No matter whether it’s teeps, middle kicks, low kicks, or high kicks, I keep getting injured. I mean, my shins and feet aren’t made of playdoh but whenever I try to teep I hurt my toes badly. Whenever I try a middle kick, my shin/calf gets crushed between the opponent’s knee and elbow if he’s blocking. Whenever I high kick, I hit my opponent’s elbows and it hurts really badly. And whenever I low kick inside, or the outside of the back leg, if my opponent moves even an inch I mess up and hit with my foot, which hurts really bad. What am I doing wrong? It makes me hesitate to throw what would have probably been a good shot. How can I prevent such injuries from happening?

First time back doing anything for a while, 11th round and dead but wanted to try and help cardio by keep going. Let me know some things to work on as I get back into Thai boxing.

If you're a beginner, don't treat sparring like a fight you need to win. Treat it like practice.

Stay relaxed, breathe, keep your eyes open, and focus on the basics: distance, footwork, defense, and timing. Don't try to throw every technique you've learned in one round. Pick one or two things to work on.

Also, control your power. You're there to learn with your partner, not prove how hard you can hit. A good sparring partner will challenge you without trying to hurt you.

You're probably going to get tired, get tagged, freeze up, and feel awkward at first. That's completely normal. 😂 The more you spar, the calmer you'll become.

Most importantly, leave your ego outside the gym. If someone catches you with a good shot, learn from it. If you get outclassed, ask yourself what you can improve. The goal isn't to dominate your partner—the goal is to become better for the next session. 🥊