Heatrick Heavy Hitters – Muay Thai Performance

There’s a secret military strategy that can transform your fighting IQ. The OODA Loop is a tactical framework that can give you a serious edge in the ring.

The OODA Loop was developed by a U.S. Air Force strategist, and it’s ideal for Muay Thai.Strategic Application...

Many fighters fail here – especially in aggressive exchanges. They skip the crucial observation phase and turn it into a head-to-head slugfest.

KEY MOMENTS

Follow along ...

Ever felt supremely fit but wondered, “Why do I gas out in a fight?”

I recently had a coaching call with a fighter who experienced exactly this. Despite being in the best shape of his life, he found himself exhausted after just three rounds.

It wasn’t his fitness level – it was his fight strategy and work-rest ratios.

Many fighters make three common mistakes:

• Work too long without adequate rest
• Rest too long and lose momentum
• Or (mos...

One of my fighters found themselves up to their neck in a brutal training schedule...

Three killer training days stacked back-to-back!

This isn't what you'd draw up in a perfect world. With Muay Thai training, you must work with what you've got.Muay Thai gym schedules are what they are - you train when the classes run.

And let's talk about training partners - they can change everything about your session.

A partner'...

This week, I received an interesting question from Orson in Thailand about using HRV as a fighter.

After coaching fighters and analyzing performance data for over 15 years, I'll share something counterintuitive:

Some of your best training sessions might happen on days when your HRV scores suggest otherwise.Here's what the research and practical experience shows:

Recovery Scores Are Signals, Not Stop Signs

* Low HRV indicates an...

Plyometrics and weight training. Let's clear up this confusion!

In Muay Thai, fighters often treat "strength AND conditioning" as one thing. But these are two distinct components: "strength" OR "conditioning."

Let’s break this down...

STRENGTH Training includes:

• Weight room-based resistance work

• Plyometric and med ball drills

• Explosive power training

• Traditional strength exercises

CONDITIONING ...

You know what’s fascinating about asking world champions for their best advice for Muay Thai?

They see through the noise and cut to the chase.You may expect a ONE Championship double champ like Regian Eersel to talk about secret training methods or advanced fighting tactics.

Instead, he shared something simpler – and far more powerful.

One of the most dangerous strikers on the planet, standing there telling me his biggest regret wasn&...

“How strong do I need to be for Muay Thai — and am I strong enough?”“Why do I still gas out in sparring, even though my cardio seems solid?”These were the exact questions an experienced fighter threw at me during a recent coaching call.Many fighters share these frustrations, and it’s puzzling.One size doesn’t fit all, and I don’t like guessing or offering vague solutions!But the good news? I didn’t have to guess.I pulled up his per...

In Muay Thai, you must dig deep, but do you know when to push your limits, and when to ease off to level up?

Are you the “More!” type… or the “Too Much!” type?Over the years—training myself and coaching fighters around the world—I’ve spotted a pattern.

We all live on a sliding scale when it comes to challenge.And that scale moves.

Push the edge regularly, and your capacity rises.

But let it slide for too long? It drops. Fast.

What chall...

Most fighters believe that every session, they must train harder to win. You don’t. Both older and younger fighters alike should take three steps forward, then one step back. Rinse and repeat for infinity!I was on a call recently with a fighter in his 30s — still sharp, still winning, still putting in the work.He asked me something I’ve heard before:“Can I keep progressing the weights each week, or do I need deload weeks?”Fair ques...

The simplest way to get better at Muay Thai, is just to do more Muay Thai!

I used to think soreness meant progress.

If I wasn’t waking up stiff, bruised, or dead-legged, I’d wonder if I had even trained hard enough.

So I’d double down — longer pad rounds, heavier bags, extra roadwork, more lifting sets.

Because more work means more gains, right?

That’s what I told myself… right up until my body said otherwise.

Turns out, chasing exhausti...

Thailand Muay Thai strength and conditioning is often stuck in its ways.

“Train hard and you’ll get results,” they said.

But what happens when you train hard... and the results don’t show up?

Angela Chang knows that frustration inside out.

She didn’t slack. She didn’t skip.

She trained like a machine—morning runs, hours on the pads, heavy bag, clinch, sparring, rinse and repeat.

The Thai way. The “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” way.

Exc...

It’s easy to avoid the stuff that actually builds you up—especially if you’re only training from fight to fight.

You’re in the groove, your bread-and-butter combos are sharp… until you touch the awkward stuff.

But that “awkward stuff”? That’s where the real gains are.

When I spoke with Professor Tony Myers—a legend in the world of Muay Thai—he shared something crucial:

Skills are perishable. They come and go. You don’t just ‘have’ them...

Ever wonder why some fighters look completely unfazed… even when they're eating clean KO shots?It’s not just that they’ve got a chin. And it’s not just experience either.A punch doesn't knock you out just because it's hard. It knocks you out because your head moves.More specifically, because your skull moves—and your brain doesn’t.That little delay is all it takes for your brain to slam into the inside of your skull. Th...

To both fight smart, and keep it simple, isn’t a contradiction. But in the heat of battle, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by tactical decisions...

Do I press forward or stay patient? Do I counter or attack first? Should I stand my ground or move?

I used to overthink every exchange—until I simplified everything to just two primary fight modes; Aggressive/Elusive.

Once I built my strategy around these two modes, my performance skyrockete...

There's a secret to advanced Muay Thai footwork. A hidden rhythm in every fight that no one talks about—if you’re not controlling it, your opponent is.They’re "stealing your step", keeping you reacting instead of attacking on your terms.The Secret to Controlling the Fight...Most fighters naturally step from foot to foot, right?That movement creates a rhythmic bubble—expanding and contracting as you and your opponent a...

Are you asking the right questions during a fight? The fight isn’t just about power—it’s about strategy and problem-solving...Your brain is wired to recognize patterns and make split-second decisions based on experience.Sometimes, that gives you razor-sharp reactions. Other times, it leads you straight into danger.Every weight class has its own typical balance of strength, speed, and reach—and every fighter instinctively calibrates...

Your Muay Thai fight IQ isn’t just about what you do best—it’s about what breaks your opponent. The key? Adaptability.You can’t force your favorite game onto every fighter. Instead, you need to recognize their style and adjust accordingly.Winning a game of rock-paper-scissors against someone who only ever throws rock is easy!Now, imagine stepping into a Muay Thai fight with someone who does the same thing—same attacks, same rhythm,...

Do you tend to fight on instinct, not quite sure what your actual fight strategy is?

Maybe you’re great at pressing forward, but struggle against elusive opponents.Or perhaps you prefer to counter, but aggressive fighters throw you off your game.

Every fighter has a natural, primary fight mode, and understanding it is the key to levelling up your game.Although, your fight mode alone isn’t enough.

It’s when you combine your Fight Mode ...

Ever watched a Muay Thai fight where one guy just seems one step ahead the entire time? No matter what his opponent throws, he’s already gone—or already in his face, shutting everything down.

It looks like magic, but it’s not.

It’s range control.

And if you’re not thinking about it, you’re giving away fights before they even start.

Why Techniques Alone Won’t Save You...

Most fighters get obsessed with perfecting techniques. Sharper comb...