Tips For Starting Muay Thai At 40 Years of Age
Muay Thai is known as a complex and high-impact workout and people in their 40s may wonder if enrolling in this specific martial art is good for them after all.
Overall, aging comes with certain limitations when it comes to martial arts but it does not stop you from training in Muay Thai. But due to all the risks that come with it, you should approach it slowly, methodically, and with the right mindset.
In this article, we provide you with tips on how you should start Muay Thai at 40+ years of age. The following tips will help you stay safe from injuries, and progress faster.
Is it too late to start Muay Thai at 40 years of age?
Although Muay Thai is an intense activity, it’s actually never too late to enroll in classes, and there are 40–50 years olds training in just about every gym.
In modern times, Thai boxing schools have adapted to the demands of the modern lifestyle. Each modern academy has an amateur group where people of all ages and genders can come in and train to achieve their individual goals.
Whether you want to enroll in classes to lose weight, improve overall fitness, or learn how to fight or compete, Muay Thai is adaptable and it enables you to approach it your own way.
The same stands for 40-year-olds. They mostly enroll in Thai boxing to get in top shape and learn valuable self-defense skills. And of course, experience many other physical and mental health benefits. No one enrolls in martial arts in the 5th decade of their lives thinking they will become world champions. Sorry, it’s too late for that. But there are many reasons to start.
Let’s now focus on how you should approach Muay Thai in your 40s to stay injury free and maximize your performance.
Slowly adapt the mind and body to classes
Most beginners, whether we are talking about the ones in their 20s or 40s, get hooked on Muay Thai after a few classes. You will feel an amazing rush of adrenalin and enthusiasm that will keep you awake at night. Although finding a new passion is great, you have to be careful, be realistic, and pull the handbrake if needed.
Rather than hitting the gym 5–6 times a week, start out slowly and give your body and mind space to recover and adapt. Attending 2 or 3 sessions a week would be good enough.
Muay Thai is intense and it takes time for both your mind and body to get used to this type of activity. This is notably true for people who haven’t been active for years or have never trained in martial arts before. Taking a slow and methodical approach enables you to strengthen your body, improve flexibility and build confidence the right way without putting much stress on the body.
The same stands when it comes to intensity. Do not get carried away with emotions and push yourself too hard by always throwing strikes with full power for example. First, you are yet to learn how to execute the right way, and second, improper form is the most common way people get hurt in training. So be aware of your age, fitness level, and other limits, and train with longevity in mind.
Be consistent and focus on developing the proper technique
As a beginner, you want to be as consistent as possible with your training. This means hitting the gym at least 2–3 times a week is optimal for people in their 40s. This is crucial because you need consistency to improve cardio, strength, and above all else, develop the proper technique.
40-year-olds, or older students in general, might struggle a lot when it comes to all those grueling cardio workouts. But again, be realistic and always give your best. The only thing coaches want from their students is to show will and determination. Even if you fail to do something, it’s ok, you hit the breaking point. You will come back stronger next time.
The next crucial aspect is developing proper technique. This aspect is important because you want to develop a proper Muay Thai base on top of which you can later build advanced techniques and skills. Don’t even think about the power in your shots. Put the entire focus on the motion of the strike, rotation, coordination of movements, and how to perform the right way. As your form is getting better you will start increasing the power progressively.
Developing proper technique also plays a key role in injury prevention. Most injuries outside of sparring happen when a student hits the bag with full power but with the wrong part of the leg/hand or at the wrong angle.
Eat, drink, and sleep well
At 40+ years of age, you want to put extra focus on improving your eating habits and ensure you are loaded up and well-hydrated before and after each training session. Training burns a lot of calories and will put on your entire organism in a state of shock each time you step on the mats during the opening months. Thus, not eating and sleeping well will have a huge impact on your performance, and may even result in an injury.
When it comes to food, try to adopt a healthy diet. Since Thai boxing is so cardio-intense, each meal should be well-balanced and include healthy fats, carbs, and protein.
For instance, be sure to eat food rich in carbs before training to have enough fuel for the session, and then food rich in protein after. Protein is crucial because it helps repair damaged muscle tissues which will speed up recovery. Each meal should also include vegetables and fresh fruits.
The same stands when it comes to sleeping. Running low on sleep, working full-time, and training Muay Thai is a huge no-no. It is an ideal recipe for a disaster. Thus, be sure to have at least 7 or 8 hours of solid sleep. In case you had less, like 3 hours for instance, consider skipping the session and doing some low-impact workout at home.
Always warm up and stretch
At 40 years of age, you can’t allow yourself to skip warm-up sessions. Stepping right into an intense workout without previous preparation has a big impact on the muscles, ligaments, and the way you recover later. Warming up is a must at your age and it should consist of different types of dynamic stretches or low-impact cardio workouts. The main goal is to speed up the heart rate and blood flow to warm the muscles up.
Cooldowns are equally important. But instead of dynamic exercises, you will focus on static stretches to remove the tension built in the muscles during a workout. You don’t want to miss those as static stretching reduces the risk of injuries and muscle soreness. Or in other words, warming up and cooling down enables you to train more, and with that, have more fun.
Final Thoughts — Train for longevity
At 40 years of age, the most important thing is to be realistic about your expectations and approach to Muay Thai training. It is all about finding an ideal balance between training hard and recovering. Don’t push yourself too hard. Find your limits and design a training schedule that fits you the best.
At this stage of life, you are not in a position to fight for the titles or even enter pro-competition matches at all. Maybe if you have previous fighting experience. But overall, the majority of people your age join the classes to develop self-defense skills and improve fitness and health.
Overall, Muay Thai falls into the group of dangerous sports. However, the risk factor ultimately depends on your approach to training. With the right mindset, it could be as safe as any other activity.
