groups where you have mobility restrictions. These could
be the neck and shoulder muscles, for example, or the
muscles in the lower back, the hip muscles, the inner and
rear leg muscles, and the calf muscles.
Stretching exercises can be done with a static or a
dynamic method. You can also follow stretching exercises
with dynamic swinging movements such as leg swings.
Instead of swings you can perform Thai boxing techniques
at low intensity in the air with ever-increasing pace and
range of movement.
Prior to a competition it’s necessary to do a special
warm-up specific to Muay Thai. For example, fighters have
to perform a number of techniques in shadowboxing and
on the pads to achieve the optimum performance level for
competition.
Frequently Asked Questions: Static or
Dynamic Stretching?
In the past many Western Thai boxers used the
warm-up phase for a static stretch program covering
the whole body. It was assumed that this kind of
stretching would ensure that the techniques could
be carried out with optimum range of movement,
thus improving performance and reducing the risk
of injury. Research has now shown that an extensive