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Dear Forum hello, Planning to take the teen group from my club to Thailand for 10 days training. Ages: 14 to 17 ; between 5 and 8 people; Levels: beginner to intermediate (no yet advanced / regional competition level). Purpose: Technique improvement as well as general experience (cultural enrichment). Less important are the beaches and vacation atmosphere. Preferably renting a house nearby rather than hotels. At first thought South Phuket ''AKA-SIMBI'' axis or Revolution X. Season July-Aug to suit to the school schedule. Any recommendations for camps suitable this project? Any areas welcomed. Looking forward to read similar positive experiences feedbacks and recommendations. Thxs in advance, Ced

Hey all! I am just reaching out because I recently booked my first trip to Thailand this fall. I plan on training and fighting for the few months that I am there. My girlfriend and I would love to capture our private sessions and fights in high quality and also share an interest in photography. We would like to bite the bullet and purchase a camera for the trip, just something capable of capturing high quality images and video. I understand the lighting isn’t the best at a lot of these events. Are there any lenses I should purchase along with the camera? We don’t want anything overly complicated and would love if it fell into our budget of $1000 or less. With so many different brands and models and having never purchased a camera before it is a bit overwhelming. I am new here so if this is not the correct place for this post please let me know. Any recommendations or advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks for laying it out so well for all to see, Kevin. Pretty incredible, indeed.

You can see our interview of Dieselnoi going through the entire book and talking about each fighter. What he remembers, what he thinks about them. It's a precious bit of history. (Turn on English subtitles.) (

I'd add here, more generally, to hear of your excitement for photographing what you'll be experiencing is awesome. Just as a personal observation, in our day and age when phones take better and better photographs, and images become more ubiquitous, in order for photography to go beyond this and separate itself out you want to move into a different kind of experience. For me the Fujifilm approach to design moves you as far as possible from the phone snapping photo. You feel in your hand a certain kind of designed thing, or at least I do. And, the lenses have distinctive character and traits. The camera and using it has qualities. So in a certain sense, if you are moving away from a high end phone (which is also an option), you want to feel a the camera, and its lenses differently than you would if you had a flat rectangle in your hands, otherwise just shoot the phone which can be quite capable. For me, the Fuji experience combined with moving the photos for edit into a program like Lightroom Classic was a big artistic difference. It felt like choices were being made. But...this probably moves you well past your ideal budget of $1000. A good phone is going to have image stabilization for video, pretty decent low-light performance, and even some high pixel files. If you are spending the money to move away from a phone you have to think about all the whys you are doing that, and find a way to tap into those whys. edit in: I'm not actually putting down phone photography in this, just to be clear. With improved specs, some subtle computational advancements, and the big convenience of just having it with you so much (which can impact your subject matter and process), a phone is really also an interesting option. I'm just saying that if you are going to shun the very capable phone (which can create its own artistic options) then its probably good to think about all the ways in which one moves away from what the phone offers.

I'm not really experienced with cameras outside of the few I've owned from Fujifilm, but I'm super in love with them. It's not a camera that I've owned, but I've had similar, maybe the Fujifilm X-T30 II would be something to look into. It has a good sensor, shoots 4K video, and gets you into the X-series lenses, which are great. I'm not sure what focal length you have in mind, but the Fujinon F XF 16MM.F2.8 R WR is a great, somewhat fast wide lens for coverage, and the XF 56 mm F1.2 R WR is absolutely gorgeous, and very fast for any mid-portraiture. You'd have options to work up in lenses in the future if you chose, though this would put you over budget. If I recall the kit zoom lens was solid. I love the old school camera design of the x-series cameras. They also make a Fujifilm X-S10 with a deeper, more modern grip (and image stabilization). Fuji generally has very classic design approaches, with physical knobs that turn, a throw back feel for the camera which I really like. I'm not really a photograph through a screen guy, and don't enjoy touch controls. Once you settle in its enjoyable to shoot. But, if its just specks vs specks I'm sure other makers like Sony would have strong offerings. For me its Fuji for design, its reputation for color, and the X-series lenses. edit in: I've had the Fujifilm Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T4. These were the cameras I really loved. The models have gone up to X-T5 now, so maybe you could get either of them at a decent price. I really love the X-T4. It's a very strong camera.

I'm posting this review sent to me by Naadia: In review - a month training and living at Kem Muay Thai Gym in the mountains in Khao Yai, Thailand There’s a sign as you enter the neighbourhood- it reads I Love Khao Yai Tiang. And I do, it’s impossible not to. With the weather being a little cooler than Bangkok and even the south, this mountain gym is isolated and wonderful. It’s the home of champion Kru Kem (sitsongpeenong). His little gym in a corner of paradise. His expertise is sharp and his time generous. Once you stop pinching yourself in disbelief you can really allow yourself to be loved and taken care of by Pee Kem and his family. And the man can love as well as he can fight; subtly, honestly and wholly. Sprawled out over a small valley the gym and accommodation share the land with Pee Kem’s family home and his large chicken collection. Outside his home is a small, silty fish pond which can be swam in. And often was by me. Huge spaces for dining, viewpoints, private balconies and hammocks allow for space and quiet reading spots. Pee Kem’s warm and bubbly wife, Pee Mo, who takes care of all your needs, made sure I celebrated my 40th birthday in style! They accompanied a student for a visa run, organised fights, excursions, massages, and a whole plethora of add ons which stave off any potential cabin fever. His children help out and often accompany students on excursions and if you’re really lucky, his youngest (7 years old) may even hold pads for you! It’s a real family affair. A short walk from the gym are a few village shops and a bike ride can take you to some cute mountain eateries. Otherwise it’s a true camp experience with two meals, two training sessions and accommodation in the package. And it’s one of the most reasonable around. The views are fantastic, the call to prayer from the mosque across the valley reverberates through the hills, crickets chirp, the chickens cackle, Nikethe camp dog howls back to the mosque, the jungle makes its noises yet peace is everywhere. Nine private en-suite rooms ensure the gym population stays intimate and family-like. Meal times are announced by the calling of your name (“Naaaaadia, dinner kaaaaa”) and food is adjusted to accommodate dietary and portion needs, and is delicious home style Thai food. For some context, I was training for my first amateur fight when I tore my ACL a week before I could get to Thailand. I was determined to work around my injury and keep my travel plans and the trainers at Kem Muay Thai were super thoughtful when understanding my parameters and also helped me in realising that I was more capable and powerful than I ever thought. In bigger gyms I had avoided class sessions as I was concerned I would exacerbate injury without someone always watching me. Pee Kem’s gym was small enough to have eyes on me at all times and I enjoyed working alongside my camp-mates. I’m a contract worker so gym-hop globally and the Muay Thai training here is excellent! Sessions include running pre session, weighted and unweighted shadow boxing, followed by bag and pad work. Emphasis is placed on technique with drills in focus, balance, posture and ending in hundreds of power knees, blocks, teeps etc Mornings tend to be a little lighter but sometimes they’d be some shockers in there! Conditioning segments with weight or ladder circuits also featured during the week. At the end of the session stretching would be done as a group, and Kru Kem and Kru Mee would have a chat and massage students, we were really well looked after. Both trainers ensured your headspace was right too, building self confidence, drilling mantras and “Kemisms”! “If Kem can do, you can do!” “You no scared, you Nak Muay”. I say that so often to myself now! I picked up some extra private sessions with Kru Mee, whose long career in training champs and handling injuries speaks for itself. He honed in on my clinching and really brought my technique to a new place, found sore points and guided me through the reintroduction of my switch and my right teep (I’d thought these were off Limits with my injury). I’m back in the U.K. now. Usually enamoured by the British summers it now irks me. The roses and lavender bloom but I yearn for frangipani, hibiscus and mountain flowers. My ears miss the chickens and whilst my ankles are bite-free for the first time in weeks I can’t help but miss the love on the mountain. I miss Pee Kem telling me “If you happy, Kem happy.” I spent a month with my now family, learning Muay Thai, training hard, but also being privy to life in an extended Thai family, being introduced to Isaan music and dancing, corrupting the camp (a story for another time lol) and making friends for life. And that, for sure, was worth every bite.

What a beautiful, in depth review. I am so elated to read this as I will be training at Kems gym for three months this fall. You’ve really covered all the facets and areas that I wonder about when choosing a gym and I thank you so much! Cheers

Hi I currently arrived back in Thailand and started to train in a gym after a break of some years. I went to the same gym, I trained at earlier, because I just loved it there in the past, but one week in, I am now very much unhappy. Though the gym is supercrowded and everyone seems generally very happy, I feel like we are doing "just" fitness most of the time. I understand, that it is important to have a good cardio and strength and that if you have your first fight its usually one of the determining factors in who wins. But to be honest, I feel like I could as well have gone to a fitness gym back home and that I do not really learn a lot about Muay Thai. eg my last class was: - 15 min skipping - stretching - 3*5 min pads - pushups/situps in all different variations and stuff like that - bag work (1 min left kick / 1 min right kick, 1 combo, 50 fast sidekicks each side, 100 knees, 100 push kicks) - pushup/situps/planks and stuff like that - stretching (no clinch at all) There has never been clinch the whole week. One day it was all fitness except for 15 min pads, the other days it was at least 50% fitness (the rest being usually sidekicks on the bag, only one day we did train combo/technique with a partner, but then that day we didnt do bagwork anymore.) 2*/week its sparring (then no pads, etc) So I was wondering, how much of fitness and how much of pads/bagwork/technique do you usually do in your training? I had hoped to learn about / improve my stepwork, understand and master techniques better, improve my reflexes, so I "dont get hit" and learn to free that part of my "fighting spirit" that I feel has never really been freed, as I am so accustomed to "being nice". But at the moment I dont see, how I could improve in those aspects with the training given, but it feels like I will instead get good cardio and a "ripped body". (dont misunderstand me, those two are really great and important, but its not what I came for). So I dont know, how does the training in your gyms look like and do you think I just have a wrong perspective and that training is indeed leading me in the right direction? I never have trained Muay Thai elsewhere and alltogether quite short, so I dont quite have a comparison. I also already paid for 1 month and there are not really other options, where I live. I dont know. Do you think, it would help to speak with the headtrainer or would it make things rather worse? (When I was there in the past, classes were something like: - 15 min skipping - stretching - 3-5*5 min Pad Work with trainer - training combos with partner - work at boxing bags - clinching - 100 fast kicks on pads - strength training and stretching So like 70-80% Muay Thai related and it felt like I learn every day so much)

Hey, This was definitely my biggest fear when I was picking gyms to stay at last year (them being fitness centered). Our training usually looked liked this: - running / warm-up / shadow-boxing + stretch - partner drills 3-5 rounds - pads 3 rounds - Heavy bag 3-5 rounds - clinch / Sparring We would do the fitness exercises in between rounds or as part of warm-up or in the end. So it was definitely always part of it. In my opinion pad work is the most important part. You have the attention of your trainer, he can correct you, see how you move and have you work on certain aspects - for me that's where I always got the most pointers for my technique and learned a lot. Sparring is then "just" testing all the things out. If you have the opportunity to talk to your coach before or after class about what you want to achieve, I am sure they will help you. Same with clinching, tell them you would love to learn how to clinch. Working hard, being interested and willing to learn is usually met well when approaching the coaches respectfully (at least in my experience). So don't get discouraged! And good luck with your training.