If you become a fan of Muay Thai in the late 30s or 40s, then you probably wonder whether it is too late to start. A younger fighter is ready to train hard and put his body on fire every day, but a middle-aged or older fighter will have a hard time getting into the spirit of things. The surround might say that Muay Thai fighters who started late are lunatics. Maybe you’ll have to deal with the lack of support.
But listen to your mind and body. It is never late to start your Muay Thai voyage. Maybe you won’t take part in the World Championship, but this lovely ancient martial art brings a lot of benefits to your mind and body. Don’t underestimate the mental power of Thai boxing. Read this article to discover the magical tips that will help you progress in this ancient Siamese martial art even when you start training in the 4th or 5th decade of your life.
Table of Contents
Age Risks – Am I Too Old For Muay Thai?
It is a very often question. I’ll be honest with you – even if you talk about your Muay Thai plans with your best friend, he/she might try to discourage you. Your body tolerates way more stress at 20-25 years of age, plus you’re probably working 9-5. When the evening comes, either your friends are too tired to hang out with you, either they want to spend time with their families.
When you’re in the prime of your life, you shouldn’t wonder whether you’re too old to train, but Muay Thai fighters who started late will have to deal with two major concerns:
- Is Muay Thai dangerous for his/her health?
- Is Muay Thai physically demanding?
Well, I am not gonna lie to you. Physically, Muay Thai is one of the most difficult martial arts, especially if you plan to compete. Shin-to-shin collisions, punches/kicks/elbows to the head, sore knuckles, pushing your body to the limit, difficult rounds… well, I could discuss challenging sides of Muay Thai all day long. But let’s stop now.
The point is the phrase “competitive martial art”. If you don’t plan to take part in the competitions, you can train the ancient Siamese martial art for health and fitness purposes. Yeah, that’s true. You can work on your cardio, weight loss, you can have fun. Challenge yourself in hitting/kicking pads, movement, shadowboxing, ducking… put your body on fire.
When you plan to compete, the prime of your life is way better than the middle age for numerous reasons – it is easier to deal stress, your injuries heal faster, you can handle more damage, stamina/cardio level is better, quickness and speed are way better, you can focus on the training session and substitute 9-5 time at your work (in many cases), you don’t have to worry about kids or your potential health problems… But Muay Thai fighters who started late can train for recreational purposes too. Be aware of your abilities and enjoy your life. Help yourself, take care!
Muay Thai Benefits
Muay Thai is a fabulous way to change your life. Thai boxing offers a lot of benefits, from meeting new friends to turning your body into the ultimate striking machine. Even if you don’t compete, you can make a change something into your boring every-day schedule. Read on to get to know the ultimate list of benefits:
- Better shape – a sedentary person will remember the first Muay Thai training session for life: wobbly legs, shin bruises, random aches, sore knuckles… But look at the bright side, your whole body took part in an amazing workout. Repeat it two or three times per week and you’ll boost your stamina. Sounds great, isn’t it?
- Getting to know new people – you’ll train a dojo, which means you’ll spend time with at least 10 people with the same interests. Muay Thai is a good way to start the discussion. Talk to your teammates, there are many different topics.
- Better physical look – Muay Thai is a high-intense training session that burns a lot of calories, especially when you take part in an interval workout. Every single muscle in your body is going to work, and some parts of your body, especially arms, might look jacked like never before.
- You will learn to defend yourself – Perhaps you’ve been attacked or bullied in the past. Yet, Muay Thai fighters who started late can turn over a new leaf too. Make a fresh start, change your conduct for the better. If you know to protect yourself, it can be beneficial. Maybe you’ll have to fight for your life, there are many robbers and thugs. You live in a dangerous world.
- More mental strength – More training sessions will lead to a powerful mind and better productivity at work. Let me ask you a question. Do you work properly when somebody stresses you over and over? The answer is no, right? Hard training sessions make the stress go away, which leads to a stronger mind.
- Less negative energy – Negative people are very unhappy with their lives, and they will probably try to cure their frustrations on other people. But if they are frustrated with their lives, you don’t have to follow their footsteps. Muay Thai fighters who started late can discover the positive side of their lives. It leads to an endorphin rush and a greater level of happiness. Do not let negativity take over your mind, Muay Thai can turn you into a very positive person.
- You can become a hard-working person – you will acquire work habits, which is outstanding. Lazy people won’t work all day long to pay the bills. But if your brain is ready to battle, that’s awesome. Even toxic bosses prefer hard workers over lazybones who sit at the desk, drink coffee, play video games on their phones, and wait for the end of their shift.
And now, you reached the most important part of this thread – the most important tips for fighters who didn’t kick off the ancient Siamese martial art in the prime of their lives.
7 Most Important Tips To Put Your Training Session To The Next Level
You can be good despite you chose to start training later. These amazing tips will Muay Thai fighters who started late enjoy training sessions and get back into shape swiftly.
Don’t Expect Too Much
Unfortunately, martial arts champions are usually 20-30 years old. It is harder and harder to be the best in the division as time goes by. If you compare 20-year-old and 40-year-old fighter, even when their performances are similar, you’ll see many notable age-related differences in the favor of younger fighter – cardio, injuries, speed, quickness… So I’ll be honest with you – better focus on training for fun and recreational purposes instead of chasing the belt.
When you train to improve conditioning and physical shape, it will consequently lead to better overall condition. It is easier to learn when you’re not dealing with the unnecessary pressure and harsh lifestyle. Even if you work all day long, a Muay Thai workout at the end of the day might renew and recover your energy for the next challenging day at work.
Don’t Train Just In Your Dojo
Younger fighter generally progresses faster. But even if you’re an older one, don’t let your age defeat you. For example, you were having a hard day in the office and you’re too tired to go to the training session, that’s ok.
But there is an alternative for Muay Thai fighters who started late! For example, turn on the YouTube video, train, for example, left hook or right diagonal knee in your home. You don’t need a dojo to work on your skills.
The greatest fighters in the world don’t stop training even under injury. For example, if the arm or fist is hurt, he trains kicks. So you can do something outstanding for your body even when you deal with the lack of time!
Please Warm-Up And Stretch Properly
No, this is not a joke. A fighter in his prime doesn’t have to warm-up every muscle in his body every time. Yeah, he’ll risk an injury, but his muscles are younger and more flexible, which means he is in a better position than you.
So, here is the ultimate secret – you need at least one additional set. If younger fighter did ten head circles, you should perform 12 or 14. Your warm-up lasts longer.
Another example: if a Thai warrior in his prime stretches for 20 seconds, you should stretch at least 25 or 30. You agree with me, do you? If you suffer an injury, you’ll need more time to recover and get back to your daily routine. So please, be careful!
Accept Your Limits
There are some things you simply cannot do. For example, Muay Thai fighters who started late are very sensitive to hard circuits or high-intense training sessions, especially at the beginning of your Muay Thai journey.
A 20-year-old’s heart and your heart cannot tolerate the same amount of fatigue. For example, his maximum heart rate should be around 200 (220 – age), while your value sticks between 170 and 180. It means the younger fighter can handle harder workouts.
Number 2, the younger body can recover faster after a high-intense workout. A professional Muay Thai fighter will go to cryotherapy sessions and it will help him a lot, but you don’t have that possibility. Your day is stacked, so you must go from work to training and vice versa. Just accept the fact that you’ll recover slower and you’re good to go.
Do Not Experiment Too Much
If you get yourself hurt, your recovery time will be way longer, and you won’t be able to go to work and pay your bills. Now listen, I am not trying to scare you, I am just realistic. Maybe you’re a father, and you need money for your kid.
So hypothetically, I am trying to tell you to stay away from kicking bamboo tree or metal objects, because your shins didn’t get used to such collisions. Plus there is another problem – younger fighter can recover from tibia or fibula fracture in 6 months with a good recovery program, while you’ll need at least one year. Who’s going to pay your bills or support you?
Look For Secondary Benefits Of Muay Thai
This is another very important thing. You don’t have to train for a competition, you can train for fun. Yeah, there are so many lovely secondary benefits of the ancient Siamese martial art. Let me elaborate.
You can learn to strike and turn into a perfect skull-crushing machine. The cocky bully or attacker will have a hard time for sure.
You’ll lose your fat and get into the best shape of your life. Sounds great, isn’t it?
If you’re doing a job where you don’t have much interaction with people (for example, sitting at the desk), it is another fantastic benefit. At least you can talk to other humans. It helps you stay positive.
Muay Thai is a fantastic way to battle depression. The high-intense training session clears up your mind and gets you ready for new challenges.
If You Can’t Do Something, Be Patient
Let me give you a perfect example. Muay Thai fighters who started late can’t learn high kicks overnight (just an example). But the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes you need to train more often and perform more repetitions. And remember, you will need at least 8000-10000 repetitions to reach perfection.
Keep training and never lose your faith, time is your greatest ally! It’s about how much you can take and keep moving forward, that’s how you reach perfection!
Conclusion
Muay Thai fighters who started late can enjoy ancient Siamese martial art, but it requires a lot of flexibility and creativity. The brain is better than brawn, don’t you think so?
Train Muay Thai for fun, it has numerous benefits. For example, losing fat or getting into the best shape of your life. Just stay positive, still, waters run deep. Patience is the key. Remember, you don’t train to become the champion, you train to improve your life!
Last Updated on May 21, 2022 by Deni
