COVERSTORY

By Morgan Tran

RINGREADY WORKOUT
Train like a

Thai

Muay

nown as The Art of Eight Limbs, Muay Thai (translated Thai Boxing) is a brutal stand-up combative martial art that combines punches, elbows, knees and kicks. It originates from Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, and evolved out of muay boran (ancient boxing), an unarmed combat method used by Siamese soldiers after they lost their weapons in battle. Muay Thai is an extremely effective and practical martial art, and has become increasingly popular with the recent interest of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). It is commonly said that fighters are the fittest, and after competing in numerous sports since childhood, I will admit that I didnt hit my peak as an athlete physically and mentally until I stepped into the ring to compete in Muay Thai. When I train to be ring ready, I know that its vital my cardio is above my opponents, as cardio is king when you step in the ring. I have to be prepared to be quick, explosive and powerful the entire round for each round, which means I train for endurance with bursts of speed and power. Remember, you dont have to be a competitive fighter to train like one!! Happy training!
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fighter with this killer workout!

Muay Thai expert, Morgan Tran, with her husband, Master Hung Tran, own Tran's Martial Arts & Fitness Center in Longmont, Colorado. Their favorite Max Muscle store is Max Muscle Longmont.

MAY 2012

Photography by James Patrick, JamesPatrick.com; Gym location: BestMuayThaiAZ.com

Note: the exercises are not listed in a specific order as some are used in multiple rounds.

a championship fight in Muay Thai consists of five rounds. This Ring-Ready Workout consists of five three-minute rounds, each round followed by a one-minute rest*.

THE WORKOUT

THE EXERCISES
JUMP ROPE
(Warm up and cool down) I almost always jump rope before I spar or fight because it warms up my body (without depleting me of energy) and helps me relax, focus and prepare mentally. I often jump rope between rounds in training or in between exercises to keep my heart rate up. For this workout, you'll jump rope at the end, too.

WARM UP
(5 minutes) Jump rope

ROUND 1

(1 minute each) Burpee into roundhouse KicKs shadow Boxing with hand weights aBs with elBow striKes Rest or jump rope for 1 minute

ROUND 2

(1 minute each) squat into Front KicK uppercuts with resistance Bands aBs into JaB-cross Rest or jump rope for 1 minute

ROUND 3

(1 minute each) lunge into Knee striKe (30 seconds each side) pushup into elBow striKe aBs with elBow striKe Rest or jump rope for 1 minute

ROUND 4

(1 minute each) Burpee into roundhouse KicKs shadow Boxing with hand weights aBs into JaB-cross Rest or jump rope for 1 minute

UPPERCUTS WITH RESISTANCE BAND (Rounds 2 and 5) Stand in Muay Thai** stance with resistance band placed under the front foot. Perform uppercuts to the body and chin level, being sure to rotate the body. One hand performs the uppercut while the other hand is up by the face.

ROUND 5

(1 minute each) squat into Front KicK uppercuts with resistance Bands aBs with elBow striKe

*Note About 1-Minute Rest Between Rounds: When you step into the ring, its important to be able to stay calm. I always go all out when I train, but occasionally during the rest period, I actually practice going back to my corner to get my heart rate back down and check myself to be sure Im calm. Other days I do sprints or jump rope in between to keep my heart rate up. As a fighter, its important to practice both. **Muay Thai Fighting Stance: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. If you are right-handed step back with the right leg in a comfortable and solid position and foot turned about 45 degrees outward. If you are left-handed, do the same, but with the left leg. Stand on the balls of your feet (light on your feet). Stance is strong, stable and mobile.
MAY 2012

COOL DOWN
(5 minutes) Jump rope

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B C

BURPEE INTO ROUNDHOUSE KICKS (Rounds 1 and 4) Start with feet shoulder-width apart, bend down and place hands on the ground. Kick feet back so your body, from your head to your feet, is in alignment, abs tight. Avoid arching or overextending your back. Bring feet back to your hands and stand up. Perform a right roundhouse kick followed by a left roundhouse kick. For a roundhouse kick, pivot the standing foot and stand tall on the ball of your foot, rotate hips until they are perpendicular to the ground. The arm that is on the same side as the standing leg should be tight against your ribs with hand close to your face, ready for defense. The arm on the side of the kicking leg is used to follow through for power as your hips rotate. ABS WITH ELBOW STRIKES (Rounds 1, 3 and 5) Start in the traditional sit-up position, bring the legs up to 90 degrees, lock your ankles together and separate your knees. Crunch up and twist bringing your elbow through the opening between your knees (this is called a spike elbow). Come back down and do the same on the other side.

1 and 4) Recommended 2- to 5-pound hand weights. Avoid using a weight that will cause you to compromise good form. Shadow boxing mimics punching a target or bag by punching the air. Continuous jabs, cross, hooks and uppercuts (see "Punch It" on next page for how to execute these moves). Exhale on every punch.

SHADOW BOXING WITH HAND WEIGHTS (Rounds

ABS INTO JAB-CROSS

A
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(Rounds 2 and 4) Start in the traditional sit-up position. Come up, twist to jab, then twist the other way to cross. Come down and repeat.

MAY 2012

PUSHUP INTO ELBOW STRIKE

(Round 3) Start in a strong pushup position, being sure that abs are tight and that you are in alignment from your head to your toes. Perform a pushup, bending arms to about 90 degrees. At the top of your pushup, bend your right arm straight up to the ceiling, leading with your elbow and look to the ceiling. Immediately come back down into a pushup and repeat on the left side.

B A

SQUAT INTO FRONT KICK (Rounds 2 and 5) With feet hip-width apart, squat down as if youre sitting in a chair, being sure abs are tight, back is straight and knees dont push out beyond your toes. Both hands are in fighting position, up by your face. Stand up and extend your right leg into a front kick (called a teep in Muay Thai). Pretend as if youre pushing something away from you, following through with the ball of your foot. Abs should be tight. Left hand is up by your face, right hand follows through next to your right leg (for power). Repeat the squat, then follow the same technique with your left leg, keeping your right hand by your face and left arm follows through next to your left leg.

LUNGE INTO KNEE STRIKE (Round 3) Step back into a lunge, being sure that at your lowest point, the front leg and back leg are bent at 90 degrees. Bring the back leg up into a knee strike, pushing the hips forward and extending with the point of your knee. Hands follow through to the side you are performing the knee strike. Step back into a lunge and repeat.

C
is up by the face, with fist just under eye-level and arm tight to body. Hooks: Either to the body or head level for a target. Be sure to pivot foot, hips and shoulder. Power comes from the body, not the arms alone. Other hand is up by your face. Avoid swinging the arm. Uppercuts: Target is chin level. Like the hooks, be sure to pivot foot, hips and shoulder. Power comes from the body, not the arms alone. Other hand is up by your face. Avoid swinging the arm.
MAY 2012

Punch It!

Jab: Done with the lead arm. As you punch, hand should be in a fist, leading with the knuckles of your pointer and middle fingers. Extend arm with slight bend (just less than 100 percent extension) to avoid over-extension that leads to elbow injury. Pretend there is a rubber band from your ribs to the point of your elbow to enhance speed and sharpness, extending and returning as quickly as possible.

While punching, be aware that power comes from your entire body and rotation of the hips and not entirely from arm strength. Abs are tight. Exhale sharply at the point of impact, even when only punching in the air. The hand that is not punching should be up by your face, with fist just under eye level, and arm tight to the body. Cross: Performed with the back arm, this is your power punch, your knockout punch. It is vital to pivot the back foot, hips and shoulders. Lead hand

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