Now that we have discussed how important water is, let’s talk about another essential nutrient. 

Protein is one of the major building blocks of the body and is essential for the growth and repair of virtually every cell. It is a macronutrient meaning that our body requires protein in large amounts and because we do not store most of it, we need to eat it on a regular basis. This is especially important for fighters as it helps to feed and repair muscles.

Although the quantity of protein differs for each individual, the standard amount is about 15-18% of your total calories. It is important to note that this number will vary depending on age, gender, lifestyle, and what feels right for your body. 

To calculate your daily protein requirements accurately, multiply your weight in kg times the amount of protein in grams. For most non-athletes, 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram is suggested. Athletes require more protein, between 1.2 and 2.0 grams. 

Here is an example of how to calculate your protein requirements:

A 200 pound male fighter who trains regularly,

• 200/2.2 = 90kg
• 90kg x 1.2 = 108 grams of protein per day
• 90kg x 2.0 = 180 grams of protein per day

This means that the athlete requires between 108-180 grams of protein per day depending on the amount of training he is doing.

So what do you eat? Lean animal protein such as chicken, turkey, lean ground beef, tuna, salmon, eggs, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt are great options. If your diet is more plant-based, then be sure to include quinoa, black and kidney beans, lentils, tofu, hummus, edamame, hemp and chia seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, rolled oats, and nuts.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to get protein after training is a good quality protein powder. It can be consumed quickly and has the perfect balance of macros to be used by the muscles immediately. I have mine ready in my gym bag and drink it on the way home from training.

Body Systems Barrie in support of Legacy is giving members 20% in store and a free protein shake for members who visit for the first time! Be sure to swing by and mention you are from Legacy so that the staff there, who are super helpful and are all educated in the health profession, can help you choose the right protein powder for you. 

Your next nutrition challenge… Calculate your protein requirements to ensure you are eating enough. Add a few of these easy, high protein meals to your day:

• 1 scoop plant-based protein powder + 1 cup soy milk = 30 grams
• 1 cup Greek yogurt + ⅓ cup blueberries = 20 grams
• 1 slice rye, pumpernickel, wheat bread + ¼ cup tuna = 16 grams
• ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese + 1 cup raw celery or carrots = 12 grams of protein
• banana roll-up: 1 small whole wheat tortilla + 1 banana + 2 tbsp almond butter = 11 grams
• overnight oats: ½ cup milk + ½ cup rolled oats + 2 tbsp hemp seeds = 11 grams
• chia pudding: ½ cup plant milk + 2 tbsp chia seeds + fresh berries = 6 grams
• 3 oz of baked salmon in a large green salad + ½ cup edamame = 30 grams
• lentil curry = 23 grams
• tofu and quinoa bowl = 18 grams

Are you busting your ass everyday training, giving it 100% but not seeing the changes you want? This may be because your body isn’t getting the right fuel it needs for optimal performance and recovery. Before I became a Nutritionist, I didn’t connect the dots between what I was eating and drinking and how they affected workouts. But, once I began incorporating some important nutrients into my diet, I really saw my body begin to change. If you want to up your game and improve your training, follow my next few blogs to see how you can incorporate five easy but essential nutrients into your diet. I feel like I need to begin right away with the most important element. 

What is colourless, tasteless, and has no caloric value, but it is the most important element of your diet because it is involved in every function in the body? Yep, you got it… it’s water. I dedicated a full blog to the importance of water back in July (check it out here), but I feel like I need to reiterate that it is THE most important thing to give your body and more than half of us are not getting enough. The average recommendation for water per day to maintain a good level of hydration is 2 litres for women and 3 litres for men. But when you are training hard sparring, rolling, and doing the 100 sit-ups everyone has come to love, you need even more water to replace the lost fluids and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that keep your muscles relaxed and help store carbohydrates that fuel the muscles.  Drinking more will improve your performance, energy levels, muscle fatigue, and help you to lose weight. 

Your first nutrition challenge… Increase your fluid intake by including at least one of the following:

• Start your morning by having a large glass of water before leaving the house
• Drink a glass of water before each meal
• Drink an additional litre of water during/after a workout to replace lost fluids
• Keep your water bottle in sight. Take a few sips each time you leave your workspace
• Drink a cup of herbal tea (hot or cold)
• Try sparkling water sweetened with fruit juice
• Drink an additional litre of water during your workout to replenish what you have lost
• Add flavour to your water with a workout powder such as BCAA’s (Branched-chain amino acids) to build muscle and reduce soreness and fatigue
• Add a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage you have

Have you ever been lost with what combos to throw on the bags or pads?  The coaches here at Legacy have put together some of their favorite muay thai combos.  They are very basic, yet they work at the highest levels of competition. Don't just glance over them, study them, and know them well.

Don't forget to read our related blogpost called "CREATING MUAY THAI COMBOS."

Lets dive into it.

Major Single Strike Attacks

1. Jab
2. Cross
3. Rear up elbow
4. Lead up elbow
5. Rear side elbow
6. Lead side elbow
7. Rear swing kick
8. Lead swing kick (switch kick)
9. Rear low kick
10. Rear pushkick
11. Lead pushkick
12. Rear knee
13. Lead knee (switch knee)

Defenses

• Parrying punches
• Blocking against punches
• Shin blocks against kicks
• Arm-shield Blocks against kicks
• Dracula guard
• Catching kicks

Counter Strikes

• Parry any punch to swing kick counter
• Parry any punch to straight knee counter
• Shin block to swing kick counter
• Counter the cross with a rear swing kick or rear low kick
• Counter the jab with a switch kick

Basic Punching Combos

*all hooks are lead hooks

*all jabs or crosses can be substituted for uppercuts

• Jab, cross
• Jab, cross, jab, cross
• Jab, cross, hook
• Jab, cross, hook, cross
• Jab, jab, cross
• Jab, cross, lead body hook
• Fake jab, cross, lead hook

Elbow Focused Combos

• Lead up elbow, rear side elbow
• Lead side elbow, rear up elbow
• Jab, lead up elbow, rear side elbow
• Pull down opponent guard and side elbow
• Jab, cross, lead side elbow,rear up elbow (important to close distance)
• Jab, cross, lead side elbow, rear up elbow (important to close distance)

Kick Focused Combos

• Jab, cross, hook, rear swing kick
• Jab, rear swing kick
• Jab, cross, switch lead kick
• Cross, switch lead kick
• Cross, hook, rear swing kick
• Hook, cross, lead swing kick
• Jab, jab, cross, swing kick
• Jab, lead uppercut, cross, switch kick
• Inside lead kick, cross
• Jab, body cross, lead hook, low kick
• Lead teep, rear swing kick *2
• Rear swing kick, lead teep
• Cross, switch kick*2

Low Kick Focused Combos

• Jab, rear low kick
• Jab, cross, hook, low kick
• Cross, hook, low kick
• Jab-hook, low kick
• Rear upper, hook, low kick

Teep focused Combos 

• Jab, lead teep, jab fake lead teep -> any rear weapon after that works based on range.
• Jab, rear swing kick, lead teep
• Teep, fake teep, rear swing kick (or low)
• Jab, lead teep, rear face teep
• Swing kick, fake swing kick to rear teep

*Side note - timing teeps (lead especially) vs swing kicks is very important.

Establishing an effective teep leads to many opportunities to step a a variety of combinations for all range of weapons

Knee Focused Combo 

• Cross, rear knee
• Jab, switch knee
• Jab, cross, switch knee
• Left hook rear knee
• Cross, hook, rear knee
• Lead teep, fake lead teep, rear knee

*knees are great counters after blocking kicks or parrying punches, example:

• Parry jab to rear knee
• Parry cross to switch knee
• Either side shin block against kicks to either side knee

Combos Starting with a Kick

• Rear swing kick, cross
• Switch kick, cross
• Switch kick, cross, hook, low kick
• Lead push kick, rear swing kick
• Rear push kick, lead swing kick

PRINT ON GOOGLE DOCS:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ftqLaLyihQEiQDfgNyPk3ibldTJDmwjOX3BUDadrlQY/edit

In PART 1 we covered the equipment needed for muay thai sparring. In this part, we will go over the associated rules and etiquette. Talk to your coaches as these rules do vary from gym to gym, but I am confident that most would agree with many of the points below.  Watch this video below before reading this blog post.

1. KNEE STRIKES IN SPARRING
Knee strikes are permitted in muay thai sparring given that you learn how to “pull” the weight back at the point of impact. A knee strike should be controlled all the way through and at any moment can be retracted if need be. Angle your knee strikes to make contact with the side of your knee as well as your thigh to ease the damage to your partner. If you can’t throw knees in a controlled fashion, then don’t throw them at all.  Save them for fights.

2. NO ELBOWS
No elbows are to be thrown during sparring, even with elbow pads. Elbow pads can be worn for your own extra protection but they often slip off exposing the bare bone during exchanges.  Better be safe and don't throw elbows. The slightest contact can cut your partner.  

3. DON'T JUST BEAT ON NEWBIES
A great way to spar with less experienced partners is to handicap yourself. For instance, you may decide to limit yourself to the use of only swing kicks while your partner can use all their strikes. This will make the session more challenging, forcing you to get creative and dig deeper into the essence of the technique in order to compensate. The best way to acquire new abilities and skills is by practicing them on less experienced partners. Don’t just beat them down with your A game, use them to develop your B game and get the most out of training.

4. MR. "I'M INJURED," DON'T GO HARD ON ME
We all know that guy who starts off the round listing all his injuries, insisting that you take it easy on him. The bell rings and he goes bananas trying to take your head off. Wtf. don’t be that guy.

5. MR. "I'M NEW," DON'T GO HARD ON ME
We all know that guy who starts off telling you he’s a beginner, insisting that you take it easy on him. The bell rings and he goes bananas trying to take your head off. Wtf. don’t be that guy.

6. SUDDENLY TURNING UP THE INTENSITY AFTER GETTING TAGGED
You and your partner are going at 40% intensity. All is fine and dandy as it seemed like the both of you guys have an understanding. You get tagged by a clean, nicely timed (but not hard) technique and you suddenly, without warning amp the intensity to 110%. Not cool.

7. STAY IN YOUR DESIGNATED SPARRING AREA
At Legacy Fight Club, we have quadrants divided with tape. We try to do our best to stay within it to avoid clashing into our other teammates.

8. LIGHT VS HARD SPARRING
There is a time and place for light sparring where the emphasis is on perfecting technique, timing, and learning new skills; hard sparring sessions are also important to your training as this is where you can practice your moves under extreme resistance, simulating a real fight. Both are essential to your growth as a fighter. You just need to adjust your intensity accordingly. Keep communication open with your teammates, there is no shame in asking for a light spar. Weight and skill differences play a huge factor so be mindful of this.

9. SPINNING, FLYING, AND JUMPING ATTACKS
Spinning elbows, back fists, axe kicks, superman punches and kicks...I am not saying they don’t work! They do, but be careful if you are going to use them in sparring. The primary problem with these attacks is that they are hard to control and retract after they are thrown. Spinning attacks are extra dangerous because they not only expose the back of your head to the opposition, but you cannot see where your strike lands.  Unless you are Saenchai.

11. DON'T ALWAYS JUST FINISH WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD!
You win some, you lose some. You win a bunch of sparring matches and then decide to call it quits early so that you can protect your “win” streak. This is not being a good team player. Stay and help your teammates train until the end.

12. SWEEPS AND THROWS
It’s ok to gently sweep your partner to the ground in the boxing ring (where there is some give to the floor) or on thick grappling mats. Do not sweep your partners on puzzle mats. Puzzle mats are not designed to break falls.

Are you thinking of getting into sparring? Every club has their own rules and protocol when it comes to sparring.  At Legacy, we allow students to spar as early as a few months in...HOWEVER, safety is paramount.

PART 1. WHAT EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED FOR SPARRING

16oz GLOVES
Standard across the board are 16oz gloves being worn when there are punches to the head. 16oz gloves have more padding than the 10, 12, and 14oz gloves (duh). The excess padding will soften the force of your punches and thus minimize damage to your training partner. If you weigh less than 130lbs, you may get away with wearing 14oz gloves to spar (but please confirm with your coach first). Kids ages 8-12 years can potentially spar with 10-12oz gloves. Please respect your training partner and wear the appropriate size gloves. It is all of our duty to call out those who are sparring with undersized gloves.

Take note that not all 14-16oz gloves are created equal. Many entry level brands like Kimurawear, Benza, Reevo, etc are adequate for bag and pad work but not sparring because their “16oz” gloves are actually lighter than what is stated. You can’t go wrong with gloves made by reputable brands like Fairtex, Twins special, Top King, Windy, Yokkao, Boon, and Raja.

SHIN GUARDS
Shin guards should always be worn for sparring, with the exception of tech sparring where the intensity is kept under 15%. The top of the shin guard should sit just under the bottom of your knee to prevent the upper shin from being exposed. As this can be painful for your partner if you block one of his kicks on the bare part of your upper shin. Your shin guards should also have a padded flap that goes over your foot for added protection to your toes. Sock shin guards (1st photo below) can be worn for tech sparring but not for regular sparring sessions. Most muay thai branded equipment will do just fine, they include Fairtex, Twins, Top King, Windy, Raja, Boon, Muay Thai Brand, Legacy, RDX, Kimurawear, etc.

MOUTH GUARD
Another important piece of equipment is the mouthguard. Any generic self-molded one will suffice. If you are looking for added protection and fitting, talk to your Dentist to make custom mouth guards that are fitted to your teeth and gums. I prefer the generic ones as I found custom mouthguards were too tight and snug for my personal liking. I also often misplace my mouth guards so I didn’t like to spend too much on them. Consider investing in a mouthguard case and clip it to your gym bag for safe keeping. If you do go for the custom guards, they can run you anywhere between $200-$800. Check your employment benefits as many do cover the cost of constructing one. Military and para-military benefits generally include custom fitted mouthguards at 100%.

CUP/GROIN PROTECTOR
Guys, do I need to say more? Most will opt to leave this one out until they eat a knee right in the “you know where.” Yes, this has happened to me many times, especially in the clinch. Now, I always take an extra couple of minutes before battle to put on my cup. Muay Thai cups can be made of steel or plastic. You honestly don’t need something as hard as a steel cup but if you want to feel like a badass Thai fighter then go right ahead. I had both kinds throughout my fight career. Fairtex and Twins steel cups are quite reputable. Shock Doctor has some reliable plastic groin protectors.

HEADGEAR
With modern research showing that headgear does nothing to reduce concussions or force of punches, many muay thai gyms no longer require headgear for sparring. Headgear is optional at Legacy. However, note that Muay Thai has many more offensive options than kickboxing and boxing (punch, elbow, kick, knee, throws, sweeps, locks). Although the headgear may not protect you from blunt trauma, it can reduce the chances of you getting cut and scraped from an accidental elbow or knee to the head or face.

You can read this article as to why Olympic Boxers aren’t required to wear headgear anymore:
https://www.wired.com/2016/08/olympic-boxers-arent-wearing-headgear-anymore/

KNEE AND ELBOW PADS
These can be worn for extra protection but take note that this is not an invitation for you to go berserk and blast your partner with hard knees or sharp elbows. Elbow pads have a tendency to shift exposing your bare-elbow bone so be careful. NO KNEES TO THE HEAD, EVER. Knee pads and elbow pads will also protect your knee and elbow joints.

TECHNICAL (TECH) SPARRING
Light muay Thai sparring (less that 10-15% power) using mainly kicks, knees, and clinch is known as technical (tech) sparring. The emphasis here is on technique, timing, and placement of strikes (accuracy and precision). Thai fighters are notorious for tech sparring. They seldom spar hard in training as they frequently compete, sometimes as often as every other week so they want to keep their body fresh and injury free. Western fighters do not have the luxury of frequent competition opportunities so we must incorporate harder rounds to stay sharp and fight ready. In any case, for tech sparring you do not require much protective equipment, granted that both partners exhibit some self control. The choice of protective equipment is based on the style of tech sparring you are doing. Watch here:

With gloves and shin guards:

Without gloves and shin guards:

PART 2: SPARRING ETIQUETTE

COMING SOON!