Muay Thai Training Plan, Advanced
20-Week Advanced Muay Thai Fight Camp
A full twenty week Muay Thai camp for A class amateurs and professionals. Six sessions per week with two distinct sparring formats. Fight plan built on opponent film. Weight cut executed within sport medicine guidelines, not brute dehydration.
Duration
20 weeks
Sessions / week
6
Per session
90-120 min
Level
Advanced
Kru Somchai
Muay Thai coach, kicks, elbows, knees
Before You Start
- At least 3 years of coached Muay Thai training
- 10 plus amateur bouts or equivalent fight experience
- Active sanctioning body license
- Clean recent medical clearance
- No concussion in the prior 90 days
Week by Week Structure
Weeks 1-5: General Preparation
Aerobic base rebuild, max strength, broad technical volume. Sparring light and focused on distance.
Monday: Pads Plus Strength
120 minWarm up (15 min)
- Jump rope
Pads (45 min)
- 6 rounds of 3 minutes, full arsenal
Strength (50 min)
- Back squat, 5 x 5 at 80 percent 1RM
- Bench press, 5 x 5 at 80 percent 1RM
- Weighted pull up, 4 x 5
- Romanian deadlift, 3 x 6
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Tuesday: Roadwork
75 minRun (60 min)
- 60 minute zone 2 run, heart rate under 75 percent max
Core (15 min)
- Hollow hold, side plank, leg raises
Wednesday: Light Sparring Plus Clinch
100 minWarm up (20 min)
- Jump rope
Sparring (30 min)
- 5 rounds of 3 minutes striking at 50 percent
Clinch (30 min)
- 5 rounds of 3 minutes clinch at 60 percent
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility, film review
Thursday: Bag Plus Conditioning
90 minWarm up (10 min)
- Jump rope
Bag (40 min)
- 10 rounds of 3 minutes, full arsenal at 80 percent
Conditioning (30 min)
- Bike, 8 rounds of 60 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Strength Lower
80 minWarm up (10 min)
- Dynamic
Strength (60 min)
- Front squat, 5 x 5 at 75 percent 1RM
- Trap bar deadlift, 4 x 5 at 80 percent 1RM
- Hip thrust, 4 x 8
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Long Bag Plus Film
90 minWarm up (15 min)
- Jump rope
Bag (50 min)
- 12 rounds of 3 minutes at 80 percent
Film (25 min)
- Film review of sparring
Weeks 6-10: Specific Preparation
Power conversion. Sparring at 65 percent. Clinch at 70 percent. Opponent film study.
Monday: Power Plus Pads
110 minWarm up (10 min)
- Dynamic
Power (40 min)
- Trap bar jump, 5 x 3
- Med ball throw, 5 x 3
- Weighted pull up, 4 x 4
Pads (45 min)
- 6 rounds of 3 minutes, counter combinations from fight plan
Cool down (15 min)
- Mobility
Tuesday: Tempo Run
75 minRun (50 min)
- 10 minute warm up, 6 x 3 minute tempo, 10 minute cool down
Core (20 min)
- Weighted carry, plank series
Wednesday: Full Sparring
100 minWarm up (20 min)
- Pads
Sparring (50 min)
- 6 rounds of 3 minutes striking at 65 percent
- 3 rounds of 3 minutes clinch at 75 percent
Cool down (30 min)
- Film review
Thursday: Strength Upper
75 minWarm up (10 min)
- Dynamic
Strength (55 min)
- Bench press, 5 x 3 at 85 percent 1RM
- Weighted pull up, 5 x 3
- Row, 4 x 6
- Face pull, 3 x 12
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Speed Bag and Reaction
70 minWarm up (10 min)
- Jump rope
Speed (50 min)
- Double end bag, 4 rounds of 3 minutes
- Partner reaction drills, 4 rounds of 3 minutes
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Long Bag or Hard Spar
100 minWarm up (20 min)
- Pads
Main (50 min)
- Alternate weeks: 5 rounds sparring at 70 percent, or 12 rounds heavy bag at 85 percent
Cool down (30 min)
- Film review
Weeks 11-15: Pre Competition
Opponent specific partners. Shorter intense rounds. Strength maintenance only.
Monday: Opponent Style Pads
90 minWarm up (15 min)
- Jump rope
Pads (45 min)
- 6 rounds of 3 minutes, opponent style simulation
Cool down (30 min)
- Film review
Tuesday: Short Intervals
70 minIntervals (45 min)
- Bike or treadmill, 12 rounds of 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy
Core (20 min)
- Carries, plank, Pallof press
Cool down (5 min)
- Breath work
Wednesday: Fight Plan Sparring
100 minWarm up (20 min)
- Pads
Sparring (45 min)
- 5 rounds of 3 minutes striking at 65 percent, strict fight plan
- 3 rounds of 3 minutes clinch at 75 percent
Cool down (35 min)
- Film review
Thursday: Maintenance Strength
60 minStrength (45 min)
- Trap bar deadlift, 3 x 3 at 70 percent
- Bench press, 3 x 3 at 70 percent
- Pull up, 3 x 5
- Med ball throw, 4 x 3
Cool down (15 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Movement and Film
70 minShadow (30 min)
- 4 rounds of 3 minutes shadow
Film (30 min)
- Deep opponent film review with coach
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Simulation
90 minWarm up (20 min)
- Pads
Simulation (40 min)
- Full bout simulation at 60 percent, corner routine rehearsed
Cool down (30 min)
- Film review
Weeks 16-20: Taper and Fight
Volume drops progressively. No sparring after week 17. Weeks 19 and 20 are sharpening and fight.
Monday: Short Pads
60 minWarm up (10 min)
- Jump rope
Pads (30 min)
- 4 rounds of 3 minutes, crisp and sharp
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Tuesday: Light Bike
45 minBike (30 min)
- 30 minute steady zone 2 spin
Mobility (15 min)
- Full body flow
Wednesday: Final Light Sparring (Week 17)
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Jump rope
Sparring (30 min)
- 4 rounds of 2 minutes at 50 percent, trusted partner
Cool down (30 min)
- Film review
Note: No sparring weeks 18, 19, 20.
Thursday: Speed Day
50 minSpeed (35 min)
- Double end bag, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Reaction drills, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (15 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Shadow and Weigh In Rehearsal
45 minShadow (20 min)
- 4 rounds of 2 minutes
Weigh in rehearsal (25 min)
- Food, water, rehydration plan
Saturday: Fight Day (Week 20)
VariablePre bout (45 min)
- Warm up, pads touch up, corner briefing
Bout (20 min)
- 5 rounds of 3 minutes A class format
Recovery (120 min)
- Rehydration, food, medical, ice
Key Techniques
Cutting kick
A roundhouse that steps off line while rotating through the target. Used to leave the opponent line of attack while landing the kick.
Long knee
A knee strike thrown from outside the clinch, driving the knee straight up the opponent center line while pulling the opponent into the strike.
Elbow spin
A spinning back elbow used off a feinted punch or kick. High reward and high risk. Drilled only after a full season of regular elbow work.
Plum and knee
Securing the Thai plum clinch, pulling the opponent head down and driving straight knees to the chest or face.
Cross counter to low kick
Reading the opponent low kick loading phase and firing a cross as the kick starts. One of the most reliable counters in Muay Thai and kickboxing.
Fueling and Recovery
A 20 week Muay Thai fight camp demands high caloric intake with precise carbohydrate timing. Daily caloric range 3000 to 4000 for 65 to 85 kilogram athletes. Protein 2.0 to 2.4 grams per kilogram, carbohydrates cycled 5 to 7 grams per kilogram, fat 0.8 to 1.2 grams per kilogram. Protect carbohydrate intake in the final 4 weeks even during a weight cut. Water loading 5 days out, sodium reduction 3 days out, carbohydrate reduction 24 hours out is the standard evidence based weigh in protocol. Under all conditions, weight cuts greater than 5 percent of body weight in the last 48 hours are associated with impaired cognitive performance, slower reaction time, and increased injury risk per the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Creatine monohydrate, caffeine, and beta alanine are the main ergogenic supplements with evidence. All three are WADA compliant but must be Informed Sport or NSF Certified for Sport registered if you are tested.
Equipment Checklist
- Competition wraps and gloves per sanctioning body requirements
- Shin guards for all sparring phases
- Custom mouthguard
- Thai shorts and cup
- Jump rope, heavy bag, Thai pads, focus mitts
- Barbell and power rack
- Assault bike, treadmill
- Heart rate monitor, sleep tracker
Progress Milestones
Week 5
Strength peak 3 to 5 percent over baseline.
Week 10
Sparring at 65 percent holds stance and fight plan.
Week 15
Opponent film study drives pad calls.
Week 17
Last sparring session. Body in fight rhythm.
Week 20
Bout executed. Weight made cleanly. Recovery started.
Cross Train With
Track this plan in Muay Thai AI
Log every session, get AI video feedback on your technique, and follow Kru Somchai as a personal coach inside the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I stop clinch sparring?+
Two weeks out. Clinch produces constant head and neck load. Stopping early preserves the neck for fight week demands.
How do I handle a late opponent change?+
Adjust tactics and film study only. The physical camp is locked in. Changing the training schedule at week 17 injures athletes and demotivates corners.
How much weight can I cut safely?+
Maximum 5 percent of body weight in the last 48 hours, with proper water loading and sodium manipulation. Anything above that requires a combat sports registered dietitian. Crash cuts over 8 percent are associated with hospitalizations.
Should I travel to Thailand mid camp?+
Only if planned from the start with a trusted camp that matches your weight and style. A random 3 week trip in the middle of a structured 20 week plan usually creates jet lag, overtraining, and skin infection risk.
What if my opponent is a heavy knee fighter?+
Shift clinch sparring volume up in weeks 8 through 12, practice long knee defense, and drill elbow counters from the plum. Fight plan adjusts, camp structure does not.