TBK invited to Oregon Muay Thai Camp

**Thaiboxerken** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 6:19pm

I just got invited to attend Master Chai's summer Muay Thai Camp which is held at the end of July. It'll be my first time and it's a 4 day, fighter-like camp for instructors. I'm looking forward to it, but I also have been informed that the better shape I'm in, the more fun it will be. I guess they run 3 miles before breakfast, 1 after lunch and 1 after dinner with plenty of Muay Thai training in between. I hate running!

Anyone have suggestions on how to work up to running 5 miles a day? Should I go 1 mile a day for a week, ramp up to 3 the next and so on? I'm only asking because I hate running. I just got some new shoes too, so hopefully my flat feet won't hurt so much, a big reason as to why I hate running.

Did I mention that I hate running?

**Thaiboxerken** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 9:15pm

Ok, all day and no one cares. But I'll post anyway. I just rand 1.5 miles and it wasn't nearly as bad as I remember. I didn't breathe nearly as hard as I do when doing rounds of Muay Thai drills. It just seemed like I sort of daydreamed through the run. After walking a bit, though, my feet started to cramp up bad. I guess my cardio is good but my feet aren't used to it.

**Neildo** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 9:15pm

I think it's because, like you, we all hate running too. I ride a bike for that **** LOL.

**Thaiboxerken** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 9:21pm

It is kind of hard running past my car knowing that it would get me to the destination much faster and easier.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 6/06/2007 6:28am

Couch to 5k plan. Two months to go from nada to running the 5k.

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

tl;dr = intervals. Good luck dude.

**Soju_King** · Posted On: 6/06/2007 6:31am

wish i could offer some good runnin tips.........but i hate running too......all i do is take Endurox tablets

have fun with the training

**octaviousbp** · Posted On: 6/06/2007 7:38am

For starters if you "do" Muay Thai, you run. Simple as that. If you are going to camp, there are people there that run run the 3 miles in 15 minutes. Dave from Mexico comes to mind. Faisal from my school is also a gazelle. There are a few that run pretty darn quick. But that's not the point, the point is, they are in shape. In shape through running and pad work/bag work/sparring (note I didn't say Muay Thai, because I actually consider running part of Muay Thai).

Start 3 miles slow pace. Aim to beat 30 minutes. This should be a reasonable goal for any new runner. Do this three times a week. When you get your base up a little... stop the Long Slow Distance (LSD) running. Muay Thai is not a marathon, it is a series of bursts of aneorobic energy. So why train/run any other way?

I personally use a 4 day run schedule (M,Tu,Th,F). Rest (from running) on Wednesday and weekends. I do incramental sprints (50m to 800m) twice, fartlek once, and 2 miles for time once.

Now, that is general advice regarding running for Muay Thai. About camp:

It is not inherently hard. That being said, it can be the hardest experience in your life. It all depends on how much you want to give. It can even be harder than camp here, because it is long. Very, very long. And when you are physically resting, you are mentally working (or should be) trying to pick the brains of the wealth of info that is there (Snuggle up to Greg Nelson for as much as you can. The guy is a veritable encyclopedia on the clinch). So the whole experience is draining.

Pace yourself. The number of rounds in a day can get close to 100. Always rotating stations. If you are going there to impress people, you will probably burn out. And despite the fact that there are a lot of instructors, it is open to all skill levels.

There will be a "fighter" camp, and a "regular" camp, with the difference being primarily workload. Although there is talk of shaking things up this year, and putting more emphasis on conditioning. I think there will be lots to talk about, because of the TBA-Sanctioning body, and the first ever TBA event. This event, and the feedback from it, may help shape the camp.

The food is good, the weather is hot in the day and freezing cold at night. Bring 2 pairs of shoes, cause one very well might be a right off by the end of camp. You train in shoes, because the camp is outdoors on varying terrain. I trained barefoot there (coming from Thailand) and about froze my ass off. The pavement isn't smooth either.

Oh, and shine up your 8 count body builders, cause there will be those a plenty. Good luck, and slap a high-five to Ajarn Chai for me.

**Thaiboxerken** · Posted On: 6/06/2007 10:00am

Thanks for the great info on running guys. Octa, thanks for the specifics about the camp.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 6/06/2007 12:12pm

Some distance running is fine, but sprints will do a hell of a lot more for your Thai Boxing than slow to moderately high jogging will. Build up a base by doing some distance jogging, as you have been doing. Once you've got that down, give this a try, assuming you're running in town. Sprint from one lightpole to the next, then jog at your distance jog pace for the following stretch. If you're dying, sprint one stretch, then jog two, or sprint one, walk one. But try to work up to a 2+ mile jog where you do an absolute balls-out sprint for every other lightpole. It'll kill you, I promise.

What's more is the fact that sprints are more similar to a fight cardiovascularly than a jog is. In a fight, you look for an opportunity, then throw combos at furious intensity, correct? You don't just lob easy one-twos at a consistent pace for 30 minutes straight. Sprints are like aggressive flurries.

**Thaiboxerken** · Posted On: 6/12/2007 4:30pm

Well, I am running 3 miles in under 25 minutes now. I think I'll do this for another week before trying to do incremental sprints. I still hate running.