We all know for a fact that as a Muay Thai fighter, you need to be aggressive in order for you to intimidate your opponent as well as score the winning strike or deliver a devastating blow. However, you should also remember that being aggressive also has its drawbacks.
For starters, being constantly aggressive will leave you open for strikes. This is reckless and potentially dangerous especially in a brutal combat sport like Muay Thai.
If you really want to be good in Muay Thai, you should also know how to defend yourself from strikes and also know how to get out of disadvantageous position. So, here are some tips that will help you sharpen your defense in Muay Thai.
The first tip is that you should start practicing reflex drills. Just like what it sounds, this training will help speed up your reflexes to a given action. By building up your reflex in response to attacks, you will be able to have a solid and strong defense. One great drill for reflex is to have your sparring partner throw mid level roundhouse kicks at you over and over again. What you need to do is block every single one of them with the proper technique. And, by doing this over and over again, you will be able to gain muscle memory. This means that it will teach your body to naturally react to this type of kick.
Another tip is to develop your pattern recognition. By knowing how to recognize a pattern, you will be able to effectively defend yourself. Try to recognize a sign that your sparring partner gives before he or she attacks you. A sign would be something that your partner does just before he or she throws a punch, kick, elbow, or knee. This is a difficult one as the signs vary from fighter to fighter. Its sot of like a tell for poker players.
Using a mirror is another great tip to sharpen or even perfect your defensive technique. Using a mirror will let you watch how your body moves while you evade a roundhouse kick to your midsection or your head.
You should also remember that repetition will eventually result to perfection. By repeating the proper movements in Muay Thai, the more it will become automatic and natural for you to execute. Keep in mind that all movements in Muay Thai must be automatic and purely instinctive. Thinking first before responding to what your opponent does is a no-no. So, try to master all the moves that you have to make in Muay Thai. So, get your sparring partner to throw punches, kicks, elbows, and knees at you over and over again.
Lastly, you have to take care of your eyes. You need to remember that your ability to evade an attack is a hundred percent tied to your ability to see. If you keep on blinking or flinching every time your opponent throws a punch, kick, elbow, or knee at you, then you may want to train your eyes to stay open and relaxed.
Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to improve your defensive skills in Muay Thai. By building a good and solid defense, you will be able to convert a seemingly disadvantageous position in to an advantageous one.
