Jonathan Johnson67 said:If your only goal is dropping some weight, don't sign up for martial arts. You'll just end up getting beat up and quitting.
Why would she get beat up if she’s just doing this for fun, without any sparring or actual fights? stormygardener34, just go for it! Don't stress about the technical stuff right now; you'll pick it up during training.👍
stormygardener34 said:First off, sorry if I'm going off-topic, but I see people chatting so I figured I'd just ask... basically, I'm struggling with my weight and was planning on starting kickboxing. I really like the idea and am hoping to finally get some definition (I’m definitely not one of those skinny girls where an extra 5 pounds doesn't even show). So, what do you all suggest? How many times a week should I go, and how long should the sessions last? I would be so grateful for any advice! Best regards
At least three times a week. And find a place that actually takes training seriously—as for the length of the workout, that's up to them, you can't really control that part.
Bas Rutten is the GOAT. I’ve got a ton of his gear, and honestly, every single piece is worth it. As for Wing Chun, I just don't get how a supposed master can skip out on anti-grappling or anything else if that's actually part of being a complete martial artist. A buddy of mine from my neighborhood runs this "Muay Thai" club where they don't even touch clinching or knees at all. Then, when I show up to spar with his students, he tells them to stay away from the clinch! Well, excuse me, but if you aren't doing that, it isn't Muay Thai. In my gym, we learn everything—knees, straight punches, the whole nine yards. At the end of the day, it’s up to the fighter to adapt those techniques and use whatever fits their style best. Even in Thailand, you have different camps; some are famous for killer clinch work, while others focus more on hand strikes, but in every single one, fighters learn the full spectrum before specializing in what works for them or what the camp emphasizes.
Jonathan Johnson67 said: From what I've gathered, there aren't many other skills to pick up in Split. (Unless you want to try MT or kickboxing...). QUOTE] There isn't any Muay Thai in Split.😉
rustytinker3 said:That’s not how it works! Train boxing for one year, and you’ll actually be able to land a hit on a pro. Train Wing Chun for a year and you won't even be able to pull off a basic leverage move against a master. So stop trying to compare the wisdom and science of these two disciplines!!!!!
THEY ARE COMPLETELY UNEQUAL!!!
Sorry man, but you really don't have a clue. I don't get it—you come looking for advice, people who actually know their stuff try to help you, but then you act like you know better. You claim to be impressed by Chinese martial arts, yet you clearly don't know the first thing about them.👎
rustytinker3 said:I used to train at the Ameno club back in Miami. Anyone can throw a decent straight punch or a high kick if they put in a little work. Now, don't get me wrong—I’m not downplaying Muay Thai. I know how brutal that sport is and how nasty the injuries can get. But... that’s just my take!
Look, it’s pretty obvious you don't quite grasp what Muay Thai is all about. A straight jab might look simple, but if it were actually that easy, everyone would be a world-class fighter. In Muay Thai, you have an endless arsenal: strikes, counters, sweeps, clinch work, defense, head movement, you name it. I could spend the whole day writing about it and still wouldn't cover everything. Beyond the technical stuff, you’ve got strength, explosiveness, timing, conditioning, and the mental grit. You can't just explain that on a forum; you have to grind through millions of actual training sessions, sparring rounds, and watching countless fights to get it. Major props to that Ameno club, but it’s hard to believe you learned true Thai boxing there. Honestly, you probably couldn't find real Muay Thai training in all of Florida, let alone just that one spot.
rustytinker3 said:I did one year of kickboxing and one year of Muay Thai. They weren't really my thing—not quite the "skill" I was looking for... Thanks in advance!!!!
Whereabouts did you train Muay Thai? And what do you mean by them not being a skill?
So, based on what you wrote, swiftsurfer80, are you saying that because I train Muay Thai—which is a competitive sport—I’m practicing a low kick just to score points? Like I’m not thinking about how that same kick could actually break someone's leg or take them out of the fight entirely? Do you honestly believe that when I practice a technique I plan to use in a bout, my mind is on the scoreboard rather than on how to dismantle my opponent? The whole point of drilling a strike, a takedown, a block, or a combo isn't about racking up points. It's about increasing the odds that when the fight happens, I can execute that move with maximum power, pinpoint precision, and perfect timing to deal as much damage as possible.
skeptik said:I find it way more disrespectful when a fighter takes a heavy shot and then acts like, "Come on, hit me harder, that was nothing!" 😬
It's often (though not always) just a sign they're hurting. It's their way of venting without making a painful face. An experienced fighter will know exactly how to capitalize on that.
jadeseal81 said:You're right about that... but I'm not looking to get into an argument. No matter how much heart you put into any club, the guy who's close with the coach is always going to win. 😠
Everyone in the club knows this coach. After being here for a while, you’ll find that if you work with any decent instructor, you're going to get good fast. It’s simple: any competent trainer is going to pour their energy into the squad that actually shows up and puts in the work—the ones with actual potential. That’s the whole point of a serious gym. It's all about proving yourself in competition. If a fighter performs well on the big stage, that's the ultimate proof of how high-quality the training program really is. Sure, you’ll run into those freak talents who stand out just by sheer nature, but long-term? You need a solid crew behind you. You need great coaches, reliable sparring partners, and an atmosphere that pushes you. Without that foundation, you aren't going anywhere.
jadeseal81 said:Some guy named Tomo from the big city used to come down to our area to run training sessions. It was brief, but he was actually a solid coach. I really dug his style. He’s definitely not a bad trainer—actually quite good—but you don't get much one-on-one time. We'd have 30 or 40 people in the gym at once, so it was pretty crowded.
Look, Tomo from the city is one of the coaches at my club. Honestly, very few people in this part of the country know Muay Thai as well as he does. The guy is a beast. As for the one-on-one coaching? Well, there are a million of us at the club too. You have to earn your stripes. You have to stand out so people notice you. When I first started, I was always stuck at the back of the gym, and nobody paid me much mind. But they saw I was putting in the work and that I had grit, so they started giving me more attention once I expressed interest in competing. In my opinion, every serious gym operates this way. They want to see who’s persistent and who isn't going to quit—and in Muay Thai, that's everything.
jadeseal81 said:I didn't say I do Muay Thai or kickboxing... anyway, thanks for the advice... do you train Muay Thai yourself? Maybe I'll pick up another martial art just for fun along the way.
Yeah, I train Muay Thai. There's a link to my gym in my signature.😉 Tomo used to train at our place before he opened his own studio over in Chicago.
Look, I’m not some huge Taekwondo fanatic. Honestly, the kicks in Muay Thai are just much more powerful and do way more damage. You see more of them in Taekwondo, sure, but I don't know how practical they are for actual self-defense—you're constantly swinging your legs high up in the air, and there aren't any low kicks. I’m not saying there aren't great fighters who practice Taekwondo; I know plenty of them, but if we're strictly talking about techniques, Muay Thai is miles ahead. In the kind of Taekwondo you learn in most local gyms, everything is waist-up with the legs; you don't get any hand strikes, knees, elbows, or takedowns. You pick up a little bit of self-defense, I guess, but it’s nothing special.
Are you in St. Louis? I know Huber has a club there that offers everything—MMA, kickboxing, aikido, jiu-jitsu—but honestly, based on what I saw from his kickboxers, I wasn't impressed at all. I wouldn't recommend it.