Low kick or leg kick is an indispensable part of Muay Thai.
The advantages of an impactful kick are manifold from knocking off your opponent’s balance to ceasing their movement. That’s why even seasoned nak muays (Muay Thai fighters) don’t shy away from constantly trying to improve their techniques.
But without adequate strength, agility, and flexibility in your legs, even the best kicking techniques will fail to give you the desired results. Hence, we thought it’d be a good idea to familiarise you with some of the best exercises that will help improve your kicks.
So, let’s begin!
6 Best Exercises To Improve Your Kicks For Muay Thai
1. Running
As the saying goes, “going back to the basics strengthens your foundation.” So, what better than starting with some good ol’ running? The good news is that all kinds of running will improve both leg strength and endurance, making it an effective “two-in-one” workout.
Uninterrupted running and jogging at a decent pace for some time are a bare minimum for many forms of martial arts. Sprinting is another exercise that will activate your fast-twitch muscles to generate maximum strength within a short span.
Ideally, you should focus on striking the right balance between long-distance running and sprinting or jogging. For example, if you run four days a week, then we’d suggest running for 30 minutes on the first two days and sprinting or jogging for 15 minutes on the other two. Or, you can alternate between them.
2. Skipping
Just because running is important doesn’t mean everybody will like it. If you too fall in that category, skipping will serve as an effective or even better alternative to running. The best part is that you don’t need to be a pro at it- just ensuring that you don’t trip will be enough. There are many easy workouts to choose from.
Skipping rope is essentially a full-body exercise and will help you bring in some much-needed “bounce” to better your footwork. This is one of the main reasons why many professional nak muays have termed it as one of their go-to exercises to get those legs working at their fullest.
With regular skipping, you’ll invariably notice significant improvements in your leg strength, especially the calve muscles.
3. Jumping Squats
It’s no secret that squats can do wonders for developing your lower body muscles and building your core. As a result, you will experience faster and smoother movements while minimising the risk of injuries. And jumping squats are way more effective in generating swift, powerful movements without affecting your stability and balance.
Start by standing with your feet parallelly apart so that they are right beneath the shoulders. Keep the toes slightly outwards, which will help you strengthen the base for jumping and landing.
Then, begin squatting by lowering your hips and bending the knees. If you’re a novice and afraid of losing balance, we’d advise keeping a chair behind to support your hips. Likewise, keep your hands on the sides or straight in front to help with the balance.
Halfway through the squat, use your full force to jump (taking off the balls of your feet), straightening the legs and back in the process. Utilise the power generated by the calves to go as high as possible, and always remember to land on the ball of your feet. Do 2 to 3 sets, with ten squats in each set.
Remember that landing on the feet can transfer “shock waves” from your heels and ankles to the knees, causing chronic pain.
4. Pistol Squats
Pistol (or single-leg) squats are a great way to strengthen your legs, hips, glutes, and quad muscles in one go.
Stand upright with your hands stretched out and your shoulders parallel to the feet. Now, slowly lift one leg without bending the knee, pointing the toes upwards. Next, bend your rear knee to achieve a sitting position and go as low as possible. However, the front foot shouldn’t touch the ground this entire time.
Transfer your weight to the rear feet and push down on it to stand up. However, first-timers can find it challenging to maintain their balance, which is why we suggest using a chair, box, or tool to rest the hips.
5. Splits
When it comes to improving the flexibility and stamina of your legs, there’s hardly anything better than the split. And there are different variations to perform, depending on which part of the leg you plan to target.
One of the most fundamental split exercises is the lateral stretch, where you stand with your feet wide apart and try to hold your body weight in that position.
In hindsight, the weight pushes your legs to stretch even more, while the leg muscles prevent that from happening, thereby enhancing endurance. This will help you develop accurate kicks, reaching longer and higher distances within seconds.
6. Lunges
Another closely related exercise is lunges, which targets the hamstring, quads, and glutes muscles. Begin by standing upright and putting one foot forward so that the leg forms a 90-degree angle. The knee in front should be parallel to your toes, and the one on the back should be parallel to the ground. Most of your body weight should be supported by the front foot.
Push down your hip so that the rear knee touches the ground (or gets close to it) and the heel on the back is lifted. The front knee should be directly above the ankle on the front, and the bend in both knees should be 90 degrees.
Hold this position for a few seconds and come back to the original position with the support of your legs. Perform a couple of sets with 10 to 12 lunges and alternate between the legs after every lunge or set.
Advancing Your Muay Thai Kicks
All of our recommendations will help you bring more strength to your leg muscles, but it’s equally important to practice the kicks alongside other exercises. This will improve your technique, and your muscle memory will register the movements to execute them faster and with absolute precision. You can look into things like weight training and resistance training to further your skills.
That said, don’t push yourself too hard. Know when to stop to reduce the risk of unnecessary injuries and give your body enough time to recover from intense training and workout sessions.
If you need assistance purchasing skipping ropes and other fitness equipment, we are always here. So, get in touch with our team!
We will see you next time with more informative content. Till then, take care!