Originally Posted by TheSquealer

People who are big can generate force due to the effective use of the mass. But generating max force also means mass and acceleration which involves super fast twitch muscle fibers which have to be trained in a specific manner which I have only recently started to do at the regular gym. My size gives me a small advantage for power, but good training, good mechanics, good cardio and proper training for both speed and power have really helped me a great deal.

I love Muay Thai because it's firmly rooted in reality. As is BJJ and a limited few other styles, though I don't grapple. It doesn't require a compliant partner to practice and you are reminded every single time you put the gloves on and step into the mat or ring where you stand in terms of ability and skill. Most traditional martial arts are rooted in pure fantasy, with everyone just kicking and punching the air and with hugely impractical stances, footwork, strikes and kicks ... All typically better than knowing nothing and usually only things you could do with an untrained fighter.

The kicks are brutal for sure. Everything in Muay Thai is for maximum damage (elbows, knees, clinching, kicks with shin etc). Punching is largely just to set up something to really hurt the other. In all striking mechanics is everything. Crazy force can be generated with good techniques that allow for it (such as Thai kicks) with great mechanics even by relatively small people.

Worse than being kicked though is clinching and getting knee'd by someone with skill. Nothing has made me say "fuck it, I quit" except that. I can deal with kicks but it's a horrifying and helpless feeling to have someone lock their hands around your head and quickly pull it down into a rising knee that lifts you off the ground when it connects and even worse is coming down knowing another knee is coming up.