Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, a mixed martial arts enthusiast, relied on a traditional fighting technique to prepare for the upcoming season in Major League Baseball.
He tried Muay Thai –– Thai boxing – last fall and added it to his workout routine this winter, along with swimming and Pilates.
“Honestly, it’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Bichette said. It was mentally demanding to do. But I was lucky to have a coach who really pushed me to the limit.
“I don’t know if that’s how a Muay Thai session usually goes, but he understood that I wanted to push myself to the limit, and that’s what he did. It was very difficult,” he admitted.
Muay Thai is a martial art and combat sport that focuses heavily on the cardiovascular aspect.
“It’s a combination of kicks, punches, all that,” Bichette said. There was a lot of cardio, so it made the exercise a lot more difficult, a challenge I really enjoyed doing. »
Bichette began her routine toward the end of the month of request, at the suggestion of her coach. The 25-year-old always wanted to try it, and wasn’t hard to convince.
“I was ready and I loved it,” he assured.
Bichette was on the injured list twice last season due to a strained quadriceps in his right leg and tendinitis in his right knee. He focused on strengthening his leg and said he was “excited about (his) physical condition” after his winter training.
Muay Thai also allowed him to join his other great passion, the UFC.
“I have worked with teammates over the years who were really involved in this sport,” he said in reference to the promotion of MMA. I started following them, and today I love it. I don’t miss any galas. »
Over the years, some star UFC fighters visit the team at the Rogers Center before games, during batting warm-ups, and chat with the players.
“The only one I really met was GSP,” said Bichette, referring to the legendary Quebec fighter Georges St-Pierre. I was very young at the time, so I didn’t want to tease him too much. But I don’t think there’s anyone as nice as him to meet.
“I haven’t talked (with the other fighters), but I’m sure they have some really good lessons for us about overcoming our fears, because I know I would be terrified to find myself in the octagon.” , he concluded.
The Blue Jays will open their regular season against the Rays in Tampa Bay on March 28.