So you’ve heard about thai kickboxing or “Muay Thai” many times before but now is your chance. You could have a few fights under your belt or you could be completely new to the sport, If you’re mentality is “I want to start learning Muay Thai in Bangkok,” there are quite a few things you should know first. Muay Thai offers a way for you to become fit or for you to have a competitive advantage if you’re participating in Mixed Martial arts fighting. Regardless of your reason behind learning this ancient Thai martial art, there’s no better place to Learn Muay Thai than in Thailand itself. If you want to understand the origin of the art and catch a glimpse into the history and culture of Muay Thai, the capital city of Bangkok remains as the premiere destination to do so.
Bangkok, the sprawling metropolitan capital of Thailand is typically known for its beautiful ancient temples, vibrant street life, and as being a huge business hub in Southeast Asia. According to World Population Review, the city of Bangkok has a population of 8.5 million people. It remains as the most popular tourist destination in the world, being “the most visited city in the world” in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The people of Bangkok can be described as friendly, charming, and smiling often. Muay Thai in Bangkok is known by all of its in inhabitants and remains as a great form of exercise and entertainment in Thailand. It’s typically considered wonderful that foreigners come to Thailand for learning Muay Thai in Bangkok, according to the locals.
Getting Around
It’s a huge, sprawling metropolis, but the majority of shopping areas are close to each other and easily accessible with public transportation. You have the following options to get around the city:
Taxis — The standard option for most travelers. As long as you know where you’re going, a taxi will most likely take you there. Make sure you always ask for a meter, as a taxi driver will potentially charge you an exorbitant fee to get to your destination.
BTS (Skytrain) — The primary choice of transportation for the locals of Bangkok, the skytrain gets you to most major spots within the city. Siam stop is where the largest shopping malls in Bangkok are located. Asok is considered the business and financial district of Bangkok. Thong Lor has a vibrant nightlife scene and lots of delicious (and pricy) restaurants. Take a look at the map below to get an idea of the stops that are on the BTS. Prices range from 20-50 baht, depending on the distance traveled.
Subway (Bangkok MRT) — The Bangkok subways are an alternative route to get around the city, and to avoid the heat! Known as Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT), it covers most of the Bangkok Metropolitan area. Prices range from 16-42 baht for adults and 8-21 baht for children.
(Below is a map of the MRT and BTS routes. If you want to get to Khongsittha Muay Thai Camp, take the On Nut stop on the BTS and a 15 minute taxi from there.)
Shopping in Bangkok
Bangkok has many shopping options, many food options, a large nightlife scene, and there’s always something new and exciting going on within the city. For someone who is learning Muay Thai in Bangkok, this means there are a ton of distractions to prevent you from getting the most out of your training. It’s important to stay grounded while at camp and stick with the other people training. If at any time you need a question answered, a request, or even a buddy, don’t hesitate to talk with the staff at KST.
How the Weather Affects Muay Thai Training in Bangkok
The weather in Bangkok is generally considered as being hot. The average temperature varies between 30-40 celsius year around. The hottest months are April, May, and June. Thailand has a rainy season that lasts from June to October, where it will rain at least once a day. The dry season, also known as the high season due to the amount of tourists that come during this time, is from November to February.
From a training perspective, it will take four to five days to acclimate to the weather if you’re coming from cooler and/or dryer country. The humidity of Thailand means that sweat will typically stick to your skin, it won’t evaporate as fast to cool your body down and can raise your body temperature. The following tips are going to make your Muay Thai training in Thailand less difficult and more pleasant:
- Drink lot’s of Water — This may seem like a given, but it’s important to stay hydrated, especially in a city like Bangkok, where the heat drags on until the evening. Your body is made up of 60% water, and you will typically lose 3% of your fluids when having a Muay Thai training session. It’s considered an optimal routine to drink 8 ounces while exercising and at least 8 ounces after exercising.
- Avoid Training during the Hottest Part of the Day — While exercising in blaring heat can build up your mental strength, it’s considered unwise and even unhealthy to exercise during the hottest part of the day. If you’re training during this time, overexertion can cause heat stroke and dehydration.
- Maintain Energy by Eating Right and Keeping Snacks — Stick with juicier snacks like fruit. At KST Muay Thai there’s a fruit vendor down the street and you can get most fruits upon request. If you’re training twice a day, consider an energy bar or high calorie snack that will give you more energy.
- Try Not to Drink Too Much Alcohol — You’re in Thailand, you’re doing Muay Thai training in Bangkok, and you’re having a good time. It’s okay to indulge and treat yourself to a beer or three, but binge-drinking can lead to sluggish reaction times the next day, a headache that’s not made any better by the scorching heat, and makes your body more prone to injury.
Eating Healthy While Learning Muay Thai in Bangkok
There is a high probability that your standard eating habits and diet will change significantly when coming to Bangkok to train Muay Thai. As with all types of exercise and training, if you want to see positive results to your technique and your physique, your diet is an integral part of achieving success. Khongsittha will be creating an in-depth blog post taking a look at the best and worst foods to eat while learning Muay Thai in Bangkok, and give you an idea of the nutritional information in the most commonly consumed food in Thailand.
Getting to Thailand
There are hundreds of flights available to Bangkok from all over the world throughout most of the day. Some interesting statistics regarding getting to Bangok:
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