When most people think of martial arts they think of performers like Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Wesley Snipes, and others up on the big screen kicking serious ass, defeating the bad guys and saving the day. For those who follow martial arts as a competitive sport, the 2016 Rio Olympics featured both Judo and Tae Kwon Do, while champions for a variety of martial arts take place annually. If you are training for MMA, Muay Thai is practically the 101 level course. However, martial arts are valuable whether you are learning to fight or not.
Mental and Physical Health
There are a lot of different benefits to learning Muay Thai, and they are not just physical. Did you know that martial arts, including Muay Thai, can help with your mental health as well? Let’s take a look at these different benefits and how they can make you look and feel better.
Cardiovascular: there has long been a debate on which is better for your health – specifically targeted cardiovascular training or strength training. Why not have both, because exercise is the best thing for your heart. The most important benefit of exercise is that it helps to keep your cardiovascular system – your heart, veins, and arteries – in good condition. Shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue are symptoms of a cardiovascular system that is weakening, and may even be subject to a heart attack. A stronger cardiovascular system can also help to reduce the risk of stroke, atherosclerosis, venous insufficiency, and other ailments. Ideally, you should get 30 minutes of exercise four days out of seven.
Losing Weight and Muscle Tone: It’s not so much losing weight as it is losing fat. A pound of fat and a pound of muscle undoubtedly way the same, but the simple fact is that fat is “fluffy” where muscle is compact, denser, and organized. To compare, one pound of fat is about the size of a grapefruit while one pound of muscle would be about the size of a tangerine. Building lean muscle helps to improve metabolism and improve the body’s ability to metabolize fat.
Faster Reflexes: Everyone knows that in order to be successful in martial arts, you need to have good reflexes and training Muay Thai is no different. As you progress from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced you’ll find that your reflexes get faster as you learn more. But did you know that this improvement will help you in other areas of your life including driving? Your reflexes can help to keep you from falling, help you to avoid danger, and help others out of danger, too.
Mental Health: Exercise has proven to have a positive mental and psychological effect after training, but those who train in martial arts for sport have a higher self-esteem and confidence that has even been noted by such institutions as West Point. Self-confidence is a simple belief that you can successfully commit to an action and carry it through. This is not just an advantage in the ring or at the dojo, but in every part of your life.
Deep Dive Learning
Whether you have tried more than a few beginners’ classes in Muay Thai, or if you are an advanced student, or even considering going pro, taking a deep dive into learning Muay Thai in Thailand can be a great experience for you. Bangkok Muay Thai schools put you in the heart of the big city where you can mix and mingle with other students and the Thai people, learn a new language, and expand your horizons. Thailand is the home of Muay Thai, and there are many practitioners from very young children to very old people who take training Muay Thai very seriously as part of their mental and physical well-being. Taking a vacation to Thailand and making a Bangkok Muay Thai school a part of your travels is a good way to gain a deeper understanding of the sport, improve your physical fitness and mental outlook, or improve your skills.
Take a Chance
There’s a whole new world out there awaiting you, and a vibrant expatriate community from both America and the UK. You won’t feel like a stranger in a strange land, and you might just feel right at home as you learn alongside people who feel the same way about Muay Thai as you do. Whether it’s just for a short vacation of a couple of weeks, or a longer immersion of months or even a year, you will find that you will have more confidence in yourself and your skills for the time spent training in Bangkok. Who knows where this confidence will take you in your lifetime, or how it will affect your outlook on life. It can be more than just a learning experience, it can be an actual turning point.
