All Activity

Everyone has their preferences. Some popular choices among Muay Thai enthusiasts are Fairtex, Twins, and Top King. As for Leone Muay Thai gloves, they are known for their quality and durability. While they may not be Thai-made, they can still be a good option. From my personal advice, you should try Elite Sports Muay Thai Gloves.

Yes! Strength and Conditioning are the most important aspects in Muay Thai. The "big lifts," or squats, presses, deadlifts, and bench presses, give Muay Thai competitors extraordinary strength improvements. By including these lifts, you'll offer your muscles the power they require to protect your body when you punch hard and move around on the mats.

Great, Max Muay Thai gym is also best for training Muay Thai IMO.

A View from 270+ Fights Losing feels invariably bad and I do think there are some very profound reasons for this, but it also can be understood as so much more, especially in the service of growing as a fighter, or in support of the development of fighters. And, I do not mean this in the kinds of hyperpositive truisms that get passed around like "You win or your learn". I mean this in the sense of thinking of fighting as a personal path towards whole person nurture, the idea that fighting is an art, and fighters are in some very real and important sense artists, which is to say, creators. Their canvas is their bodies, their emotions, human instincts, the ring and the ropes, the opponents they face, the 1,000s of hours, but they are growing something, becoming something. They aren't just "winning" something. It's from seeing fighters as doing something with their Life Force, however you want to define it: anything from spiritual "woo" to just material energy. Some of these reflections came out of Sylvie's last fight against a fighter that many who surrounded her felt she should have beat. There was 5 kg between then, sure, but there was this expectation. In my view, it was really just a small technical issue, that if solved would have produced a very different outcome, but it was a close enough fight and very easily could just go to "water under the bridge" for a fighter who has fought 260+ times. Fighting, we've always understood, is a process. It's part of training. But this time I had a different set of thoughts. Losing is like pruning. We like to think of fighters on a very broad arc of development. They learn, they strengthen, they reach a period of peaking, then they decline. And because of this we try to create this peak middle level part of the arc and really extend and push for it. We imagine a period of extended growth that we just keep magnifying, improvement upon improvement, like a bush that just keeps flowering and flowering over and over again, every minute there is a flower, a state of constant bloom (much like how we see economic booms in the world)...until it suddenly doesn't. I'd like to invite a different conception, something that changes our ideas about losses. Now, believe me I'm no gardener, but we bought this plant, some call a Desert Rose, sold on the side of the road when we were driving through Isaan after a fight. Karuhat was with us and he told us that the Thai name meant something like "show stopper" because its blossoms are so stunning they gather a crowd around them (if I get that right). We've since had a little trouble in its care, reading up on it quite a bit, never being gardeners ourselves (that's its first bloom coming in above). In any case, one of the things we've run into - and of course actual gardeners are very familiar with this - is that flowering plants need to be pruned (or sometimes pinched), in order to flower better, more completely. The cutting back on the growth of the plant at certain stages, in certain places, allows it to direct its life-forces towards the next blossoms. And cutting away a blossom after it has reached its peak ("deadheading") also will further its future flowers. You do not hang onto blossoms after they've bloomed, and a plant does not just blossom richly if you just let it grow however it wants. There is no natural state of blossom on blossom-ness. Flowering plants need to be cut back, if we are moving towards a particular aesthetic. This is what losing it. It is an involuntary cutting back of the plant. It hurts. The plant suffers (it is injured). It is not "learning" so much as it is redirecting its energies, no longer in that direction. We picture things like undefeated records, or even winning streaks as a good thing, but one of the interesting things about Thailand's Muay Thai is that even legends of the sport experienced extensive losing (because fighters always were forced into matchups that gamblers wanted to bet on). Fighters would be forced up in weight, or be forced to face opponents that gave them trouble, if they had a winning streak. And any extended winning streak was a kind of artificial creation, something accomplished because fighters had excessive political control over who their opponents were. After a brief stretch those streaks often ended a career. The weave of fighting involves losses. When you fight well over 260 fights you see deeper patterns. You see progress and valleys, you see aspects of a fighter or matchups strengthen or weaken over time, and training or promotions shift. But, in considering the nature of losing itself it seems much more apt to think of it as a pruning process, the cutting away of a plant to make way for the possibilities of flowers. Now, a plant can definitely be cut back too harshly. You might cut into a plant's capacity to grow and support itself, but, in a deeper way in order to flourish a flowering plant needs to be cut into. There isn't really a "natural" uninterrupted continuously amplified growth to flower. We need to think in terms of cycles, and energies, pathways to growth, even in fight careers that last 10 fights, or 20, and not 100. We've always felt that if you are facing the right kinds of opponents you should be losing 20-30% of your fights, if your aim is to become the best fighter you could possibly be (and not just to be "top dog" of a pool of fighters in some way, which can also be important). This insight unto pruning gives greater sense to this instinct we've always had. Losing, in the right portion, at the right time, is productive. It's part of the redirection of the plant toward flowering. Its one reason we've also said that fighting a lot is really important too, because it taps you into these different deeper cycles. If you are fighting rarely this meaning, this use of pruning loses its context. It moves fighting into other processes, other meanings. As an artist in development, the plant moves through stages, and these stages cycle through. It isn't just flower after flower. And the plant likely lives and blooms through many more cycles than one might imagine, if you just think in terms of one defining arc of performance. And, there is pruning in training. There is pruning in the work.

I’ve asked this before a while ago, but what is it like around the gym is there markets and 7/11s near by ? Also is there Thai fighters that train at the gym ?

Yes. 230 pushups 50 step ups 50 lunges 50 one legged squats 50 burpees *for extra pain I've added 10 3 min rounds on the heavy bag at this point* 64 bodyweight rows Either 4 planks each held for a minute OR 400 crunches 120 supermans

Yes. Now I do Dutch Muay Thai which is different than Thai Muay Thai I find boxing is helpful. You must modify the defensive head movement so you don't eat kicks and knees.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

I've wondered about the angles v derning into them too. Thanks for the fighting fish comparison. Would you suggest that for clinchers? Or is some circling around ok? And what are your thoughts on weaving and slipping punches. Im afraid of hook knee combo and the 12 rear head kick happening. Like justin gaethje v dustin porier fight. There are some ppl that are encouraging head movement in mma. In the vid he talks about the punch and knee happening on the same beat. And that it's easy to avoid. He also shows some film study of fighters using head movement a lot in fights. I'm still not convinced entirely cuz of feints. I'd appreciate all advice on this.

I also want to close distance. Here are two vids by Sylvie that have some helpful techniques. If any one has more thoughts, please share. I'd really appreciate it.

Max Muay Thai gym is best for training Muay Thai IMO.

In my opinion Pattaya is the best city for watching Muay Thai. I would love to carry my workout in Max Muay Thai Stadium.

Sounds like a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Before I ventured into the Muaythai world in Thailand, I did extensive research and decided that I would like to spend almost a month training. Sylvies videos about the expanded web of gyms and their preferences turned my attention to Kem Muaythai gym in Khao Yai simply because of her notion that Kem gives lots of attention to basics and clinching. Also, the other part of me leaned towards gyms in Pukhet since this was my holiday, so the combined environment with beaches and nightlife looked attractive simply because I needed rest. I have contacted Kems gym and asked about conditions, etc., but my first ticket was to Pukhet, and while I was looking to book some arbnb and looked at the gyms there, my question was: do you want to train or do you want to have vaccation? There is no mix... Love towards Muaythai screamed training, and in the last few days I changed my ticket to Bangkok and acknowledged Kems gym that I was coming. And boy, that was the right decision to make. I arrived well past midnight, and I was escorted to my room by a young Thai trainer. He just said welcome; running starts at 6.30. I slept a bit and woke up on time for my first running session, exploring steep roads and buggy jungle roads for the morning run. It was beautiful. The first training session started afterwards, and then we had breakfast made by Kem's wife, Mo, and her mother. The food was delicious. But I didn't expect an afternoon training session of 2–3 hours (the same duration as the morning ones), and after it I had dinner and went to sleep. After a few days of pain, my body adjusted, and after 20 days of training, I felt and looked as if never before. Training is tailored to your level, and Kem sees everything, even when he is sparring. From conditioning, basic stance, kicks, and elbows and knees, clinching and streching every day at some point was a fight to survive. And I liked it. Kem will correct every small detail, and when he sees your progress, he will add more. I must mention the other few trainers there who were excellent in every aspect. Pad work was extensive, and they all showed patience and the will to teach if you are willing to put in the effort. Also, the gym is spacious and open, so the mountain breeze and sunset while doing the post-training situps impressed and left a deep impression. With a few people there at that time (Anna, Jay, Yassin, Cloie, and Luke), slowly we became bonded, day by day, supporting each other. It is a family gym, and you are treated as such, and everything is done outside of training so that your stay is memorable. Kem and Mo took us to various venues around Khao Yai National Park, restaurants, shops, and sometimes I even felt he was overly concerned about your well-being. But that is how the real hosts behave. His wife Mo who is managing the place, when I mentioned that Sylvie reccommended the place smiled and said she is a friend. The smile and joy bursting from here naturally make you happy just to see her. Also, I met some other people who got there following Sylvie's review. As my departure was approaching, a few of the guys had scheduled fights (Luke and Jay), and I was so sorry that I had to go. I found out they both won. What a month it has been. Kem and Mo took me to a train station, and we performed good buys. I said Kem I will be back. And I will.

Maint­aining a proper Muay Thai stance and balance is essential for novice fighters. To achieve this, here are some helpful tips: Keep your feet shoulde­r-width apart, with your lead foot slightly turned inward. This position provides stability and allows for quick moveme­nt. Distr­ibute your weight evenly between both legs. By doing so, you maintain a solid foundation while also being ready to react quickly. Keep your knees slightly bent to ensure both stability and mobility. This posture enables you to stay grounded while maintaining the flexi­bility necessary for effective strike­s. Engage your core muscles to enhance balance and stability throughout your movem­ents. A strong core not only contributes to overall body control but also protects against potential attacks. Always keep your hands up in order to safeguard your face and maintain a strong guard at all times. Your hands serve as the first line of defense against incoming strike­s.

Take hold of a chair or the wall with your hand. Allow the chair or wall to assist you with your balance while you slowly perform the teep motions. Remember to move gently and pay attention to every detail of your body's movement as you perform the teep to maintain balance. There would be no need of any coach, you can learn it on your own.

I've been down that road too. For video editing software, it really depends on your needs and familiarity. If you're looking for user-friendly options, I've had good experiences with Adobe Premiere Elements and HitFilm Express.

My lad 12 spent a week with Thailand either in the group lesson but more often in PT every morning . We found him to be a great trainer with a really good gym vibe from the local and foreign fighters . There were at least 4 Spanish 2 boys and 2 girls all of who fought and won , one in Bangkok and the other 3 in chiang Mai. It was a great night out watching them at the local stadium. Thailand himself was superb with my son and they got on really well, he made noticeable improvements in the short time we were there As a coach he is a stickler for precision , he wants it right and is prepared to go over and over til you get it right . He was kind and funny and obviously cares about his students, his wife and kids are part of the scene and were lovely . He’s held in high regard for good reason , he’s a brilliant coach and I won’t hesitate to go back hopefully next year with my lad

That journey seems incredible. Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket are some of the best cities in Thailand for learning Muay Thai and attending fights.

You just need to learn how to feel your way through movements with balance, it comes over time. But knowing where to "check" for your own self-correction is helpful in the meantime: distance between your feet in a comfortable stance, wide but not splayed; make sure your weight is on the balls of your feet and not too far on the heels or the blades of the feet (the outside or inside edge, meaning pronating or supinating (you can look that up on running forums)). Make sure your head is over your hips and feet, not too far forward or back. Keep your strikes reasonably within the "frame" of your body, not swinging too much out from your core and generating power and movement mainly from the legs and torso for everything.

First of all I’d like to thank Sylvie for arranging this for us even though we’ve never met or spoken before , it was a really kind gesture by her to help a total stranger We arrived in BKk last night at 9pm and my son Lewis 12 had a private lesson with Sagat this morning at Jaroenthong Muay Thai gym. Everyone at the gym was really welcoming and gave us plenty of bottled water to cool down. Sagat was really friendly , first they did a warm up which was slightly different to his at home and consisted of a lot of stretching . This was before the lesson was supposed to start so a bonus . Lewis has been doing Muay Thai for nearly 4 years so Sagat spent much of the time fine tuning his basics , like he said perfect the basics and the rest is easy . Junior Muay Thai in U.K. is no head contact but Like Sagat said he will be 16 in no time he needs to protect his head . They worked on punches and guard for 30 minutes stopping to let Lewis get water and cool down . Remember we’ve just come from Manchester England and it’s nowhere near the temp of BKK so he’s not used to the heat yet . The thing I liked is he has great patience and is very enthusiastic when you get it right , his attention to detail is amazing . He sees every tiny fault and works on helping you correct it . Lewis really enjoyed working with him , and for somebody 65 he’s remarkably fit . They ended the session doing sit ups and press ups together. We are going back tomorrow on a Sunday ! If you are in Bangkok and want to train with a legend then I’d highly recommend Sagat , he’s not cheap 3000baht but it’s not every day you get to train with an icon of the sport we are going to Chiang Mai on Tuesday night and hoping to train at Kru Thailands gym so will post a review later in the week

Hey Simon! It’s great to hear that you’re heading to Thailand and looking for a gym with big and tall Thai fighters and trainers. Kems’ newly opened gym sounds like a promising option. While I read reviews from other fighters who have trained there. Best of luck with your training and enjoy your time in Thailand! Take care and stay safe!

I am actually so very grateful to you for you sharing useful information of yours with us.

Here is a Thai TV piece on Beetle Fighting featuring $100 prized Beetles (they have very short life spans). You can see the Beetles in action:

This is so excellent Kevin, thank you. I’ll keep coming back to read this, something I’m very interested in. Esp how it all feeds into Muay Thai which is what attracted me in the first place.