You understand Fight IQ. You know when to push the pace and when to back off. You can gauge distance and read the tempo. You know there's strategy behind the tactics in the ring. Then you walk into the [...]
I know you're making Muay Thai training mistakes. Some of them are costing you right now. The rest will wait decades and then send you the bill. You're gassing out in the third round, so you run harder. Your [...]
At some point, Muay Thai after 30 starts to feel different. Not because you're injured. Not because you've stopped training. Not because you've lost your commitment. Just — harder. Like the same effort is producing less. Like something has quietly [...]
Most Western Muay Thai fighters plateau far earlier than they should. Not because they lack effort. But because they're following a training structure that was never designed for their life. The truth is, the traditional Muay Thai system works [...]
Most fighters treat warm up sets as non-negotiable. More ramps, more time, more preparation — it feels responsible. Thorough. Like you're doing things properly. But after years of coaching Muay Thai fighters and strength athletes, I found something that [...]
A strength and conditioning coach working with fighters isn’t there to add more work. The role is to engineer clarity when training variables start colliding. Muay Thai athletes don’t struggle because they lack effort. They struggle because performance testing [...]
What if everything you've been told about starting Muay Thai "too late" is completely wrong? I get messages like this almost daily: "Don, I'm 38 and want to start Muay Thai, but everyone says I'm too old..." "I'm 42 [...]
I've always been prone to overzealous "Muppetry". My wife Deborah has an instinctive eye-roll response every time I display this habit. Although I've tempered this behaviour over time, it's still part of me. Case in point: When I first [...]
Muay Thai has this uncanny way of showing you exactly who you are. No filters, no BS – just raw truth. When I chatted with Paul Banasiak about this very thing, it was obvious: Muay Thai isn't just another [...]
Today we're tackling a crucial concept in sport performance - the double-edged sword of Muay Thai specific training. The thing is, you need enough supplemental training to build athletic qualities that show up in the ring, but not so [...]
There’s a secret military strategy that can transform your fighting IQ. The OODA Loop is a tactical framework that can give you a serious edge in the ring. The OODA Loop was developed by a U.S. Air Force strategist, [...]
One of my fighters found themselves up to their neck in a brutal training schedule. Three killer training days stacked back-to-back… This isn't what you'd draw up in a perfect world. With Muay Thai training, you must work with [...]
You know what's fascinating about asking world champions for their best advice? They see through the noise and cut to the chase. You may expect a ONE Championship double champ like Regian Eersel to talk about secret training methods [...]
In Muay Thai, you must dig deep, but do you know when to push your limits, and when to ease off to level up? Are you the “More!” type… or the “Too Much!” type? Over the years—training myself and [...]
Most fighters believe that every session, they must train harder to win. You don’t. Both older and younger fighters alike should take three steps forward, then one step back. Rinse and repeat for infinity! I was on a call [...]
The simplest way to get better at Muay Thai, is just to do more! I used to think soreness meant progress. If I wasn’t waking up stiff, bruised, or dead-legged, I’d wonder if I had even trained hard enough. [...]
Thailand Muay Thai strength and conditioning is often stuck in its ways. “Train hard and you’ll get results,” they said. But what happens when you train hard... and the results don’t show up? Angela Chang knows that frustration inside [...]
To both fight smart, and keep it simple, isn’t a contradiction. But in the heat of battle, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by tactical decisions... Do I press forward or stay patient? Do I counter or attack first? Should [...]
There's a secret to advanced Muay Thai footwork. A hidden rhythm in every fight that no one talks about—if you’re not controlling it, your opponent is. They’re "stealing your step", keeping you reacting instead of attacking on your terms. [...]
Your Muay Thai fight IQ isn't just about what you do best—it’s about what breaks your opponent. The key? Adaptability. You can’t force your favorite game onto every fighter. Instead, you need to recognize their style and adjust accordingly. [...]
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