Would Muay Thai be detrimental...

[CollarTie]

Would Muay Thai be detrimental for a boxer? I've boxed for about a half a year, and started Muay Thai several weeks ago. I love everything about boxing, but there was only so much I could do on my own, so I went looking for a gym. I couldn't find a boxing gym within reasonable distance of my home, but I did find a Muay Thai school. They've got a boxing class, but it's not great seeing as though it was made for the Muay Thai students to work solely on their hands. I figured I'd also take the MT classes for the conditioning, and try to learn the oher aspects of striking. Would learning Muay Thai be detrimental to my progress in boxing? The difference in stance and strategy was immediatly visible to me, and causes me to ask this. Thanks.

 

[MisterT]

Would Muay Thai be detrimental for a boxer? I've boxed for about a half a year, and started Muay Thai several weeks ago. I love everything about boxing, but there was only so much I could do on my own, so I went looking for a gym. I couldn't find a boxing gym within reasonable distance of my home, but I did find a Muay Thai school. They've got a boxing class, but it's not great seeing as though it was made for the Muay Thai students to work solely on their hands. I figured I'd also take the MT classes for the conditioning, and try to learn the oher aspects of striking. Would learning Muay Thai be detrimental to my progress in boxing? The difference in stance and strategy was immediatly visible to me, and causes me to ask this. Thanks.

First I have to ask you: are you planning on competing in Boxing or MMA?

If it's the former, then I'd definitely suggest that you find a formal boxing gym rather than a MT gym that does boxing on the side. If it's the latter, then I'd suggest that you stick to the current MT gym that you have now.

Myself, I've been boxing for over a decade and recently started taking MT. Personally, I dont' think my boxing has deteriorated at all. In fact, taking MT helped me to condition my shins and get accustomed to leg kicks.
Sure, the stance is different and there seems to be less emphasis on head movement or bobbing and weaving, but the MT gym will definitely provided you with excellent conditioning and endurance. Plus, if its the only thing available in your area, I'd definitely suggest that you attend. Taking MT is better than training at home or just do nothing.

 

[golvmopp]

Well, adhering to the original question...

Muay thai won't hurt your boxing if you've got your head screwed on right. There are differences - you'll gain from having a wider, more stable stance in boxing, and dig your feet in.

The opposite can't really be said. There is a chance that boxing will negatively effect your MT, depending on how rooted you are, and who you're facing. The wide stance and forward lead legs will be prone to leg-kicks, pre-emptive weaving and bobbing will leave you wide open for a multitude of attacks - knees, body- and legkicks.

As long as you learn to pick MT up and separate your mindsets between it and boxing, you'll be fine.

 

[rubberducky27]

Would Muay Thai be detrimental for a boxer?

If time spent training Muay Thai is replacing time you would have spent boxing, then your development as a boxer is impacted, that is detrimental.

If the gym being closer means you get to train more often then it's a bonus.

If you've never been in a boxing gym before, I would suggest you find the best boxing gym you can, the time spent travelling further will be worth it compared to developing bad habits you'll eventually need to break. Once you've got the basics ingrained training in lower quality gyms isn't as much of an issue (not saying the MT gym is low quality boxing, but sounds like it's not great.)

 

[Tsingani]

Boxing training can compliment muay thai, but i dont see muat thai training helping you out in a boxing ring

 

[pliftkl]

Would Muay Thai be detrimental for a boxer? I've boxed for about a half a year, and started Muay Thai several weeks ago. I love everything about boxing, but there was only so much I could do on my own, so I went looking for a gym. I couldn't find a boxing gym within reasonable distance of my home, but I did find a Muay Thai school. They've got a boxing class, but it's not great seeing as though it was made for the Muay Thai students to work solely on their hands. I figured I'd also take the MT classes for the conditioning, and try to learn the oher aspects of striking. Would learning Muay Thai be detrimental to my progress in boxing? The difference in stance and strategy was immediatly visible to me, and causes me to ask this. Thanks.

I'm confused. Are you saying that you've trained yourself in boxing for 6 months, and you are worried that Muay Thai is going to screw up your boxing? I'd argue that training boxing without a boxing coach is going to screw up your boxing far more than training Muay Thai.

And why do you think the boxing class is not great if you've never taken boxing classes before?

 

[hughes fan]

I think that boxers benefit from kickboxing or MT because they can still utilize their hands and within a certain distance it's hard to use knees even from the clinch and hands are all you can use effectively.

 

[Connoisseur]

It won't be detrimental, no. MT has a different stance, & more things to worry about, but on the whole- i'd say that just training in general will help you out.

If you can adjust to the changes present in MT, having good punching technique, footwork, & defense are extremely advantageous. You'll need to modify your stance so that it's a bit more square, and you'll need to be ready to check kicks, but even in MT the hands set up everything, so once you learn to kick/ knee/ elbow, it should really open up your offensive arsenal.

I have a buddy who trained boxing all throughout his childhood; when he started going to Xtreme Couture for kickboxing, it really threw him off at 1'st. He gradually learned the basics of muay thai, and once he could check & throw kicks, his game was suddenly unbelievable. He moves very well, has near impregnable defense, throws all strikes very clean & concisely.

I doubt training muay thai will help your straight boxing, but it'll keep you sharp & in shape, and could strengthen your hips.

 

[vjvj]

Do you have any additional info on the boxing coach? Our gym is set up similarly, where we are primarily MT and MMA but offer boxing classes... And our boxing classes are taught by trainers with olympic/amateur/pro boxing experience. You may want to talk to their boxing coach and see where he's coming from; what you observed may be "watered down" on purpose because he's trying to tailor the class to MT students. Let him know what you want, and maybe he can adjust your instruction accordingly to make it a truer experience.

Beyond all that, I do think boxing can help MT but I don't think MT really helps boxing. So it depends on what your focus is and what you want to compete in (if at all).

 

[NuTzOnSwOll]

, pre-emptive weaving and bobbing will leave you wide open for a multitude of attacks - knees, body- and legkicks.

^ no it wont.