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I was rewatching the library session "Yodkhunpon "The Elbow Hunter" pt 1 | Slicing Elbow 37 min" and was wondering something: Yodkhunpon tries to get Sylvie to step in towards the opponent very deeply and very close to their front foot for a horizontal, slicing "fan sok" elbow. Since I had the experience in Kali training years back that stepping ON an opponents foot seriously messes with their movement and ability to execute whatever they're trying to do I was wondering if that was an option in Muay Thai. I don't think I've actually seen Muay Thai fighters do that so I wonder if it is even allowed in fights. In Kali I got to the point where stepping precisely on an opponents foot when closing distance became pretty much natural and automatic for me and it seemed very effective but this is in a martial art that does not have a ring-fighting variant or rules at all, so...

Hi everyone, I've been training Muay Thai for 4 weeks now. Came from a boxing background. Falling in love with Muay Thai and the challenges it's bringing already (very sore shins). Great website and forum!

For my last night of training, the General took us back over to the sport boxing gym for another go at the pads and even a round of sparring. With the General - and most of the gym - looking on, Tyler and I did rounds with the pad holder from the other day. Some of the techniques the General has been trying to get us to do the last few weeks almost came out more naturally; but honestly, if the kick was too fast, I still was not able to get my body to react fast enough. I was mostly concentrating on my waist rotations and weight transfer. Both of which will take many, MANY more months of work before I don’t have to think about them, and can just do them naturally. Also tonight, we got to spare with one of the gyms advanced students. They told us he was a decorated Western and Thai boxer. And dang, were they correct. While he was just playing with us, see what we could do and if we would buy into his game, the gym’s boxer was lightening fast and had footwork that could put most dancers to shame. I have a very playful sparring game to begin with, but the gym’s boxer was just as playful and it was hard not to buy into it. This was not favored by the General. He wanted us to sit back more, wait for the attacks and defend. While the General was very forgiving of my tendencies, he often yelled comments and corrections my way during each round (I honestly didn’t hear many of them thought, Swear). More so than anything, the General wanted to see how we defend, he didn’t want to us make mistakes attacking and be countered on. Which honestly, happened a fair amount. The gym’s boxer was playful but patient and I found myself getting ancy. I was able every now and then to pull of some of the block the General favors, along with a few other kicks and punched we practiced. Above else, it was fun. Always room for improvement though. Tomorrow I will get on a plane and head back to California. I have no words which I think do justice for the experience I’ve had hear. Three years ago, if you had told me this is where I’d be, and this is what I’d be doing, I would have you that you are crazy. When Kevin pitched me the idea, I wasn’t sure how serious to take the suggestion. But here I am. Martial arts is by far the best thing to ever happen to me. I owe so much of who I am and the things I’ve had the opportunity to do to martial arts. Martial art is quite literally like having a super power. Much beyond being to physical impose yourself on someone, martial arts allows you the power to be confident. To go into the unfamiliar and come out the other side better for having done it. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of those who offered their words of encouragement and support. Especially, thank you Tyler, Mai, Kevin and Sylvie. I could not have done this with out you all! I talk to you all again when I am back in California.

The young lady I mentioned, her hands were unbelievable, she picked up the teep and round kick like she was born to it. Her movement in general was outstanding. Pity is probably the wrong word but it's the best I have, so, pity she is mentally challenged, she would have made an outstanding fighter, not just because of the potential she shows physically, she even carries about herself a certain aura

All went well today. The youngsters (18-20 yr old) all had fun. Their were a couple of stand outs. One in particular, a young woman. I can't describe how naturally gifted she is. I hope this turns into something more of a permanent nature as I'd like to see how they all grow over an extended period of time. I have them for 3 months at the moment.

Great effort Tim (and Tyler!). Have a safe flight home

I've trained a few children with learning difficulties - needless to say it's a challenge. We had one little boy who was very passionate about muay thai, but also very passionate about planes flying above the gym making noise. It helped that there were plenty of kids in the class who were good with him and would cheer him on

One of my favorite low kick set ups as well. If done with perfect timing, its hard to stop. I also like a long lead arm uppercut to low kick as well. Either you tip their chin up so they dont see the low kick or they try and block by shelling and going heavy on their lead leg. I actually teach a system of punch set ups to low kicks each with the idea that the punches move the weight of the person firmly onto the leg you want to kick. The punches can even be more like hard slaps just for that effect.

Yeah these in conjunction are great. I teach these two in combo a lot. I personally like to far leg teep to an inside low kick with my lead leg. The lead teep sets it up nicely without the usual counter.

The teeps mixed in with muay thai kicks are really my bread and butter. I love linking together teeps to the xiphoid with kicks to the ribs and quads. I feel like I am dancing a little bit when my hips are going back and forth to deliver the kicks and transition into the rear or front teep. That and I love watching people stepping back. Something else I also enjoy a lot are timed teeps to the hip or xiphoid to counter incoming kicks. I haven't sparred in a long time due to a concussion; however, when working the bag or shadow boxing, I love laying it on thick with the teeps. I hope that when August rolls around, I can get back to linking teeps with kicks on my partners. Some secondary faves are elbows and knees. Elbows because they just feel smooth and I love how they can link to a lot of combos at short-to-medium range. Knees because they are hard for me to master haha.