Shin toughing, shin conditioning, shin rolling, whatever you call it, is a huge aspect of Muay Thai. Checking shins is a horrible, horrible feeling, but try kicking the bag for the first time and that’ll almost floor you too! Get your shins tough with a few techniques:
These exercises use the principal of Wolff’s Law. EXERCISE AT OWN RISK
Shin Conditioning without Heavy Bag
Use a massage stick.
Roll it back and forth on your shins and give your shins a quick wallop with it.
You can also use squatting and plyometrics to toughen the bones in your lower body.
See more plyometric exercises here
Jumping/skipping rope is also essentially a plyometric exercise and will further help toughen the shins and make the bones more dense.
Checking Real Kicks
If you need specific adaptations, then you need specific training. Checking real kicks, lightly, then more aggressively for 20-30 times after training (twice a week max) to experience the horrible pain you need for shins of steel.
