Muay Thai is a highly combative martial art that involves varying techniques and is often practiced in Thailand and some other countries around the world. Perchance you are interested in being involved in some amazing Muay Thai fights but concerned about your age. So, how old is too old to fight Muay Thai?
The best answer to this question depends on what you want to do with Muay Thai. If you want to be involved in an amateur fight or just build fitness with the fight, no age is too old to fight Muay Thai. But if you want to fight professionally, you are probably too old once you are close to the age of 30 because most professional fighters retire in their late 20s.
In Muay Thai, training and fighting are two completely different phenomena. You can train Muay Thai even in your 50s, but it will be almost impossible to fight professionally at that age except if you want to be injured badly and irrecoverably. If you have any doubt about the right age to fight Muay Thai, this article will explain everything you need to know.
What is the right age to fight Muay Thai professionally?
When it comes to training, most Muay Thai professional fighters started training at a tender age. Some started as young as 4 years old whereas others wait until around 8 years old before learning Muay Thai. By starting to learn at such ages, it will be easy for them to master the techniques involved in this martial art. Besides, the body of the fighter will be able to recover quickly from any injury suffered during a fight or training. However, Muay Thai training is usually age-appropriate. In other words, the training will be designed to suit the age of the Muay Thai learners.
As noted by Quora and Board Games Tips, most Muay Thai artists began professional fights as teenagers. They usually reach their peaks around 18 to 24 years old. However, most of them will still fight into their late 20s or early 30s before retiring. Fighting beyond this age range is an exception that could be dangerous.
Therefore, if you are already in your mid or late 20s, you are probably too old to fight Muay Thai professionally. In fact, most trainers will even discourage you from getting involved in Muay Thai fights in your early 20s if you have not been practicing for a few years before then.
It is noteworthy that Muay Thai is a dangerous martial art that is associated with different kinds of injuries to the head, chin, arms, etc. Young individuals are usually agile and can cope with the rigors of fighting Muay Thai professionally. Similarly, their bodies can recover quickly from most of the injuries involved in the art.
However, for people in their 30s and above, recovery from injury is usually slower. This is why most people involved in professional active sports retire in their 30s. Besides, most people lose some of their agility and strength as they grow older.
Given this, if you are close to 30 years old, you are too old to fight Muay Thai professionally. Nonetheless, you can be involved in train Muay Thai at any age as long as you feel you are physically fit.
Is 30+ too old to train Muay Thai?
As stated above, being 30+ years old is too old to fight Muay Thai. However, when it comes to training Muay Thai, the age limit is wider. If you are a novice, you can start learning Muay Thai in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or even 60s. Several individuals started training Muay Thai in their 60s to get fit and enjoyed the experience.
As long as training Muay Thai is concerned, the most important factors are:
- How healthy you are
- The desire you have to master the art of Muay Thai
- Your readiness to see things through regardless of the difficulties
Once these factors are present, nothing you should be able to stop you from training Muay Thai.
What are the benefits of training Muay Thai at 30+?
Considering the fact that you cannot fight Muay Thai at 30+, you may be wondering why you should dedicate time to learning the martial art. Without a doubt, Muay Thai is more than just fighting as other benefits are attached to it. According to Muay Thai Citizen, these benefits include:
- It helps to get fit in an exciting way
Regardless of your age when training Muay Thai, this martial art will assist you to get fit excitingly. Although there are numerous ways of getting fit, many of them are boring. Fortunately, Muay Thai’s training is always exciting as you run, throw punches, use kicks and knees, etc.
Overall, Muay Thai can help you to improve your flexibility, movement, gait, and posture. Consequently, it can help you to be healthy and look younger.
- It enhances your skin
When you are training Muay Thai, you are bound to sweat profusely for an extended period. According to some studies, sweating aids the removal of dirt and oil found in your skin pores. It is noteworthy that dirt and oil are responsible for skin damage that can increase the rate of aging.
So, if you are looking for a fun-filled way to improve your skin, you should never overlook Muay Thai training.
- It helps to burn fat and calories
Have you been struggling with burning unhealthy fat and calories? If yes, you should take advantage of Muay Thai. By training Muay Thai, your body will burn more calories and fat. According to an article on Livestrong, a one or two-hour session of Muay Thai training can burn around 300 to 700 calories.
- It improves your mental health
To train Muay Thai, you need to be mentally focused, committed, and physically fit. All these factors can play a key role in dealing with depression, anxieties, and stresses which are all mental health issues. Besides, Muay Thai training helps to release endorphins which are responsible for good feelings and moods.
Training Muay Thai can also serve as a form of self-defense, boost your social life, and build muscle and bone density.
In conclusion, if you are in your 20s, it is too late to fight Muay Thai professionally. However, there is no age barrier for learning or training Muay Thai.
