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WHAT IS NEEDS ANALYSIS
Before designing any training program for an athlete, an understanding of the physical demands of Muay Thai is crucial. This needs analysis provides the theoretical framework for program design, not only for different sports but also, importantly, for individual athletes (Kraemer, W.J. et al., 2012).
In other words, as a coach, these 3 aspects are essential for a training programme design:-
information on the demands of sport
the current profile of the athlete
what the athletes need to be successful in their sports
In NSCA’s Guide to Program Design (2012), the need analysis usually answers the questions of
What are the metabolic demands & physical level abilities required for performance?
What are the biomechanical demands of the sport?
What are the common injuries observed in the sport?
Today's article : The Metabolic Demands for Muay Thai
While scientific data on Muay Thai itself is limited, studies on similar sports like kickboxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) offer valuable insights. These sports suggest that Muay Thai relies heavily on anaerobic energy systems, particularly the phosphagen system, due to the sport's emphasis on speed, explosiveness, and short bursts of intense activity. (Turner, 2009) However, a well-developed aerobic system is also crucial for faster recovery between rounds, allowing athletes to maintain peak performance throughout a fight. (Ruddock et al, 2016)
Differing Opinions - Which Energy System Used
Muay Thai has fewer rounds (normally 5 rounds) than boxing (12 rounds) and shorter duration of time (3 minutes) than both wrestling and MMA (5 minutes). Therefore, aerobic energy system contribution may be minimal and be involved only in ring movement and recovery mechanisms. (Turner, 2009)
Surprisingly, In Crisafulli et al. (2009) study, he did an experimental profiling during a simulation Muay Thai match on 10 Muay Thai athletes who had 2 years of regular competition. The result stated that there was a high involvement of both aerobic metabolism and anaerobic glycolysis.
Heart Rate & Anaerobic Threshold During Matches
*Capai. I., et. al, (2012) Twenty male Muay Thai fighters mean ± standard error of the means (SEM) of age, height, and body mass were 24.6 ± 1.2 years, 176.1 ± 1.3 cm, and 69.4 ± 2.2 kg
In Capai (2012) study, his professional Muay Thai subjects had an average heart rate (HR) of 178.9±0.3 bpm during real Muay Thai matches which were very close to the maximum level reached during the preliminary treadmill laboratory test.
Depending on which competition rules, International Federation of Muay Thai Amateur (IFMA) or World Muay Thai Council (WMC), both defer in the bouts and resting period of the competitions.
As per elite and amateur athletes who are above 18 years old,
IFMA: It will be 3 rounds of 3 minutes each for both male and female competitors. A full 1 minute of rest shall be given between the rounds.
WMC: Bout consists of five (5) rounds of three (3) minutes each with two (2) minutes resting intervals between rounds.
According to both Capai et al. (2012) and Crisafulli et al. (2009), heart rate during matches remained above the anaerobic threshold. Even with a 3-minute recovery period after the simulated fight, heart rate remained elevated, suggesting that the rest intervals between rounds were insufficient for complete recovery.
Summary:-
Muay Thai likely relies primarily on the ATP-PC and glycolytic energy systems, with moderate aerobic contribution to sustain performance throughout a match. Therefore, training programs should focus on high-intensity methods like interval and repetition training (Turner, 2009). It is best to train our athlete to have a higher anaerobic threshold where blood lactate accumulation occurs only with a higher heart rate. Furthermore, it is also important for the athlete to be able to clear lactate acid more efficiently during the recovery period (heart rate goes below the HRAT in a quicker time) so that fatigue doesn't slip in.
Interested in starting Muay Thai lessons near your place in Malaysia? Check out these classes that are available across Malaysia
Reference:
Cappai, I., et al., (2012). Physiological responses and match analysis of Muay Thai fighting,
International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 12:3, 507-516
Ruddock, A. D, et al. (2016). Strength and Conditioning for Professional Boxing:
Recommendations for Physical Preparation. Strength and Conditioning Journal. Vol 38. No.3.
Crisafulli, A., Vitelli, S., Cappai, I., Milia, R., Tocco, F., Melis, F., & Concu, A. (2009). Physiological responses and energy cost during a simulation of a Muay Thai boxing match. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 34(2), 143–150. doi:10.1139/h09-002
Turner, Anthony N MSc, CSCS. Strength and Conditioning for Muay Thai Athletes. Strength and Conditioning Journal 31(6):p 78-92, December 2009. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3181b99603
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