Heatrick Heavy Hitters – Muay Thai Performance

In this episode, we dive into the necessity of adopting a new approach to Muay Thai training, where practically applied sports science compliments traditional methods. Join us as we explore the four compelling reasons why this new approach is essential for fighters looking to maximise their potential... From establishing clear definitions of training effects to replicating effective protocols and...

Beating  stronger  Muay Thai fighters in your weight class requires  strategy ... Your natural attributes form the foundation of your fight style, and those attributes are  relative to others in your weight class . If you regularly find yourself up against stronger opponents, you need a strategy that  avoids your opponent's best assets and plays into your own ! Further notes and resources at h...

Fight week peaking is an often misunderstood stage of an effective fight camp. Far too many fighters completely overdo it, scared they’ll lose their hard-earned fitness… Only to sabotage themselves at the last minute! Having the confidence to let your  fitness shine  as your  fatigue declines , requires that you  trust the training process . This excerpt from a coaching call explains more about th...

The world of Muay Thai is changing. Athletic performance matters more than ever. Gone are the days when Thai fighters had a monopoly on the sport. Today, Western fighters are using sports science and professional training methods to close the gap on their Thai counterparts. If you're a Muay Thai fighter or a coach who wants to stay ahead of the curve, then you need to check out this episode. I...

Don't underestimate the importance of discipline in strength and conditioning . It's all too easy to become distracted by what's shiny and new, only to shortcut progress by playing your ace too early... Or, to charge headlong into overuse injury and the frustration of time out of training. You can look at that next block of training, but don't touch ! ;) Further notes and resources...

The Muay Thai round kick is one most powerful kicks in martial arts. To avoid smashing your foot to smithereens when throwing your round kick, you must master range , kicking foot position , and tactical setup . This episode shares in-depth thoughts on getting these aspects right! Further notes and resources at https://heatrick.com/2023/05/12/technical-tips-to-prevent-low-kick-foot-injury/

There's even more to motivation than you think... Winning by knockout is the best feeling in the world. Seeing the referee standing over your opponent waving off the fight, you feel almost immortal. But, in a well-matched fight, anything can happen. In an instant, one mistake can render you helpless – all your hard work cancelled out. Nothing else can be done at that moment. But in the hours,...

Taking action is only half the battle. Your REASON for taking action is just as critical, and can either kill your determination off completely, or ignite your motivation along with your results. If you want to stay in the game long enough to find out how far you can really go, you must get under the hood of motivation and figure out which of the 6 types you rely on the most, and if there’s a bett...

Those in Muay Thai, especially at the highest level, know that the public perception of fighters is wrong. Kevin Ross is a fighter. He may have retired from competition, but he IS a fighter. For him, Muay Thai is not just a ring tool, it's really a life tool.... It makes you face your struggles in a way the world tends not to, and you come out different on the other side. Not violent. Not aggr...

Most likely, if you ask your Muay Thai trainer what fitness training you should do outside of your Muay Thai sessions, you’re told to simply run a number of times a week, and maybe do a little weight training if you want to… It’s largely down to you. And aside from “do more” when you have a fight coming up, there’s little guidance and rarely any structure. And this is a problem for the majority of...

As fighters become more experienced, we must understand how to coach them so they don’t become stale . Experts in any field are ruthlessly good at the basics . What marks the best apart from the rest, is their ability to revisit and resharpen their foundational practice . It’s vital that those at the top of their game recognise both that skill is perishable and can migrate over time , and that mer...

What is authentic Muay Thai training now, and has it evolved for the better? Muay Thai has a deep history. And when it comes to the ring sport we’ve all come to love, the period between 1980 and 1995 known as “The Golden Era”, spawned arguably the most talented fighters ever. Names like Dieselnoi, Samart, Jongsanan, and Sakmongkol demand almost superhero status. They were highly skilled and incred...

Your work life and fight life are in conflict. I know you feel the clock is ticking, that you’re running out of time when it comes to finding out how far you can go in Muay Thai. It was true for me, and it’s true for everyone – regardless if they compete or not.  We all have a “bucket list”, and although Muay Thai is on there, you feel that your work life inevitably gets in the way of your fi...

Losing a fight by doing too much? Paul Banasiak shares that losing his Glory debut fight taught him to not over-effort... That it's important to balance risk and reward, and that doing more or going harder in a fight doesn't necessarily equate to bigger, better results. Be aware of the "glitches" you suffer by overthinking instructions and losing your flow! Further notes and resources at https://h...

When scheduling your weekly training plan for fighters, although many fighters and coaches are doing the right things, they organise their training weeks too haphazardly to get the full training effect or inadvertently cancel out performance gains entirely. At best this wastes effort, at worst, it burns out fighters and injures them. But, you can apply simple steps to design weekly schedules that...

These days, fighter training has become more sophisticated. Coaches, fighters, and hobbyists alike all realise that to remain healthy, injury free and perform their best it takes more than steady runs, bag work, pad work, and sparring .  But, what types of sessions are needed? How often should you train? What order should sessions go?  Organising your training week, whatever your level o...

Some pre fight rituals boost confidence and performance, while others hamper it!  Having established an understanding of why rituals and superstitions speak directly to your emotional mind in high-stakes situations to boost confidence and performance in part 1...  In this episode, we lever this understanding to pick the best rituals and personalise them, while avoiding those that could i...

The evidence is in. P re fight rituals boost confidence and performance , fact!  Pre fight superstitions and rituals are an inherent part of all combat sports, and are baked into the culture of Muay Thai.  From Pra Jiad arm bands, Mongkhon headgear, lucky amulets, and sak yant tattoos, to wai kru and ram muay dances, modern day Muay Thai still carries many of the ancient Siam superstitio...

Solo fight skill technical practice can fast-track your fight ability if it's done well .  In this episode, avoid these fight skill pitfalls or risk sabotaging your technical practice and undoing all your hard work .  Further notes and resources at https://heatrick.com/2022/11/11/fight-skills-technical-practice-part-1-group-sessions/ And make sure you've seen Part 1 of this video here: h...

When it comes to fight skill technical practice, repetition is key. And group sessions present challenges for individuals looking for technical practice opportunities to fast-track changes in their fight skill habits. In this episode, I discuss my approach for fast-tracking technical practice in group sessions, both as a coach, and a fighter taking part in a class too . Further notes and resources...

There’s a difference between feeling tired during fights and being tired… Competing as a fighter is stressful, and the cocktail of neurochemicals and hormones this dumps into your body drastically affects how you feel. Especially early in a fight career, nervousness, anxiety, or even all-out fear, will leave you feeling exhausted without even exerting yourself! But, I’ve found there can be a dispa...

Even elite pros require methods for coping with pre fight nerves. And it begins with accepting how you really feel , before adopting strategies to manage that pre fight anxiety when it crops up ... And it will! Every fighter has nerves before a fight. If they didn't, they can't perform their best. However, it's important to manage your nerves so, you don't become overwhelmed . In this episode, the...

Are you strategically pacing yourself to win fights? Armed with an understanding of how to use a heart rate monitor to determine your own unique training pace, you can not only boost your fight fitness… But crucially, learn how to strategically pace your efforts during a fight to produce the best tactical effect. Just add your own style and technical ability! By training at your maximum sustainabl...

Using fighter’s deload week effectively takes discipline ! Recovery is often a dirty word for fighters… However, it’s the difference between year-on-year progress, or a monthly boom and bust. In this discussion with Rolf Eijsink during his coaching call, we explore both my approach to maximising deload weeks, and Rolf’s valuable insight too. Use these tips to deload like a pro… Further notes and r...

Regularly practicing this splits, passive, relaxed stretching routine for fighters will rapidly enhance your kicking flexibility. Splits stretching as shown for just 7 mins, at least 3 times per week, will make a huge difference to your kicking ability at all target heights. Not only will you reach higher targets , like the head, that may have not been available to you before, but you'll also kick...