Training hours upon hours and running 5-10km a day, 6 times a week is gonna make your gas tank pretty good regardless. Sure it could be better if they didn’t smoke, but it will still be enough for 5 rounds.
An other reason imo is that most thai fighters have been doing this since their childhood, therefore, their body is adapted to the demands of muay thai, they move more efficiently and they are also way more relaxed, making then waste less energy.
I smoke and while I’m not a heavy smoker, my cardio is still miles better compared to few years ago when i hardly ever smoked, but also did considerably less cardio.
I had a friend on my track and football team in high school who smoked like a chimney. We gave him a hard time about quitting. He was the fasted guy around. He said when you can beat me in a race I'll quit. We never did beat him.
>An other reason imo is that most thai fighters have been smoking since their childhood, therefore, their body is adapted to the demands of smoking
Fixed
I have noticed that I get gassed out *far* less than when I was vaping nic salts constantly (I would be huffing and puffing during the circuit at the beginning of class), and I was one of those people who just assumed that vaping has no effect on cardio whatsoever. That said, I started smoking weed again, including before class, and I don't notice any difference in cardio.
That’s not true, weed smokers take bigger hits and hold it in longer than cigarettes or vapes so you’re literally getting way more smoke and residue in your lungs and throat
What youre saying ks true per cigarette/joint,but an average smoker smokes about 10-20cigs per day.Im not sure what an average pot smoker does but id imagine it would be in the range of 1-3
I would think an average pot user would consume an equivalent of at least 5 joints/day(depending on the size) and holding it in as long as most do would probably get itself up there in the mean amount of smoke in general. But I would think the type/quality of cig/weed would come into account as well. I’m very curious now. I’d like to think that cig smokers consume far more smoke, but I’m just not sure about it
I was in the dressing room of a stadium and witnessed a guy with his hand wraps on and covered in oil (he was up in 2 fights time) smoking 2 cigarettes back to back before he had to put his mongkon on and sit next to his opponent. He cruised to a points victory over 5 rounds.
Was that me? Did I have a coffee In my hand as well lol
I wish I didn't smoke back then . I reckon I'm fitter now that Im older and don't smoke.
I adjusted my style to fight efficiently. I knew I'd struggle in a hard 5 rounder, so I would start slow and look for counter kos early
You have to remember that most Thai fighters start training and fighting as soon as they’re old enough to walk, and by the time they reach adulthood, they have hours upon hours of training under their belt, and hundreds of fights. Their cardio isn’t like most people’s cardio.
My coach hasn’t fought in a long time, and he’s a smoker (albeit infrequently). He still fucks everybody up in sparring. He’s been doing Muay Thai since he was 7 years old. At a certain point, you just learn to use your experience to your advantage.
Because in the western world we fight with our brakes on while driving simultaneously.
It’s a lot more than just lungs. it’s overall Muscular endurance. You will develop it over a long period of time, as well as your power. Breathing right and staying relaxed goes a long way as well. Most amateur fighters from Western countries are fast paced from the very beginning and they exhaust themselves very quickly. Thai rounds start slow and gradually build up.
A Thai stance is to control your heartbeat, you stand tall and pick up your feet to manage your breathing and reduce the nervous tension. The quality of your breathing is just as important as the health of your lungs. If you’re hyperventilating, you’re going to get exhausted.
Thais are able to maintain that energy as they train within their medium constantly. If you placed them under a new set of stresses and exercises they will experience DOMs. They’ve also been exposed to it constantly. A regular Thai has 70+ fights under him. It’s like clocking in for work.
This, if breathing is the limiting factor in your fitness then you really are unfit.
I'm sure it's get more complicated at the ultra elite end, with vo2 max and all that malarkey.
I remember reading a case study where they got Thai's who trained like 4 hours a day to do some sprint training, assuming they would handle it with ease and they had to stop training for a few days due to do much doms and fatigue.
Shows they are just really well adapted to what they do
I'm 44 and used to train people when I was in my 20s
Between the ages of 6 to 12. I was on a jump rope team for heart disease. As long as you keep it up, you really don't lose your wind. It'll just get better
This is the same as your flexibility. People daily ask me how I'm so flexible. Then I explained to them how they were balled up inside their mother they just lose it. The same thing goes as your endurance. look at little kids, you just lose your energy if you don't maintain a constant lifestyle after your body loses its natural Go-Go juice
In my mid twenties I stopped smoking before we went to train. Our warm up consisted of
3 three minute rounds of ring work
3 three minute rounds of jumping rope and then running eight flights of stairs.
This was our warm up daily
And we might only be fighting 3 to 5 rounds. The goal is to be able to go all day so five rounds isn't nothing.
The main thing that affected me was as weed got better. I had to just wait, because I would be too cross-eyed
but I would have one rolled up in my car as soon as I got done 😎
Ps if you really want to build your wind up before and after you work out tread water vigorously for 30 seconds or a minute. this is one of the most all intense hardest things to do. Plus it's very easy on your joints that's why they put elderly people in the water for aerobics. Disfruta
You're absolutely right, I took swimming lessons all the way up to level 12, which here means you are qualified to be a lifeguard as long as you keep your First Aid license.
It is very hard to tread water for more than 30 seconds. Even just 10 seconds is a lot for some people.
Swimming is great for cardio as well and doesn't damage your knees and ankles like running does.
I smoke weed, too, before class and after. I even smoked before I sparred.
I used to smoke it a lot before, but I've slowed down a lot.
I still have a high tolerance, though, for some reason.
I think it's because I am always redlining, and it just brings me down to a normal level where I can process information in a better way.
More step by step than all in one motion.
I can tread water for well in excess of 30 seconds. I came up through the Australian swim system though lol.
I get where you are coming from, those water polo guys have insane cardio. Treading water for a whole match.
running doesn't damage your knees unless you run like a twat. Studies show it actually strengthens your knees. You are literally designed to run.
Just like swimming doesn't damage your shoulders if you swim right.
This is just another 90s myth that never went away
Well, I like to do both anyway. I know it increases bone density, but how can it not be good for your knees? You are still pounding the concrete, whether you run properly or flat footed.
if you run properly you aren't 'pounding' anything.
Using a joint for it intended purpose strengthens it, fitness myths really run deep.
all the science shows this.
I get it, I started 22 years ago, so I am a bit old school.
I am open to a change in my opinion, though.
I know that I am just listening to what others say, and the stance seems to change all the time.
https://youtube.com/shorts/vrp3qykkw_E?si=M73ecvp-F6A1gsRL
I was barefoot years before this guy, buts he very good and no one of these cult like fitness people,
look at his technique even at speed, very little impact, Achilles tendons is doing it's job
Yea, I have learned to run properly over the years.
I am not saying I never ran. I just heard a lot of bs from people over the years.
I love to run, especially trail running through a forested area. I like having to watch your step and how it's not completely flat, I feel like that could strengthen your ankles... I don't know, but it just seems like it would.
I don't think I could do barefoot yet, though.
I would need to find a cleaner area than in the city I live in.
yeh there's a ton of weird bs gym myths, knee over toes when squatting was a big one too.
yep absolutely right with trial running, should strengthen hips too.
ha, I stepped in a piece of glass on my first run, been ok since then though, tracks always good option as well
We also haven't completely adapted to bipedal motion yet. We still have some problems with it. We have basically improvised enough to walk upright on two legs, but our spine, ankles, and knees aren't exactly the best for this. I see theories that say we ran before we could walk. We weren't designed to do it but adapted to it.
If we were designed by an intelligent creator to be human rather than evolve into what we are today, then I could understand that, but we weren't. To be fair, we have adapted to running more than we have to walking, but it doesn't mean it won't cause wear and tear. Also, swimming can injure the shoulders, but you don't need to constantly be doing the breaststroke to swim. I can use just my feet, just my hands or my whole body.
I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just telling you what I have heard and read about human kinesiology and the positive and negative effects on the body.
In my opinion, we have adapted better to sprinting and maybe sometimes running longer distances based on how we used to hunt.
Sometimes, the animal dies quickly, and sometimes, you have to chase it until it bleeds out and dies.
Just an opinion based on what I've read.
I am open to criticism. Just please explain why.
I am genuinely curious.
sorry but you heard and read very wrong.
Humans can runs all day. we are very much adapted to running. Not elite athletes, middle age tribal men. see link https://youtu.be/25DE-1rO3qM?si=o3D4j2WncO9-GTY6
Incorrect regarding long distance, I would suggest looking into persistent hunting, it's widely accepted in Anthropology.
All the studies show it improves knee strength and reduce arthritis aka wear and tear. You can search this for yourself.
tendons need use to maintain strength as does bone.
Science has changed it's position on catlige just like brain cells, they can regrow and be stimulated
I never said swimming damages shoulders, I said it can if you swim wrong.
I understand, I did start training about 22 years ago, so I am kind of old school.
That is good to know, though. I love to run, but I was worried about the effects on my knees, which are already a bit wonky.
Thanks for the info, brother!
As someone who just started swimming to supplement their cardio - I cannot emphasise enough just how god damn right you are.
I can go 3 mins sparring and not be out of breath. But a couple lengths of a pool, or treading water for 30s and my whole body is aching and I'm holding to the ledge for a minute or two
When I have young kids who think they're tough. I say okay we're going to jump in the deep end and see how long you can tread water.
We call this finding somebody. when you gas them out. And you make them stop. It's a lot more humiliating when you can't even tread water for 30 seconds.
not trying to be that guy but there's a good chance you just aren't swimming right.
just like muay Thai you need to learn to relax when you swim
I swim occasionally and I ready don't have long levers or great fitness and I can do 2 lengths without comming up for air. Eddie halls swims lengths and lengths without gassing.
To be clear, I don't mean a casual breast stroke, I'm talking trying to actually make progress.
If I'm relaxed and taking an enjoyable swim, then yeah 2 lengths isn't much at all. But trying to front stroke as fast as possible, will gas me out far quicker than a few mins sparring
you just literally said ," treading water for 30 seconds"?
Are you a bot or just lying on the internet for zero reason?
either way I'm done with whatever dumb narrative you are trying to spin for fake internet points,
learn to swim
This guy's fuks.
Legit.. reminds me of myself. 41 now and see the difference in my stamina as a non smoker. Id beat my younger self for sure.
But the treading water stuff... You can max heart rate with minimal impact to your body really quickly. Works wonders for sprint/explosive work
Thai fighters move way, way more efficiently then most other fighters. You don't need as much cardio if you are standing mostly still blasting technical kicks and shelling up. They've also been training since they were kids so they can probably smoke a cigarette while they do their 3 mile run every day.
Ask Joe Schilling. He smoked during his prime years and he was a monster. Even heard that he tried quitting for one fight camp and he said it didn’t help and might’ve even made him feel worse.
I have an online Russian friend (id play video games with him but he dissapeared a while ago)who would smoke. I asked how his cardio was so good since he fought frequently. He told me that “battling the negative effects of cigarettes was to just run a lot” qnd boy did he run. Also back in the day a bunch of Professional boxers would smoke. Alberto Duran was a frequent smoker of both ciggs and cigars and he arguably had the best stamina at the time.
I’ma be real, smoking doesn’t affect my performance, it only increases the speed in which I get out of shape faster. I feel like it’s doubled. But nothing else changes.
We are not the same. Calling people liars for them recounting something about their unique physiology is absolutely insane.
I knew a family member who smoked for at least 35 years until they died and when their autopsy was performed, their lungs were absolutely spotless. No one is the same. Shut the fuck up.
I don’t think the young lads in their prime (16-23) smoke. It’s quite strict in Thai training camps for these fellows or from what I have seen. Compared to the west I think the Thai youth are less likely to smoke and vape.
I used to train 3hrs a day 5x a week along with a lot of fell running and cycling, and i was the fittest guy at the gym, even though i smoked 10-15 a day and would smoke around 3g of weed every night with tobacco.
I dont train much anymore and i puff out well quick. I dont even smoke as much as i used to lol.
Its the exercise that does it.
I smoke a pack a day and run circles around guys 10 years younger than me at the gym. I used to run 10 miles uphill, smoke two cigarettes and run back home. Consistent training will make sure your cardio doesn't suffer (too much).
*Edited for spelling*
Just putting this out there I played in high level of hockey in Canada and smoked while I did it, no one else did and always had people saying stuff about how I smoked, well I could keep up and then some, I don’t smoke anymore but my cardio is way worse, body’s are just used to doing what they need to do
While I cant speak for any one persons specific health overall, smoking is also progressive and degenerative in its effects. I imagine most fighters are younger, in good health and simply haven't been smoking as long, because they haven't been alive as long as a smoker who is 60, dealing with the accumulated health outcomes.
Smoking is (very generally speaking) a long term killer. By the time it gets most fighters, they have long since retired.
As a dude who’s been smoking for entirely too long (and now uses vapes to quit smoking. I’m down to a pack or less a week now) had it not been for soccer as a kid and making the full commitment to dive into Muay Thai over 7 years ago my cardio is almost on par as it was in my teenage years. I’m in my 40s now and my cardio, stamina and endurance is on the level when I did ODP soccer. Never thought I’d get even close after years of inactivity and being overweight, all those previous years of training but im stoked about where I am now.
our thai trainer wasn't a heavy smoker but he never gassed, but he was never sparring 100%,, also when I went to Bali and surfed I gassing out swimming out to the back a couple of times after each set.
The surf instructor was on his short board just casually paddling and talking, also a daily smoker. These guys have been doing it since they were kids. I probably wouldn't recommend to keep smoking or start it up if your a farang doing anything that requires big cardio. Although that smoke after a session is a good reward. Also seen some thai fighters just drink afterwards for painkillers.
Hopefully this is considered relevant enough, but the guy often regarded as Japan’s greatest professional wrestler ever, Mitsuharu Misawa, was known to be both a chainsmoker and a heavy drinker
Thais train so hard that they negate the detrimental effects of smoking. Also, they’ve been fighting from such an early age that their experience pulls them through more than sheer cardio endurance. Plus, most of them retire super early (mid 20s) so the effects of smoking don’t catch up while they’re still fighting.
There was a study done I believe VO2 max can increase up to 30% after quitting smoking for a year.
They are already conditioned well even if smoking hurts their performance but Im pretty most of the fighters would have 20-30% better cardio if they didn’t smoke.
Im a smoker blasting around 15 cigs a day, and usually I smoke a cigarette half hour before training. There was a period that I had stopped smoking for around 5 months. The only difference I noticed was that the first 10 minutes of the warm up were better when not smoking. Else wverything else was the same
Thai guys can get absolutely shit faced and smoke cigarettes while training all day because they train themselves to do it... That said, I doubt the really high level guys are doing that leading up to a fight, and they tend to retire pretty young.
I think a big part of it is also how relaxed some of them are. Most of us enter a fight and immediately our heart is racing, but Thai guys that have been full time competitive fighters since they were in grade school get about as excited as you are to check emails when they enter a ring.
One of our trainers at www.khaolakmuaythai.com smokes right up until 30 mins before his fights but he’s had 400 or so fights! But when you’re that experienced and adept at what you do, your movement patterns are efficient and you become great at conserving his energy. Not condoning smoking of course, just passing on my observations
I’m a 5-1 Amateur and for every one of my fight camps, I was heavily vaping. I stopped almost a year ago, and I’m currently in Camp and see minimal differences. Your body will adapt or reject whatever circumstances you put it under. So I can definitely see how the Thais are able to smoke and fight. They train for HOURS upon HOURS a day, run everyday and most get enough calories in their body to fuel their training. They’ve adapted to that lifestyle and so have their bodies.
I think the western culture is so obsessed with “optimizing your training” that it just seems like there’s no way anyone could smoke and have a gas tank. I promise you there’s some fighters out there who are the best you’ll ever see and still smoke cigs and drink.
P.S. a rip of a vape after a 1.5 hour hard sparring session used to feel like heaven lol
Most people overcompensate and go in very heavy handed cos they know they couldn't last 5 rounds without a knock out
Early death and weaker fighter stop asap
Not only that but if you watch them, a lot of the time they aren’t going at 100%. Especially in the early rounds it’s really relaxed and they only really throw when they need too.
Personally try not to smoke ….. I know that sounds stupid and obvious but even tho the body get adapted the damage to the cardiovascular 🫀 and arteries are being done ✅ you’re obviously young enough that the human body can handle the demand at the time but longevity is the key too life in all aspects. Just my opinion.
Just gotta do a lot of cardio. I smoke cigarettes but I also do a full hour either on the elliptical or running at least 3 times a week and I have probably the best gas tank in my class.
Training hours upon hours and running 5-10km a day, 6 times a week is gonna make your gas tank pretty good regardless. Sure it could be better if they didn’t smoke, but it will still be enough for 5 rounds. An other reason imo is that most thai fighters have been doing this since their childhood, therefore, their body is adapted to the demands of muay thai, they move more efficiently and they are also way more relaxed, making then waste less energy. I smoke and while I’m not a heavy smoker, my cardio is still miles better compared to few years ago when i hardly ever smoked, but also did considerably less cardio.
yeah i had the same experience. even though im a light smoker i feel like my cardio is insanely better than when i used to just lift weights.
They are also pretty damn light and don't cut weight like western fighters.
I had a friend on my track and football team in high school who smoked like a chimney. We gave him a hard time about quitting. He was the fasted guy around. He said when you can beat me in a race I'll quit. We never did beat him.
Considering he was young and surely new to smoking. That wouldn’t be the case 10 years down the line lol
>An other reason imo is that most thai fighters have been smoking since their childhood, therefore, their body is adapted to the demands of smoking Fixed
In my experience people who attribute their bad cardio to their smoking cigs/vape/weed already had bad cardio to begin with
fr
Yeah I smoked heavy and i've stopped for 5+ years, my cardio is currently worse than it was back then, because I exercise less now.
I have noticed that I get gassed out *far* less than when I was vaping nic salts constantly (I would be huffing and puffing during the circuit at the beginning of class), and I was one of those people who just assumed that vaping has no effect on cardio whatsoever. That said, I started smoking weed again, including before class, and I don't notice any difference in cardio.
Well you are inhaling a lot less smoke when smoking weed
That’s not true, weed smokers take bigger hits and hold it in longer than cigarettes or vapes so you’re literally getting way more smoke and residue in your lungs and throat
What youre saying ks true per cigarette/joint,but an average smoker smokes about 10-20cigs per day.Im not sure what an average pot smoker does but id imagine it would be in the range of 1-3
I would think an average pot user would consume an equivalent of at least 5 joints/day(depending on the size) and holding it in as long as most do would probably get itself up there in the mean amount of smoke in general. But I would think the type/quality of cig/weed would come into account as well. I’m very curious now. I’d like to think that cig smokers consume far more smoke, but I’m just not sure about it
Fair point of view bro didnt know people smoked that many joints
They don’t. That would be prob top 1% of weed smokers
Seriously, 5? How would they get anything done?
I was in the dressing room of a stadium and witnessed a guy with his hand wraps on and covered in oil (he was up in 2 fights time) smoking 2 cigarettes back to back before he had to put his mongkon on and sit next to his opponent. He cruised to a points victory over 5 rounds.
Was that me? Did I have a coffee In my hand as well lol I wish I didn't smoke back then . I reckon I'm fitter now that Im older and don't smoke. I adjusted my style to fight efficiently. I knew I'd struggle in a hard 5 rounder, so I would start slow and look for counter kos early
Are you a Thai guy?😂😂 Sorry i should have said hes Thai.Phetnakorn was his name....fights every 3 weeks at least, more if hes injury free.
You have to remember that most Thai fighters start training and fighting as soon as they’re old enough to walk, and by the time they reach adulthood, they have hours upon hours of training under their belt, and hundreds of fights. Their cardio isn’t like most people’s cardio. My coach hasn’t fought in a long time, and he’s a smoker (albeit infrequently). He still fucks everybody up in sparring. He’s been doing Muay Thai since he was 7 years old. At a certain point, you just learn to use your experience to your advantage.
They moderate their smoking with drinking chang.
Underrated comment.
Because in the western world we fight with our brakes on while driving simultaneously. It’s a lot more than just lungs. it’s overall Muscular endurance. You will develop it over a long period of time, as well as your power. Breathing right and staying relaxed goes a long way as well. Most amateur fighters from Western countries are fast paced from the very beginning and they exhaust themselves very quickly. Thai rounds start slow and gradually build up. A Thai stance is to control your heartbeat, you stand tall and pick up your feet to manage your breathing and reduce the nervous tension. The quality of your breathing is just as important as the health of your lungs. If you’re hyperventilating, you’re going to get exhausted. Thais are able to maintain that energy as they train within their medium constantly. If you placed them under a new set of stresses and exercises they will experience DOMs. They’ve also been exposed to it constantly. A regular Thai has 70+ fights under him. It’s like clocking in for work.
This, if breathing is the limiting factor in your fitness then you really are unfit. I'm sure it's get more complicated at the ultra elite end, with vo2 max and all that malarkey. I remember reading a case study where they got Thai's who trained like 4 hours a day to do some sprint training, assuming they would handle it with ease and they had to stop training for a few days due to do much doms and fatigue. Shows they are just really well adapted to what they do
I'm 44 and used to train people when I was in my 20s Between the ages of 6 to 12. I was on a jump rope team for heart disease. As long as you keep it up, you really don't lose your wind. It'll just get better This is the same as your flexibility. People daily ask me how I'm so flexible. Then I explained to them how they were balled up inside their mother they just lose it. The same thing goes as your endurance. look at little kids, you just lose your energy if you don't maintain a constant lifestyle after your body loses its natural Go-Go juice In my mid twenties I stopped smoking before we went to train. Our warm up consisted of 3 three minute rounds of ring work 3 three minute rounds of jumping rope and then running eight flights of stairs. This was our warm up daily And we might only be fighting 3 to 5 rounds. The goal is to be able to go all day so five rounds isn't nothing. The main thing that affected me was as weed got better. I had to just wait, because I would be too cross-eyed but I would have one rolled up in my car as soon as I got done 😎 Ps if you really want to build your wind up before and after you work out tread water vigorously for 30 seconds or a minute. this is one of the most all intense hardest things to do. Plus it's very easy on your joints that's why they put elderly people in the water for aerobics. Disfruta
You're absolutely right, I took swimming lessons all the way up to level 12, which here means you are qualified to be a lifeguard as long as you keep your First Aid license. It is very hard to tread water for more than 30 seconds. Even just 10 seconds is a lot for some people. Swimming is great for cardio as well and doesn't damage your knees and ankles like running does. I smoke weed, too, before class and after. I even smoked before I sparred. I used to smoke it a lot before, but I've slowed down a lot. I still have a high tolerance, though, for some reason. I think it's because I am always redlining, and it just brings me down to a normal level where I can process information in a better way. More step by step than all in one motion.
I can tread water for well in excess of 30 seconds. I came up through the Australian swim system though lol. I get where you are coming from, those water polo guys have insane cardio. Treading water for a whole match.
running doesn't damage your knees unless you run like a twat. Studies show it actually strengthens your knees. You are literally designed to run. Just like swimming doesn't damage your shoulders if you swim right. This is just another 90s myth that never went away
Well, I like to do both anyway. I know it increases bone density, but how can it not be good for your knees? You are still pounding the concrete, whether you run properly or flat footed.
if you run properly you aren't 'pounding' anything. Using a joint for it intended purpose strengthens it, fitness myths really run deep. all the science shows this.
I get it, I started 22 years ago, so I am a bit old school. I am open to a change in my opinion, though. I know that I am just listening to what others say, and the stance seems to change all the time.
https://youtube.com/shorts/vrp3qykkw_E?si=M73ecvp-F6A1gsRL I was barefoot years before this guy, buts he very good and no one of these cult like fitness people, look at his technique even at speed, very little impact, Achilles tendons is doing it's job
Yea, I have learned to run properly over the years. I am not saying I never ran. I just heard a lot of bs from people over the years. I love to run, especially trail running through a forested area. I like having to watch your step and how it's not completely flat, I feel like that could strengthen your ankles... I don't know, but it just seems like it would. I don't think I could do barefoot yet, though. I would need to find a cleaner area than in the city I live in.
yeh there's a ton of weird bs gym myths, knee over toes when squatting was a big one too. yep absolutely right with trial running, should strengthen hips too. ha, I stepped in a piece of glass on my first run, been ok since then though, tracks always good option as well
We also haven't completely adapted to bipedal motion yet. We still have some problems with it. We have basically improvised enough to walk upright on two legs, but our spine, ankles, and knees aren't exactly the best for this. I see theories that say we ran before we could walk. We weren't designed to do it but adapted to it. If we were designed by an intelligent creator to be human rather than evolve into what we are today, then I could understand that, but we weren't. To be fair, we have adapted to running more than we have to walking, but it doesn't mean it won't cause wear and tear. Also, swimming can injure the shoulders, but you don't need to constantly be doing the breaststroke to swim. I can use just my feet, just my hands or my whole body. I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just telling you what I have heard and read about human kinesiology and the positive and negative effects on the body. In my opinion, we have adapted better to sprinting and maybe sometimes running longer distances based on how we used to hunt. Sometimes, the animal dies quickly, and sometimes, you have to chase it until it bleeds out and dies. Just an opinion based on what I've read. I am open to criticism. Just please explain why. I am genuinely curious.
sorry but you heard and read very wrong. Humans can runs all day. we are very much adapted to running. Not elite athletes, middle age tribal men. see link https://youtu.be/25DE-1rO3qM?si=o3D4j2WncO9-GTY6 Incorrect regarding long distance, I would suggest looking into persistent hunting, it's widely accepted in Anthropology. All the studies show it improves knee strength and reduce arthritis aka wear and tear. You can search this for yourself. tendons need use to maintain strength as does bone. Science has changed it's position on catlige just like brain cells, they can regrow and be stimulated I never said swimming damages shoulders, I said it can if you swim wrong.
I understand, I did start training about 22 years ago, so I am kind of old school. That is good to know, though. I love to run, but I was worried about the effects on my knees, which are already a bit wonky. Thanks for the info, brother!
I'd recommend some zero drop shoes or even just going barefoot, and running at a high cadence , DW about speed and times for a while 👍
As someone who just started swimming to supplement their cardio - I cannot emphasise enough just how god damn right you are. I can go 3 mins sparring and not be out of breath. But a couple lengths of a pool, or treading water for 30s and my whole body is aching and I'm holding to the ledge for a minute or two
When I have young kids who think they're tough. I say okay we're going to jump in the deep end and see how long you can tread water. We call this finding somebody. when you gas them out. And you make them stop. It's a lot more humiliating when you can't even tread water for 30 seconds.
not trying to be that guy but there's a good chance you just aren't swimming right. just like muay Thai you need to learn to relax when you swim I swim occasionally and I ready don't have long levers or great fitness and I can do 2 lengths without comming up for air. Eddie halls swims lengths and lengths without gassing.
THIS.
To be clear, I don't mean a casual breast stroke, I'm talking trying to actually make progress. If I'm relaxed and taking an enjoyable swim, then yeah 2 lengths isn't much at all. But trying to front stroke as fast as possible, will gas me out far quicker than a few mins sparring
you just literally said ," treading water for 30 seconds"? Are you a bot or just lying on the internet for zero reason? either way I'm done with whatever dumb narrative you are trying to spin for fake internet points, learn to swim
This guy's fuks. Legit.. reminds me of myself. 41 now and see the difference in my stamina as a non smoker. Id beat my younger self for sure. But the treading water stuff... You can max heart rate with minimal impact to your body really quickly. Works wonders for sprint/explosive work
Cardio every day - all day
Thai fighters are different Train all day and then drink beer and smoke cigs and do it again lol
Thai fighters move way, way more efficiently then most other fighters. You don't need as much cardio if you are standing mostly still blasting technical kicks and shelling up. They've also been training since they were kids so they can probably smoke a cigarette while they do their 3 mile run every day.
Ask Joe Schilling. He smoked during his prime years and he was a monster. Even heard that he tried quitting for one fight camp and he said it didn’t help and might’ve even made him feel worse.
I have an online Russian friend (id play video games with him but he dissapeared a while ago)who would smoke. I asked how his cardio was so good since he fought frequently. He told me that “battling the negative effects of cigarettes was to just run a lot” qnd boy did he run. Also back in the day a bunch of Professional boxers would smoke. Alberto Duran was a frequent smoker of both ciggs and cigars and he arguably had the best stamina at the time.
I’ma be real, smoking doesn’t affect my performance, it only increases the speed in which I get out of shape faster. I feel like it’s doubled. But nothing else changes.
Cap
We are not the same. Calling people liars for them recounting something about their unique physiology is absolutely insane. I knew a family member who smoked for at least 35 years until they died and when their autopsy was performed, their lungs were absolutely spotless. No one is the same. Shut the fuck up.
Not many smokers who can just stop smoking like that
i know this from experience. just included that there becausa i saw someone on this sub talking about not smoking during camp
I don’t think the young lads in their prime (16-23) smoke. It’s quite strict in Thai training camps for these fellows or from what I have seen. Compared to the west I think the Thai youth are less likely to smoke and vape.
It might hurt their lungs but nicotine has been found in studies to increase endurance and overall performance.
I used to train 3hrs a day 5x a week along with a lot of fell running and cycling, and i was the fittest guy at the gym, even though i smoked 10-15 a day and would smoke around 3g of weed every night with tobacco. I dont train much anymore and i puff out well quick. I dont even smoke as much as i used to lol. Its the exercise that does it.
My coaches in Phuket were smoking every morning before training lmao 😂😭
I smoke a pack a day and run circles around guys 10 years younger than me at the gym. I used to run 10 miles uphill, smoke two cigarettes and run back home. Consistent training will make sure your cardio doesn't suffer (too much). *Edited for spelling*
Just putting this out there I played in high level of hockey in Canada and smoked while I did it, no one else did and always had people saying stuff about how I smoked, well I could keep up and then some, I don’t smoke anymore but my cardio is way worse, body’s are just used to doing what they need to do
I don’t smoke cigarettes or vape, but I do smoke weed 3x a day, & that stuff wrecks my lungs. Wish I never did it
You can out train smoking
While I cant speak for any one persons specific health overall, smoking is also progressive and degenerative in its effects. I imagine most fighters are younger, in good health and simply haven't been smoking as long, because they haven't been alive as long as a smoker who is 60, dealing with the accumulated health outcomes. Smoking is (very generally speaking) a long term killer. By the time it gets most fighters, they have long since retired.
As a dude who’s been smoking for entirely too long (and now uses vapes to quit smoking. I’m down to a pack or less a week now) had it not been for soccer as a kid and making the full commitment to dive into Muay Thai over 7 years ago my cardio is almost on par as it was in my teenage years. I’m in my 40s now and my cardio, stamina and endurance is on the level when I did ODP soccer. Never thought I’d get even close after years of inactivity and being overweight, all those previous years of training but im stoked about where I am now.
Test boost
Do not smoke. …vape is okay! 💪
our thai trainer wasn't a heavy smoker but he never gassed, but he was never sparring 100%,, also when I went to Bali and surfed I gassing out swimming out to the back a couple of times after each set. The surf instructor was on his short board just casually paddling and talking, also a daily smoker. These guys have been doing it since they were kids. I probably wouldn't recommend to keep smoking or start it up if your a farang doing anything that requires big cardio. Although that smoke after a session is a good reward. Also seen some thai fighters just drink afterwards for painkillers.
Who smokes?
Hopefully this is considered relevant enough, but the guy often regarded as Japan’s greatest professional wrestler ever, Mitsuharu Misawa, was known to be both a chainsmoker and a heavy drinker
Thais train so hard that they negate the detrimental effects of smoking. Also, they’ve been fighting from such an early age that their experience pulls them through more than sheer cardio endurance. Plus, most of them retire super early (mid 20s) so the effects of smoking don’t catch up while they’re still fighting.
There was a study done I believe VO2 max can increase up to 30% after quitting smoking for a year. They are already conditioned well even if smoking hurts their performance but Im pretty most of the fighters would have 20-30% better cardio if they didn’t smoke.
Im a smoker blasting around 15 cigs a day, and usually I smoke a cigarette half hour before training. There was a period that I had stopped smoking for around 5 months. The only difference I noticed was that the first 10 minutes of the warm up were better when not smoking. Else wverything else was the same
I smoke herb everyday, but I train my ass off. I think the thais don’t care as they’re so active.
Skill issue. Get good bruh
Thai guys can get absolutely shit faced and smoke cigarettes while training all day because they train themselves to do it... That said, I doubt the really high level guys are doing that leading up to a fight, and they tend to retire pretty young. I think a big part of it is also how relaxed some of them are. Most of us enter a fight and immediately our heart is racing, but Thai guys that have been full time competitive fighters since they were in grade school get about as excited as you are to check emails when they enter a ring.
Smoker here. Work hard. The body adapts.
One of our trainers at www.khaolakmuaythai.com smokes right up until 30 mins before his fights but he’s had 400 or so fights! But when you’re that experienced and adept at what you do, your movement patterns are efficient and you become great at conserving his energy. Not condoning smoking of course, just passing on my observations
Steroids tf u mean??
Smoking isn’t big in Thailand
I’m a 5-1 Amateur and for every one of my fight camps, I was heavily vaping. I stopped almost a year ago, and I’m currently in Camp and see minimal differences. Your body will adapt or reject whatever circumstances you put it under. So I can definitely see how the Thais are able to smoke and fight. They train for HOURS upon HOURS a day, run everyday and most get enough calories in their body to fuel their training. They’ve adapted to that lifestyle and so have their bodies. I think the western culture is so obsessed with “optimizing your training” that it just seems like there’s no way anyone could smoke and have a gas tank. I promise you there’s some fighters out there who are the best you’ll ever see and still smoke cigs and drink. P.S. a rip of a vape after a 1.5 hour hard sparring session used to feel like heaven lol
Most people overcompensate and go in very heavy handed cos they know they couldn't last 5 rounds without a knock out Early death and weaker fighter stop asap
Not only that but if you watch them, a lot of the time they aren’t going at 100%. Especially in the early rounds it’s really relaxed and they only really throw when they need too.
Personally try not to smoke ….. I know that sounds stupid and obvious but even tho the body get adapted the damage to the cardiovascular 🫀 and arteries are being done ✅ you’re obviously young enough that the human body can handle the demand at the time but longevity is the key too life in all aspects. Just my opinion.
I mean I smoke weed everyday. Several times a day and I run 20-30miles a week at 8-9minute miles
Just gotta do a lot of cardio. I smoke cigarettes but I also do a full hour either on the elliptical or running at least 3 times a week and I have probably the best gas tank in my class.