BJMA Kickboxing (BJC MUAY THAI) is a high-energy workout that uses muay thai techniques to enhance the physical fitness of its participants and develop an understanding of both sport and self defence.
Participants will be constantly performing exercises and techniques during a 60-minute session. Each session incorporates shadow sparring, partner drills and pad work to enhance focus, timing, speed and power.
Upon reaching attendance goals (monitored by BJMA Instructors) participants will be asked to perform a formal skills assessments (grading).
Only techniques that specifically relate to a particular level will be assessed. If techniques are performed at a satisfactory level the student will be issued with an official BJMA – BJC MUAY THAI certificate and grade badge.
As a guideline, every session is broken into five (5) areas:
1. WARM UP
Basic stretch and joint mobility to prepare participants for plyometric exercises.
Warm-up exercises are essential prior to progressing to skills training providing a “full range of movement” promote joint movement and flexibility in each muscle group.
Warm Up exercises will often include:
- JOINT ROTATIONS
- SKIPPING
- STRETCHING
Warming up the Neck, Arms and Shoulders, Waist/Hips/Obliques, Feet and Ankles, Legs and Back.
2. SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Preliminary techniques and Skills are developed by Shadow Sparring, Sparring, Pad Drills, Bag Work and develop:
- Motor Skills
- Balance
- Co-ordination
- Power Flow of combinations
- Speed
- Practice the effectiveness of a given technique
- Improve cardiovascular fitness
- Body Conditioning
- Aid to convert theory into practice
- Safe full-contact aids
Techniques and combinations are taught through a series of progressive drills incorporating:
- FOOTWORK
- HANDS
- KICKS
- GRAPPLING
- KNEES
- ELBOWS
3. PAD WORK
During classes, instructors will teach/enhance student skills by using training pads.
FOCUS PAD
Commonly used to develop hand and elbow techniques in from short and medium ranges. Also aids in sharpening defensive and counter fighting hand skills
KICK SHIELD
Primarily used to develop power in kicking and knee techniques. Used to developing single power shots or multiple rapid fire attacks
FOREARM PADS
The most versatile and effective way of training fighters to use eight weapons. Develops full attack techniques via advanced and realistic combination training.
Defensive and counter attacking enhanced when used in conjunction with shin-pads and belly pad by the trainer, who can then use kicks to simulate a real fight sequence.
Also used to develop power shots/sets or rapid fire attacks.
4. FREE SPARRING
‘Free sparring’ is practiced with participants wearing full padded protection (i.e. Boxing Gloves, Shin Protector and Mouthguard) and techniques used in a controlled manner, aiding confidence and helping participants to ‘zone in’ on specific target areas developing precise techniques.
5. WARM DOWN
Prepare your participants to unwind, normalise ready to leave training.
TRAINING TECHNIQUES
FOOTWORK
The BJMA KICKBOXING (Muay Thai) – stylist relies on their footwork in offensive and defensive techniques. The footwork will develop mobility, allowing the Thai-stylist to move in one of the eight directions by a simple step.
Usually, the foot that moves first initiates the direction that you wish to take.
Having superior footwork enables Thai-stylists to bridge the gap faster. No attacking technique should ever be executed without the footwork manoeuvres at least being applied in the mind.
What is Covered in Training
- Front “Push” Kick
- Stretching & Plyometric Exercises
- Footwork
- Hands
- Kicks
- Grappling
- Knees
- Elbows
- Stick & Move
- Reading & Reactions
- Shadow Sparring
- Partner Sparring Kneeing Technique from grapple
These techniques are practiced, individually, with partners, using specialised equipment, (focus pads, kick shields, forearm pads, hanging bags). The goal is to make the fighter as fluent and balanced in their ability to throw any “weapon” in the right situation.
Basic strategies are kicking techniques for a long range distance between opponent. Punching for mid range, Elbows for close range and knees and grappling when “very close”. They can also “throw” the opponent around from a grappling position ,thereby affording to unleash powerful attacking techniques.
Training revolves around set training drills and combinations, followed by free application of techniques from the student. Sparring is preceded by what we call “stick and move” where students work with their partners developing timing, rhythm, balance, co-ordination and distance, which are all needed to allow for the effective application of techniques.
GRADE LEVELS
BJMA Kickboxing (BJC Muay Thai) provides students with a system that provides effective self defence applications combined with a competitive and sporting component. Our Muay syllabus includes a grading system to distinguish the various levels attained by individual students. This grading system gives the students feedback on their progress and development while also providing them achievable, incremental goals.
- Beginner – Novice
- Module 1 – Yellow Badge
- Module 2 – Orange Badge
- Module 3 – Blue Badge
- Module 4 – Green Badge
- Module 5 – Brown Badge
- 1st Degree Badge
- 2nd Degree Badge
- 3rd Degree Badge
- 4th Degree Badge
- 5th Degree Badge
TRAINING & PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The training system is designed to assist the students to achieve the following objectives:
- To develop higher degree of stand-up fighting skills
- To develop a higher degree of fitness
- To develop training routines that provides good time management
- To provide a program that allows for replication
- To provide a training program that compliments character building
“FIGHTING FIT” a term we love to use… “Fight Fitness” is a combination of the following:
STRENGTH
The ability of the body or muscles to apply force against resistance.
e.g. lifting weights, own body or opponent’s body.
SPEED
The ability to rapidly bridge the gap between ones self and opponent.
e.g. footwork, punching, kicking, etc.
This will be developed through pad, bag routine drills.
POWER (also known as explosive strength)
A combination of strength and speed developed through pad and bag routine drills.
ENDURANCE
The capacity to continue physical activity for a prolong period.
Aerobic Endurance
Occurring over long periods of activity – uses oxygen to produce the energy required
Anaerobic Endurance
Ability to produce multiple repetitions of movement without fatigue – Short duration, usually under 90 seconds – Does require oxygen to produce energy – Depends on the bodies own system for energy to the muscles.
Endurance training can be:
- Continuous
- Fartlek (burst of varying intensity)
- Interval
Varying training routines adds greater enjoyment and wards off boredom:
FLEXIBILITY – The range of movement on or around a joint or a series of joints
STRETCHING – Static stretching
Passive resistive stretching
Proreceptor-neuro-facilitation stretching (PNF Stretching)
The overall objective aimed for is, the development of fighting fitness and skills through well organised training sessions. These include aerobic and anaerobic activities.
BJMA KICKBOXING (Muay Thai) INSTRUCTORS
All BJMA KICKBOXING (Muay Thai) Instructors have:
- The minimum requirement of 1st Degree
- Have completed instructor training programs
- A commitment to their students development
- A commitment to professionalism
- First aid qualifications
- Compulsory instructor training and update programs
Many Instructors share the success their students have either fighting the Ring and achieving Local, State, National & International Titles, or simply developing the fighting self defence skills. This is not to mention the great workout…!!!
SPORT – RULES AND COMPETITION GUIDELINES
Kickboxing and Muay Thai are often referred to as one and the same thing.
(pictured right: Graham Weddell getting a rub down before a ring fight in Thailand, pictured during the action and as the winner of the bout)
However, in Australia under World Kickboxing Association Rules (see WKA), Kickboxing and Muay Thai are clearly split in terms of rules.
Kickboxing is basically what it says KICKs with BOXING! Under Full Contact Karate, fighters must follow the same guidelines for boxing but can also use kicking techniques.
However kicks must be targeted to the upper body only. Below the waist techniques are out.
“American rules” involve the above rules but also allow kicks to the inside and outside of the legs.
“International rules”, or “Thai Boxing”, introduce grappling and knees to the body and legs.
Muay Thai on the other hand could be seen in the traditional terms of all 8 body weapons being used and are explained under WKA “World Rules”, or “Thai Fighting”.
Under these rules the deadly elbows are added to the rules outlined above.
These rules are used extensively in Asian countries.
MUAY THAI – ORIGINS
Muay Thai originates from Thailand used in warfare, as a means of self defence and eventually became the national sport. Passed down orally and through demonstration from family to family, early accounts of contests date back to the 1700’s.
During the reign of King Pra Chao Sua (the Tiger King) Thai boxing gained a great impetus as he was a keen fan and Thai boxing champion in his own right. He traveled to village fairs incognito to fight local champions and no one realised who he was. In those days gloves were fashioned out of hemp rope.
By the 20th century the sport had become so violent that deaths in the ring were becoming frequent. The government intervened and introduced some early rules so that by the 1930’s modern gloves, rules, rings and weight divisions made the sport much safer.
Thai elders felt that the introduction of gloves and rules were an insult to their art and as a result, hand techniques were given the least recognition on the points scale during competition. This is due to the fact that the hands are the only weapon protected by padding. Despite the legislation, deaths still occurred, mainly from the elbow strike to the temple.
In Thai boxing, unlike other martial arts, the fighters learn to kick with their shins and to aid this the shins are deliberately toughened by kicking heavy bags, or if you believe the movies, palm trees! Thai’s are devout Buddhists and naturally incorporate their beliefs and rituals into all parts of life including Muay Thai.
When entering the ring, Thai boxers carry a talisman within a cord which is tied around the arm and called a crown, worn around the head. This is the property of the teacher and as such, is considered sacred.
Each year several senior BJMA instructors and students travel to Thailand for a two week training camp. By training closely with the Thai teachers our own instructors continue to develop their personal skills and experience to the benefit of all BJMA KICKBOXING (Muay Thai) students.
CHECK HERE FOR 2019 TOUR DETAILS
The skills brought back from these training camps are faithfully passed on to BJMA Kickboxing (Muay Thai) students ensuring that all our students are taught the most technically correct and proven methods in their training as used “in the ring” in Thailand.
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