Your First Muaythai Class - What to Expect
Congratulations, you’ve booked in to your first Muaythai class. A committed step. Maybe it’s a trial class, or a beginner specific workshop.. Now what lol
After meeting a lot of first timers, it’s usually a mix of excitement, nerves and “no idea what’s going on”! This write up will help you paint a clearer picture of what to expect.
Fun story (I’ll tell you at the end) - my first ever experience with Muaythai lasted a max of 5 seconds and me crying lol. So, most of you will have a way better first experience than me!
What to Pack for Your First Class:
Water bottle
Sweat towel
Gloves and wraps (if you have them) -
If you don’t have your own set, be sure to ask the gym what their policy is on trial gear. Some gyms have them free of charge for trials, or some have a strict “bring your own” or rent policy.
Change of clothes (expect to get very sweaty!)
Preparing for Your First Class:
1) Trim your nails
We train bare foot in Muaythai and also work bare hands (pad holding, clinching, drills) Be sure to trim and file your toenails and fingernails before class.
2) Remove jewellery and piercings
It’s recommended to remove all jewellery and piercings before training. You want to avoid damage to your personal items and more importantly avoid any injury if jewellery or piercings were to get tangled during training.
3) Hydration and Fuel
Expect a high intensity, sweaty session where you’ll be moving quite vigorously. Be sure to stay hydrated before and during class. As for food, try to eat at least 2 hours before attending your session.
4) What to wear
Wear comfortable active wear. You will be moving vigorously as mentioned before. For the ladies I suggest a sports top and running shorts with inner tights or leggings.
Arriving to Your First Class:
I suggest aiming to arrive 10-15 minutes before class start time. This gives you time to meet the coach, your classmates and settle into the class environment. If you’re wrapping your hands, this also gives you enough time to get them done without rushing.
The Class:
It may feel like a whole lot of information at once, but don’t stress! Just do your best to follow along with the class. Don’t worry about trying to memorise everything, just go with the flow. The first few weeks as a beginner is a lot of new information, new commands and just absorbing. Take your time adjusting to learning this new skill - enjoy it! Make new friends, get to know your coaches and allow yourself time to familiarise with the basics.
Some basics you may learn in your first class:
Stance
Directional movement
Some of the basic strikes - eg. punches, kicks, knees
Basic padholding
Post Class - Questions You May Want to Ask:
Congratulations! You made it through your first session! Hopefully, you’re currently sweaty, smiling and excited to continue your Muaythai training!
Here are some questions you may want to ask before taking the next steps:
Are there beginner specific / friendly classes you should attend at the start
There may be classes more suited to your level at the start of your journey. You want to give yourself the best opportunities to solidify your basics in a beginner-friendly environment. Some classes may be too fast paced or too busy for the coach to give you extra attention. Work out which classes you should attend during the week and see if they fit your weekly schedule.
Muaythai Gear - What will you need and when to get them
There is quite a lot of equipment you will need throughout your Muaythai journey. Shinguards, mouthguard, extra set of gloves etc. You won't need them all at the start - perhaps just handwraps and gloves for your first few weeks.
Your gym may stock gear you can purchase. Also, ask where you can purchase alternatives and ask for brand recommendations. There are some staple brands you will see in most gyms eg. Fairtex, Twins, Primo .. but you may want to make a smaller investment at the start.
For instance most Thai branded gloves will retail for around AUD160. But you can a good enough pair (they won’t last you as long of course) to start on from Rebel Sport or Kmart at around AUD40.
Coaching Team at your Gym
Most gyms have a few coaches on their roster. Find out who will be coaching you and in which classes. Sometimes, you may find a particular coach’s teaching style more suited to you. I normally advise newbies to get 1-3 quality sessions in a week. With repeated cues and a coach who is able to track your progress class by class, you’ll learn faster.
Self-study Material
What can you do in your free time to improve your Muaythai? Whether it’s just to refresh your Muaythai terminology or follow along classes to follow along to and shadow box in your free time.. revisiting your class material during your off days will help you improve faster.
I hope you thoroughly enjoy your first ever Muaythai class!
Fun story, the first time I ever held pads (before my first proper class) - someone had positioned me to hold for a roundhouse kick.. kicked, I had no concept of bracing… I hit myself in the face with the pads and my knuckles.. and I started crying LOL! Mind you, I had never been “hit” before at that point… But it was up from there hehe.
Happy training fam, enjoy the journey and see you along the way :) !!
