One of the most worrisome trends plaguing our modern views on health and fitness is the lack of importance given to proper stretching. To most people, being fit means being strong and having a low body fat percentage. It is true that fitness and good health involve developing and cultivating a muscular and toned physique, but by forgetting about the importance of flexibility, we are setting ourselves up for trouble.

Stretching is extremely important. Training to improve your stretching ability will help to keep your muscles active and healthy. Possessing flexibility will allow you to maintain a full range of motion in both muscles and joints. By neglecting to stretch, our muscles will shorten significantly and become tight; which has the potential to increase the risk of injury. Tight muscles are weak and not capable of extending all the way through. Training your flexibility through regular stretching will elevate your fitness levels and improve your overall health.

However, we recognize that stretching can be dull and tedious, not to mention a lot of work. We have 11 major muscle groups, and attempting to stretch them all would take an inordinate amount of time. While stretching your neck, shoulder, and back muscles, is important for good health, the muscles that have the most significant benefits to your fitness levels are in the areas of your body that are essential for mobility. Stretching your calf and hamstring muscles, as well as the hip flexors found in the pelvis and quadriceps in the thighs, will guarantee the most flexibility.

This is where Muay Thai comes in. Muay Thai is Thailand’s most revered sporting tradition. For those out of the loop, Muay Thai is a centuries-old fighting style born in beautiful Thailand that places great emphasis on fast striking techniques as well as maximum flexibility. Training in Muay Thai can provide numerous health and fitness benefits, and sculpt your body the same time. Muay Thai relies heavily on lightning-fast strikes and powerful kicks, and to be able to deliver these you will need to maximize your flexibility.

To improve your flexibility in Muay Thai we recommend you follow some basic tips:

• Stretching early in the morning
• Hold all your stretches for at least 20 seconds but none for longer than 30 seconds
• Improve your balance and flexibility at the same time by training all your moves in slow motion

Thailand recognizes Muay Thai’s worldwide appeal, so it has invested heavily in establishing a network of training camps all across the nation. These Muay Thai training camps offer the best possible experience for learning and improving your Muay Thai skills. In Thailand, a typical training camp provides room and board if needed, as well as all amenities, such as meal plans, nutritional consultations, personal trainers, fully equipped facilities and expert guidance straight from the source. Muay Thai at www.muaythai-camp-thailand.com  is a worldwide phenomenon so you can reasonably expect to find schools and academies all over the world, but for the best and most authentic experience possible, Thailand’s Muay Thai training camps are the only real option.