Intensity of Muay Thai Training

[Buckethead]

Recently, I saw footage a person brought back of Muay Thai training in a camp in Thailand and posted on his website.  I noticed from the video it was longer rounds but the intensity did not seem as hard.

Can anyone comment on this.  I know the theory typically is the less time you have to  train the more intense the work out should be.  

I am curious if this is the norm for Muay Thai training in Thailand.

[bjung]

I think Greg Brown could probably comment better on this since he has actually trained over there. From my understanding,  the fighters are interested in a certain amount of longevity, and therefore do not train balls out all of the time. They spend time working on timing and accuracy, and not neccessarily trying not to play the power game while sparring. Since they are professional fighters, it is no use for them to risk injury while training.
brian

[Greg Brown]

Well as far as the intesnsity of the training. A couple of points on it. If you train full out all day long for two 3 hour sessions a day (normal training time in Thai camps) on top of running, over training and injuring yourself is almost unescapable. they train at a slow pace since the age of about 4 (normal age for a thai boy to start training). Now by the time the fighters reach 17 or 18 they have between 50-150 fights.  Now this all depends on the camp. But my experiance is that the training sessions may not be full of the tricks you find the exprianced fighters using, but it is the basics drilled so much that the form, excution and timing are all thoughtless. Now this is just going from the Sityodtong camp. When fighters are getting ready for fights they do work harder, but not much.  I hope this helps.

Greg