Table Of ContentElectronic Edition: ISBN 978-1-58394658-9
Copyright © 2013 by Christoph Delp. All rights reserved. No portion of this
book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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Published by Blue Snake Books, an imprint of North Atlantic Books
P.O. Box 12327
Berkeley, California 94712
Cover photo by Nopphadol Viwatkamolwat
Cover design by Brad Greene
Photo credits: Author’s archives: this page, this page. Erwin Werzel: this
page. All other photos by Nopphadol Viwatkamolwat.
Muay Thai Training Exercises: The Ultimate Guide to Fitness, Strength, and
Fight Preparation is sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and
Sciences, a nonprofit educational corporation whose goals are to develop an
educational and cross-cultural perspective linking various scientific, social,
and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, and
healing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind,
body, and nature.
North Atlantic Books’ publications are available through most
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websites at www.northatlanticbooks.com and
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PLEASE NOTE: The creators and publishers of this book disclaim any
liabilities for loss in connection with following any of the practices, exercises,
and advice contained herein. To reduce the chance of injury or any other
harm, the reader should consult a professional before undertaking this or any
other martial arts, movement, meditative arts, health, or exercise program.
The instructions and advice printed in this book are not in any way intended
as a substitute for medical, mental, or emotional counseling with a licensed
physician or healthcare provider.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:
Delp, Christoph, 1974-
Muay Thai training exercises : the ultimate guide to fitness, strength, and
fight preparation / Christoph Delp.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-58394-657-2
1. Muay Thai. I. Title.
GV1127.T45.D48 2013
796.815—dc23
2013008225
v3.1
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Book Series
Chapter 1: Training Background
1. Facts Worth Knowing about Training
2. The Spirit of a Thai Boxer
3. Training Plans
4. Training Documentation
5. Preparing for a Competitive Career
6. Developing Technical Skills
Chapter 2: Effective Training
1. Basics
2. Warm-Up Phase
3. Main Techniques Training
4. Cooling-Down Phase
5. Regeneration
6. Nutrition
7. Selecting Your Weight Class
Chapter 3: Solo Training
1. Background
2. Basic Techniques
3. Stretching and Loosening
4. Stamina Training
5. Strength Training
6. Workouts
Chapter 4: Techniques
1. Introduction to Techniques
2. Combinations
3. Counter Techniques
4. Misleading the Opponent
Chapter 5: Training Plans
1. Basics
2. Training Plans for Beginners
3. Training Plans for Amateurs
4. Training Plans of Professional
Athletes
Books and DVDs by Christoph Delp
Online Resources
The Book Team
Other Resources
I
Preface
started kickboxing at a fairly young age. In the course
of my training back home I got the impression that I
was missing much of the techniques and training
methods as well as the cultural aspects of Muay Thai. That
is why I decided in 1995 to travel to Thailand and to
learn Muay Thai like the Thai athletes do, starting from
scratch. My destination was the northeast of Thailand, as I
had heard that the best Thai �ghters come from there. I
received a friendly welcome at the Deycha Gym in Maha
Sarakham, where I lived and trained with the athletes in
the gym for some months. There I had the opportunity to
undertake a very intensive study of the sport with the
trainers Master Deycha, Saknipon Pitakvarin, and Kenpet
Luksulam. I took notes of my experiences in training, the
execution of techniques, and the training methodology. In
the process I developed my �rst book, Muay Thai: Kampf
und Selbstverteidigung (1997). I am very happy to say that
my friendly relations with this camp continue to this day.
Due to my enthusiasm for Muay Thai, I started travelling
to Thailand for training a few months each year. In the
following years I trained at gyms in the provinces Maha
Sarakham, Buriram, Surat Thani, Bangkok, and Chonburi.
In the course of my travels I was lucky to be coached by
the legendary �ghter Apideh Sit Hiran for a number of
weeks. My continued interest in Muay Thai led me to
manage a Muay Thai camp for some time, and I decided to
spend as much time in Thailand as possible.
I wrote numerous books on my experiences in training,
which so far have been published in German, English,
Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish. I also produced a DVD
series in which some of the best Thai athletes introduce a
comprehensive range of techniques and training exercises.
Of course, I am very grateful for the assistance and
support I received from trainers and athletes in the
preparation of my books and DVDs.
This book is the result of a desire to introduce training
in detail: to show how the best Thai athletes plan their
training sessions and how they adapt them to their
individual requirements with the aim of developing
outstanding skills and maximum performance potential. I
also show how those who are unable to train in a club
can plan their own effective training program.
I wish you a pleasant time reading this book and hope
you enjoy Muay Thai training as much as I do. If you are
interested in conducting your training in Thailand, you
can contact me. I am planning to open a new gym with my
trainers, and you are certainly welcome to visit. More
details
on
the
gym
can
be
found
at
www.christophdelp.com.
More information on Muay Thai can be found on the
web at www.muaythaibook.com, www.muaythaidvd.com,
www.youtube.com/muaythaidvd,
www.facebook.com/muaythaidvd,
and
www.facebook.com/muaythaibooks.
Bangkok
August 2012
M
Acknowledgments
y sincere thanks to all those who have helped in
writing this book, particularly my family, Master
Deycha, Oliver Glatow, Hans-Eckhard Glatow,
Taweesak Baoseehai, Ratchanu Jintanayong, Nopphadol
Viwatkamolwat, Khru Khunsap, Khru Pit, Mister Pong,
Apideh Sit Hiran, Menny Ossi, Thomas Letté, Richard
Delp, and the acting athletes Nonsai, Saiyok, Kem, and
Armin. Many thanks also to my trainers: Master Deycha,
Apideh
Sit
Hiran,
Khru
Khunsap,
Master
Chalee,
Raweesak, Master K, Master Wee, Master Noi, and Master
Gong.
The author (third from left) with Taweesak, Saiyok, Sanghai, Rit, and Danthai.
Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, is a martial
art that gradually developed over many centuries.
Muay Thai was originally trained in to assert oneself
in real �ght situations. In the course of time Muay
Thai also became popular as a competitive sport at
fairs, which both gave athletes the opportunity to
test their skills and provided entertainment for the
audience. Today, Muay Thai is practiced as a
competitive sport, for fitness, and for self-defense.
Muay Thai competitions are a spectacular sight
and are extremely intensive. Fighters attack each
other to full physical exhaustion with �sts, elbows,
kicking, and knee techniques. Thai boxers generally
have had excellent technical training, and their
bodies have been trained to become muscular, high-
performance instruments.
To succeed at a competitive level, a Thai boxer
requires a perfectly trained body. That is the
underlying reason why excellent training programs
were developed for the �ghter’s �tness. Nowadays,
�tness-oriented athletes also like to use this speci�c
training to improve their physical shape.
