Muay Thai is a martial art that is currently popular among young people. Not only to protect yourself, the benefits of Muay Thai for body health are also not small, from losing weight to maintaining heart health.
Muay Thai is a martial arts sport from Thailand that relies on upper attacks through punches and kicks. Muay Thai also uses a lot of locking techniques around the opponent's head (clinching).
At first glance, Muay Thai may be almost similar to kickboxing. The different is kickboxing can only use hands and feet. Meanwhile, Muay Thai also allows attacks using the elbows and knees, in addition to the hands and feet.
Benefits of Muay Thai for Body Health
Muay Thai is classified as a high-intensity exercise, so it is effective for burning calories and losing weight. The number of calories that can be burned while doing this exercise is around 350-500 calories per hour. This amount is almost equivalent to the number of calories contained in a bowl of ramen noodles.
If done regularly, there are other Muay Thai benefits that you can also get, including:
1. Improve heart and blood vessel health
High-intensity exercise, such as Muay Thai, can improve blood flow and stimulate the body to pump more blood throughout the body. These benefits make Muay Thai a good sport for heart and blood vessel health.
2. Strengthen muscles and maintain balance
Movements in Muay Thai can strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower body. In addition, the speed of movement in this martial art can also improve flexibility, balance, reflexes, and body coordination.
3. Maintain mental health
The punching and kicking movements in Muay Thai are effective for relieving stress and frustration. In addition, this exercise can also stimulate the production of endorphins that can improve mood and even relieve pain, stress, and anxiety.
Not only that, Muay Thai can also be a means to socialize with friends or your coach, so you don't feel lonely.
4. Improve sleep quality
After exercising, your body will feel tired, but you can relax more so that it is easier for you to fall asleep. This condition makes it easier for you to get quality sleep, especially if you have sleep disorders.
Not only that, sports like Muay Thai also drain a lot of energy, thus encouraging you to rest more to restore your body's energy.
Muay Thai Practice Safe Tips
Muay Thai is a type of fighting sport, so the risk of injury is quite high. Injuries that usually occur when doing this sport are sprains, both in the shoulder, back, hip, knee, and ankle areas.
To prevent injury during Muay Thai practice, there are several tips you can do, including:
- Warm up properly before training.
- Start with a low intensity workout, then increase it gradually.
- Make sure the exercises are done under the guidance of a professional trainer.
- Use body armor, such as boxing gloves, head protection, knee pads, and mouth guards, during sparring sessions with opponents (sparring).
- Make sure the body's fluid needs are always adequate during exercise.
- Close the training session with a cool down.
To reap the benefits of Muay Thai, practice at least 1-2 times a week for approximately 45-60 minutes.
If you suffer from certain medical conditions or illnesses, it is best to consult your doctor before starting a Muay Thai training session. This is important so that you can get the maximum benefit and avoid injury or other health problems while doing the sport.