Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone?

Posted by: dwugon

Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 11:48 AM

Is it possible, at all, to learn Muay Thai alone? I'm obsessed with it and train a bit everyday, but I can't start at a gym because the closest is almost 2 hours drive away, and I can't go there because of school.. I'm 19, I've been training my muscles in a gym for quite some time, I still train them at home, I am a fast runner, got good stamina. Still training my flexibility and trying to improve my stamina. My question, can I learn it at all? I got some friends to spar with, plus my brother (who trained Savate at some point). And one of my friends train TaeKwonDo and one of them is just pure muscles, so I get some challenge by clinching and punching.. I practice a lot using my knees and elbows, as well as shadowboxing while moving. I move faster and faster after a while, to try and get used to it. I watch defense and attack technique videos on the net, plus I read very closely all kinds of "instructions" and Muay Thai learning websites that I can find. I might travel to Thailand next year, with my girlfriend. Her uncle promised to teach me a little bit, and he's been training Muay Thai for almost 30 years. But that's just for 3-4 weeks. But other than that, by doing what I do. Can I learn it? Or at least reach above average skill level?

I might be able to join a club in the future, but till then, I have no choice!
Posted by: Dereck

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 12:49 PM

Continue what you are doing and then go and see what others can do who actually train. Compare yourself to them and then let us know what the answer to this question is.
Posted by: Stormdragon

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 03:12 PM

Make videos of your training and post them here so people can at least critique and give feed back. And fidn someone to spar with. It's not great but better than nothing. If all you do is read books and watch instructional videos, shadow box, and maybe hit a bag a little than no you won't get anywhere, trust me I've tried that approach.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 03:27 PM

Originally Posted By: Stormdragon
Make videos of your training and post them here so people can at least critique and give feed back. And fidn someone to spar with. It's not great but better than nothing.


That's a pretty good idea, if you can't find proper instruction. Even if you don't post them here, you will still find lots of value from recording your sparring sessions.
Posted by: dwugon

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 03:44 PM

I spar with friends, and my brother. Some of them train TaeKwonDo. So I get a bit of feel, and I make my friends hit and punch towards me so I can try block them, as well as clinching and I tell them what kind of moves I'm going to perform, so they get ready for them. So I test whatever skills I practice on them. As well as I try to improve my speed at doing them while I shadowbox, and when they get used to it.
Posted by: MastaFighta

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 03:47 PM

Originally Posted By: dwugon
Can I learn it? Or at least reach above average skill level?

No and no.

Books, videos and websites are useful as supplements to, but not substitutes of, proper training and instruction. Sparring is of no use to someone who doesn't know what they are doing, not to mention the greater risk of injury. And, you'll end up learning/reinforcing bad habits, which you'll end up having to waste time, that could be better spent, unlearning when you find proper instruction.

Originally Posted By: dwugon
I might be able to join a club in the future, but till then, I have no choice!

Until then, you're better off focusing on exercising and conditioning.
Posted by: Mark Jordan

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/26/10 10:24 PM

Just make sure that your techniques are right. What worries me is that your mistakes might become habits and this will make your training even more difficult. Having a good instructor will tell you if you are doing the right technique or not and this is also the reason why training alone won't get you too far. I suggest you go for that 2 hour drive at least once or twice a week to check with a Muay Thai instructor.
Posted by: Stormdragon

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/27/10 01:07 AM

Originally Posted By: MastaFighta
Originally Posted By: dwugon
Can I learn it? Or at least reach above average skill level?

No and no.

Books, videos and websites are useful as supplements to, but not substitutes of, proper training and instruction. Sparring is of no use to someone who doesn't know what they are doing, not to mention the greater risk of injury. And, you'll end up learning/reinforcing bad habits, which you'll end up having to waste time, that could be better spent, unlearning when you find proper instruction.

Originally Posted By: dwugon
I might be able to join a club in the future, but till then, I have no choice!

Until then, you're better off focusing on exercising and conditioning.


Respectfully disagree, while regular instruction from an expert is ideal, instructional videos and even books and discussions can go a long way provided you pressure test your skills in sparring. Sparring when you have learned absolutely nothing is definitely worthless but when you have some basic techniques to start with then you can learn a lot about what works and doesn't work from sparring. I'm only able to train with experienced fighters and martial artists every so often but I try to drill techniques and spar fairly regularly and I've found that I can make definite improvements from that. Technique might not be quite perfect but you can certainly learn how to fight pretty well this way. Granted when I was younger I had a couple years of TKD and a few months of Kenpo, and Army combatives. But I don't get qualified instruction but every couple months now and only for a few hours, maybe over a couple days at most. Usually it's in the form of a couple mma fighters in my unit and combatives experts who show me some stuff at military things. I just do my best to retain and continually practice what little I learn from those experiences. Everything else comes from books and videos.
Just saying no is innacurate because it does happen, people do sometimes make it work. You jsut can't sit and read martial arts books and occasionally hit a bag and get good.
Posted by: cxt

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/27/10 09:41 AM

Dw

Short answer?

No.

Can you get better and get into shape and learn how to fight? Yes, Yes and Maybe.

And what counts as "average??????"

"My" defination of average and "your" defination of average could be very different things.
Posted by: cxt

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/27/10 09:53 AM

Stormdragon

Respectfully, partially, disagree. smile

While its "possible" its not the most likely outcome. Your looking at the exception not the rule........and everybody thinks THEY are the exception.

And your certainly not the "average" guy that is looking at what is essentially self training.
For one thing your actually in the military and have access to experts even if its just now and then.

Yes it "does" happen......but not often.

I would not trust an accountant that had little formal training but had, according to them "watched a lot of DVD's", would not go to a Doctor that had no formal medical school but trained "with" Doctors on the weekends.

Better than nothing?.......sure.

But even in your profession NOBODY joins the military and gets Basic Training waved because "they watched a lot of DVD's and worked out with people that were in the Military."

Try telling that to a DI and see how far you get. smile

Now having such a background can make you much better PREPARED for Basic but it does not replace it.
Posted by: Kimo2007

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/27/10 11:49 AM

Quote:
Better than nothing?.......sure.


I agree, he needs to be around an instructor. But I don't agree with the idea that he shouldn't train at all that someone made in an earlier post.

The best advice I saw, and I agree with, is make the drive once a week. Work on the basics and have them reviewed by an instructor. This way you can progress and not get too far down a bad path where you will have to unlearn habits
Posted by: Stormdragon

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/27/10 09:10 PM

Originally Posted By: cxt
Stormdragon

Respectfully, partially, disagree. smile

While its "possible" its not the most likely outcome. Your looking at the exception not the rule........and everybody thinks THEY are the exception.

And your certainly not the "average" guy that is looking at what is essentially self training.
For one thing your actually in the military and have access to experts even if its just now and then.

Yes it "does" happen......but not often.

I would not trust an accountant that had little formal training but had, according to them "watched a lot of DVD's", would not go to a Doctor that had no formal medical school but trained "with" Doctors on the weekends.

Better than nothing?.......sure.

But even in your profession NOBODY joins the military and gets Basic Training waved because "they watched a lot of DVD's and worked out with people that were in the Military."

Try telling that to a DI and see how far you get. smile

Now having such a background can make you much better PREPARED for Basic but it does not replace it.



lol good point. I definitely agree it's the LEAST preferred method. Unlikely to work? Yes. Though I still stand by my statement that it's better than nothing.
Posted by: drgndrew

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 08/27/10 09:45 PM

G'day Dwugon,

I thought I'd throw my 2 cents worth in.

yes you can learn Muay Thai own your own with the help of books video and the web.

HOWEVER, whether you would be able to apply what you learned may be entirely different. Some can naturally do this, most can't. there is simply no better substitute than a Muay Thai Trainer/Coach. this is true of virtually everything from Martial arts and sport to sewing and arithmetic.

It would definitely be a good Idea to travel the two or more hours at least every now and again so you can be properly corrected and shown new material. if you cqn afford it ask about private lessons that way you can concentrate on the stuff you feel needs looking at instead of hoping it is covered in a class.

The video idea is a good one though you will have to be prepared for those who will simply trash you for sport. find out who here IS a Thai Trainer and listen to them, I'm not saying others won't be helpful only that you may need to take their advice with a sprinkling of salt, especially if they aren't an active thai trainer or a thai fighter with decent experience.

it's like working on your car, you can discuss it with other car owners but you'll want advice from a mechanic at some point.


Good luck and enjoy yourself
Posted by: TimmyJ

Re: Is it possible to learn Muay Thai alone? - 10/22/10 05:42 PM

The trouble with Muay Thai is you have to understand that knowing the techniques is only about 20% of Muay Thai. The biggest part is knowing what to do in a match. For example you never switch kick an opponent when they are coming towards you or throw a knee if you are moving backward in the clinch. Its these things that are more important.

Another thing is without a trained instructor you could learn a technique and incorrect way or get lazy with your technique, for example letting your hands drop or double punching.

You should focus on getting your cardio up to a Muay Thai level. Many people come to Muay Thai thinking they are fit but just cannot keep up with what is required for a fight.

Try doing this one, it sounds easy but its hard when your just starting.
30 seconds burpies (full press up burpies)
30 seconds star jumps (go all the way down and all the way up)
30 seconds sprint stops (your back should stay flat and your knees should touch your shoulders

repeat 3 times without a break, if you need to throw up do so. BUT DO NOT STOP!

A big part of Muay Thai is the mentality of never stopping no matter how hard it gets. So when you work out run yourself into the ground and don't rest till the end of your workout.