Muay Thai Series: Strength and Power Development
Provided to you by Jason Lau
8-10 min read
This is the continuation of a three-part Muay Thai Series. If you have not already read Part One, Muay Thai Series: Skill and Physiological Demand click here.
In the previous part of this series, we discussed the physiological demands shown in the sport of Muay Thai. By identifying the energy systems, muscle groups used and velocities seen within the sport, we can better address a fighter’s Strength & Conditioning (S&C) program by adapting a Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approach(1) to meet the athlete’s training age with the sport-specific demands.
Although Muay Thai skill sessions already has physical exercises implemented, primarily at the end of class and is in the form of bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats and various abdominal focused exercise variations). This is derived from traditional training that contributes to the fighter’s muscular hypertrophy, development in key muscle groups, enhance muscular endurance, and promote joint and tendon robustness(2). However, these exercises alone fail to address certain developmental qualities essential for maximizing a Muay Thai fighter's physical capabilities, such as strength and Maximal Force Development (MFD)(3), as well as Rate of Force Development (RFD)(4). By addressing areas like MFD, as well as RFD, we can optimize the fighter's S&C program and help them reach their full potential in Muay Thai.
S&C is categorized as supplemental training but it is a necessary supplement.
Disclaimer: While focusing on skill and technique development is paramount for fighters in their training, it is important to acknowledge the significance of physical attributes in Muay Thai. Factors such as impact stiffness, core rotational ability, ground reaction force, arm swing, and hip rotation play a vital role in the effectiveness of punches and kicks. Therefore, optimizing technique is crucial to fully harness the benefits of enhanced physical prowess and ensure efficient force transfer.
Below, I've outlined key training principles and exercise modalities essential for a Strength & Conditioning (S&C) program for Muay Thai fighters. By integrating these principles and focusing on the development of specific physical qualities, fighters can reduce the risk of injuries, enhance explosiveness, and achieve greater punching and kicking power, speed, and strength(5).
Stimulate, Don’t Annihilate
The misconception that weightlifting hinders a fighter's performance by causing soreness, bulkiness, stiffness, and reduced speed has discouraged many Muay Thai athletes from incorporating S&C training into their routines. There is also a fear that gaining muscle mass and moving into a higher weight class will diminish their competitive advantage. However, these concerns are unfounded and often arise from poor volume and load management.
It's important to note that a S&C session doesn't have to be overly taxing to bring about improvements for the fighter. In fact, excessive fatigue can impede skill development. While managing volume and intensity may be challenging during skill or sparring sessions, it is possible to carefully manage the load and intensity of S&C sessions to prevent burnout.
By debunking these misconceptions and implementing proper volume and load management, fighters can experience the benefits of S&C training without compromising their performance in Muay Thai. It is crucial to strike a balance that allows for skill development while optimizing the load and intensity of S&C sessions to avoid excessive strain on the fighter.
Many athletes lack the approach to Strength & Conditioning. More is not always better.
the Low Hanging Fruit
When it comes to optimizing S&C training for Muay Thai fighters, it is beneficial to prioritize strength development as it is the simplest approach with great return on investment when done correctly. This serves as a fundamental component for enhancing force production and improving the body's ability to withstand the demands of the sport. By building a strong physical foundation, fighters can effectively express their strength explosively while increasing the body’s tolerance to external or repetitive strain from practice.
To start, incorporating general compound strength exercises is recommended. Exercises such as squats, trap bar deadlifts, and variations of pressing and rowing target multiple muscle groups and allow for maximum weight loading. While these exercises may not directly mimic the specific movements of Muay Thai, they play a crucial role in developing strength in key muscle groups utilized for kicking, punching, clinching, and sweeping.
By focusing on strength development through compound exercises, Muay Thai fighters can establish a solid foundation, enhance their overall performance, and reduce the likelihood of injuries.
Lift Fast, Move Fast
Incorporating plyometric(6) and ballistic(7) exercises into a Muay Thai fighter's S&C program can greatly enhance their Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC)(8) and RFD qualities. These exercises closely mimic the velocities and muscular contraction speeds found in Muay Thai techniques, making them highly specific for fighters.
By focusing on SSC and RFD, fighters can develop tendon stiffness, improve their ability to generate movement at high velocities, and minimize ground contact times. This results in a more explosive execution of kicks, checks, and punches throughout the duration of their bouts. The increased "spring" in their step contributes to their overall performance and enables them to deliver powerful strikes with greater efficiency.
Incorporating plyometric and ballistic exercises tailored to Muay Thai can be a game-changer for fighters, enhancing their explosiveness and optimizing their performance in the ring.
Exercise Progressions for Muay Thai
For these exercise progression for Muay Thai, we will separate each progression into strength-, plyometric- and ballistic-based categories. Within each category, we take inspiration from Dr. Bondarchuk’s exercise categorization, a system that identifies how specific to the sport the exercise is and when it should be implemented within an athlete’s program in accordance to their competition date.
(Read the section “Why not be Specific From the Start?” in my previous article “Approaching Golf S&C” for more regarding general to specific exercises here).
Strength-Based Progression
Progression #1 - Prowler Push/Prowler Lunge
A general exercise where the focus is to strengthen the lower limbs. This is in no way specific other than in running focused sports. However, this is an exercise that requires little skill to perform while providing the strength stimulus required.
Progression #2 - Barbell Zercher Squat and Barbell Front Squat
An anterior-loaded squat movement which targets the lower limb strength required for most skills shown in Muay Thai. Because this is a barbell movement, fighters can maximize the total load on the bar, achieving higher force outputs. The reason why some fighters may prefer Zercher Squats over a Front Squat is due to the lower technical demand and wrist mobility requirement.
Progression #3 - Staggered Stance Speed Zercher Squat
An exercise that takes a similar fighting stance and muscular contraction velocities shown in the combat sport into account. These squats also capitalize on the fighter’s strongest range of motion.
Plyometric-Based Progression
Progression #1 - Multidirectional Staggered Stance Pogos
Similar to skipping, pogos build the ankle complex through plyometric means. This exercise focuses on landing stiff, focuses largely on the short ground contact times and develops the SSC.
Progression #2 - Plyometric Checks
Plyometric Checks combines both the plyometric component with a slight technical skill demand into the exercise. This exercise requires both uni- and bilateral variations of a pogo with the addition of including checks seen in kickboxing.
Progression #3 - Extensive Speed kicks
Arguably the most specific exercise of the progression, this is a technical skill that is plyometric in nature. Both the pivoting leg and kicking leg has a plyometric-like effect when performing speed kicks in concession.
Ballistic-Based Progression
Progression #1 - Alternating MB Rotational Toss and 180 MB Rotational Toss
The focus of these exercises is to obtain the ability to produce force utilizing the ground and the rotation of the torso whether it be alternating from one side to another or the ability to generate force throughout the athlete’s full rotational ability.
Progression #2 - Fighting Stance MB Rotational Toss and MB Punch
This is a ballistic exercise with an addition to both the fighter stance and rhythm shown in Muay Thai. The ability to generate force through the rear leg and rotation while the direction of force shown is similar to punching.
Progression #3 - MB Punch + Punch Combination
A ballistic exercise variation that combines a short punching combination immediately afterwards. The MB Punch can be considered as a potentiation exercise which utilizes most of the major components found in punching mechanics (ground reaction force, hip extension and torso rotation) for the combination that follows. I recommend that fighters pause and recompose themselves after the ballistic portion to make sure that their punches can be performed at the utmost technical proficiency.
Programming Suggestions
Implementing a S&C regimen can be confusing and may be difficult without guidance. For the plyometric- and ballistic-based exercises, I recommend that fighters looking to incorporate these exercises to program from 2-3 sets x 4-10 repetitions performed at a low intensity to start ensure each exercise is perform adequately. Overtime, as the fighter jumps from one progression to another, they can either increase volume, increase intensity or velocity of the exercise within each set while adhering to the training principles previously mentioned. When one is looking to increase intensity and/or velocity, the volume should decrease and intent of execution should be prioritized. As for the strength-based exercises, from 2-4 sets x 3-6 repetitions starting to a low-intensity, high-repetition to high-intensity, low-repetition and finally low-intensity, high-velocity for the final progression.
To optimize the effectiveness of plyometric- and ballistic-based exercises, it is crucial to schedule them at the start of your S&C session, when the athlete is in a fresh state and separate from their skill training. These exercises are highly demanding and fatigable, so it is recommended to perform them early on to maximize their impact.
IN PART Three OF THIS THREE PART SERIES, I WILL COVER MUAY THAI General to Sport-Specific Conditioning.
If you have not read Part One - Exploring the Skill and Physiological Demands, click here
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(1) An approach popularized by Mladen Jovanovic and highlighted in his book “Strength Training Manual - The Agile Periodization Approach Vol 1 &2.” I also highlight this in my Agile Periodization series here.
(2) Robustness is building tolerance to high levels of stress through high-repetition, low-intensity exercise means. It is often referred to as “bulletproofing” or “armor building” joint areas susceptible to injuries in sport
(3) Strength training translates into the ability to produce force. The stronger the fighter’s physical body is, the greater ability the fighter’s body has to produce higher forces and tolerate the forces placed upon it from the sport.
(4) RFD is the measurement of explosive strength or how quickly an athlete is able to develop force within a given time frame whether it be from a deadstop position or preloaded through a counter-movement.
(5) “Hey Alexa, play ‘Stronger by Kanye West’”
(6) Plyometrics are explosive exercises that that utilize the SSC (8) to produce force in a short period of time such as continuous jumps (bodyweight, assisted or weighted).
(7) Ballistics are exercises performed in an explosive manner without the need of deceleration in the movement.
(8) The Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC); the ability in which the body in placed into a preloaded position through a counter-movement, stores and transfers energy through tendon and muscle groups commonly compared to as a spring mechanism.