MADDY COX // Benefits of Boxing and Muay Thai Training

We sat down with our athlete affiliate Maddy Cox-Williams (instagram.com/misscox_bikinibods) from Bikini Bods! Maddy is empowering women all around the Northern Beaches of Sydney with her Bikini Bods program. She recently opened her very own Bikini Bods gym in Brookvale and with so much interest from women Australia wide she plans to take Bikini Bods further with a range of locations.

What got you into Muay Thai and what do you love about it?

Ever since I became a personal trainer I have always loved boxing training. I loved learning all the boxing combos and teaching all my clients new skills.
Around 4 years ago I began to train with my sensei who is a Black Belt in Tae kwon do and was also a Muay Thai trainer. From the moment we started incorporating kickboxing on top of my boxing I was hooked! I love how powerful it makes you feel, I love the way it works you physically (like nothing else) and I love the fact that you are always learning skills and never get bored!

I also love the history behind Muay Thai and travelling to my favourite place in the world – Thailand. Some people may like go away and relax (I do too :P) but my idea of the ultimate holiday is travelling over to Thailand for Kickboxing camp! I have been many times and even been a guest personal trainer at Tiger Muay Thai – the biggest Muay Thai camp in the world!

Benefits of training muay thai and kickboxing

I have found that Muay Thai kickboxing can have some pretty amazing benefits especially for women! Utilising knee strikes and kicks really activates your entire body – especially the core. As your technique improves you learn to develop amazing co-ordination, balance and the ability to project power from the floor and through your hips into a strike. I have found that since I have started Muay Thai 3-4 days a week, I have reduced body fat, built lean muscle and have the best physique I have ever had!

I also love feeling empowered and confident that I could defend myself from an attacker if (heaven forbid) that situation were to occur.
I like to incorporate Muay Thai kickboxing and HIIT bodyweight exercises together to create absolutely killer sessions! By doing this I can literally develops thousands of different circuits and thereby preventing any sort of boredom in my training!

Important facts about this form of training

Muay Thai Kickboxing training does require a fair amount of stretching to avoid any potential injury. I like to make sure I am stretching and foam rolling twice a day paying specific attention to my hips and IT band. It is also really important to strengthening your ankles as you when you start kickboxing you often realise that a common point of injury is the ankle.
I also ensure that I am getting in 2 forms of resistance training per week (mainly kettle bells & medicine balls) to ensure a well rounded strength aspect. I find this really helps me maintain my strength and power in kickboxing and allows me to easily move my body through burpees, chin ups, push ups and squats.

What motivates you each day to train personally and inspire others to train

I am motivated personally each day to constantly challenge myself through my training! I feel that I have a hunger to always learn new skills, to improve my conditioning and technique and push my body to see what I am capable of!

Through my training I like to think that I can inspire many other women to take up Muay Thai Kickboing, boxing or any form of new exercise program that will improve their health and level of fitness. I feel that there is a real movement by women everywhere to train like beasts!
I love teaching all my Bikini Bods Babes correct technique, new combos, self defence drills and ultimately get them feeling empowered and confident in their own bodies! I find that when women really start to develop a passion for their kickboxing, that determination filters into other aspects of their lives. I think more and more women are finding there is something very satisfying about unleashing strong, powerful kicks and punches onto a bag!

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