The heart is a muscular pump that pumps blood through the body and it needs to be kept fit. The demands of exercise overload the body’s systems and it adapts to these demands with improvements in muscular- and cardiovascular function.
Cardio for martial arts is vitally important as it increases the capacity of the heart and lungs, and this in turn allows you to perform with greater endurance and more consistently for longer periods of time. For a Muay Thai fighter, having good cardio translates to more energy in the ring, which in turn means a greater chance of winning.
Muay Thai training involves intensive aerobic- and anaerobic exercises which makes it essential for every martial artist to incorporate cardio workouts into their training regime. Anaerobic conditioning helps train one’s muscles to work, even when one has reached his or her limits, the lactic acid threshold
You Need to Last all 3 Rounds
Endurance training is important as stamina or endurance will be required to last all 3 rounds during a fight. No Muay Thai fighter wants to find themselves tiring out long before their rounds are done. Endurance training requires different kinds of conditioning – aerobic and anaerobic.
Aerobic conditioning increases one’s one’s rate of oxygen intake, and of course, the higher your oxygen intake, the more physical exercise you can achieve without running out of breath. For a Muay Thai fighter, having good cardio simply equates to more energy in the ring and a better chance at winning.
Types of Cardio for Strength Training
Faction-, resistance and endurance training is all about anaerobic conditioning – getting the muscles in tip top shape and form to maintain power throughout the fight. Running uphill is a hectic workout and adds that anaerobic element to those aerobic exercises such as running.
Your legs will be working against the force of gravity, building both your strength and stamina.
The ways resistance training works is that it increases muscle strength by making your muscles work against a force.
Doing resistance training makes your muscles stronger, and a fitness programme will includes strength training as well as aerobic exercise to improve your heart and lung fitness.
There are a number of ways you can strengthen your muscles, and different kinds of resistance training will include the likes of resistance bands, weight machines and even the humble medicine ball. Resistance training improves muscle strength and tone and ensures greater stamina.
Cardio is Hard
If you’re doing your cardio training properly, you’ll discover it’s not easy – and you’ll sweat, battle to breath and ache all over. When you persevere you become tougher, mentally stronger and more disciplined.
Cardio workouts will offer invaluable experience for you and most importantly provide you with the opportunity to achieve your exercise objective and be able to participate in Muay Thai tournaments.
If you go to Muay Thai training, the instructors will work out a training session that certainly focuses on fitness, techniques, strength and endurance – designed to improve cardio- as well as physical health.
