Easily, the best thing about coming over to Thailand for a training trip is being able to focus on just training. Many people want to make the trip to the motherland of Muay Thai for the experience and to up their game, but it can be a shock to the system. To be immersed in a lifestyle that’s just focused around Muay Thai (and nothing else) is a nice change, but it is a drastic change.
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Contents:
- Training Schedule of Most Camps
- Volume of Training
- So…is it Necessary?
- The Experience of Training “Thai Style”
Training Schedule of Most Camps
A typical Thai-camp training schedule looks like:
- Long run in the morning followed by a Muay Thai session that’s relatively light
- Short run or skipping rope in the afternoon followed by a Muay Thai session that’s relatively hard
- Done Monday-Saturday, no training Sundays
Both sessions together could mean training for 5+ hours in one day!
One of the main reasons why people might consider training twice a day is to try and get an edge in their training and improve their skills and fitness levels more quickly. Do as the pros do, right?
Volume of Training
That sounds exciting, but in reality, the volume of training is a huge stretch for most people. Due to the structure of Muay Thai classes and lifestyle outside of Thailand, a majority of people just can’t dedicate that much time to training when they’re in their home country. Most people consider themselves lucky if they can make it to training just a few times a week given their busy schedules.
Most people don’t even make it to a Muay Thai class everyday, much less train twice a day before arriving in Thailand! Therefore, it’s really important to know how to pace yourself based on your current fitness and Muay Thai experience. Not doing so could lead to you getting burnt out, injured, sick, overtrained, etc.
So… is it Necessary?
Now to answer the question: is it important to train twice a day? The answer is: it depends. It’s somewhat complex and depends on various factors, including your current fitness levels, goals, and lifestyle.
Suddenly training twice a day when you’re used to training twice a week can quickly lead to overtraining, which can be detrimental to both physical and mental health. Overtraining can lead to injuries, fatigue, and burnout, which can significantly impact your progress and goals.
Someone who is relatively new to the sport or doesn’t have a strong fitness base may struggle with training twice a day, and it may be more beneficial for them to focus on building up their fitness levels and technique before considering additional training sessions. This is something to consider getting a headstart on before arriving in Thailand for a training trip, if possible.
On the other hand, experienced fighters who have a good level of fitness may benefit from training twice a day, taking advantage of every opportunity to train with high-level coaches and fighters…provided they listen to their body to avoid overtraining and sickness.
The Experience of Training “Thai Style”
Of course there is so much excitement of arriving in Thailand and wanting to do EVERYTHING the way the pro fighters do. If it’s your intention to train as much as you can to get the “full experience”, go for it. Just know that the more training you do, the more rest you will have to take – so also a good idea to put the partying, sightseeing, and other things “on hold” if you’re planning on just jumping in.
Whether or not it’s important to train twice a day in Muay Thai depends on the individual’s goals, fitness levels, and experience. While training twice a day can be beneficial in certain situations, it’s important to avoid overtraining and focus on the quality of the training. As with all things in life, balance is key.
[I speak about this subject more in depth in a podcast episode]
[I also made a short video answering this question on Instagram:]
