The question of whether Bodybuilders can do Muay Thai has been on the air countless times. When I tried to research that for myself, I couldn’t find an answer that satisfied me. Therefore, I’ve decided to write this article, so you can optimize your training routine and do both Bodybuilding and Muay Thai.
As a general rule, Bodybuilders can train in Muay Thai and still prioritize their bodybuilding as their primary endeavor. However, they must compensate for that extra training by consuming more calories to feed their bodies with nutrients and reorganizing their weekly training routine, so to avoid overtraining.
Bodybuilders who want to incorporate Muay Thai into their weekly training routine will need to follow a few key guidelines that will help them (1) avoid overtraining, and (2) continue their primary endeavor of building muscle, strength, or losing body fat.
So now that you know that it’s possible, let’s dive into the article itself, where I’ll break down how a bodybuilder can train in Muay Thai while excelling in both endeavors.
Are you ready?
Table of Contents:
- How Can Bodybuilders Do Muay Thai?
- Bodybuilder vs. Muay Thai Fighter – Who Will Win?
- Can You Lift Weights and Do Muay Thai?
- Is Muscle Good for Muay Thai?
- Final Words
How Can Bodybuilders Do Muay Thai?
Although we’ve already answered this question, I want to continue on the same line. So what we’ll do now is dive deeply into the subject of cross-training these two fantastic endeavors. Most people who want to train in Muay Thai want to learn how to use their bodies effectively – and bodybuilding is also about that.
That’s why doing both won’t jeopardize your journey. So unless you want to become extremely muscular but unable of using your body effectively, hence being slow and not flexible, training in another endeavor, such as Muay Thai, will be the wisest thing you do.
Because when you do Muay Thai, you’ll work on many aspects that Bodybuilders don’t typically possess. For example, you’ll become more dynamic and flexible, which is great for injury prevention and overall body effectiveness. You’ll also become more confident in better aerobic shape, which will not harm you in any sense.
Now, let’s dive into three things you want to know about when you cross-train Bodybuilding and Muay Thai!
Tip #1 – Avoid Overtraining
The first guideline is to avoid overtraining. I know, I know, I’m intelligent for having said that. In all seriousness though, many Bodybuilders might think that they’ll be capable of avoiding overtraining simply by repeating what they do but with Muay Thai in the middle.
This is not the way it works, and it’ll typically lead to overtraining. You want to avoid overtraining like fire, which you can do by allowing your body more rest.
Practically, you want to add a Muay Thai session to your training regimen and free up that day from serious weight lifting. Your body won’t respond well to an intense gym session followed by a Muay Thai class. I’ve been there, so you can trust me on that.
Avoid monotonous training activities. Avoid sudden increases in training, such as doubling workout times or intensities. Gradual increases allow the body to properly train, adjust, and recover. Integrate appropriate rest periods into all training regimens.
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Tip #2 – Sleep a Lot
The second guideline to follow is to sleep a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean anywhere from 8-9 hours. Today, most people, including myself, are sleep deprived. This condition can lead to more serious symptoms, such as overtraining, and a body’s inability to recover.
Let’s now review another study that examined the relationship between sleep and physical performance. More specifically, insufficient duration of sleep and physical performance and muscle gain.
Inadequate sleep (e.g., an insufficient duration of sleep per night) can reduce physical performance and has been linked to adverse metabolic health outcomes.
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When you combine poor sleep with more training, you’ll experience fewer results than ever.
But you’re a Bodybuilder, so you already know that!
Tip #3 – Optimize Your Diet
The last tip I want you to follow is diet optimization. In just one hour of intense Muay Thai training, you can burn up to 800 calories, which is just crazy. It’s perfect for people who want to lose body fat, as they’ll be able to be in a caloric deficit.
However, for Bodybuilders who wish to maintain and grow their muscle mass, this is bad news. Burning more calories means compensating for that by eating more. As a result, you’ll be forced to eat more if you wish to avoid losing lean muscle mass together with body fat.
So not being in a caloric deficit is critical for Bodybuilders who also do Muay Thai.
Bodybuilder vs. Muay Thai Fighter – Who Will Win?
A Muay Thai fighter is much more likely to win in a fight against a Bodybuilder, as he knows how to fight effectively. While mass is a factor for strength and power, it won’t be helpful against someone who knows to maximize his power output while being dynamic and conditioned, like Muay Thai fighters are.
This is a no-brainer in my opinion because you won’t be able to win in a fight if you don’t know basic fighting techniques. And basic fighting techniques are what make or break a fighter.
Muay Thai fighters spar a lot, which makes them extremely prepared for fighting. Their training also includes a high conditioning level. So they can get hit straight in the face with a powerful punch and not give a single care in the world.
This is what makes Muay Thai fighters elite.
Learn a complete guide I wrote about the basics of Muay Thai and how to boost your progression and learning rate—by following this link!
Can You Lift Weights and Do Muay Thai?
Lifting weights while doing Muay Thai is possible. However, you want to make sure you consume enough calories, sleep sufficiently, and have at least one rest day in your week. Without one of these, your body won’t be able to recover and it’ll get into a state of overtraining rather quickly.
Here are some symptoms of overtraining you want to make sure you know, so you can potentially identify them in your journey (let’s hope you won’t get there!)
Lifestyle-related signs of overtraining:
- Prolonged general fatigue.
- Increase in tension, depression, anger, or confusion.
- Inability to relax.
- Poor-quality sleep.
- Lack of energy, decreased motivation, moodiness.
- Not feeling joy from things that were once enjoyable.
Is Muscle Good For Muay Thai?
Having more muscle means more mass, increasing your power in Muay Thai, which can benefit your fighting skills. However, Muay Thai fighters aren’t as muscular because every muscle requires oxygen, and the more mass you have, the faster you’ll become tired by using your muscles.
Final Words
Bodybuilders can definitely train in Muay Thai and learn to fight while focusing on their main endeavor, which is to build muscle. Not only is it possible, but in my experience, Muay Thai training can promote your body’s effectiveness, which will help you prevent injuries, increase flexibility, and become a much better athlete.
So if that sounds interesting, take the initial step and start your training. Start just once a week and amp up the pace if you feel it does good for you and your body.
If you’re interested in this article’s topic, you’ll also love to read an article I wrote about BJJ vs. Bodybuilder – Who Will Win?
Likewise, here are more articles you’ll definitely benefit from reading:
Does Muay Thai Increase Testosterone?
7 Exercises to Strengthen Your Legs for Boxing – List
Does Muay Thai Build Muscle? How to Bulk Up
Here’s Why Muay Thai Is the Perfect Martial Art (9 Reasons)
Muay Thai vs. Taekwondo – Which Is Better (Differences)
