# How dangerous is muay thai?



## Subegsingh97 (Oct 10, 2013)

Ive been doing muay thai for a little over a year now and ive started to love it so much i want to start competing in tournaments etc. but after seeing some stuff on the internet about the dangers of muay thai ive start to think twice about it, i dont know what to think anymore, i mean i don't mind an early grave if it means doing what i love now but i just don't want to get to be in my mid 30's having to be taken care off because of a head injury which caused me to forget everything :/ i dont want to be a nuisance to the people around me thats all. Im only 26 at the moment but i dream of opening up my own gym one day and i can only do that if i have experience in the ring. I see fighters like Buakaw and guys like Jayy Tonkins (who is my age) and i just feel so inspired, but then i read threads online about how dangerous it is and it just makes me miserable. So anyway, how dangerous is it? Is the danger of it overhyped? Because from all the times i go training i never feel danger, even when i sparr against big guys, its just fun for me and i dont want to have to give it up in the fear of fatal injuries  thanks


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## Cle_Fit (Nov 30, 2013)

I'll keep this straight forward. Your mind isn't clear, you're too worried about the obvious and not concentrating on your skill, with the thought of being injured you'll never get to the next stage as this will be a barrier in your head, that'll cause you to fail. Start concentrating on sports psychology and understanding how to deal with mental blocks and fear, you've only been training a short while you've much to learn. However, don't just tale my word, speak with your coaches and start studying.


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## BoxerJay (Jan 11, 2011)

Put your name down for some Interclubs and judge for yourself, if you like it then go for a Catagory C fight (Usually Shinnies, 14oz gloves, headguards, 3x2 min rounds, only punches and kicks to the head, knees to body) and go from there.


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## L3rouge (May 24, 2014)

BoxerJay said:


> Put your name down for some Interclubs and judge for yourself, if you like it then go for a Catagory C fight (Usually Shinnies, 14oz gloves, headguards, 3x2 min rounds, only punches and kicks to the head, knees to body) and go from there.


 Yeah. . Start slow.. you'll either like it.. or.. you'll quit..

But.. honestly. .

From the sounds of it.. you aren't a fighter . . No offense.. if you already worried about injuries before you've even sparred. .

fighters aren't entering the ring thinking about head injuries..

It's an inherently risky sport.. where you are trying to knock the opponents head off with kicks elbows and knees also. .

It's not muay thai if you aren't using all eight weapons .


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## L3rouge (May 24, 2014)

And don't compare yourself to khun buakaew .


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## Here2Gain (Jul 26, 2016)

> From the sounds of it.. you aren't a fighter . . No offense.. if you already worried about injuries before you've even sparred. .


 Pretty negative attitude towards someone starting out. I also don't think he was comparing himself to Buakaw, he said he was inspired by him. Telling someone they are "not a fighter" based on a few paragraphs over an internet forum is not the attitude of a good martial artist.

OP, muay thai is obviously a rough sport, but you're more likely to be killed by a car accident or any other number of unforeseeable circumstances. Also head injury is much less common in muay thai than boxing, most likely injuries in muay thai are broken wrists/elbows/knees/nose, nothing really that long-term

Everybody is nervous when they first spar/fight, it is really not as much of a big deal as you think. Fighting is just like sparring, just with different intentions and with people watching. If you want to see if it's for you, tell a tough sparring partner in class that you are thinking of fighting, and you want to experience some hard sparring. Honestly, if you are sparring regularly, fighting is not as much of a step up as you think

If you enjoy it, do it. Yes, there is a certain risk, but you're going to die anyways and there's a bigger chance of a car accident/illness/etc. killing you than muay thai 

"Every fighter that ever lived had fear. A boy comes to me and tells me that he's not afraid, if I believed him I'd say he's a liar or there's something wrong with him. I'd send him to a doctor to find out what the hell's the matter with him, because this is not a normal reaction. The fighter that's gone into the ring and hasn't experienced fear is either a liar or a psychopath&#8230;" - Cus D'Amato


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## arcticfox (Jan 11, 2015)

BoxerJay said:


> Put your name down for some Interclubs and judge for yourself, if you like it then go for a Catagory C fight (Usually Shinnies, 14oz gloves, headguards, 3x2 min rounds, only punches and kicks to the head, knees to body) and go from there.


 C class is not as you put mate

Its as follows

Amature - 1min 30 second rounds x 5, Shinnies and gloves depend on weight class "NO KNEES OR ELBOWS TO HEAD"

C class - As above no shinnes

B class - 2 min rounds x 5 and knees allowed to head

A class - 3 min rounds x 5 and knees and elbows allowed to head.

Full Thai rules is gen same as A but/or 3 x 3 min rounds


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## arcticfox (Jan 11, 2015)

Subegsingh97 said:


> Ive been doing muay thai for a little over a year now and ive started to love it so much i want to start competing in tournaments etc. but after seeing some stuff on the internet about the dangers of muay thai ive start to think twice about it, i dont know what to think anymore, i mean i don't mind an early grave if it means doing what i love now but i just don't want to get to be in my mid 30's having to be taken care off because of a head injury which caused me to forget everything :/ i dont want to be a nuisance to the people around me thats all. Im only 26 at the moment but i dream of opening up my own gym one day and i can only do that if i have experience in the ring. I see fighters like Buakaw and guys like Jayy Tonkins (who is my age) and i just feel so inspired, but then i read threads online about how dangerous it is and it just makes me miserable. So anyway, how dangerous is it? Is the danger of it overhyped? Because from all the times i go training i never feel danger, even when i sparr against big guys, its just fun for me and i dont want to have to give it up in the fear of fatal injuries  thanks


 Hay mate, Im a retired fighter now, But YES is can be dangerous and yes its brutal.

If your couch is good he/she will know when your ready, Start with some interclubs and go from there mate but sparring is were its at to start, What gym you training at


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## noel (Dec 30, 2005)

what he said above

a good coach wont let you fight until your ready... and plenty of nervous slow starters have gone on to have a decent record.... its tough yes but put the work in and find the level appropriate for your skills...this is where the coach has to step up and you have faith in him or her... luckily in the UK there are tons of good gyms with experienced coach's so if you love it stick to it... its a fantastic sport...something I did and taught to the highest level for many many years....

sparring first, get comfy then if you are ready your coach will involve you in an interclub...this is the place where you get to spar others and find our how you react and do with some pressure..some people never move beyond this...which is fine.... its a protected environment (if run properly!) to experience fight pressure and spar someone you don't know

head injuries can occur but unless its B or C class you will not be getting knees in the face or elbows....this are the brad pitt look ruiners.... more chance of being hurt in rugby or football to be honest.-... in a fight you are expecting to be hit and focused on it

head trauma is a reality though, but tends to be more (sweeping generalization here) in guys who have a lot of fight experience and even more so in regular western boxing ......

if you fight like someone like Bovy Sor Udomson its much more likely (he just walked forward for a war in every fight....awesome to watch but not so great to see him now) then people like Saenchai barely ever even get touched (ok using prob one of the greatest fighters of all time here but still)

the articles are generally people who have no actual interest in the sport.... again on the whole...


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Well I can't imagine OP is reading this, but for anyone else that cares...

I've done a couple competitve day-tournaments, but what sort of league or whatever you get into determines how dangerous it is. With my fights you're wearing headguard, shin pads and boxing gloves, and you're pretty much just scoring points over the space of a single round, so landing a hit will get you a point and there's not much point in trying to really hurt your opponent (though a teep kick to the gut wil knock the wind out of them and have them fighting with a lack of oxygen for the rest of the round which obviously helps you get the better of them  ).


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## Bataz (Jan 21, 2014)

Bit extreme to be worried about an early grave lol. I'm almost 35 and have fought both Muay Thai and Boxing I'm still here, still training and currently Boxing Unlicensed. Talk to your coach about your concerns as it seems you may be letting your mind run wild a bit pal.


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## MilkMonster (Mar 9, 2019)

Go for it

I have been practising Muay Thai ,Muay boran and Muay chiaya for over 20 years. Yes it's brutal but by the time you step in the ring your body will be ready.

its good advice to do a few inter clubs 1st but once your used to it you'll be fine. Train hard and enjoy it ??


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## Sasnak (Oct 11, 2016)

MilkMonster said:


> Go for it


 He did, in a fight on 5 April 2014 he sadly died in a bout against @nWo


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