Plyometric Exercises For improving Muay Thai speed

In the world of martial arts, fast kicks moves never fail to give you an upper position in the fighting ring. Speed enables you to deliver your moves effectively & increase your overall power. Muay Thai fighters largely rely on fast and explosive movements such as jumping, hopping, kicking,  punching, pushing & throwing. As fighting includes explosive and powerful movements, it’s important for a muay thai practitioner to make plyometrics movement a part of their workout regimen. Doing plyometric workouts help in building explosiveness. They utilize your natural dynamic movement from your bodyweight training.

Developing speed plays a very crucial role for a fighter, the energy bursts through the fast twitch muscle fibers are required throughout the fight. It’s pointless to say that a Muay Thai fighter who gets his training with the plyometrics tends to be more explosive, have powerful strikes as an overall better cardio compared to his opponent. Plyometrics is a science of examining explosive movements generated by your muscle power, with the particular application of sport training & performance. Power is solely a product of speed and strength, it’s the ability of the fighter for generating force over a short time interval. It’s a root for developing a higher explosive effect. Plyometric training is basically designed for developing rapid eccentric & concentric contractions, under the constant resistance. Performing plyometric workouts develops the fast twitch muscular fibers, which produces higher peak power & more force at greater velocities. It also boosts the fighter’s ability to perform punching kickboxing workouts at a better pace. For a Muay Thai fighter developing power in the fast twitch muscles is important as it increases the power & effectiveness to your strikes.

1. Broad Jumps

It’s a plyometrics exercise that improves your leg strength & helps you in generating  stronger kicks. Start this workout from a standing position, try jumping forward as far as you easily can. Then keep on jumping till you reach the other end of the dojo! It’s a tough plyometric workout that is very effective for your overall conditioning.

All of the board stretches & exercises must be performed under the supervision of a martial arts instructor to ensure you are doing it properly and the right technique is being executed for avoiding potential injuries.

2. Clapping Push-Up

Clapping Push-Up  is an advanced plyometrics workout that is performed by the martial artists for improving their overall punching power & speed. The Clapping push-ups workout  targets the muscles in the arms, chest & shoulders. It makes you generate explosive power by the quick and strong thrusting motion. It’s more like a regular pushup exercise but you clap in the middle. 

Start this workout by getting into the regular push-up sentence. Put all of your weight on your arm and toes and push yourself against the floor any try lifting yourself up in the air. As you rise-off the floor, clap before you return both of your hands to the ground. Stay careful while performing this exercise, incorrect landing incorrectly can hurt the hands and wrists

3. Barbell Jump Squats 

Jump squats is a plyometric exercise that increases your explosive power while improving your upper & lower body strength & shedding calories faster compared to the regular squats. Also the flexibility you gain in the ankles & hips by performing such fluid motion helps in preventing the injuries. Barbell jump squat is the plyometric move that makes it a powerful aerobic workout which demands you to exert the muscles at their maximized potential over the short time interval. It primarily targets your glutes, hips, quads & hamstrings while boosting your heart rate. 

For doing barbell Jump Squats start by putting the barbell at the back of the shoulders, just as you are performing Barbell Back Squat. Now without holding your squat, explode up & try to jump off the floor as high as you possibly can. After that land back on both of your feet flat with your hips pushed at your back in a way that your hamstrings get to absorb all of the impact.

4. Jump rope 

Jumping rope is not a tricky exerciser but there are few details that you must know. Start performing this exercise by grabbing the handle of the jump rope in your hand, start by putting the rope at your back. For getting the rope moving, rotate both of your forearms in the forward manner & then the wrists for generating adequate momentum & swinging it overhead.

While the rope swings bend both of the knees slightly. Once the rope has passed the shins, jump from the toes. You can start slowly then accelerate your pace. 

Once you've reached a fine speed let your wrists do all of the work. While you hop make sure you land back on your feet. That way you will be quick & nimble. Because the calves tend to get tired rapidly.

5. Tuck jumps

Tuck jump is a plyometric workout that targets your legs, glutes, core & quads. It provides you both upper & lower-body-strength that you desire for. This workout also lets you sneak in cardio exercise to your workout regime. 

Start this workout by standing on both of your feet opened a little wider than the shoulder-distance apart. Then drop down to the quarter squat for exploding up in the air. Make sure you keep the back straight & tuck both of your knees towards the chest as close as possible, before you land softly. 

While you land you can take a short break before you jump back again or you get adapted to this movement. While you do this exercise make sure that you do not lean in towards the knees rather than bringing them closer to the chest. Also try swinging the arms to increase your momentum. 

6. Medicine Ball Throws

Medicine ball throws is a plyometric exercise that uses a weighted medicine ball for adding intensity & building the muay thai punching strength. Medicine ball throw & sprawls develops the upper body and core explosiveness beside adding the explosive sprawl that plays an effective role for building up your cardio. This workout also tops when it comes to developing fast twitch muscle fibers in your upper body, which benefits you a lot when it comes to throwing powerful punches in the fighting ring. Your hip rotation is the point from where your punching & kicking power gets generated so the side rotation medicine ball is also very effective for developing explosiveness.