Every now and then, someone would ask me about how Muay Thai fighters strengthen their shins. For many, the idea of going shin to shin doesn’t exactly attract more students to learn this type of combative approach. A Muay Thai stylist, schooled in Muay Thai for many years, has the ability to put all his weight into his or her kick, one that can produce enough impact to break bones. And a proper Muay Thai kick comes from years of shin conditioning through impact training, sparring, and fighting. What makes Muay Thai kicks different from other styles is the purpose and the training behind it. The shins of a Muay Thai fighter is accustomed to the pounding that others may not be used to. It’s not that Muay Thai as a system advocates shin to shin training per se, it’s just that many of the initial and most basic kicking drills in Muay Thai require some sort of shin contact. Those who fight inevitably develop stronger shins due to the nature of the sport. In the fight game, Muay Thai rules has always allowed kicks to the legs and, therefore, this simple yet effective method of striking is one of it’s most recognizable weapon of choice.

But not every Muay Thai practitioner yearns to fight. And for those who practice it for whatever reason, can still find ways to strengthen their shins through pad training. In some establishments, students are simply encouraged to kick as hard as they can, thereby, causing unnecessary pain and recurring injuries. For novice practitioners, shin to shin is not recommended. While professional Muay Thai fights are performed with an abundance of shin contact, such kicks can cause excessive bruising and, perhaps, chipped or broken bones. The body can only take so much pounding, and a normal practitioner with less shin contact or experience defending against a shin attack must find other ways to develop stronger shins. Furthermore, a well-rounded practitioner should not rely solely on his or her shin kicks to stop an opponent. Rather, he or she should gain proficiency in other forms of Muay Thai defense and attack. Yes, it’s common to see a fight end with opponents getting their legs taken out, but not all the time. Beginners ought to start off by learning the proper way to throw kicks, to turn the body, to find the right angles, and the proper timing to execute a kick. With each progressive practice session with the bags or pads, the shins get a little bit more accustomed to more pounding. Intermediate practitioners can then work on partner drills to experience some form of shin contact. During sparring, proper kicking methods become vital since finding or creating the opportunity to throw shin kicks can be the difference between stopping someone or being stopped. It’s only when a Muay Thai practitioner is able to use his or her shins to strike the vulnerable parts of an opponent that he or she can begin to understand the value of kicking with shins. Sure, there are a myriad of ways to make bones stronger, deaden nerves, or keep bruising at a minimum. But regardless of how strong one’s shins may be, it’s not a full proof method of winning and may even create a one-trick mentality. The idea of shin to shin feels empowering to many novice, intermediate, and even to some advanced Muay Thai stylists. It gives the notion of having superhuman strength by using raw power to break down an opponent. Nevertheless, many of the subtle set-ups and ways to soften an opponent prior to shin strikes can easily be overlooked. The bottom line is, shin training can be productive without being excessive. So train wisely!