Starting Muay Thai in Toronto this summer? As a newbie, we know you’re super excited and can’t wait to learn a new and exciting sport. It can also be frustrating because you’ll make a lot of mistakes. As a Muay Thai trainer in Toronto, we can tell you, it’s only a phase and the more you practice, the better you’ll get. With that being said, you can use certain tips and tricks to learn Muay Thai faster.

Here are 9 essential tips for Muay Thai newbies in Toronto:

1. Run to build endurance

Running helps improve endurance and stamina, which will directly improve your performance. When you run or jog, your heart beats faster, pumping blood faster throughout your body, and pushing your lungs to increase their oxygen volume. It’s also summer now in Toronto, so enjoy the bright weather and outdoors. 

2. Take private sessions in the beginning

Get ahead quickly by taking a few private sessions. You can work with an experienced personal trainer at Montrait Muay Thai to learn the basic techniques, ask questions, and understand Muay Thai at your own pace. Give us a call or visit us at the gym and we can talk more. 

3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

If you are a shy person, leave your shyness at home! If your Muay Thai trainer teaches something and you don’t understand, ask questions. Everyone is here to learn and in that process, you’d help someone else who has social anxiety.  

4. Focus on learning the basics

You aren’t going to learn the right techniques or force in the first few classes, so only focus on the basics. Start slow and understand the process because you don’t want to injure any muscles by doing the technique wrong or with too much force. Trainers at our gym in Downtown Toronto will always go at your pace. 

5. Always keep your hands wrapped 

Hand wraps are self-defense tactics and everyone from newbies to pros have to wear them. They will protect you from wrist injuries and sprains. For added protection, you can also wear gloves on top of the wraps. 

6. Master the techniques

Techniques are always more important than power or force. The initial training can get overwhelming, so take things slow. Once you get the techniques right, you can speed up your movements gradually. 

7. Push yourself

Out of breath? Drink a sip of water and get back on the mat! Muay Thai is a very intense sport and most times you’ll feel like giving up. Don’t let fatigue stop you. If you’re given a drilling padwork set, don’t stop until the trainer tells you to! 

8. Learn how to defend yourself and then learn sparring

When you learn to protect yourself, you’ll survive. Get used to the strikes. Don’t be afraid of getting hit because it’s afterall a combat sport. The first few defense mechanisms that you should master are blocking, checking, and slipping. 

9. Know and acknowledge your limits 

Remember you’re only starting out and will eventually build on your strength and endurance. Adequate periods of rest, proper nutrition, and a good night’s sleep are all very important. Recovery is crucial, so you can get back and train even harder. 

Did you hear about our 12-class introductory pass? It’s valid for 4 months and you pay only $25 per class instead of our regular $30 price.

Are you trying to lose weight? It can be a struggle but you want nothing more than losing those extra pounds. When it comes to weight loss, you should first understand how it happens. The number of calories you consume should be less than your daily expendable calories. 

However, it’s not always possible to cut down calories. While a healthy and well-maintained diet is crucial for weight loss, pairing it with an intense yet engaging workout will help you reach your goal quickly. 

Here are 5 ways Muay Thai can help you lose fat:

1. Full body conditioning and workout 

At Montrait Muay Thai in Toronto, our classes are a blend of strength and conditioning, cardiovascular endurance training, and Muay Thai self-defense techniques. It is the ultimate full body workout and engages your fists and elbows, knees and kicks. That’s why it’s called the “Art of Eight Limbs”. 

A one-hour session at our gym burns 600-1000 calories. We incorporate a lot of strength and conditioning elements while focusing on Muay Thai’s traditional techniques.

2. Builds core strength and lean muscles

Muay Thai is a very intense martial art and requires you to have a strong core. When you join us, you’ll notice a lot of workout routines are made for core strengthening. On the other hand, exercises like running, jumping rope, kickboxing, and shadowboxing builds small but strong muscles throughout our body. 

3. Helps you commit to a routine 

A traditional gym workout is repetitive and easy to procrastinate. Gyms are open throughout the day, so you go anytime you want. That doesn’t help you build a routine, which is good to stay focused and productive. 

When you train with us at our Muay Thai gym, you’ll notice a change in yourself. We conducted limited classes throughout the week, which makes them special. Also, as mentioned earlier, Muay Thai is a high fat burning workout and can burn up to 1000 calories per hour. You don’t need to workout every day. Start training twice a week and bring it up to 3-4 times and you’ll see dramatic results. 

4. Boosts stamina 

Majority of Muay Thai workouts are aerobic, which are exercises that need oxygen. Some common examples include running, skipping, or cardio. As your body starts accepting the workout, you’ll notice increased energy levels, less tiredness, and lower mental fatigue. It’ll also improve your lung’s oxygen capacity. 

5. Become part of the Muay Thai community

We always say that Montrait Muay Thai is not just a gym, it is a community of people. We’re all about motivating each other to be their best selves and are a safe space for you to achieve your fitness goals. Also, there’s always great music blasting through the gym, which is a bonus! 

Book your first class here for only $15 today! If you have any questions, feel free to email us peter@stg-montraitmuaythai-staging.kinsta.cloud.

Most people think improvement comes from training harder, but that’s only half the story. What you do after class is just as important as the rounds you put in on the pads. Like any other sport, Muay Thai training can lead to overtraining and lack of recovery can lead to fatigue, muscle damage, and irritability.

Recovery is the phase where your body does the real work. Muscles that were broken down during pad rounds and heavy drills repair themselves and grow stronger. Energy stores like glycogen get replenished, which helps you push through the next session with higher intensity. Even your nervous system resets, sharpening reaction time and mental focus.

Here are 6 ways you can speed up recovery after a Muay Thai class

1. Stretch and relax your muscles

Stretching is the fastest way to recover from an intense session as it increases blood flow to the muscles. Focus on breathing deep and slow and hold every stretch for 60 to 90 seconds. You can also use SMR techniques with a foam roller, tennis ball, or lacrosse ball to release knots in the muscles and improve blood flow. 

2. Take a cold shower or bath

Nothing better than an ice cold shower or bath. In winter months, even a cold swimming pool will work. For summers, fill up your bathtub with cold water and add a couple ice bags. Maintain the temperature at 10-12 degree Celsius. Sit in the water for 6-12 minutes and you’ll feel your muscles relax. If you’re taking a shower, set at the coldest setting and shower for around 10 minutes. 

3. Engage in light intensity workouts

If you want to keep up the metabolism or don’t want to break the habit of working out, engage in light intensity workouts like yoga, brisk walking, swimming, or light cardio. Keeping a 7-day workout routine will keep you away from cheat meals, making it a great idea for those trying to lose weight. 

4. Focus on eating the right foods 

Eating the right nutrients will take your fitness journey across the finish line. If you’re training or fighting, include whole grains in every meal to replenish your glycogen reserves. Protein and healthy fats should still be a crucial part of your diet. Eat meals every 2-3 hours and include supplements like creatine, cod liver oil, magnesium, and protein powder. 

5. Keep your body hydrated 

Water makes 75% of your muscles, so if you’re dehydrated they’ll take a very long time to recover and you’ll feel fatigued even after rest. When training for Muay Thai in Toronto, you sweat a lot, so replenishing your fluids and electrolytes is crucial. A simple trick is to add salt and water to a couple glasses of water and drink them throughout the day.

6. Get a full night’s sleep 

Muscles relax only during the REM phase of your sleep, which makes getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night extremely important. If you don’t get a good night’s sleep, your muscles will remain sore and you’ll feel fatigued. It will also enhance your performance and give you a calm mindset while training. 

Working with experienced trainers adds to your recovery process. We at Montrait Muay Thai in Downtown Toronto alternate periods of intense workout and recovery, so our students are well-rested and ready to level up with confidence. Give us a call today or visit us at our location for a gym tour.