Test Standards For Elite Muay Thai
Why test at all?
Training hard is not the same as getting better. Testing gives you a clear picture of what actually drives ring performance: lower-body power for kicks and knees, upper-body endurance for the clinch, a big repeat-sprint engine, plus durability so you can train at high volume without breaking. Good tests are simple to run, reliable to repeat, and specific enough to guide training. The battery below does exactly that and can be done in any decent gym.
Remember, if you ain’t testing you’re just guessing.
All tests can be performed with basic equipment. Use the same setup every time you retest.
Strength & Power
| Test | Poor | Adequate | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60s Max Push-Ups (reps) | <55 | 55–65 | 66–75 | >75 |
| Pull-Ups (strict, reps) | <8 | 8–12 | 13–18 | >18 |
| Squat Jump (cm) | <28 | 29–34 | 35–40 | >41 |
| Med Ball Rotational Throw, side toss 4–6kg (m) | <5.5 | 5.5–6.5 | 6.6–7.5 | >7.5 |
| Med Ball Overhead Back Throw 6–8kg (m) | <9 | 9–11 | 11–13 | >13 |
Anaerobic & Aerobic Capacity
| Test | Poor | Adequate | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beep / Yo-Yo IRT L1 (m) | <1500 | 1500–1900 | 1900–2300 | >2300 |
| Row 500m (sec) | >1:55 | 1:50–1:55 | 1:45–1:49 | <1:45 |
| Assault/Air Bike 60s Max Cals | <30 | 30–40 | 41–50 | >50 |
| Repeat Sprint Test 6×30m, 20s rest (avg sec) | >4.9 | 4.7–4.9 | 4.5–4.6 | <4.5 |
Durability & Stability
| Test | Poor | Adequate | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nordic Hamstring Hold (s) | <10 | 10–20 | 21–30 | >30 |
| Side Plank Hold (s) | <45 | 45–60 | 61–75 | >75 |
| Single-Leg Balance, eyes closed (s) | <10 | 10–20 | 21–30 | >30 |
Sport-Specific
| Test | Poor | Adequate | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grip Endurance, bar hang (s) | <30 | 30–45 | 46–60 | >60 |
| Clinch Isometric Hold (s) | <20 | 20–30 | 31–40 | >40 |
| Heavy Bag Power Endurance, max kicks in 60s (reps) | <40 | 40–50 | 51–60 | >60 |
How to run a good testing day
Warm-up (10-12 min). Easy bike/skip 4 min, dynamic hips/ankles/shoulders, 3 ramp sets for jumps/throws.
Order.
Jumps to med-ball throws (fresh nervous system).
Strength endurance (push-ups, pull-ups).
Capacity (row 500m, bike 60s, repeated sprints, beep/Yo-Yo; pick either Beep or Yo-Yo, not both).
Durability & stability (nordic, side plank, balance).
Sport-specific (grip hang, clinch hold, bag test).
Rest rules. 60-90s between jump/throw attempts, 3-5 min before row 500m and bike 60s, and at least 5 min before the sprint test.
Data rules. Same shoes, same med-ball weight, same bike/rower models, same bag height. Record the lot.
exact protocols and coaching cues
Strength & Power
60s Max Push-Ups. Upper-body endurance. Chest to floor, full lockout, no sagging hips. Pacing: 20-25 fast reps than settle into sets of 5-8.
Pull-Ups (strict). Relative strength. Start from a dead hang, chin over bar, no kipping. Pretend you trying to break the bar as you pull up. Breathe out at top, “ribs down.”
Squat Jump (cm). Pure concentric power (no dip). Hands on hips. 3 attempts, take best. Land soft and tall.
Med-Ball Rotational Throw. Rotational rate limits kick and elbow power. Stand side-on, load the rear hip, “crack the whip” through the torso, release at navel height. 3-5 attempts each side; record best.
Med-Ball Overhead Back Throw. Posterior-chain impulse. Heels under hips, hinge then snap. Keep ribs down, throw “through” the ceiling.
Anaerobic & Aerobic Capacity
Beep / Yo-Yo IRT L1. Simple old school field test of aerobic base and repeat-effort recovery. Stop when you miss two shuttles.
Row 500m. Anaerobic power and pacing. Start around 40–44 spm for 10-15 strokes then settle to 32-36. Aim for negative split.
Assault/Air Bike 60s Max Cals. Peak power and pain tolerance. First 8-10s all-out to hit max RPM, then fight to hold above “falling speed.” Elbows slightly flared, core tight and push and pull the pedals.
6×30m Repeated Sprints (20s rest). Change of pace under incomplete recovery. Use the average of all six reps. Tall posture, violent first three steps, eyes forward.
Durability & Stability
Nordic Hamstring Hold. Eccentric hamstring capacity for high speed kicking and deceleration. Partner holds ankles, torso straight, lean forward slow, hold where you can resist.
Side Plank Hold. Anti-lateral-flexion endurance for clinch and body shots. Hips high, ribs down, straight line from ear to ankle.
Single-Leg Balance, eyes closed. Proprioception and foot/ankle control. Barefoot on flat floor. Hands on hips. Stop the clock on a foot touch or big wobble.
Sport-Specific
Grip Endurance, bar hang. Mix of finger flexors and shoulder integrity for clinch and catching kicks. Full hang, no foot contact, slight scap set.
Clinch Isometric Hold. Double-under position against a partner’s push for time. Ribs down, elbows tight, engage lats, breathe behind the brace.
Heavy Bag Power Endurance, 60s kicks. Pick one kick (e.g., right body kick). Every rep must have effort and recoil. Count only clean landings.
How to read your results
Green (Excellent). Maintain. Sprinkle micro-doses to hold the edge.
Yellow (Adequate/Good). Low-hanging fruit. A focused 6-8 week block will move you up a band.
Red (Poor). Priority. Two focused exposures per week, plus skill work that loads the same quality.
Cluster results by theme. For example, strong jumps and throws but poor bike 60s means power is there but you fade under acid. Program the engine without losing power.
Six week upgrade plan
Two focused sessions per week per weak area works for most fighters. Keep the rest of your fight training intact. Retest in week seven.
1) Strength & power block
Goal. Push-ups, pull-ups, jump height, throw distance.
Day A (upper push/pull).
Weighted Push-Ups or DB Bench 5×5 @ RPE 7-8.
Pull-Ups 5×AMRAP (add weight when 10+ solid).
Push-Up Density: 60s on / 60s off × 3, aim to beat test pace.
Accessory: Ring Rows 3×12, Banded Face Pulls 3×20.
Day B (lower power + rotation).
Trap-Bar Jump Squat 5×3 @ light load (15–25% bodyweight).
Box Jumps 4×4 (stick landings).
Med-Ball Rotational Heaves 6×3/side (4-6kg).
Med-Ball Overhead Back Throws 6×2.
Progression. Add 1 rep per set or 2-5% load weekly where form holds.
2) Engine block (anaerobic + aerobic)
Goal. Row 500m, bike 60s, repeated sprints, Yo-Yo.
Day A (glycolytic power).
Air Bike 6×15s all-out, 2:45 easy spin between.
Row 6×250m @ 1k pace, 90s rest.
Day B (repeat-effort capacity).
10×30s fast run / 30s walk.
Yo-Yo rehearsal: 3 sets of 6–8 shuttles at target pace with 60-90s rest.
Progression. Add 1 interval each week or reduce rest a little. Keep quality high.
3) Durability & stability block
Goal. Nordics, side plank, single-leg control.
Twice weekly (10-15 min finisher).
Nordics 3×3-5 (eccentric 4-6s).
Copenhagen Plank 3×20-30s/side.
Side Plank 3×40-60s/side.
Single-Leg Balance eyes closed 3×20-30s/side.
Progression. Increase hold times and range. If hamstrings are angry, switch one day to RDLs 3×8 @ slow tempo.
4) Sport-specific block
Goal. Grip hang, clinch hold, 60s kick test.
Day A (clinch).
Isometric Double-Under vs partner 4×20-30s, 60-90s rest.
Pummeling rounds 3×2 min, focus on frames and head position.
Day B (power endurance).
Heavy Bag EMOM 10:
Odd: 10-12 hard kicks each side
Even: 10 med-ball rotational slams/side
Bar Hang 3×max, then 3×20-30s towel hangs.
Progression. Add 1-2 reps per set or extend sets by 5-10s weekly.
Programming notes
Put power before conditioning in a session.
Keep power work on point. Stop sets when jump height or throw distance drops.
Match conditioning to the week. On hard sparring weeks, keep Day B as technique-based intervals.
Sleep and protein intake move durability faster than any drill. Aim for 1.8–2.2g/kg/day protein and 7-8 hours of sleep most nights. You can train what you cant recover from.
Retesting cadence and expected gains
Cadence. Every 6-8 weeks out of camp, every 8-10 weeks in camp.
Healthy targets.
Push-Ups +5-10 reps.
Pull-Ups +2-4 reps.
Squat Jump +2-4cm.
Med-Ball throws +0.3-0.7m.
Row 500m -3 to -6 seconds.
Bike 60s +3-8 calories.
Yo-Yo +120-240m.
Nordics +5-10s.
Small, consistent wins beat hero days.
Common mistakes to avoid
Testing after a heavy spar day.
Changing med-ball weight between tests.
Short-counting reps or distances to “hit the number.”
Treating testing like punishment. It is feedback, not judgment.
Minimal equipment checklist
Pull-up bar. Stopwatch. Cones or tape. Measuring tape. 4-8kg med-balls. Rower. Air bike. Heavy bag. A partner for nordics and clinch holds.
Side note
Testing isn’t about ego. It’s about seeing the truth, then training the truth. Pick your one or two red zones, hit them twice a week for six weeks, keep your skill work high quality, and retest. If it went up, keep going. If it didn’t, cool, you adjust. That’s how you build a dangerous, durable fighter.
Don't just fight - Fight by design
references
Chaabene H, et al. Performance and physiological characteristics in combat sports: A systematic review. Sports Med.
Loturco I, et al. Power assessment in combat athletes. J Strength Cond Res.
Lake J, Mundy P. Strength and conditioning for striking combat sports. Strength Cond J.
Slimani M, et al. Anthropometric and physiological characteristics of combat sport athletes. Sport Sci Health.
Franchini E, et al. Physiological profiles of elite judo athletes. Sports Med.
Mjølsnes R, et al. Nordic hamstring exercise and hamstring injuries. Scand J Med Sci Sports.
Turner A. Strength and conditioning for Muay Thai athletes. Professional Strength & Conditioning.
