Muay Thai & Kickboxing in Lisbon — Be Water's Striking Programme
At Be Water Lisbon you get the most complete striking programme in the city: Muay Thai on Tuesday and Thursday with Diogo Calado (world and European champion), and Kickboxing on Friday with Rui Carvalho (ISKA European champion). Three sessions per week, two champions, a martial art that transforms you.
Muay Thai uses the entire body as a weapon — fists, elbows, knees and shins. Kickboxing focuses on punches and kicks with high tempo and explosive cardio. Together, they cover the full striking spectrum: deep technique and relentless conditioning.
Muay Thai & Kickboxing — how they work
At Be Water you have two complementary striking disciplines. Muay Thai is the most complete system — 8 natural weapons of the body. Kickboxing is more direct and accessible — focused on punches and kicks in a dynamic format. Both share the same technical foundation and work as a single programme.
The 8 "limbs" of Muay Thai
- Fists — jab, cross, hook, uppercut
- Elbows — elbow strikes at close range, one of the art's most devastating tools
- Knees — in the clinch and on the move, powerful and hard to block
- Shins — kicks in Muay Thai use the shin, not the foot, for maximum power and protection
Kickboxing weapons
- Fists — jab, cross, hook and uppercut, with Boxing's technical base
- Low kicks — leg kicks, the most effective tool for wearing down an opponent
- Middle kicks — body kicks, powerful and fast, Kickboxing's visual trademark
- High kicks — head kicks, more technical and spectacular, developed progressively
Striking Schedule in Lisbon
| Modality | Days | Time |
|---|---|---|
| MUAY THAI | Tuesday, Thursday | 7:15 PM |
| KICKBOXING | Friday | 6:20 PM |
Three striking sessions per week, all in the late afternoon — train without compromising the rest of your day.
See full schedule →What striking classes are like at Be Water Lisbon
Muay Thai classes (Tuesday and Thursday) follow the classic Thai training structure. On Fridays, Kickboxing takes a more cardio-intensive format with a focus on combinations and bag rounds. Both are adapted for all levels.
Warm-up and mobility
We always start with cardiovascular activation and joint mobilisation specific to striking. Hip and shoulder flexibility is fundamental.
Base technique
Work on stance, guard, footwork and mechanics of fundamental techniques. Even experienced practitioners benefit from returning to basics regularly.
Bag work
Application of techniques on heavy and speed bags. You develop power, timing and conditioning simultaneously.
Pad Work
The most technical element of the classes. In pairs, one trains and the other holds pads, recreating real combat patterns. Diogo and Rui give personalised attention to technical correction during this block.
Final conditioning
Rounds of varying intensity to build striking-specific endurance.
What you'll develop with the striking programme
Physically, Muay Thai and Kickboxing are among the most complete workouts you can do. They develop cardiovascular conditioning, power and muscular explosiveness throughout the body, flexibility, coordination and timing. The combination gives you the best of both worlds: technical depth and metabolic intensity.
Technically, striking classes at Be Water will give you a solid base that is directly applicable in any context — from self-defence to MMA.
Mentally, striking teaches discipline, control under pressure, and a mental toughness that transfers to all areas of life. It's no coincidence that these are the martial arts of choice for so many athletes from other modalities.
Your coaches
Two legends of Portuguese striking, side by side. World and European champions with decades of ring experience, applying it directly to your classes.
Professional fighter and one of the most respected names in Portuguese Muay Thai. World and European champion across multiple organizations, he brings to Be Water the experience of someone who has competed among the best in the world. In his classes, he combines technique, intensity and mental focus — teaching the principles of Muay Thai with the same passion he always brought to the ring.
One of the most respected names in Portuguese kickboxing and a professional boxer. ISKA European, National and Iberian Champion in Kickboxing and Muay Thai. At Be Water, he brings decades of ring experience to Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a technical, demanding approach.
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Who is Be Water's striking programme for
The classes are for everyone — without exception. You don't need experience, to be fit, or to have any martial arts background.
Diogo, Rui and the Be Water team adapt the intensity and technical complexity to your level. If you've never done striking, Friday's Kickboxing is the natural entry point. Over time, Muay Thai adds elbows, knees and clinch to your arsenal.
It's especially recommended for those who want to lose weight effectively and sustainably, those who already go to the gym and want to add a technical component, those interested in MMA or self-defence, and those looking for a cardio class with real technique behind it.
Try striking at Be Water
Fill out the form and we'll get in touch to schedule your free Muay Thai or Kickboxing trial class!
See Prices →Frequently Asked Questions about Muay Thai & Kickboxing
Do I need my own equipment to start?
For the first trial class, you don't need anything — we lend gloves and shin guards if necessary. For regular training, we recommend Muay Thai gloves (12-14 oz), shin guards, hand wraps or inner gloves and a mouth guard. Our staff will advise you on choosing equipment.
Do classes include sparring?
Sparring is introduced gradually and only when the coach considers you have the necessary technical base. Most classes focus on technique, bags and pad work. When sparring happens, it's always controlled and adapted to the practitioners' level.
Is it good for weight loss?
Extremely effective. A striking class burns between 600 to 1000 calories depending on intensity. It combines cardiovascular work with muscle development, making it one of the most efficient methods for fat loss and body composition improvement.
Can I combine striking with Jiu-Jitsu?
Yes — and it's an excellent combination. Muay Thai covers standing striking and Jiu-Jitsu covers ground combat. Together, they give you a complete martial arts base. Many of our students practise both modalities.
What's the difference between Kickboxing and Muay Thai?
The main difference is the technical arsenal. Kickboxing uses only punches and kicks; Muay Thai adds elbows, knees and clinch. In practice, Kickboxing is faster to learn and more cardio-intensive; Muay Thai is technically more complex and more versatile. At Be Water you can do both — and many students combine them in the same week.