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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
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putting it up on a blog post)
The information provided within this eBook is for general informational purposes only. There are no
representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability,
suitability or availability with respect to the information contained in this eBook for any purpose. Any
use of this information is at your own risk.
Like any sport involving physical contact, Muay Thai poses inherent risk. The author advises readers to
take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the skills and strategies
described in this book, be sure you are comfortable with sparring, have a supervision of a trainer, and do
not take risks beyond your level of experience or comfort level.
This book was written from years of experience in the ring and training in Thailand. The views and
opinions expressed in this eBook are written from the author, Stephen Kong.
For permission requests, emails may be sent to: stephen@muaythaipros.com
Copyright 2015 by Stephen Kong

Introduction
When it comes to achieving success in Muay Thai there are a few core principles that can help
you. No matter how much research and analysis you do, the only way you can get better is to
train with the purpose of improving.
To become good at Muay Thai you need to dedicate yourself to the sport. The more hours you
put into your training and development, the faster you will make improvements.
While there is no substitute for a good coach, there are certain things you can do to ensure you
are developing good technique. Even if you dont have access to a top notch training
environment, you can make big improvements with the right attitude and willingness to learn.
The rise of the all-in-one MMA/Muay Thai Gyms have resulted in a lot of people who know
Muay Thai, without actually knowing what real Muay Thai is. Most people get their Muay
Thai source from the standup guys in MMA, who have a completely different style and
movement than traditional Muay Thai.
People who are training in these gym environments often lack technical knowledge of the sport
because they have never been taught good technique.
You have to think of your Muay Thai journey as your personal business. The only person who is
responsible for your business success is you. While your coach is there to help guide you along
the way, it is up to you to ensure you implement everything you are taught.
By taking an active approach to learning, you will continually develop into a better Nak Muay
and make huge strides in your overall development.

What You Can Expect From This Guide

This guide outlines specific factors that play an important role in the development of any
successful Muay Thai fighter. Whether or not you have aspirations to be a top level fighter,
there are universal principles that can be applied to everyone.
This guide is designed to provide an overview of some core concepts that can help take your
Muay Thai game to the next level. Hopefully, you are already familiar with some of these
concepts.

No matter how good you are, there are always areas that need improvement. The moment you
start thinking you know everything, is the moment you stop learning. Dont ever stop learning.

NUMBER ONE

Focus on the Basics

As much as you want to learn all of those fancy techniques that they show in the fight
highlights, the basics are going to win you fights. Most beginners dont want to learn the
fundamental techniques like the jab and body kick; they want to learn a spinning elbow or a
flying knee because it looks cool. While you might find it boring focusing on basic techniques,
you have to learn how to walk before you
can run.
Basic techniques that you learn are going to
be the offensive weapons that you use the
most. Muay Thai has certain techniques that
are used more often than others. The rest of
your weapons will help complement these
core techniques.

Key Techniques to Focus On

Jab/Cross - The two most basic punches in Muay Thai is the jab and cross. While you might
think there is not much involved in these techniques, mastering the jab/cross is about timing,
placement, and technique. Learning the technique itself is only one aspect to being able to
punch effectively. Utilizing these two attacks during training and sparring will help solidify them
as weapons that you can add to your Muay Thai arsenal.
Left/Right Body Kick - The body kick is going to be the most important weapon you use in Muay
Thai. Not only does it score the most points in a Muay Thai fight, it is the most effective
technique that you can use. Mastering the body kick will not happen overnight, so be prepared
for some hard work.
Front Teep The teep is one of the most effective offensive and defensive weapons that you
can use in Muay Thai. A strong Teep will counter almost every attack. Practice using this
weapon in sparring to develop your timing of this important weapon.
Low Kick The low kick is a devastating weapon that can be used to hurt an opponents
movement in the later rounds of a fight. Basic combinations like a Jab-Jab-Low Kick are very
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effective if used consistently. Using feints are a must, if you want to land your low kicks without
getting blocked.
Slashing Elbow: The slashing elbow is an elbow technique that is used to cut across an
opponents guard in a slashing motion. These elbows can cause a lot of damage to an opponent
if they are used correctly.
Straight Knee: The straight knee is a technique that you can use to damage your opponents
body. These knees are often used when a fighter is coming forward towards their opponent.
Since knees score a lot of points in Muay Thai fights, you will need to master this particular
technique.
Taking the time to work on mastering the basic attacks is going to ensure that you have a solid
base when you start learning other techniques. As much as people love spinning elbows and
flying knees, these are the techniques that will win you fights.

P RO TIPS :
Use Short Combinations One of the biggest mistakes I see instructors doing in Muay
Thai classes are teaching 6+ combinations. While you might be getting a better cardio
workout by adding more techniques in a combination, the reality is these are not
practical in a real situation. Stick with short 2-4 punch/kick combinations when you spar
that can translate into an actual fight.
Footwork Matters When I talk about basics I am also talking about the importance of
really good footwork. Maintain balance whenever you throw an attack or block an
attack is extremely important. Without proper footwork you will easily get thrown off
balance when you are performing a technique. Balance and footwork is the difference
between average and good Muay Thai fighters.
Always Sharpen Your Tools Just because youve had 15+ fights doesnt mean you are
too good to sharpen up some of your basic tools. Going over some of the fundamental
moves of Muay Thai is something that should be in your daily regiment, regardless of
your experience.

NUMBER TWO

Perfect Your Technique

Developing good technique is essential to creating a good Muay Thai foundation. Once you
have a solid foundation to your game, you can start sparring and working on developing soft
skills that can add more depth to your game.
If you want to work on your technique, you should perform
each movement with slow precision in front of a mirror.
While it might seem boring to learn the fundamentals the
correct way, taking the time to perfect your technique is
essential. This will prevent you from having to relearn
something later on.

Find a Trainer that Emphasizes Technique

The first gym I trained

at did not emphasize
good technique. This
caused me to develop
a lot of bad habits
that would take years

When you get more experience over the years, you will
notice that some trainers emphasize technique more than
to unlearn.
others. If a trainer doesnt teach a beginner the right
technique, they will develop bad habits instantly. Even
though an instructor might have a class full of new students, teaching each student the right
technique should be the first priority. Unless you are training in a cardio kickboxing class,
technique should be emphasized throughout training.

The problem with learning poor technique is you will cement bad habits into your brain, which
can take years to change. Although technique isnt always going to be the determining factor if
you win or lose a fight, creating a solid foundation will pay dividends if you get to the higher
levels of Muay Thai.
How do you know if your technique is good or not? Make sure you check out
muaythaipros.com for complete guides that can help you improve your technique.

Start from the Ground Up

Building good technique starts from the ground up. If you have developed poor habits, it can
affect your overall game significantly. People who have poor footwork are going to have a
difficult time being in a good position to land various techniques in a fight.

How Can You Build Solid Fundamentals?

It Starts With Your Feet
The best way to improve your movement is learn the Muay Thai Walk. What is the Muay
Thai Walk? This is the rhythm and movement that traditional Muay Thai fighters utilize to keep
your body relaxed and put you in a position to be ready to attack or defend.
If you are able to walk and move like a Thai Fighter than you will be able to add more
weapons to your arsenal and help further develop your Muay Thai.

Always Reset After an Attack

Whenever you attack you should always reset your stance so you are back into a neutral
position ready to attack and defend. Whenever you watch a high level Thai fighter in the ring,
you will notice that they are constantly in a very neutral position. This is how they are able to
block and counter so many different techniques.

P RO TIPS
Train in Thailand - Anyone who is serious about having good technique needs to learn
from the source. Obviously, if you are blessed with a very good instructor who has been
to Thailand and teaches the correct way of doing things, consider yourself lucky. For
those who have the opportunity, book a trip to Thailand.
Shadowbox in the Mirror One of the best ways to analyze some of your technical
abilities is to look in the mirror and see how your form looks. While it is always better to
have someone else look at your movements, using the mirror can help you pick out little
things that you might be doing wrong.
Take a Video of Your Training Another great way to discover problems in your
technique is to video yourself while you are training. Seeing yourself on video is a great
way to discover some hidden flaws that you might have.

NUMBER THREE

Embrace Repetition
Repetition is often associated with things that are boring, mundane and uninspiring. This
perception that repetition is a bad for development is completely false. Not only is repetition a
good thing, it is essential in developing fundamental Muay Thai skills.

Repetition is the key to creating habits.

Even though you might want to practice every technique, it is important to consistently repeat
your basic weapons that you are going to be utilizing the most. Kicks, punches, elbows and
knees should all be practiced daily, with hundreds of repetitions of each exercise. By continually
repeating the different exercises you will start to solidify these techniques and they will become
second nature to you.

Repeat the Correct Techniques

As I mentioned before, repeating poor techniques is a sure way to cause a lot of frustration
later on. Once you have learned the proper technique of a movement, you will need to repeat
this movement so that it is engraved and it becomes second nature.
How do you think people can pull off flying knees in fights? They repeatedly practice these
techniques until they dont even think about using the technique.
In order to truly master any Muay Thai technique, hours have to be spent repeating and
practicing the technique. If you want to ensure youll use any weapon in a fight or real life
situation, you have to repeat that technique so you dont have to think about using it.

P RO TIPS
Build a Solid Foundation First Repeating bad habits is the worst thing you can possibly
do for your Muay Thai career. If you learn poor habits at the start of your Muay Thai
journey, it can take years of undoing. Taking the steps to ensure that you build a solid
foundation is a must before you start to solidify them.
Practice Both Sides If you throw 100 right kicks, always make sure you throw 100 left
kicks. You should never neglect one side of a technique because you favor another one.

Always utilize both sides of your body for every technique. This will help make you a
versatile fighter and not a one trick pony.
Dont Get Sloppy When You Are Tired One of the most common mistakes that Muay
Thai practitioners do is their form gets compromised when they are tired. The moment
the energy drops, the first thing to notice is body language. One may look like a
complete beginner again. Being able to maintain your form no matter how tired you are
is an essential part of getting to the next level. If you observe any high level athlete, in
any sport, they will always maintain their technique regardless of how exhausted they
are.

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NUMBER FOUR

Always Be Thinking
One of the biggest things you will notice at a Muay Thai gym is people are often doing the
motions, without actually thinking, Am I actually doing this right? Some people are too reliant
on their coaches and wont ever make an effort to correct their own technique.
There are plenty of ways that you can analyze your technique to look for improvements. Most
people are simply doing just because they are told to do, without thinking about how they are
performing that action and if it is done correctly.

You Must Learn to Analyze Your Own Game

Whether you are a beginner or an
experienced fighter, taking the time to
sit back and reflect on your game is a
habit that you need to start using.
People who just do, without thinking
about what they are doing, are often
missing out on opportunities to
improve their technique. You are never
too good to learn. No matter how
experienced you are, you should
always be looking for something to
improve. Thats what separates the
amateurs from the professionals.

Learning to Breakdown Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Taking the time to reflect on your game is a skill every fighter should use to improve. Imagine
you are fighting yourself, what areas would you exploit and what are specific things that you
like about your style? How would you beat yourself in a fight?

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Even though it can be difficult to be critical of your own game, it is important to understand
some of the areas that need to be improved. This is a great way to ensure you dont become
stagnant and are continually improving in your Muay Thai techniques.
Sometimes it helps to actually break down your game on paper. Some of us are visual learners
and writing down specific strengths and weakness can help give a different perspective when
training.
It is a very good exercise to continually analyze your own game to see if you have progressed or
if you have plateaued in training. If you are continually working on something while you are
training, you will continue to improve. Creating measurable goals can help you develop a
strategy that will keep you improving, even after years of training.

Ask For a Second Opinion

If you arent very good at self-analysis, then ask someone to help dissect your game. Whatever
you do, dont ever get offended if someone corrects you. Theyre only trying to help and it can
be very beneficial and knowledgeable information.
The truth is nobody is perfect. Taking constructive criticism is something that you should focus
on. The more opinions you have, the more information you have that can help develop you as a
fighter.
Always be willing to learn and change things that are not working. Becoming stagnant will
prevent you from becoming better. Lifelong learning is the only way to go in Muay Thai.

P RO TIPS
Record Your Sparring Sessions - Take videos of your training to further break down
technique and see what can be improved. Videos analysis is a great way to look at how
you perform specific techniques during shadow boxing, pad work and sparring.
Watch Your Old Fights Looking at your old fight videos is a great way to see what
needs improvement. Whenever you are analyzing yourself, look at both your strength
and weaknesses.
Create a Game Plan to Beat Yourself - Although it might sound odd, creating a game
plan of how you would beat yourself in a fight is a great way to look at weaknesses in
your game. Think about how you fight and what are the best styles and techniques that
counter your style. By going through the different aspects of fighting styles, you can look
for holes in your game that you can fix during training.

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NUMBER FIVE

Conditioning Is Key
Train your body like a Champion
Whether you have ambitions to be the best in the world or simply want to be as good as you
can be, training like a champion will take your game to the next level.

What does it mean to train like a Champion?

Training like a champion means you need to put in the hours outside of training to ensure you
are physically fit. Whether or not you plan on fighting, being in top shape will allow you to exert
a lot more effort in your training,
which will vastly increase the
amount of learning at every
session.
Conditioning is essential in Muay
Thai. The more physically
conditioned you are, the more
receptive you are at training. Your
mind will be able to concentrate on
other things like technique and
timing, rather than surviving the
round.

Putting in Extra Work

Training consists of two main aspects: training in the gym and training outside of the gym. If
you want to become high level, what you do outside of training is as equally important as when
you are at the gym. If you want to hit pads harder and have more energy in your training, then
you need to figure out the steps to do so. Running daily is beneficial to every Nak Muay,
regardless of if you plan on fighting. Running is great for your overall conditioning and will help
you have more stamina during your pad rounds.

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While most people dread running, it should be something that you embrace as a training
method that will help condition you to improve you technique a lot more. Running every day
throughout the week will ensure that you are able to maintain your fitness and keep up with
everyone at the gym.
There is nothing worse than hitting pads and knowing that you are not fit as you can be. Given
the extreme difficulty in maintaining a fight shape, maintaining a consistent running schedule
throughout the week is going to benefit your health and your training.
For people who cannot run because of an injury, biking is a good alternative. It is important to
have any kind of aerobic activity in your training regimen to help keep you on top of your Muay
Thai training.

Dont Make Excuses

Excuses are for people who arent serious about what theyre doing. They often justify why they
cant or shouldnt be doing something, instead of just going out and doing it.
Some people will tell you that you shouldnt run long distances because there are more
efficient ways to do things. There are a million excuses as to why you shouldnt do something,
but I am a firm believer in putting in the time.
I know from first hand, that when I am running daily, I am always in good shape. I can hit pads
harder, longer, and faster. Mentally, you know youve put in the hours and you can sustain the
grueling session. Even if you dont have a fight coming up, being able to train harder will only
make you stronger.

P RO TIPS
Build Up Your Endurance If you plan to start running, start slow! You shouldnt start
running 10k on the first day. Start with 4k the first week or whatever distance it is you
can do, then add more distance every week. If you immediately start on a long run then
you will fatigue a lot faster. Remember, you want to be able to sustain this energy for
the rest of the week. By starting with a reasonable distance, your body can adjust and
running long distance will become easier.
Integrate Sprints Into Training I am a firm believer that long distance runs are
important in training, but I also think sprints can be beneficial. If you think about the
components of a Muay Thai fight, there is both endurance and explosiveness required.
Running sprints will help condition your body and the recovery time will become easier
for you in a fight between rounds.

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 Develop a Routine The easiest way to slack off is when you dont have a routine. By
developing a realistic routine, you are more inclined to stick to it and incorporate into
your lifestyle. Instead of forcing yourself to run before training, it will become habitual
and you wont even think twice about it. Creating habits is essential if you want to be
successful in training.

Recommended Reading: Muay Thai Conditioning 101

This is part one of a three part conditioning series for Muay Thai. It breaks down everything
that you need to know to help you achieve unstoppable conditioning in Muay Thai. This is a
must read article for everyone who is interested in developing peak conditioning.

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NUMBER SIX

Sparring is Essential
Sparring is an essential part of Muay Thai development that helps build timing and reaction.
While shadow boxing, hitting the bag, and kicking pads are great for solidifying good technique,
sparring is where you start using techniques in real situations. If you never spar, you are missing
out on a huge aspect of Muay Thai.

You wont get better without sparring.

Sparring is arguably the most
effective way to develop skills that
can only be learned through
experience. While you might
understand in theory why you
should have your hands up,
getting punched hard in the face
will force you to change bad
habits that you might have
without sparring.
Hard, soft, and technical sparring
are all valuable tools that you can
use to improve.
Beginners who learn the basics should avoid sparring until they have a good understanding of
the basic techniques. Having a solid foundation of all the Muay Thai techniques is important to
prevent the development of poor habits. Putting someone who does not have good
fundamentals in a sparring situation will make them nervous causing them to brawl.
Ideally, the perfect situation is to spar with people who are better, worse and the same level as
you. This will ensure that you have a variety of partners with different skills. It will help you
develop and get accustomed to different types of opponents.

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Maintaining a positive attitude is an essential part of maximizing your sparring. Try your best to
avoid turning sparring matches into brawls, because you can injure your partner and your
technique will suffer.

P RO TIPS
Challenge Yourself Sparring You should always be looking to spar with people who are
better than you. Even if you our outmatched in the ring, a better opponent will force
you to adjust. Try to be the little fish in a big pond, rather than the big fish in the little
pond.
Train in Thailand - Going to Thailand is an experience that every Nak Muay should have.
I dont care if you have never fought before or you have 30 fights back home, training in
Thailand will make you better. The opportunity to spar and train with legends is
something that can take your game to the next level.
Spar with Confidence Whenever you spar you should be confident and try to improve
your technique. Never fear your opponent or it will make you weaker. Always focus on
trying to continuously improve, while simultaneously mastering the basics.

Recommended Reading: 12 Sparring Tips That Will Make You Better

This article gives you actionable tips that you can use to improve in sparring. Anyone who is
sparring should read this article.

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NUMBER SEVEN

Get Ring Experience

One aspect of Muay Thai that many people neglect is ring experience. Although fighting is not
meant for everyone, if you have an opportunity to fight, do it.

Fighting will elevate your game to another level.

When it comes to fighting,
winning or losing is not
important. The experience you
get from fighting is the most
valuable lesson you can learn. In
Thailand, it doesnt matter if you
have won or lost all your fights,
its what happens in the fight that
counts.

Get Experience
Experience is the key to getting
better in Muay Thai. The more ring experience you have, the more prepared you will be to
handle different situations that occur in a fight.
You should never expect to have easy fights in Muay Thai. Always go into every fight and expect
a war. This mentality will ensure that you never take an opponent lightly, even if you should
win on paper.
Getting good quality fights is a sure way to help you grow and improve in Muay Thai. While
sparring and training at the gym can help sharpen your weapons, their truly is no substitute for
ring experience.
Even though you might only be in the ring for a short 15 minutes, those minutes will feel like an
eternity and you can learn a lot in that short period of time.

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Fight in Thailand
Fighting in Thailand is a great way to get ring experience. While the matchups arent always the
best in Thailand, it is a great way to get started with your fighting career. Do your research and
pick a quality training camp that will take care of you while youre there.

P RO TIPS
Get Amateur Fights Most
countries have an amateur
Muay Thai circuit. For people
who are just starting off in the
sport, the amateur circuit is
the best place to start. Fighting
with shin guards and headgear
can give you peace of mind
that you wont get permanent
injuries in your fight. Any
amount of experience obtained from fighting will pay dividends in your training and help
you become better.
Fight In Thailand A lot of people have a difficult time getting a fight lined up if they
arent at a popular gym. If you arent living in a city that has a lot of other gyms, the best
thing you can do is head to Thailand and have a fight over there. Thailand has hundreds
of gyms throughout the country so you will never have a shortage of opponents to
choose from.
Quality over Quantity Someone who has beaten 30 bums in the ring is not going to
have the same level of experience as a guy who has beaten 10 quality opponents. Its
not how many people you fight, its the level of opponent that you are fighting that
matters. Always try and find quality opponents who are similarly matched to you, but
beatable. This will ensure you continue to develop in the sport.

Recommended Reading: The 5 Matchup Scenarios You Will Face in Thailand

If you have ever wondered what it is like to fight in Thailand or plan on fighting in Thailand, this
article is for you. It breaks down the 5 different matchup scenarios that you will encounter
when you fight in Thailand.

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NUMBER EIGHT

Develop Mental Toughness

If you could pick one attribute as a fighter that will give you the biggest edge in a fight, mental
toughness is by far the most important trait. Being able to push yourself when you dont feel
like going any further is something that can carry you through the difficult moments as a
fighter.
Looking at any of the best fighters in the world one of the most common traits is they are all
mentally tough. These are guys who will fight tooth and nail until they are fully unconscious in
the ring. The importance of a strong mind is often underestimated in fighting. A strong mind
can carry you to victory, even when it seems impossible.

If you want to win fights you need a strong mind

In order to build mental toughness you have to work on pushing your body to its limit. One of
the benefits of the rigorous training sessions and constant challenges is you are forced to build
a strong mind.

A Strong Mind Starts In Training

The best way to develop a strong mind is to start pushing yourself to your limit in training. If
you dont think you can do something, do it. No matter how tired you feel, dont fall short of
what you want to accomplish.
By accomplishing the vigorous training sessions, when it comes to a fight situation, giving up
will not be an option. You wont have a way out of a fight; there is only a way forward. By not
allowing yourself to quit, you will be forced to find a way to win, no matter what the odds are.
Everyone has a mental breaking point, a point in which their minds can take no more. The
harder you train, the more difficult it becomes to reach that breaking point. Fighters who are
fearless in training will often develop that same attitude when it comes to a fight.

P RO TIPS

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 Never, Ever, Quit Quitting is not an option for someone who wants to be good at
Muay Thai. No matter how tired you are, always push past your pain. It doesnt matter if
you can barely stand after a round of pads, you never give up. Fighting through the pain
is the first step into ensuring that you become a mentally strong fighter.
Push Yourself Hard Taking the short cut in training is the last thing that you should be
doing. If you have a choice between 10 kicks or 50 kicks, always take the harder path.
This will develop your mental strength to continue to push no matter how tired you are
in training or a fight. Remember, it all starts with training. If you are tough as nails in
training, you will be even tougher in the ring.
Believe in Yourself Whether you are sparring with someone better than you, you
should always believe in yourself. Accepting defeat is something that should never cross
your mind. You should always be pushing yourself hard and believe that you can
overcome any opponent, no matter what the odds are. Believing that you can finish 100
kicks with each leg on pads is something that you have to do if you want to finish it.

Recommended Reading: What It Means To Have Heart in Muay Thai

This article breaks down exactly what it means to have heart in Muay Thai. The word Heart is
simply another word for mental toughness. You will learn exactly what separates fighters who
are mentally tough from those who are not.

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NUMBER NINE

Always Be Respectful
Respect is everything in Muay
Thai. Always treat your training
partners and opponents with
respect no matter what happens
in the ring.
Your demeanor in the gym is a
reflection of your attitude and
personality. People who walk
around the gym with arrogance
often foster a negative training
environment for others.
Regardless of skill, a Muay Thai
practitioner should always remain humble and be willing to help those around him. Keeping a
positive attitude will help you build connections that can last you a lifetime.

Treat people how you wish to be treated.

Being respectful will go a long and people will want to train with you. If you are perceived as
someone who is an asshole, nobody will want to work with you or even spar with you.
Always maintain a friendly attitude and remember that the people around you are there to help
you get better. Your team will be there behind you whether you win or lose. So always make
sure you show them the respect they deserve.

KEY TIPS
Dont Have an Ego Having an ego is bad for you and bad for people around you.
Nobody likes a guy that walks around with arrogance and attitude. You are never too
good to spar with anyone. Get that idea out of your head. There is always something
that you can practice or learn against any opponent that you will face.

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 Treat everyone equally Dont only treat people who you look up to with respect,
respect everyone around you. Even if someone is new to the gym, be humble and help
them out. You never know how good that beginner can become if he puts his mind to it.
Be Positive Maintaining a positive attitude no matter what is happening is a great way
to ensure that you get the most out of your Muay Thai. Dont ever get too down on
yourself if you lose a fight or have a bad sparring session. Keeping a positive attitude is
the key to growth and getting better at the sport. Trust me, it can open a lot of doors if
you are constantly positive and pleasant to be around.

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NUMBER TEN

Develop a Poker Face

The art of concealing emotions can be
extremely difficult when you having
someone punching and kicking you with full
power. Developing a poker face in Muay Thai
is something that takes continual practice. It
is not natural to be stoned faced when you
feel like death and out of breathe.
Not showing any weakness or emotion in a
fight will wreak havoc on your opponents
mind. You would be surprised how fast a
fighter will lose confidence in a fight if their
opponent never shows emotions during the fight.

Never reveal your weakness to anyone

This is one aspect of fighting that the Thai fighters in Thailand have mastered brilliantly. No
matter how tired they are, they never show signs of fatigue until they collapse. They maintain
complete composure and never show an opponent how much pain they are actually feeling in
the fight.
The poker face starts with always maintaining a calm state in training, even when the body feels
like collapsing. Keeping a poker face when you can barely stand up is something that takes a lot
of practice. After you complete 5 rounds of pads, not showing any signs of fatigue is almost as
challenging as the pad rounds themselves.
By keeping a strong poker face in a fight, an opponent will never know what you are feeling
inside. This will prevent them from gaining any confidence or fuelling anything inside of them
that could give them an advantage.
A poker face is mentally important in Muay Thai, as it keeps your opponents guessing at all
times. You will become more unpredictable and intimidating in the fight.

24

P RO TIPS
Maintain a Poker Face in Training No matter how tired you are in training, dont let
exhaustion overtake you. The one thing you will notice when you watch a Thai fighter
kick pads, he never shows weakness during the round (after the round he will often
collapse). Even if the trainer asks him to do 100 kicks, he will often pause to breathe,
collect his composure and just do it.
Focus on Breathing The key to being able to maintain a poker face in any situation is
being able to control your breathing. One of the reasons why people look exhausted
after pads is because they are often gasping for air and not correctly breathing. If you
are able to master your breathing, this will translate to when you are fighting in the ring.
Always focus on maintaining a state of relaxation.
Stay Relaxed One of the biggest reasons that people gas out in the ring or in training is
they are extremely tense. You will often notice that the whole body is tensed up as they
punch or kick in the ring. By relaxing your body, you will be able to conserve energy and
reduce the amount of fatigue you experience. This will help you maintain a poker face in
training or a fight.

Recommended Reading: Why You Need to Develop A Muay Thai Poker Face
This article goes into detail about the importance of keeping a Muay Thai poker face in Muay
Thai. It talks about how you can develop a poker face in training that will translate to the ring. I
highly recommend that you read this article.

25

Never Stop Learning

Muay Thai is about continual growth and commitment. At no stage should you ever think you
are done learning. The best coaches in the world are constantly working to improve their own
teaching methods to better themselves and their students. In order to be a successful Nak
Muay you have to have a good work ethic.
If you are lazy and dont put in enough hours into your training, you will plateau a lot faster.
Work ethic is something that is developed by continual habit. Putting in the hours will help you
develop into the Nak Muay you want to become. Remember to train hard and always focus on
improving. Good luck.

26

Did you LIKE the book?

If you enjoyed reading this free eBook you will definitely want to check out my Muay Thai
Strategy books that I recently released. Here is a breakdown of each book.

MUAY THAI STRATEGY

Muay Thai Strategy (over 125 pages) focuses on
developing the fundamentals of Muay Thai.
It will teach you how to develop a winning strategy to
achieve success in Muay Thai.
Each chapter focuses on a different a core aspect of Muay
Thai that will help you understand what it takes to be
successful in the sport.
This is an essential book that you will help you improve you
own Muay Thai game.
Click Here to Learn More about Muay Thai Strategy

MUAY THAI COUNTERS

Muay Thai Counters was written as a complete Strategy
manual (over 175 pages) designed to help you counter
your next Muay Thai opponent.
I break down 18 different types of fighting styles and
advantages you might encounter in the ring. This is a book
you should keep with you at all times.
It has some essential strategies for anyone who is sparring
and wants to learn how to beat their next opponent in the
ring.
Click Here to Learn More about Muay Thai Counters

27

More Information
Contact
If you have any questions, comments, input or advice please send me an email at
muaythaipros@gmail.com or stephen@muaythaipros.com
I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, or questions you have about anything youve
read here, or just hear about your Muay Thai journey so far. I try to respond to every email that
I receive, so feel free to send me a message and you will get an answer.

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