# Just started doing Muay Thai and have huge dark bruises on my thighs..is this normal??



## max5212

Hi All!

I'm new to Muay Thai and have been doing it for about 2-3 week. At practice we split up into partners and drill kicks. My partner and I are always wearing shin pads and we kick each other just above the knee in the thigh. Not too hard but not too soft either. I noticed that my leg is all bruised up from these drills. Is this normal? Are my legs just starting to get used to being kicked? Also, should i wait till the bruise heals up to go back to class? Any guidance would be appreciated since im concerned at how dark the bruises look. 

Thank you!


----------



## Scanners107

Hi Max,

You will bruse becuase you are getting hit, your legs will condition the more they are hit and will stop brusing as much.

You can go straight back to training as long as there not causing you any great deal of pain. Muay thai is a contact sport and you will get the odd bruses, cuts, bleeds and aches.

Just enjoy it and keep going.


----------



## SuperFLY

i got a huge bruise on my arm a few weeks into aikido after spending a full hour and a half blocking strikes and doing techniques. the problem was the guys i was training with were a lot taller than me so trying to get the right angle with the block was difficult and they kept rolling over my arm and hitting the 'less fleshy bit'. the blocks were all effective but harder on my arms than they could have been.

the bruise was huge, very dark and lasted ages but once gone i havent had it since. (just get bruises in other places now, heh)


----------



## SensibleManiac

See a doctor and tell him you're doing a contact sport and got this bruise, ask him to check it out and he'll give you the right advice, you should ALWAYS consult with a doc before starting any contact sport.

It's probably nothing though but you should make sure for yourself.

I used to get tons of bad bruises particularly on the arms and thighs, they go away but make sure you are eating a diet with plenty of nutricious food, protein and vegetables that are high in antioxidants this will help you in the long run.


----------



## SuperFLY

aye as above, if it persists then go see a professional.

i often end up with bruises, mostly arms where my gi is being grabbed and my arm ends up being pinched but its gone by the following week (ready for another load, heh)


----------



## Scanners107

I mainly bruse on forearms from holding pads when people are kicking them and on my skins from blocking kicks, they should go after a day or so.

As above make sure your diet is good and that will help, i like to drink decaffinated green tea which helps refresh you and it is high in antioxidants.


----------



## Ianchaiya

I train in muay thai chaiya, a muay boran (ancient muay thai) style which is one of the forms that modern muaythai originated from. emphasis is based on defence and we make a lot of blocks with our forearms. it really really hurts and i'm constantly bruised. we also practise conditioning which involves drilling kicks to the outside leg, inside, shins, waist, stomach and chest. i noticed i dont bruise much in the legs and i think i know why. 

one of our main warm up exercises is a series of squats. we do hand movements-guard and stance changes but dont worry about that bit. the squats are deep and slow so u really feel a burn. the key to the squat is sinking your body weight down from your **** and not forward through your knees, making sure you are not sitting down when u sink (u will be able to feel a difference when u sit and when u rest on your muscles only). you should keep your knees and toes in line, back as straight as you can and looking forward. breathe in (nice and deep) when you sink down, breathe out when you rise. stronger legs muscles do you a world of good in muaythai. if you are doing them super slow and sometimes holding them for a few seconds (perhaps partner up and have someone tell you when to sink and rise again) do about 20, increasing by 5 every day (or when you next train). do them at a more brisk pace, start at 30 and work up to 100, increasing by 5 every time. my legs get such a good work out from simple squats, no weights needed, just your body weight.

Chok dee! (good luck)


----------



## thegatekeeper

It's just because you are starting out. I used to have bad pain and bruising on my shin when I was just starting out with the Muay Thai kicks. Your body will get used to it.


----------



## Pedantix

We do shin kick drills where I train on eachother and we also have a rock bag we use (literally a big punching bag that sits on the floor full of small stones to condition your shins on). I have been taught to, like with anything else, start slowly and work up to harder strikes, but also we try not to bruise our shins. I was told if they bruise you need to pull back a bit. instead we try to get bumps on your shin, which is actually a fluid deposit (of some sort) and then right away after class we take something round (a glass bottle or something similar) and actually roll out the lumps. doing this spreads the fluid through out the shin bone and then builds a calcium deposit on top of it, kinda like putting a permanent sheath on your shins. I've been doing it for almost two years and I still only kick the bag about 50%, but I can definitely see a difference in my shin strength and I Rarely bruise anymore, even during sparring and we take some good kicks. my instructor has been doing it forever and he could kick through God. :wink1: I would never recommend NOT going to class though, even if you gotta take it easy there and kinda hang back, at least go to practice your form and learn. Definitely listen to what your instructor says though. His job is to keep you knowledgeable and safe.


----------

