Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, Davis moved to Los Angeles in 2004 and became a successful commercial model. In 2011, he landed recurring roles on ABC Family’s “Switched at Birth” and BET’s “The Game.” In 2013, Davis had a recurring role in Lifetime’s “The Client List,” as well as a seven-episode arc on “Grey’s Anatomy.” Now the talented actor and model can be seen on “The Originals” as well a number of other tv shows and specials.
When he isn’t acting, Davis is a health and fitness buff whose regime includes everything from ballroom dancing to yoga. He was a decorated track athlete at Miami University, where he attended college. But one of the handsome actor’s favorite forms of fitness is training in muay Thai.
Muay Thai is a striking art that utilizes attacks from the fists, elbows, knees, and feet. Strikes can be thrown from long, mid, or close range. There is also an element of grappling in muay thai referred to as the clinch. Very different from the grappling techniques used in Brazilian jiu jitsu, clinch maneuvers are used to set up knee and elbow strikes or to throw your opponent to the ground. Since the sport requires that practitioners possess a large number of athletic qualities, the benefits that accompany learning muay Thai are numerous. Below are a few of the top benefits from practicing muay Thai.
1. Increased Cardiovascular Conditioning
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Muay Thai places huge stress on your cardiopulmonary systems. With continued practice, your body will adapt to the demands of the sport, and improved cardiovascular performance is one of the payoffs.
2. Core Strength
Your core is every single muscle located on your trunk, not just a six pack. The rotational nature of all of the movements in the sport truly does strengthen your core. Getting punched in the body will also help a little. Striking, defensive movements, and clinching will all help the muay Thai student develop a strong core.
3. Increased Hip Mobility
It won’t happen overnight, but with time the kicking and kneeing movements of muay Thai promote increased hip mobility. Having healthy hips alone can save you from serious pain and numerous terrible medical conditions later in life. Just remember to stretch. Get an occasional massage and those hips of yours will feel amazing.
