Muay Thai or MMA For Fitness: Detailed Comparison
Muay Thai and MMA are often seen as two most effective fighting styles that will teach you all about real fighting. Training prepares you for all types of combat scenarios you may face on the streets, and in the case of MMA, how to fight in all places. But if we put fighting aside and focus on fitness, which one is better, Muay Thai or MMA?
In short, training in both Muay Thai and MMA is a cardio intense full body workout that burns calories like nothing else out there. Still, Muay Thai puts more emphasis on endurance and cardio, so it is a better option when it comes to weight loss. But, MMA is better for improving both upper and lower body strength and developing functional strength.
Still, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Keep reading this article to find out more about the nuances and differences between the two when it comes to fitness.
Muay Thai or MMA: Which one burns more calories?
Training in both Muay Thai and MMA is cardio intense and to say which one is better is not an easy answer. You won’t make a mistake choosing any of the two as training in both burns calories like nothing else out there. The exact number of calories that you can burn in training really depends on the school, the structure of training, and your weight. But overall, it’s fair to say that Muay Thai has an edge in this aspect because the focus of each and every class is on endurance.
For instance, Muay Thai students in Thailand tend to run up to 5 miles just to warm up. This is an entire workout for most average people which gives you a great insight into how cardio intense training could be. When it comes to gym training, a single hour of Muay Thai training can burn up to 1000 calories, which is insane. If you combine that with 3 or 5 miles run before the class, the number goes even higher up to 1300 calories. If you support this type of training with solid nutrition, expect to lose a lot of weight in a record-breaking time.
MMA training, on the other side, also burns a lot of calories. Whether you train grappling or striking, each aspect of MMA puts a lot of emphasis on endurance. Depending on your weight, a single hour of MMA training burns around 700 calories or more, which is a lot.
But for people who just want to get fitness, Muay Thai might be a better option because you don’t have to switch between striking and grappling. Techniques are not that hard to pick up, and you will struggle less with picking up the basics.
Muay Thai or MMA: Which one is better for core strength?
MMA is much better when it comes to core strength and overall, having a functional body. This is because MMA fighting includes a lot of grabbing, pulling, striking, and rolling on the ground. You must have a really strong core to be good at all aspects of the game. That’s why MMA fighters do a lot of exercises to develop killer core since they can’t succeed without it. Muay Thai is also great, but having a strong core plays a much bigger role in MMA fighting.
Core strength might be the most important aspect of fitness in both Muay Thai and MMA. Being strong and agile helps you execute techniques more effectively and much faster. It makes you explosive, mobile and also reduces the stress on your body, which results in fewer injuries. In this day and age, if we have two fighters equal in skill level, the stronger one would win a fight.
Muay Thai training also includes a lot of exercises that will improve your core, mainly because of the clinch. But at the same time, it seems like MMA puts more focus on this aspect of fitness due to the nature of the sport. This is notably true when it comes to grappling and fighting on the ground. In most striking arts, a lot of students tend to focus more on technique, speed, and precision rather than being strong.
Muay Thai or MMA for mental strength and stress relief?
The only fair answer is that both Muay Thai and MMA are great for building mental strength and stress relief. In fact, many studies have shown that martial art training, in general, supports you in dealing with anxiety and various mental disorders. If you are looking to boost your confidence, decrease anxiety levels then you won’t make a mistake choosing any of these two arts.
MMA is a complex fighting system that includes fighting on the feet, grappling, and ground fighting. On a weekly basis, fighters train in three or more grappling and striking arts to cover all the aspects of the sport. Why this is important, you may ask? Well, no matter how talented you are, you can’t excel in every aspect of the game.
On your road to becoming an all-around fighter, you will face many defeats, question yourself and training will test your ego, that’s for sure. But eating many humble pies at the start helps you build strong mental resistance, and will boost your confidence like nothing else.Â
The personal improvements you make in the gym will have an impact on your everyday life as well. You will have a much easier time dealing with daily obligations, stress, relationships, or challenges at work. It makes you a better and more productive person.
And the same that we have said for MMA, stands for the Muay Thai as well. In fact, there’s not a better way to relieve stress than unloading with the barrage of strikes on the heavy bag.
Muay Thai or MMA: Which one is more dangerous?
Both MMA and Muay Thai are full-contact martial arts that include a lot of sparring, or in the case of MMA, hand-to-hand fighting. The risk of injuries in both of these arts is quite high, but at the same time, you shouldn’t be too worried when it comes to training. The high risk of injuries comes into play when you decide to go into pro-matches. If your goal is to get fit and learn how to fight, you should be safe.
For many years, Muay Thai had a reputation for being a brutal fighting style. But in this day and age, training is very safe and the risk of injuries is not that high. You must wear full protective gear when you are doing live drills or sparring where the focus is on technique, not to throw each strike with a lot of power. The most common injuries in Muay Thai are:
- Bruised shins, thighs, and ribs
- Sprained wrists, foot or leg
- Stiff neck
MMA is more versatile and there are so many ways you can get hurt during grappling or striking exchanges. But overall, you don’t have to worry too much as long as you are not pushing too hard. Be sure to always wear a gear, tap out whenever you feel pain or discomfort, and keep it all light. The most common injuries in MMA are:
- Lacerations
- Contusions
- Concussions
Muay Thai or MMA: Which one is harder to learn?
You have to spend many years on the mats to get good at both Muay Thai and MMA. But it’s fair to say that, as a more versatile style, MMA might be harder. This doesn’t mean that Muay Thai is a walk in a park, but rather the total opposite. MMA is more versatile as fighters compete in the standup, clinch, and fight on the ground.
In MMA training, you have to learn how to throw and defend against strikes, grapple, and fight on the ground. To achieve this, you must train in at least three different martial arts on a weekly basis, which is really challenging. It asks for a lot of your time, puts your body through a lot of stress, and the progress is really slow. And on top of that, you can’t expect to be good in all areas.
Some people are more talented for striking, while others might favor the grappling aspect. But on average, you need around 4–5 years of consistent training to get good at MMA and start competing in pro matches. Some gifted athletes might do it in a shorter time.
In Muay Thai, on the other side, you need less time because it is not as versatile as MMA. You learn only how to fight in the standup using all limbs as weapons, and some basics of grappling. The techniques are not too complex and you won’t have a hard time picking up the basics. But still, you need to spend around 3 years working hard to get good at Thai boxing.
