Muay Thai is a vigorous activity. But for some, it can be even more tasking during their menstrual cycle. Some effects of the processes within the cycle may hinder athletic performance. It’s also quite possible that there are many that cope with the symptoms much better than their counterparts.
There are many aspects to becoming more serious about Muay Thai that are non-negotiable to most coaches. The one that has been talked about by all, dreaded by many, yet tried-and-true, is running. At the top of the Muay Thai pyramid, professional fighters in Thailand do long runs every morning, and have been for decades. It seems like anyone who is to be taken seriously in the sport needs to run a lot, or, at the very least, is expected to at some point.
However, what if there could be a median between the light, playful technique-based Thai style of sparring, and the powerful, fast-paced Dutch style of sparring? Some say that there’s a time a place for hard sparring and that it can be worked into any regimen. However, it can also be argued that it’s more about the people you choose to do this with (and less about a forced environment). Controlled hard sparring and hard clinching with the right people can bring you the best of both worlds – the impeccable timing of the Thais and fearsome shots of the Dutch.
