Muay Thai Vs Boxing – What’s Right For Me?

One look at the build of the boxers in a Muay Thai vs boxing comparison and you’ll see one big difference. The Mua Thai fighter has a leaner appearance. That’s because the training regimen is different, because the focus is different. Boxers go for strength and speed, while Muay Thai fighters want speed, but focus more on flexibility than strength. The training of Muay Thai fighters does include strength, but it’s not focused on muscle building like boxers undergo.

You’ll develop a far better street fighting self-defense tool with Muay Thai.

If you’re trained in either, you’ll be a force to deal with if you’re any good at all. Both boxing and Muay Thai training have their benefits. While you’ll have a small advantage initially with boxing, if you’re still standing, kicks can be extremely effective at keeping people at bay and give you more room to maneuver. Both are extremely good for self-defense. Both are focused on combat styles, but Muay Thai tends to be better for all types of street fighting scenarios, since you use all parts of your body to fight.

Both boxing and Muay Thai training will get your fit and help you lose weight.

There are differences in how each type of fighting train. You’ll find more strength building workouts for boxing training, including weightlifting. Both are hard work and both help you build lean muscle tissue. However, with Muay Thai, there’s not as much effort on building muscle, even though it’s a great workout. That’s what makes the Muay Thai fighters tend to be leaner and strong, rather than strong and bulky.

The actual fight is different and has different rules.

If you train to go in the ring, there’s a big difference in what’s allowed in boxing and what’s allowed in Muay Thai. Muay Thai is the art of eight limbs, which include the shins, knees, fists, and elbows. While boxing is limited to punching, you can kick, elbow or knee your opponent in Muay Thai. Both require skill and are grueling, but Muay Thai tends to be harder on the body of the opponent, since there’s more power behind a kick, than there is from a fist in a padded glove that is the weapon of boxing. With that said, boxing requires more finesse and precision movements, since you’re limited to striking the upper body and head.

• Muay Thai fighting tends to be grittier, using more body parts for striking, while boxing focuses on more technical skills, such as foot work and evasive movements. Both require the same skills, but in different proportions.
• Muay Thai is more difficult to learn the basics, since you have more weapons to learn to use, but to master either boxing or Muay Thai, it takes a lot of practice and time.
• Boxing tends to be a bit faster paced than Muay Thai fights and has a different rhythm. Boxers bob and weave while they prepare for combination blows that can include several punches.
• If you want a form of exercise and fighting skills that can take you into your senior years, Muay Thai is probably the best. It focuses on flexibility and total body strength.

For more information, contact us today at Garcia Muay Thai