Combat sports are a guys’ thing, right? Well, not so fast… Judging
by what’s going down at my muaythai camp and others, I can confirm that women
are getting into Muay Thai big time. After all, for ladies looking to “jazz” up
their lives, what could be better than a couple of Muay Thai workouts each week
to achieve your personal fitness, wellness and combat training goals?
What does Muay Thai offer women? Whether the goal is weight
loss, cardiovascular endurance, or better overall strength, women now have
better options to consider than the usual “boring” aerobics and group fitness
classes offered at the local gym. Even if you don’t want to become a professional
Muay Thai fighter, consider what top-notch, personalized or group Muay Thai
training has to offer:
• Improved physical health and conditioning.
• Better stress management to tackle day-day living.
• More effective self-defense techniques.
• More energy.
• Increased self-discipline and motivation.
• Improved mental health.
and much, much more…
Why women (wrongly) resist going into Muay Thai. When it
comes to physical activities like Muay Thai training, some females are
understandably skeptical:
• Won’t all that kicking and punching hurt me and make me
too masculine?
• Doesn’t all that cardio and resistance training make women
too muscular?
• I really don’t want a six-pack, but I’ll get one anyway
with Muay Thai, right?
This fear and apprehension is understandable to some extent,
but completely misguided. Muay Thai training is designed to make you stronger
and develop your core without getting overly big and bulky. In many ways, women
are better suited for Muay Thai than guys, because the skills and strategies
you learn are designed for the smaller and supposedly “weaker” opponent.
And after all, what’s wrong with an equal playing field? Muay
Thai will improve your overall flexibility and reflexes, and help you focus and
concentrate better at home, work, and play. General Health and Wellness versus
Professional Muay Thai fighting.
However, very few women have the desire to become
professional Muay Thai fighters. For those who follow that path,
congratulations! You will have no regrets as you pursue your dreams. On the
other hand, ladies who have more general lifestyle goals can also find
fulfillment if they:
1. Find a well-qualified Muay Thai trainer and mentor
willing to introduce them to the proper mindset and methodology of the sport.
It might be intimidating to join a male-dominated group class or team right off
the bat, so begin with personal lessons.
2. Don’t settle for the first gym you run across offering
Muay Thai courses. Some will be more “female-friendly” than others. Look for
academies that have other women students, women coaches, and positive feedback
from past and current members. Look for women-specific bootcamps that give you
a weekend or one week to get your feet wet before making a commitment to the
sport.
I’ll leave you with a quote from former Muay Thai and
kickboxing champion Melissa Misiuda that best sums up Muay Thai’s appeal and
attraction for women:
The sport is more about physical well-being than about
weight loss. It’s not about starving yourself; it’s not about becoming ripped.
It’s about becoming healthy, more happy with yourself, with your body
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