In this day of childhood obesity, parents are always looking for ways to get their teenagers off the couch and getting exercise in a way that is fun and doesn’t feel like work. This is where Thai Boxing comes in. Regardless of your child’s age or skill level, this exciting program will help them in many ways. Your child will develop self-control, confidence, self-discipline, and focus, all while learning valuable self-defense. This workout will increase your child’s strength, stamina, coordination, and stability.

From a cardiovascular standpoint, your child will develop core strength, improve his reflexes, and increase his flexibility. Kids dealing with mental stress find this to be a very positive outlet. Teens will also make friendships with other kids with similar interests. Teenagers are typically dealing with peer pressure and low self-esteem. Learning Thai boxing will help your child to be confident, self-assured, and respectful of others. The main focus of Martial Arts training in general is not just about learning self-defense. It is about perfection of character.

You may be worried that your child will become increasingly violent with his newfound knowledge. Since such emphasis is put on respecting others, bullying is not a result of Martial Arts training. As a matter of fact, kids and teenagers develop more positive social behaviour as a result of their skill. You may also be worried that your child will be injured. Statistics show that your child will more likely be injured playing sports, than in practicing Martial Arts. However, you should make sure that the program in which you enrol your teenager uses safety measures, such as padded floors and that protective equipment is worn during sparring.

Whether your teenager is an introvert or an extrovert, this program can benefit him in many ways. Thai boxing can draw the introvert out of his shyness and bring out his inner “tiger.” The extrovert will find Thai boxing to be an excellent way to channel all his surplus energy. He will become calmer and more composed now that he has a healthy outlet in which to compete with others. The bottom line is this: your child will come out of the program a healthier, more rounded individual that you can be very proud of. He will be more prepared to face the future with the skills and knowledge that he has obtained here.

Traditional Thai boxing goes back hundreds of years and has been an important part of the country’s history. Many people are surprised that Thais, a notoriously peaceful people, excel at this beautifully brutal sport. The reason they do so is that for hundreds of years the survival of their nation depended on it.With the interest in Muay Thai growing fast, martial-art schools in Europe, America and Asia have added it to their curricula. To learn it well, the player should know some basics of Muay Thai.

Muay Thai is fought in five three-minute rounds with two-minute breaks in between. The fight is preceded by a wai khru dance, in which each contestant pays homage to his teachers. Besides the symbolic meaning, the dance is a good warm-up exercise. You will notice that each boxer wears a headband and armbands. The headband, called mongkhol, is believed to bestow luck to the wearer since it has been blessed by a monk or the boxer’s own teacher. Since Buddhism and the teacher play important roles in the life of Thais, the headband is both a lucky charm and a spiritual object. It will be removed after the wai khru dance, and only by the boxer’s trainer. The armbands, meanwhile, are believed to offer protection and are only removed when the fight has ended.

A match is decided by a knockout or by points. Three judges decide who carries the round and the one who wins the most rounds, win the fight. The referee plays a very important role, since boxer’s safety depends on his decision.To one side of the ring is the band section, comprising a Javanese clarinet, drums and cymbals. They accompany the fight from the homage dance to the conclusion. The tempo goes up as the action inside the ring intensifies. The musicians are mostly old-timers who have seen just about anything, yet their music always makes the heart race faster. It is said that the tune is a siren song that the true Muay Thai devotee can never resist.

Equipment that is necessary for Muay Thai matches must be provided by the stadium. There are a stopwatch, a signal gong, a warning bell, and boxing gloves of various sizes according to the rules, equipment to provide water for boxers, and other additional personal accessories for boxers who have not prepared their own such as boxing shorts in red or blue, jock straps, surgical tape, or sacred cords. Thai boxing can be classified into two major types, the first is muay lak which puts the emphasis on caution and patience, and is very rare nowadays. The second is muay kiew which is full of tricks and feints performed to catch the opponent off guard.