Welcome back to our continuing series on conditioning your shins for Muay Thai fighting. In our previous post, we highlighted the use of the heavy bag to help strengthen your shins. We also looked at the vital role that calcium and vitamin D play in the rebuilding and strengthening of your bones and why it’s essential to take care of your shins after you’ve beaten them up during training. In this post, we will look at the reasons that sparring practice is so critical for the development of rock hard shins. Muay Thai fighters know that the ultimate goal is to have shins that are tough enough to break ribs during blows to their opponents. Here are some tips on why sparring can help you develop the strong shins you need. Skip the cardio kickboxing in Raleigh and call Gracie Raleigh. You’ll love our real martial arts classes.

Muay Thai experts agree that sparring should be an essential part of your shin training program. When it comes to conditioning your shins, there are two types of sparring to consider, sparring without gear and sparring with gear. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Sparring Without Gear
Sparring with your partner in a technical way so that you can work on your combinations, and not the pain that comes from a checked kick, is critical. While it may not improve your shin strength, it does help you to improve your accuracy and your ability to read an opponent’s movements. Regular sparring sessions where you are focused on technique and developing your intuition in the ring are as essential to being successful in Muay Thai as strong shins. Take advantage of your sore shin days and use them for sparring without gear and improving your overall technique.

Sparring with Gear
Anyone who has ever sparred with gear on knows that it really hurts to have your kick blocked or elbow checked, even with thick shin guards on. While there is no way to avoid the pain, over time your shins will become more used to the trauma of these moves and will adjust to the pain. Throwing combos that force you to work your shins and toughen them up while you work your technique can be extremely helpful. Working on your timing, the delivery of your blows, and maintaining your distance during a fight are just some of the benefits to sparring regularly.

Once you have beat up your shins during sparring, be sure to take care of them so that they begin to heal more quickly. The faster they heal, the sooner you can beat them up again to toughen them up. To learn more about other ways to toughen up your shins for your Muay Thai fights and why calcium and vitamin D are a crucial part of your training plan, see our previous post.

Alternative Cardio Kickboxing in Raleigh

Call or come by the gym today to learn why more Muay Thai fighters in the Raleigh area are making the switch to Gracie Raleigh. We welcome new students to tour the facility, meet our staff, and attend a few classes for free. Come learn what makes us different and take your skills to the next level with Gracie Raleigh.