Leaderboard

Steroids are pretty plentiful and available, and some people use Thailand trips to cycle onto them on a regular basis. You can find lots of articles like this one from 2013 about this: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-30/bodybuilder-gives-insight-into-thailand-steroid-holidays/4723980 Given these patterns, and also that lots of retired men come to Thailand for hormone replacement therapy, it's just going to be present and prevent. I say this without every running into it directly in a gym, but it just is something you have to assume is out there, and part of some people's preoccupation, both in and out of Muay Thai. There is very little to no drug testing in Muay Thai in Thailand (I'd say zero, but maybe there are some rare instances.) If this is making you nervous about fighting I don't think it should be a determining factor. Just assume the fighter might have some advantages that you need to counter, and trust your gym to find your a fair match up that they believe you can fight well in. Having trust in your gym, and their knowledge of opponents is more important than drug testing, I believe.

Hi everyone first post so sorry if it’s a dumb question. What sort of power should I be using in pad work? I understand that I don’t want to sacrifice technique for power in most circumstances. But I feel like people at the gym tend to go a little lighter on the power on pads. I sometimes get the impression that people think I might go too hard but no one says anything so I’m unsure. Any help/advice/thoughts. thanks sonny

Oh let me know if you need any advice on finding a gym. I'm at a fitness lethwei gym which I wouldn't really recommend as currently there are no fighters training there and they don't teach fighting styles. But I have a good connection with 2 trainers who give me extra work and one was up until recently an active fighter (knee injury but just waiting to recover to start fighting again) and they know gyms in the country.

I don't think it is a dumb question at all. I remember Sylvie training with the legend Kaensak who described the purpose of padwork as "charging the battery", which is probably how it was used in the Golden Age of Muay Thai when he reigned. It was pure power, tempo and fatigue, priming you for a fight. You had already developed your technique since youth. This older purpose of padwork comes into direct contrast with the western preoccupation with Thai cleanness of technique, and with padwork itself. A padman, generally, in Thailand, is just a worker, someone pushing the fighters physically. Not some elevated teacher (in most cases). Holding pads of someone is just doing work. In the west though it is used to teach technique, put to a different purpose. So it really depends where you fall on the spectrum. Generally though, you should be really pushing it on the pads, developing your ability to hold your technique, your tempo, your balance, even though fatigue. Padwork is exposing you to fight fatigue pressure and pushing you through ideal responses, I think.

It's an old topic, but I was training in Lamai Muay Thai Camp twice in 2019, and I'm coming back there in November. Trainers are very good. They fight a lot. They are very good at explaining things even in group classes. Gym has some kind of agreement with one of Samui Muay Thai Stadiums and lots of foreign students taking part in fights. I can compare this gym to the one in Koh Chang and...there is nothing to compare. I was thinking a lot about my Muay Thai destination in Thailand and after a long time i choose LMC. And it was a good choice. This year I want to stay there for 3 weeks an o my way back home I want to stay few days in BKK and try some not main stream gyms there.

Interesting topic over here, great! Just a while ago I started to train without shinguards whenever possible. Sometimes our Kru (Thai) wants me to wear shinguards, sometimes my partner wants. But if it's ok for both, I try to go without. For me it's a little like for @Kero Tide, I don't like wearing all this stuff when training. As less as possible, as much as necessary. Of course every once in a while my shins hurt and look bad, but meanwhile after 2 days the pain is gone again, so not that big deal anymore. @LengLeng I little envy you training at a Lethwei Gym in Yangon! When I visit Myanmar next time I definitely want to give it a try, too! Last time in Mandalay I didn't find one but it was my first visit to Myanmar that time and I first had to see how things go there. Wish you all the best!