A Typical Day Training

A lot of people want to know what a typical day is like here at Rawai Muay Thai Gym.

We train Monday through Saturdays here, taking Sundays off.

We train twice a day at 7am and then again at 4pm. If people want to run, they typically will do it before or after the 7am training. It is done individually and by choice, not as a group through the gym.

Every training session starts out with 3 - 5 rounds of shadow boxing, then about 5 rounds on the punching bags. In-between rounds shadow boxing or on the bags, you do push-ups or sit-ups.......and typically grab some water.

Then in the mornings we do some form of technique training, sometimes sparring. Then usually we are given a form of "homework", like 200 front kicks on the bags, maybe 100 knees (I don't do the knees on the bags due to my right knee 'issue') and 100 sit-ups.

In the afternoons after we do shadow boxing and the bags, we do five rounds with a trainer working with the pads. This is my favorite part of the training, and the best work-out in my opinion. Then you will do some form of technique training. Mondays and Tuesdays is usually grappling, which I don't participate in. Wednesdays is kicks (which I love) and Thursdays is the Wai Kru, which is the dance you do at the beginning of a fight. Fridays is boxing, usually with the large 18 oz. gloves. Afterwards, you do a similar "homework" assignment of front kicks, knees and/or sit-ups.

Morning training usually has half the people that afternoon training has in it, and for obvious reasons. It's at 7 a.m.

In-between sessions there is a lot of down time, obviously. Obviously, after each training session most shower and eat. But that still leaves a lot of down time, generally between 10 or so and 4.

You can easily nap during that time if you are working out to your full-capacity. Feels great, you're drowsy enough for it, and then you are energized for your afternoon workout.

Some just hang-out a lot. That can be a double-edged sword, though, in terms of motivation and productivity.

You don't want to eat less than a couple of hours before training. Most train in the a.m. on an empty stomach, but in the afternoon you want to be done eating by 1pm, easily. Hopefully earlier if it's a heavier meal.

Sometimes people go swimming at the beach or a pool. This seems like a great idea, but honestly, if it's for more than a half hour, you find yourself groggy by 4pm from the sun and water, which is very invigorating at the time (and a lot of fun), but very exhausting because it is soooooooo hot, etc. And it's very hard to leave in a half hour because it's so gorgeous and feels so good, LOL!

Some people stay up late and miss morning training. Others stay up late and do VIP private sessions at 10am or so, then train in the afternoons. Some go to bed earlier and wake up and run and train in the a.m and then again in the p.m. Some watch their diet, others eat whatever. It's really up to you and your goals and what you hope to achieve with your time here............

So, bring a book if you're a reader, there's definitely down time. I don't have a scooter, and typically walk to the store when I need something, which is good exercise and a nice little adventure every time. But many do rent scooters, some rent "push-bikes" and pedal around. That's a nice way to get extra cardio, for sure, too. A lot of times people watch movies, but if there's a board game you like, bring it, I guarantee you'll find participants. Or, there's always your laptop or the internet cafe. It's really laid back here, for sure. A nice change!

On Saturdays (sometimes Fridays), there are usually large groups going to Patong in a taxi. There are places to go out around here, too, though, easily. Sundays are our days off, so if you feel the itch to go out, Saturday is the best way to do it (although Saturday training is more lax; in the mornings sometimes it's at the beach!)

Some nights there are fights, too, and the gym arranges field trips for them. Students or trainers are usually fighting, so it's great to go see a real fight at least once. I've been 2 - 3 times, but it's unfortunately 1,000 baht, which is about $30 U.S. dollars. That's kind of expensive for a lot of us, so we usually choose our fights carefully. Everybody should go at least once, though!