The unwritten rules of Muay Thai

The purpose of this article is to highlight and explain some of the “unwritten rules” that usually apply within a Muay Thai gym. Of course, gyms vary, and there are obvious differences between gyms in Thailand (especially high-level Bangkok fight gyms) and those in the UK and elsewhere, where the majority of students are not fighters. However, there are aspects of Muay Thai culture (and Thai culture in general) that remain infused into the sport beyond the mother country.

There’s no reason to feel anxious or nervous about these “unwritten rules”, you won’t be punished for being unaware of them, but if you want to make the most of your training and contribute to a positive gym culture, it is worth trying to keep these in mind.

A Thai gym isn’t like a Karate Dojo – you won’t need to bow continuously, there isn’t the strict hierarchy openly displayed by the colour of students’ belts, you won’t be expected to learn things by the Thai name or any of that. However, in Thai culture, there exist complex webs of social hierarchy, deference and unspoken rules, which exist in Muay Thai gyms as much as anywhere else.

General rules

Here are a few general pointers, most of which is just common sense really:

1. Be respectful – to your coaches, your training partners, other students, anyone else who happens to be in the gym, and to the gym itself. Respect goes a long, long way. More on that later
2. Be punctual – of course, sometimes life gets in the way and unexpected delays happen, and we’d rather you come late than not at all but try to be punctual for all classes and PTs. Indeed, get there at least 15 minutes early so you have time to sign in, get ready, wrap your hands etc. If nothing else, this too is just about respect for your coaches and other students
3. Be nice – being polite and friendly to other people is not at all out of place in a gym where you are learning how to hurt people. Manners cost nothing
4. Be open to learning – that’s what you’re there for, right? Be open minded, listen to your coaches and more experienced students, set aside your ego and take on a “growth mindset” – that’s the only way you’ll progress
5. Don’t be a bully – nobody likes a bully, and that includes fighters. And in a gym full of trained fighters, it is only a matter of time before a bully gets a taste of their medicine. I’ve seen it happen

With those in mind, I’m going to take a look at a few more specific situations you will find yourself in during training and a few things to keep in mind.

Pad work

We all love hitting pads…if we didn’t, we probably wouldn’t be doing Muay Thai! Less people love holding pads, whether through disinclination or simply not being sure how to do it correctly. But pad work requires two to tango.

1. When you are hitting pads, respect the pad holder. It doesn’t matter if it’s a coach, a fighter, or another student of any level. They are taking the time to help you get a good training session. Show gratitude. Say thank you afterwards
2. When you are holding pads, put the same kind of effort in that you do when hitting them. Don’t just stand there mindlessly holding random shots. Work hard to improve your pad holding skills. One of the best things I did early for my development was get good at holding pads. It meant that people far more experienced than me wanted to train with me as I could hold for them to a decent level, helping me progress much faster

Sparring

Sparring should be fun, as when you are having fun – especially when you reach that “flow” state – you will learn much better and develop faster. We’ve all seen the “gym war” videos on social media, and while heavier sparring has its place for fighters and advanced students, most sparring in Muay Thai should be light, playful and controlled. When trading kicks and knees, it is easy to get yourself hurt if you go too hard, and if you get injured your training suffers.

1. Modify power level to match the size and experience of your sparring partner – this goes doubly when a male is sparring with a female. We should all be capable of the control to spar appropriately with someone much smaller than us
2. It isn’t a fight. Sure, when both partners are of a similar size and experience level, a bit of healthy competition is good. But sparring is not fighting. It isn’t about winning; it is about learning. Leave your ego at the door
3. Have fun. Smile, laugh, try new things. This is much easier to do when the above points are followed

Clinching

Nothing brings people closer than the clinch…right?

The Muay Thai clinch is really an art form within an art form. It takes a while to get the hang of but once you do, it is a lot of fun. Unless you’re getting shark tanked (you stay in against two or three others rotating quickly, so they stay fresh whilst you fatigue). Being in a shark tank isn’t fun, unless you’re a bit of a masochist. But I think we all probably are to some degree, that’s why we love Muay Thai.

1. Personal hygiene. This is a general point but applies tenfold when clinching. Nobody likes to clinch with the guy who has bad BO. Take a shower before training, especially if you have a physical job during the day. And keep your nails trimmed. Nothing worse than having someone raking your neck with talons for fingers
2. The “thigh knee” – your knee is sharp and bony. No getting around that, and its why it can be such a devastating weapon. But we don’t want to be getting hurt in training, and even just bruised ribs can take you out for a week or more. Rather than digging the point of the knee into your partners ribs, slab with the inside of the thigh. That way, you can put a bit extra power in without hurting them, making it better conditioning
3. Get up. When training clinch, there’s a good chance you might get dumped on your ass. Get up and get straight back at it. Train yourself not to show frustration or tiredness. Then, when you get dumped on your ass in the ring, you will react the right way
4. Just clinch. Sometimes, people try to avoid actually getting in the clinch, moving away, pushing their partner back or grabbing the wrists. The point of clinch training is to get good at clinching, not good at avoiding it. Grab the neck and go to work

Respect

A common theme across these “unwritten rules” is that of respect. Indeed, most of these rules come down to showing respect for others and the gym itself. In Thai culture, respect and deference is central. The term “wai kru” – part of the pre-fight ritual performed by fighters – translates as “respect to teacher.” When you step into the ring, you are not only representing yourself but also your gym, your coaches, the sport of Muay Thai and even, in international bouts, your country. Showing respect to those things which have helped you reach that point is critical.

It is obvious to most why we should show respect to other people, and most of us do it without even thinking as that is the way we were raised. However, one thing that may not be so obvious is respect for the gym itself and the equipment within it.

Think of it this way, without pads, gloves, punch bags, and the space provided by the gym, how good would your training be? These things are as important as good coaches and training partners. In Thailand, especially poorer gyms where fighters often must share equipment, it is expected that fighters treat that equipment with respect. This manifests in things such as giving a “wai” (bow) to a punch bag before you start hitting it, same as you would to your pad man. Another thing (which was pointed out to me whilst in Thailand) was refraining from doing things like throwing gloves and shin pads around, instead taking the time to carefully place them back where they should be.

How would this idea manifest in a gym outside Thailand? Here’s a few pointers:

1. When using any shared equipment such as bags or weights, use them properly, do not mess around on them and put them back where you found them afterwards. This goes too with borrowed equipment such as gloves and shin pads
2. Clean up after yourself – we should all be doing this in our day-to-day life anyway, but it often seems to go by the wayside in the gym. Empty water bottles? Put them in the bin. Used the toilet? Make sure you leave it in the condition in which you found it. Go the extra mile and clean up even when the mess isn’t yours
3. If you have kids who come to the gym with you, make sure they behave appropriately and safely

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but don’t feel overwhelmed by these unwritten rules – just focus on being polite and respectful, working hard and showing discipline, and you won’t go far wrong. Model your behaviour on the coaches and more experienced students. And if in doubt, ask.