wandering to other thoughts, whether they be negative or otherwise. This important meditation practice is crucial in a Muay Thai fighters career, not only offering fighters a moment to take clarity on their Muay Thai training but also to learn what it means to focus and then reflect that focus on overpowering an opponent when fighting for real in the ring.

Whilst meditation plays an elementary role in Muay Thai mind training, there are also other techniques that Muay Thai fighters rely on to help enhance their focus, clear their mind and give clarity on their fighting abilities. One of these common techniques sounds simple but has been shown to be highly effective within Muay Thai fighters and this technique is basic visualisation. It is widely believed and been proven to show effectiveness throughout Muay Thai fighters that visualising the entire fight in your head is an efficient way to remove some of the anxiety, stress and worry fighters feel before a professional Muay Thai fight. Widely recommended by professional fighters themselves as well as leading sports psychologists and other registered individuals, fight visualisation can not only only help fighters shift some of the anxiety they feel before professional fights but also allow fighters to think clearly about what striking and defensive techniques they’d like to use throughout the fight, allowing for enhanced clarity and focus during the actual fight itself. Visualisation, whilst it can be thought of as a different style of Meditation technique, is most effective when it is detailed and practised numerous times throughout several different scenarios, this level of visualisation and its diversity can allow fighters to visualise themselves in different conflicts, and then visualise themselves getting out of those conflicts using the different striking and counter-strike techniques fighters have learned throughout their training.

Both meditation and visualisation techniques can prove effective in any Muay Thai fighters mind set training, offering clarity, focus and relief from the mental strain and difficulties that can come with the intense regime of Muay Thai training and fighting. Whilst both of these techniques are efficient and widely relied on by Muay Thai fighters to help improve their mental state, one of the most effective techniques used throughout mental Muay Thai training is learning to be comfortable and content with whatever the result may be from a professional fight. It is widely known that fighters who are anxious or concerned about their fighting performance before going into the Muay Thai ring are less successful than those who are confident in their ability, and confident in themselves whatever the outcome of the fight may be. By learning to become complacent with a loss in the Muay Thai fighting ring and then having the ability to use that complacency to reflect on the loss and then develop further within your Muay Thai fighting skills, fighters can enhance their performances and turn losses into multiple wins that are a reflection of the fighters dedication and commitment to succeeding in their Muay Thai training.

Efficient Muay Thai mind training techniques are not simple methods that can be taken in one day and applied quickly to achieve fast results, they are techniques that require commitment and practice in order to benefit a fighter effectively. As a Muay Thai fighter, mind training is a consistent practice throughout any stage of Muay Thai training and can be just as effective as physical training in giving a fighter focus, clarity and confidence in their ability to fight. This mind set managing is a prime element in any Muay Thai fighters training from the beginning to the end, offering fighters not only a way to escape from the gruelling training regimes that are present in Muay Thai, but also a way for fighters to enhance their techniques, hone their skills and clarify and clear their negative issues before stepping into the Muay Thai fighting ring.