Children's Muay Thai Boxing

 Children Muay Thai Boxing
Child Muay Thai Boxers


Can children learn Muay Thai boxing?
Child Muay Thai boxers in Thailand
Children at Muay Thai training camps
Do child Muay Thai boxers risk injury?
Benefits of Muay Thai boxing to children


Can children learn Muay Thai boxing?

Muay Thai boxing is a martial art accessible to people of all ages, including children (girls and boys).

Following a suitable course in Muay Thai training, youngsters will benefit enormously from the inevitable physical and mental improvements.

Muay Thai boxing will improve a child’s self-confidence and self-awareness. As well as keep them quick and agile, healthy and strong.

It is not unusual for children in Thailand to start their training at a very young age. In fact, if there is hope for a high level of success in the ring it is essential to begin training at the earliest possible moment. For example, at four years old, Jame (our instructor Pong Pet’s son) already has a good idea of the various Muay Thai techniques and traditions. Naturally, at this age training is not at all intensive. It is approached with a sense of fun as part of play.


Child Muay Thai boxers in Thailand

At twelve or thirteen years Muay Thai training becomes more serious in Thailand. Upcoming fighters are expected to demonstrate a certain level of commitment to the sport. At around this age a boxer in Thailand will often compete in his first stadium bout. To see children of this age (or even younger) display such high levels of courage, determination and self-motivated commitment is a humbling experience for most westerners looking back on themselves, and their own lives, at a similar age.

Stadium fighting is the only way for a Muay Thai fighter to properly test the techniques he has learned during his training sessions.

No amount of training can replace the hard lessons learned in the ring.

Although at the moment in Thailand it is common to see children competing professionally in the ring, I predict a change in the future. Children are very welcome to come and train with us at Horizon Thai Boxing Camp, but for safety reasons we will only consider over 18s for professional competition (the exception at the moment being for Thai nationals where we have full parental consent).


Children at Muay Thai training camps

Many young people in Thailand begin their training with no special equipment at all, as their families may not have the means to provide them with expensive Muay Thai training gear.

Many of today’s famous Muay Thai fighters actually learned their skills with no protective gear or other special equipment whatsoever.

For most children, the only way to gain access to the proper equipment and tuition is to join a Muay Thai training camp.

Many training camps in Thailand are also poorly equipped, according to western standards of perfection.

Because of the level of commitment required, coupled with transport difficulties and cost restrictions, many children are forced to choose between Muay Thai boxing and traditional schooling. Many of the successful Muay Thai fighters you see in Bangkok and around the world today have had no formal education whatsoever, other than that received at their Muay Thai training camp. There are a number of Thai child fighters who train at Horizon Thai Boxing Camp. Owing to our remote location it is not practical for them to travel to school each day from the camp, so they only train with us during school holidays.


Do child Muay Thai boxers risk injury?

You may have concerns regarding risk of injury to your child undertaking training in such a brutal sport. But this is a common misconception. A Muay Thai boxing match is brutal, but not the training.

Full-contact sparring is a normal part of Muay Thai training in Thailand

Yes, sometimes it hurts!

It's purpose is not to cause injury. Sparring, as with all aspects of Muay Thai training, is fully supervised and undertaken with a spirit of friendly co-operation. Trainees that persistently ignore instruction and spar with too much force or aggression, risking injury to themselves and their opponents, may be asked to stop training. If Muay Thai fighters regularly injured themselves during training, they would never be fit to fight!

Muay Thai kickboxing is a tough sport and the training will certainly toughen up your child.

Muay Thai training will not engender a violent nature in your child

In fact, he or she will learn quite the opposite kind of values. Young Thai boxers are noticeably more calm, reasonable and ready to negotiate than their unsporting peers, and much less prone to violence outside of the ring.


Benefits of Muay Thai boxing to children


Muay Thai training offers benefits to everyone; most especially the student, but also the trainer, and even the nation.

Through Muay Thai boxing your child can:
learn to defend them self
build self-confidence and discipline
develop self-control, determination and learn to keep a cool heart
achieve good health and a quick, strong body
help to protect Thailand's heritage