Some guys of my gym were planning on going to Thailand. A lot of people practicing muay thai do eventually a trip there to experience the hard training in the hot country. So, I decided to tag along, but in the end only few of us are going there anyways (3 of us).
There are plenty of gyms as you can imagine where people can train, and there are big chances that those are promoting some muay thai champions. My choice was to go at Sitsongpeenong in Bangkok, the training schedule is great with as much padwork as clinch work. The facilities are top as well and that is something you don't find everywhere.
I started studying thai language a couple of months ago, I'm making some progress, however is not easy to remember everything when I can't practice with someone.
Although my trip was initially to train I decided that I want to mix some tourism and language practicing with it. So, I won't be training everyday.
I'm planning of buying a lot of gear there, in fact in my first day I will be go to ActionZone(popular muay thai shop) and spend all my money, well, maybe not all of them, I have to visit the Boon shop too!
I will probably be doing some video blogs and reviews, so stay posted!
Monday, 14 October 2013
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Moved Up to Intermediate Class
Last week I have moved on to the higher class: intermediate. I have been waiting for a push to move up for a long time. I always get scared to take a chance on things, but finally the opportunity came up.
In my gym the are three classes: intro, general and intermediate. The latter is what prepare you to be a proper fighter. The training is not necessarily harder, but is taken way more seriously than the general class. The kruu (instructor) is always there to push you, to do more and better, to be physically and mentally ready.
The warm up, the sparring and the conditioning are more intense. I have been punched and kick a lot in the face these days. In general I would say to my partner to power down, but here you just go with it. It seems scary, but is not that painful.
I was surprised that I keep up with the training, at least I did so far, and I am really pleased with it; however, now that I spar with people that are a notch better than me, I can tell that I do poorly technically. I mean, that was not a news to me, but now is the time where if you don't get better you get kicked in the face.
In my gym the are three classes: intro, general and intermediate. The latter is what prepare you to be a proper fighter. The training is not necessarily harder, but is taken way more seriously than the general class. The kruu (instructor) is always there to push you, to do more and better, to be physically and mentally ready.
The warm up, the sparring and the conditioning are more intense. I have been punched and kick a lot in the face these days. In general I would say to my partner to power down, but here you just go with it. It seems scary, but is not that painful.
I was surprised that I keep up with the training, at least I did so far, and I am really pleased with it; however, now that I spar with people that are a notch better than me, I can tell that I do poorly technically. I mean, that was not a news to me, but now is the time where if you don't get better you get kicked in the face.
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Two Weeks Break and Back to Muay Thai
I had exams and courseworks coming up in university and I decided to take two weeks break from muay thai to focus on my study. That was really bad for my fitness. Those two weeks drop my fitness so down that I couldn't do full skipping rounds with sprints as I was mentioning in the previous post.
Now I am back to training, however for the past couple of weeks I only went 2 times a week instead my usual 3, and I actually could even do 4 as university is finished. I didn't feel up to it and I took that slowly. My aim is now to return to the state I left off and try to move up a class, from general to intermediate. Going to intermediate in my gym is not about fitness or experience, but is about determination, will to learn and most of all having focus and a good mindset.
Having a good technique get you so far, but the mindset is mandatory for progression. When our Kru ask us to do some exercise using some tactics he doesn't have to explain us, we have to just do it, without spending time over thinking, you just do it. If your mind is not ready for it the body won't follow, and you will be sent back to a previous class until ready.
I am not at that level just yet, but I notice some improvements in the past month, my mind is getting more reactive but still a long way to go. However, in the same way when I move from intro to general I felt I couldn't make it, and then it was just fine. Of course the gap between intro and general classes is smaller than general to intermediate, but I think is going to be good to force myself to improve this way.
Now I am back to training, however for the past couple of weeks I only went 2 times a week instead my usual 3, and I actually could even do 4 as university is finished. I didn't feel up to it and I took that slowly. My aim is now to return to the state I left off and try to move up a class, from general to intermediate. Going to intermediate in my gym is not about fitness or experience, but is about determination, will to learn and most of all having focus and a good mindset.
Having a good technique get you so far, but the mindset is mandatory for progression. When our Kru ask us to do some exercise using some tactics he doesn't have to explain us, we have to just do it, without spending time over thinking, you just do it. If your mind is not ready for it the body won't follow, and you will be sent back to a previous class until ready.
I am not at that level just yet, but I notice some improvements in the past month, my mind is getting more reactive but still a long way to go. However, in the same way when I move from intro to general I felt I couldn't make it, and then it was just fine. Of course the gap between intro and general classes is smaller than general to intermediate, but I think is going to be good to force myself to improve this way.
Monday, 8 April 2013
Stamina Up
I have been training for about 8 months now, and my stamina always have been one of my main concern. I suffer of light asthma and I don't really have any problem until I do intense anaerobic exercise, for example sprints.
When I first started training I have a couple of episodes when I have not eat anything and felt dizzy to the point I was about to faint. So I would stop and go home. In my gym we warm up by doing 3 x 3mins rounds of skipping with sprints every 20 seconds for 20 seconds. Within rounds we do 10 burpies, 10 press up, 10 push up and 10 squats. After this we do shuttles for 2 minutes and 2 minutes shadow boxing for 3 times.
I recollect that at the very beginning I was barely able to skip, and never done any of the sprints. In between skipping rounds I was barely able to do all the sets and my legs felt so heavy, and during the shuttles I wasn't dashing instead just jogging back and forth.
After my first interclub I felt powerless and out of breath to the point that I was about to quit at the second round. When I was back to training I started pushing my self up during the warm up so that I would be able to do an interclub without struggle.
So I started doing sprints during skipping which I never used to. Of course beside the extra effort I put I still had 6 months of training behind me, but just recently I just thought of the progress I made. In fact we sometime do 5 rounds of skipping with sprints, and I do all of them! Between rounds I use to barely get to the end of the set of burpies and all, and now I manage to do it under the minute so I can start the new round of skipping on the zero mark on the clock.
It took a while, its true, but perhaps if I would put a bit more effort before, my stamina would have been even better.
This is reflected on pad work as well. Before if I had to do sets of 20 kicks per leg on the pads, I would have to take a break because I could not breath no more, but now is way easier.
When I first started training I have a couple of episodes when I have not eat anything and felt dizzy to the point I was about to faint. So I would stop and go home. In my gym we warm up by doing 3 x 3mins rounds of skipping with sprints every 20 seconds for 20 seconds. Within rounds we do 10 burpies, 10 press up, 10 push up and 10 squats. After this we do shuttles for 2 minutes and 2 minutes shadow boxing for 3 times.
I recollect that at the very beginning I was barely able to skip, and never done any of the sprints. In between skipping rounds I was barely able to do all the sets and my legs felt so heavy, and during the shuttles I wasn't dashing instead just jogging back and forth.
After my first interclub I felt powerless and out of breath to the point that I was about to quit at the second round. When I was back to training I started pushing my self up during the warm up so that I would be able to do an interclub without struggle.
So I started doing sprints during skipping which I never used to. Of course beside the extra effort I put I still had 6 months of training behind me, but just recently I just thought of the progress I made. In fact we sometime do 5 rounds of skipping with sprints, and I do all of them! Between rounds I use to barely get to the end of the set of burpies and all, and now I manage to do it under the minute so I can start the new round of skipping on the zero mark on the clock.
It took a while, its true, but perhaps if I would put a bit more effort before, my stamina would have been even better.
This is reflected on pad work as well. Before if I had to do sets of 20 kicks per leg on the pads, I would have to take a break because I could not breath no more, but now is way easier.
Thursday, 4 April 2013
New Custom Mouthguard!
I finally received my custom mouthguard from Piranha Guard: It's amazing!
I paid only £36 for it. They sent me a modeling kit that had arrived the day after I order it.
After I made the mould I sent it of with the envelop that they enclosed in the packet. I thought I messed it up because the gum line was not as pronounced as they mentioned on the instruction, but they haven't sent me a second kit, so I thought it was fine.
I took a while to get the mouthguard because the were holidays in the middle, and today I received it!
The fit is superb! I'm coming from a opro silver, which I kind of chewed off a bit too, then I got a opro gold, but I did not make a good bite on it and I ended up wasting £15 on it. Then I though to try a custom mould and I found this, and I gave it a try. I'm really pleased, but yet I have to try it while training.
I paid only £36 for it. They sent me a modeling kit that had arrived the day after I order it.
After I made the mould I sent it of with the envelop that they enclosed in the packet. I thought I messed it up because the gum line was not as pronounced as they mentioned on the instruction, but they haven't sent me a second kit, so I thought it was fine.
I took a while to get the mouthguard because the were holidays in the middle, and today I received it!
The fit is superb! I'm coming from a opro silver, which I kind of chewed off a bit too, then I got a opro gold, but I did not make a good bite on it and I ended up wasting £15 on it. Then I though to try a custom mould and I found this, and I gave it a try. I'm really pleased, but yet I have to try it while training.
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Second Inter Club Fight
I finally fought in my second inter club, this time in my own gym.
I got weighted in at 55.2kg around 12 o'clock and then I had to wait for 8 hours to fight. There were tons of kids and youth fight, it was endless. I did not know when my fight was until late afternoon, and end up fighting at the next to last match. I got seriously bored waiting, but at least I was relaxed throughout the day.
I didn't know whom I was going to fight until the very last minute. I was worried but not anxious that my opponent would be bigger, taller or anyway better prepared or skilled than me, but it was a fair match.
He was probably younger than me, and it was his first inter club. We were equally skilled, and I think he had my same weaknesses. I even realised that, but did not take advantage of it. I should have been more mobile and just a bit more aggressive.
Few of the guys from my gym assisted me in the warm up, and although they had been preparing me well, I didn't do them justice. I was too stiff on my feet, didn't kick enough, didn't angle off and didn't do any combo. I feel bad for not do what we practiced.
On the bright side, I felt better on the right. I felt more confident. I had more stamina, and I didn't feel like I was gonna die because I couldn't breath. I had loosen the bodyguard a bit, brought my asthma inhaler and I think the hard training paid off well. However, I felt the tiredness, even though I could push more I didn't.
Overall I felt better, but I haven't done [much] better from last time, in spite of the fact that I really could have.
I got weighted in at 55.2kg around 12 o'clock and then I had to wait for 8 hours to fight. There were tons of kids and youth fight, it was endless. I did not know when my fight was until late afternoon, and end up fighting at the next to last match. I got seriously bored waiting, but at least I was relaxed throughout the day.
I didn't know whom I was going to fight until the very last minute. I was worried but not anxious that my opponent would be bigger, taller or anyway better prepared or skilled than me, but it was a fair match.
He was probably younger than me, and it was his first inter club. We were equally skilled, and I think he had my same weaknesses. I even realised that, but did not take advantage of it. I should have been more mobile and just a bit more aggressive.
Few of the guys from my gym assisted me in the warm up, and although they had been preparing me well, I didn't do them justice. I was too stiff on my feet, didn't kick enough, didn't angle off and didn't do any combo. I feel bad for not do what we practiced.
On the bright side, I felt better on the right. I felt more confident. I had more stamina, and I didn't feel like I was gonna die because I couldn't breath. I had loosen the bodyguard a bit, brought my asthma inhaler and I think the hard training paid off well. However, I felt the tiredness, even though I could push more I didn't.
Overall I felt better, but I haven't done [much] better from last time, in spite of the fact that I really could have.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Two Weeks to My Second Fight
I'm now less than two weeks away from my next inter-club fight. Is, as the first one, a soft-core non-decision encounter. I have no idea who I will be matched with until that very day.
In the mean time I kept going 3 times a week to the gym and focus mostly on my stamina, as in the first inter-club I was shatter at the end of the second round. I couldn't breath and I felt horribly to the point I was about to give up. Hopefully this time won't happen.
I had given the most I could in term of endurance and power at every training session. I had done the skipping at a fast pace and done all the sprinting. I also used the mouthguard while skipping to get used on breathing with that on. It seems like my stamina went up a bit, but I know that on the ring is a completely different story. During pad work I used all the strength I could so that I would make the most of it. I bought an inhaler for my asthma just in case I have that bad feeling again during the fight.
The other thing I looked upon was my weight. For some reason I thought that my weight was about 55-56kg, but at the inter-club I was weighting 57kg. I was shocked. I cannot risk to fight in a higher category as I am only 165cm taller, therefore if I get matched with heavier contender I will likely end up fighting someone taller, meaning I will have a reach disadvantage.
So, I started to eat lean food, I avoided red meat, had a lot of fish and nuts, and yogurt. I haven't been eating any junk food, and I swear I have a craving for it. I hope I can keep my weight down, but so far the changes were so minimals that I cannot tell whether I am loosing weight or not. Yet again is just been about a week. I aim to get at 55kg again.
There were other things I had to focus during my training, such as clinch. Unfortunately I could not go to the clinch class, and I didn't practiced as much as I should have, but hopefully confidence and stamina will make up for it.
In the mean time I kept going 3 times a week to the gym and focus mostly on my stamina, as in the first inter-club I was shatter at the end of the second round. I couldn't breath and I felt horribly to the point I was about to give up. Hopefully this time won't happen.
I had given the most I could in term of endurance and power at every training session. I had done the skipping at a fast pace and done all the sprinting. I also used the mouthguard while skipping to get used on breathing with that on. It seems like my stamina went up a bit, but I know that on the ring is a completely different story. During pad work I used all the strength I could so that I would make the most of it. I bought an inhaler for my asthma just in case I have that bad feeling again during the fight.
The other thing I looked upon was my weight. For some reason I thought that my weight was about 55-56kg, but at the inter-club I was weighting 57kg. I was shocked. I cannot risk to fight in a higher category as I am only 165cm taller, therefore if I get matched with heavier contender I will likely end up fighting someone taller, meaning I will have a reach disadvantage.
So, I started to eat lean food, I avoided red meat, had a lot of fish and nuts, and yogurt. I haven't been eating any junk food, and I swear I have a craving for it. I hope I can keep my weight down, but so far the changes were so minimals that I cannot tell whether I am loosing weight or not. Yet again is just been about a week. I aim to get at 55kg again.
There were other things I had to focus during my training, such as clinch. Unfortunately I could not go to the clinch class, and I didn't practiced as much as I should have, but hopefully confidence and stamina will make up for it.
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