thai/kickboxers big legs

[hola bola]

Hello,

Could someone explain to me how thai/kickboxers get such big legs,
what kind of training do you do, weight training or bodyweight exercises etc.
I would like to take up thaiboxing but my legs are very skinny, how should i build them up, ive been weight training for a little while but my legs are still thin.

Thanks.

[Fled]

Well for me, in terms of cardio exercises, running conditions my legs and skipping conditions my calves.

As for weight training, i blast my quads, hamstrings and calves on the various machines in the gym for an hour twice a week.

I think thai boxers develop nice legs due to the sheer amount of legwork they go through in a day, and their calves develop from being on their toes every single time they kick (good form).

[hola bola]

Thanks alot Fled

[Normal]

You want to see big legs, check out Matee's calves sometime. They are as big as my head, (thats big) and when you work with him he will make you train on your tiptoes. It's hard at first but it does make a difference after awhile you'll see the change in your legs.
As for weight training & thai boxing, I wouldnt invest too much in heavy weight training your legs, it slows them down, instead run and kick the bag and pads (all on your toes, that is.)

[Garland]

Hello,

Could someone explain to me how thai/kickboxers get such big legs,
what kind of training do you do, weight training or bodyweight exercises etc.
I would like to take up thaiboxing but my legs are very skinny, how should i build them up, ive been weight training for a little while but my legs are still thin.

Thanks.

Legs...here's some ideas.

BODYWEIGHT
Hindu squats, up down's, jumping jacks, guerilla drills (all fours walk, crab crawls, belly crawls, hobble hops, carrying friends in various positions, the "cross country skier", etc.), frog hops (up stairs...or up stairs with a buddy on your shoulders...careful with that one) mule kicks...skip knees in place as high as you can...etc.

GYM/ WEIGHT
leg presses, hamstring curls, hip ad/ab -duction machines, squats in any variation, including jefferson squats, leg raises, toe taps on a leg press machine...etc.

OTHER
running, hiking, jump rope, hurdles and track type agility drills, DANCE...ballet isn't something to be knocked, some of those old school Russian dudes could probably kick like a mule) climbing, skiing, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, swimming is awesome, yoga helps elongate, tone and prevent injury (downward dog kicks ass for calves), pilates can be nice too, but #1...is just basicly kicking the living **** out of the pads.
I also like stretching and jogging with ankle weights.

Actually, holding TMA style stances like the horse can be hella good for your quads...try holding a deep horse, or even a wing chin style horse and that will COOK your quads.

[hola bola]

You want to see big legs, check out Matee's calves sometime. They are as big as my head, (thats big) and when you work with him he will make you train on your tiptoes. It's hard at first but it does make a difference after awhile you'll see the change in your legs.
As for weight training & thai boxing, I wouldnt invest too much in heavy weight training your legs, it slows them down, instead run and kick the bag and pads (all on your toes, that is.)

Thanks man, and i did look up on matee, jezzzzz that guys got some huge calves. Nice tip to train on the tiptoes, gonna try that.

Legs...here's some ideas.

BODYWEIGHT
Hindu squats, up down's, jumping jacks, guerilla drills (all fours walk, crab crawls, belly crawls, hobble hops, carrying friends in various positions, the "cross country skier", etc.), frog hops (up stairs...or up stairs with a buddy on your shoulders...careful with that one) mule kicks...skip knees in place as high as you can...etc.

GYM/ WEIGHT
leg presses, hamstring curls, hip ad/ab -duction machines, squats in any variation, including jefferson squats, leg raises, toe taps on a leg press machine...etc.

OTHER
running, hiking, jump rope, hurdles and track type agility drills, DANCE...ballet isn't something to be knocked, some of those old school Russian dudes could probably kick like a mule) climbing, skiing, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, swimming is awesome, yoga helps elongate, tone and prevent injury (downward dog kicks ass for calves), pilates can be nice too, but #1...is just basicly kicking the living **** out of the pads.
I also like stretching and jogging with ankle weights.

Actually, holding TMA style stances like the horse can be hella good for your quads...try holding a deep horse, or even a wing chin style horse and that will COOK your quads.

Thanks Garland, thats alot of exercises, im gonna have to look up alot of these,
Is there any exercises in particular you think i should do on a regular basis, like maybe i should run and then jump rope every morning etc,
and also train my legs with weights twice a week like Fled said ?

[Tom Yum]

Is there any exercises in particular you think i should do on a regular basis, like maybe i should run and then jump rope every morning etc,
and also train my legs with weights twice a week like Fled said ?

Running has helped me alot in thaiboxing; both fartlek type runs and slow long distance jog. The fartlek runs build explosive leg speed and build up your VO2 max (wind capacity); the distance work builds your leg stamina, conditioning and toughness.

From what I've read, most camps in Thailand run anywhere from 3-5 miles daily, with at least one longer distance run per week,

http://www.lannamuaythai.com/

Ironically, this running schedule is very similar to those used by Soldiers and Marines.

[hola bola]

Running has helped me alot in thaiboxing; both fartlek type runs and slow long distance jog. The fartlek runs build explosive leg speed and build up your VO2 max (wind capacity); the distance work builds your leg stamina, conditioning and toughness.

From what I've read, most camps in Thailand run anywhere from 3-5 miles daily, with at least one longer distance run per week,

http://www.lannamuaythai.com/

Ironically, this running schedule is very similar to those used by Soldiers and Marines.

Thanks for that, i just checked out the Lanna Muay Thai Boxing Camp link and they say that they run early every morning, do you know if that is before they eat breakfast ?
Just want to check, i dont want to get things wrong, alot of people think it is a bad idea to run on an empty stomach, but im not sure either way.

[Tom Yum]

Thanks for that, i just checked out the Lanna Muay Thai Boxing Camp link and they say that they run early every morning, do you know if that is before they eat breakfast ? Just want to check, i dont want to get things wrong, alot of people think it is a bad idea to run on an empty stomach, but im not sure either way.

You're welcome.

I've been told running before eating breakfast helps you loose weight - but I'm not sure. If you eat breakfast first, you should wait something like two hours before you begin excercising.

[Fled]

Working out on an empty stomach in the morning burns approx 300 times more the amount of calories than you would if you ate or drank (anything other than water) before. So if you've got some flab (like me) you can train on an empty stomach, and eat about an hour after your workout, as most of the calorie burn occurs AFTER your workout.

Ive done this daily for about 2 years and have suffered no ill effects and went from 256lbs to 210lbs. Like everything else it takes getting used to. If it were easy everyone would train MT.

[wavyd]

Thanks for that, i just checked out the Lanna Muay Thai Boxing Camp link and they say that they run early every morning, do you know if that is before they eat breakfast ?
Just want to check, i dont want to get things wrong, alot of people think it is a bad idea to run on an empty stomach, but im not sure either way.

My wife and I worked out with some personal trainers for a while and they suggested drinking water before morning cardio and eating after. As stated by Fled this helps you burn more fat/calories directly.

Following this routine in the morning or after you wake up is different than not eating breakfast then trying to workout. At least as I understand it.

[hola bola]

Thanks for the replys guys,
Im not sure what im gonna do regarding the morning running, im not trying to lose weight i would like to lose a little fat though, im actually trying to build up my legs.
I might give it a go on an empty stomach and see how it goes, i think if i keep my protein intake high i should be ok and not lose any muscle.
Is there anything else you guys think i should do each day or week, i have decided im going to train with weights twice a week to try to add some mass on my legs, im thinking squats and lunges and some calf raises.
Im also thinking about skipping in the mornings after my run, and trying some of the exercises garland sugested.

[Garland]

Thanks man, and i did look up on matee, jezzzzz that guys got some huge calves. Nice tip to train on the tiptoes, gonna try that.

Thanks Garland, thats alot of exercises, im gonna have to look up alot of these,
Is there any exercises in particular you think i should do on a regular basis, like maybe i should run and then jump rope every morning etc,
and also train my legs with weights twice a week like Fled said ?

At the very least, jog every day...do a brief stretch...like at least 250 kicks each leg, and as many of the weight exercizes you have access to. I try to work my legs as often as I can...if I go to the gym, I work my legs....
I do this because I can, I have damn strong legs, and they don't really tire easily...it's a big confidence boost compared to my upper body.

Always train on tip toes, try walking around throughout your daily routine on the balls of your feet...stretch your calves through dorsiflexion when your just chillin' in your chair. That type of shit.

"Horse vitamins" may help too.





the last one was a joke. so don't bust my balls, hans.

[Bauer]

Some good points have been brought up so far, but there are several very important factors to building your leg size that have not been mentioned; how you exercise and your diet.

Garland gave you some excellent information as far as what exercises to do, but how you do your leg exercises is more important that which ones you choose to do. First off, make the squat rack your friend. The squat is the best lift that can be done for athletics period! If you do one lift in the weight room, make it this one. Squatting will build your leg muscles better than any other exercise, it will build muscle in your lower back to help you avoid injury, and add valuable core strength. Remember, however, that the most important aspect of squatting is form. The most important part of ANY lift is form, but if you do squat with heavy weight and poor form, you will hurt yourself. Leg press is an excellent lift do right after the squat. This lift can be done as heavy as you can possible go with very minimal risk of injury. After that, I would recommend barbell lunges to help build balance and leg strength at the same time.

To lift for strength and muscle mass (size), it is important to lift as heavy as possible for a small amount of reps. Lifting a lighter weight many times will help tone but you will not get much stronger. When going in to do your heavy, multi joint, power lifts like squat, bench press, or dead-lift, do 1-2 warm up sets of 5-7 reps, and then 3 heavy sets of 5 reps. The reason you need to lift as heavy as possible is to stimulate muscle fibers you would not normally use with a lighter weight. Above all, do not forget to stretch. Stretch before you lift. Stretch every couple of sets. Stretch after you are done. Contrary to popular belief, having big muscles will not decrease your flexibility. I an squat over 500lbs, have very thick legs, and I can put my feet behind my head and can almost do the splits (I do not practice stretching for the splits, I am just flexible because I stretch a lot).

One quick word of caution to any considering getting into weight lifting, if your body is not used to lifting weights, start out light. You will not do yourself any good jumping into the weight room with heavy weight. You will probably not lift with good form, nor will you give yourself to the opportunity to learn correct form because you are struggling too hard with the weight. It is no different from a beginner training with a black belt. Your first couple weeks should be with intentionally lightweight, let your body get acclimated to the work, and get comfortable with the exercises.

The other component of building muscle is diet. I cannot say it enough, 80% of bodybuilding is diet! To build muscle you need to eat a lot of protein, there are no two ways about it. To have the energy to do your workouts effectively, and on top of your martial arts training, you need to eat a lot of complex carbohydrates. Get a rice cooker and make friends with a large bag of brown rice. Try to eat small amounts of carbs throughout the day so your body will be fueled throughout the day. To illustrate the importance of your diet on shaping your body let me make this analogy. Building your body is like building a brick house. Protein is the bricks and carbs are the workers. If you do not have enough workers or have bad workers (crappy processed starchy carbs), it will take a long time to build your house right. If you do not eat enough protein, then you are not giving the workers enough bricks to build your house. If you fuel your body with enough protein and good carbs, you will build a shit brick house!!!

Good luck in the weight room!!

Bauer

[aseepish]

Thanks for that, i just checked out the Lanna Muay Thai Boxing Camp link and they say that they run early every morning, do you know if that is before they eat breakfast ?
Just want to check, i dont want to get things wrong, alot of people think it is a bad idea to run on an empty stomach, but im not sure either way.

When I was at Lanna I didn't eat until after the morning work out. Unless I wussed out and slept through the morning workout and only went to the afternoon one.

Two months there and I was in the best shape I had ever been in my life. Unfortunately after a year of school I am now nowhere in the kind of shape I was then. I don't think I could finish a five mile run now, let alone run sprints after one and THEN do two hours of bag, pad, and clinch work.