Joseph Arthur De Gonzo

Hello. I've done trips of one about one months two times. I would agree with what was said. Both time I did at least two weeks in one gyms and then little trips (day or few days) in specific gyms. But especially if you're new to muay thai. I would say, unless you really dislike the gym, just stay at the same same gym or do 2 weeks at one place and 2 weeks at another if you want to see different part of the country. I hated Bangkok the first time and loved it the second. I would say, it is a bit of an overwhelming introduction to Thailand and southeast asian cities if it will be your first time. I actually never being to one of these mega MT complexes like Tiger Muay Thai, but I heard it's really hit and miss with the trainers while at all the small gyms I've been, the trainers where great with beginners and kids. Especially with kids. If you want to go in the South. Yodyut Muay Thai in Koe Samui is a great place. I am actually going back with my GF and 8 months old baby. I'll be in Chiang Mai at Hongthong gym for Jan. and then going south to miss the burning season. Anyway, good luck.

I would strongly suggest PK Saenchai. I trained there for two weeks in 2019 and it's high level alright and I don't think there are many gyms with that many thai elite fighters. There are a few foreigners fighting out of the gym to. They'll book you fight if you asked. Training is VERY hard and serious. But of course, the downside is they put a lof of focuse on the ones that have fights coming up in the next few weeks. But that said, I really loved it. You get to spar and clinch with current champions. They also will do like little session where one of the top fighter will teach a specific technic he specialize in. Like Tawanchai did one on his famous teeps. Dieselnoi sometimes go to help as well as Saenchai will drop in once in a while. The atmosphere is great. I've been in quite a few gym and I never saw any gym where everyone was training as hard. I would say the only down side is that the level is so high, this gym is what I would call a tweaking fighter gym rather than a building fighter gym. They basically buy fighter that other gym trained and tweak certain things. So the teaching can sometime lack technical tips. But if you're good at learning by doing and observing, you'll get a lot from it. I don't remember the price but it was a bit on the upper hand. On the other hand, they rent scooters are a ridiculous price. They are quick to respond on their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym

Thank you

Hello Kevin, I tried to look at the video of the live stream, but the link is dead and I can't find it on their facebook page, do you still have access to it on your side? Also, I guess Kru Thailand would not be suited for a heavyweight/cruiserweight right?

Hey Barbara, Happy to help. Thail Long should be open. I know why it was closed, they have a schedule on their website. I was asking my friend Ben and he said, Angry Monkey and Apex are also pretty good. Also, it depends where you're located. Thai Long is just north of the Petite Italy and Ben's home gym is in Rosemont, while angry Monkey is in Verdun. If you ever come to Ottawa, I train at Ottawa Fight and Fitness, it's a very nice a friendly gym. Thought recently they absorbed a boxing gym that closed, so there is a lot of focus on boxing lately, but still a good gym. Anyway, let me know where you go, especially if you go to Thai Long, cause I am moving back to Mtl int he comins months, year, and I was thinking of joining Thai long.

Hello, So there are a few gyms in Montreal, it really depends what you're looking for. Most gym are (if not all by now) multi sports gym. I know they were two brothers, I believe they were from Cambodia or Laos, but practicing their version of 8 limbs fighting, but I can't find them on google. But for gyms here is a quick review. Académie Frontenac. Mostly for beginniners and people who want to be fit. Classes are both boxing and muay thai and often the coaches are not muay thai guys, they will just add a kick at the end of a boxing combo. But the main coach, is really good and if you're into advance classe, fighting and sparring, then he's running these classes. Also, pretty cheap and lots and lots of classes for anyones schedules. Underdog Boxing. Primary a boxing gym, a very good one (you'll see pros like Jean Pascal train there once in a while), run by two brothers. They have a muay thai "program" run by two other brother, I believe there is only 3 classes a week, tuesday, thursday and saturday. Also very cheap. The advanced team is good, fun sparring, fun training. The two brothers are pasionnated and fun to train with. Thai Long: never trained there but it has a good reputation, they do pretty well in local competitions. Titans: Pretty good main trainer Kru Ash, active and involved in the Montreal and eastern canada muay thai community. Never trained there. Skarbowsky Gym: So Jean-Charles Skarbowsky is apparently taking over the world, he has gyms in France, China, Thailand and now Montreal. I don't think it is open yet, but should open soon. You can contact him on facebook I am sure he will respond. But he obsviously won't be there on a regular basis and the main trainer he choose to run the place seems a bit of a knuckle head, but I don't actually know, I only base this judgement on his facebook profile. Tristar: don't go, their muay thai guy suck and they always lose in local fights. Finally, I got a friend of mine, Ben Rancher, he coaches at two gyms but also in his garage with a small group of people. He's awesome, nice, respecful and very good. You might want to try this. I don't know how much it is. Here is his instagram. https://www.instagram.com/ben.rancher/ Good luck

Oh yeah, you need more than that, it needs to be as compact as possible. You can get in the bag and push with your legs also.

Mmm, weird. That's what most people do indeed. You need to find a way to compress it more. Maybe try refilling it by stage, putting weight on top of it for a few hours, then, more, then weights, and so on. Some people also put bags of sands in the middle. You might want to try this.

What are you using to fill it?

Is that a constant all over Thailand? I haven't notice the links in my two trips, but that would be a very usefull tip.

Hello, sorry for the delay. Thanks for the answer. Yeah I agree, I want to give priority to have a nice neighborhood to live in, that both my spouse and my little one can enjoy, so with proximity to nices parks and markets and such. I drive both bike (by this you mean scooter or motobike, but not bicycle I suppose cause I don't recall seing much bicycles in thailand) and alone, I would certainly just put the baby in a carrier, but I am not sure how this will go with my spouse. Lol. We'll see. I might try to find a bike with a sidecar. Anyways, any suggestion for a specific district?

Thank you Sylvie!

Hello, I'll be in Chiang Mai soon, with my partner and our little baby and I am wondering what would be the best district to live in. I'll most likely train at Hongthong Muaythai Gym, which, if I am correct, is just on the eastern outskirt of city center in the Moo 2 or Tha Sala district, not sure of the name. Here are my considerations: 1- I usually give priority to being close to the gym to prevent excuses. 2- But I got a partner and a little baby who won't just be content to stay all day in a neighborhood with nothing to do (parks, markets, lively merchants streets). 3- I like to do most of my food shopping in food markets so that's a consideration too. 4- We like to walk as much as possible, but I know a motorbike is the way to go, just not sure with a six months old baby... Thank you for any advice, tips etc.

Actually, for Bangkok, I wrote that because everyone says it, but you're right, it is actually not my experience that everything is more expensive. My experience was that the Islands and Bangkok are similar priced depending on what, but Pattaya was cheaper than both, and from what I heard, so is Chang Mai. In any case, money is not my issue. It's more about opportunities and quality of life. Now, if I come for six months, I do not know anyone, so the "all about who you know" is basically only luck. From what I heard, there is not that many lower levels circuits in Bangkok (and I am def. lower level), your experience is different?

Just a question here. On the score of catchint. There is the under the arm catch, where you catch the kick by getting hit in the body (hence the score), but what about the catch where you block it with your arm, then use the opposite hand to scoop it (in Thailand, I've only seen Yodkunpon teaching it, but that would not get score and pottentially score depending what you do after the catch right? On the chicken wings punches, It's also common in boxing. And they only have two limbs to focus on. It's just kind of a natural thing to do I think, also quite influenced by a-makers punches and the UFC. But in general, it's just not a natural thing to punch straigh. Since the focus in Muay Thai is usually not on punches, they don't tweak it as much.

Sitjaepho is in Hua Hin, but not by the beach and the beach is like Pattaya, not like the beaches of the Islands. These are rougher beaches. In Koh Samui, Yodyut Muay Thai is great. Heard great thing about Phuket fight club. But I've never been in Phuket, can't say anything about the beach.

The training in Thailand is not "cheap" but you have to take into account that it's not the same type of training you get elsewhere. You won't hold any pads for other student there. Gym prices can vary, but in the end, it is usually the bulk (with accommodation) of your expenses. But 10,000 baht for a month, that's 48 session of roughly 2hours including 20 to 40 minutes of technical padwork and clinching and sparring (usually) with former elite fighters. Personnally, I went two times for a little over a month each time and I thougth it was really worth it. Also, if you're a small guy, you're high level, you're there for a while and you want to fight, some gym will train you for free in exchange of your purse or part of it (and that you fight under their names). Now, where I thought it usually was not worth it, was for the accommodations rented by the gym. I usually rented outside the gym. Finding a place nearby at half the price. But in the end, going to Thailand for Muay Thai is an investment in your Muay, in your passion and in yourself, but It's not super cheap as some people suggest. Some tips or thoughts: 1- Don't book in advance. For gym, there is not point. For accommodations, the best is to book for one night or two, and negotiate for the rest or it will give you time to find another place. 2- Find the water distributors by osmosis. They are everywhere and safe. I mean it's not much but it adds up. 3- Go to supermarkets (Like Big C or whatnot) and produce market instead of the 7 eleven. 4- Go for street food instead of inside restaurant. Sometimes a tenth of the price for roughly the same thing. 5- Use Grab for taxi and rides 6- 12go asia for travel within Thailand. 7- Negotiate your price, but don't push it too far, Thais are really nice and they'll sell you something basically without profit. If once you bought whatever it is you bought and as you leave the vendors is not smilling, you pushed too far. They don't play the angry game in negociation like they do in the Middle East for instance. 8 - Renting a scooter is absolutly worth it. Price can vary a lot and make sure you take picture of the bike. 9- Also, depending where you are, the difference between buying stuff in a touristic area and a Thai residential area is huge. Specially in Bangkok. In the end, you're there as a tourist. You bring money, you get Thailand. It's easy to get kind of obsess by saving money risking having less fun, but more importantly, risking being a bit of an a-hole to Thais and other travelers. If you're too short, just wait a little until you can go. And personnaly, I would say, don't go for less than a month unless you're like Australian and it's basically a 4 hours flight or something.

Good idea. I'll do this thanks. Yeah, he must be at least 160lbs, he's super tall.

I am not actually seeking for gym advice here, more like area, or city where to settle. I am a pretty big 205lbs (92kg) guy. I could easily go down a bit, maybe even to 175lbs (80kg), but for Thailand, 80kg is basically heavyweight or even more since I believe none of major stadium even have belt at that weight. In any case, I am no belt material. So I am planning a six months trip where I would like to have as many fights as I physically can and I am wondering where to go. I am not an elite Nak Muay, but I am not interested in fighting only Tuk Tuk drivers has the cliché goes. So I guess there are 4 major circuits. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket. I believe that would be pretty much it, but please let me know if there is another place I forgot. Here are my thoughts on each. @Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu @Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu I would really appreciate your input on this! Bangkok: Probably the worse place for me since Bangkok is focused on high level Thai guys competing for stadium etc. Maybe less of a small scene for lower lever nak muay. Pro: Great gyms, great training, nice city, central so can travel to other cities for fights. Cons: Less lower level circuit, Bangkok is stressful, more expensive for everything, not much nature around, gyms focused on thai fighters. Pattaya: I don't know much about the scene in Pattaya. I know there is Max Muay Thai and one or two bars where there are spectacle fights and real fights, but I can't say about other smaller places. Pro: Very central, access to Hua Hin, to Bangkok if fights happens. Great gyms to train. Cheaper than Bangkok. Closer to nature and the beach. Con: Not sure about the scene. Less gyms than Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Phuket: If that would happen to be the best place, I would go, but would not be my first choice. Not a beach guy, not a party guy. But I know, there is more than beach and parties there. Pro: Probably more foreigners fighting there. Access to other Island where I could get fights. Cheaper than Bangkok, but probably more expensive than Pattaya. More foreigner focused gym so maybe more chance of finding a gym that would help in finding me fights. Con: Phuket. Isolated. No easy access to other circuits beside the Islands. Les traditional gyms. More party oriented. Chiang Mai: I know nothing of scene there besides knowing it's a good place for women to fight. Pro: nice place, never been, good gym, more traditional, less touristic. More nature, mountainous. Cons: Far, more isolated, no access to other circuits.

I went there in 2019 and I would clinch everyday with that guy holding the pads for you on the second picture and also with you ont he fourth picture. He was brutal. Jesus. I am twice his size but he did whatever he wanted with me.

No a dumb question. If the person knows how to hold, you should def. go 100% power, explosiveness and speed. I am also a big guy, 100 kilo, 193cm, and pads holders in the west is a problem. Even in gyms in thailand I can see thais are discussing who's going to hold for me, or who will clinch with me. Even if I don't speak thai, it's easy to see that the like manager is saying, like, "you go" and he's like, "fuck that, did you see him, send this guy" and so on and so forth. I mean, it's no fun to hold pads for any hard hitter. In the west. I try to have the same training partners who are more advance and can actually hold pads. The key is, don't train with newbies. But it's not always possible. Personally, if I see I'll have to train with a newby, I'll just go train on the bag. I might seem like an asshole, but bad pads holding lead to injuries, in the elbows, hips and so on, because the pads are not where they're supposed to be, or because they hold them too softly. If I have to train with a bad holder, then I'll practice good form and go to the bag after the class. Otherwise, I go with the face of the the person, start medium and go harder until I see in their face that it is enough. So funny our it's only partly related to the size of the person. Some pretty big guys will complain before some very tiny women. Anyways, good luck.

Sincerely, I think that part of it was body type. I am 6.4 and 230lbs and without being obese, I am not shredded. Thais are strong on fat and body shaming. I've received comments at most gyms I've been in Thailand but at that gym, I could see that they were talking about it and laughing at me in thai in front of me, thinking I would not pick on their body language. So that mixed with the fact that I am tall and pretty heavy, thus slower and not as graceful as a 140 pounder. I think they just did not have any interest in me. They were also very selective on which women they gave attention to. I think that besides the owner, most did not unless they found her attractive.

For me, when in normal training (meaning not in Thailand) it's muay thai 4 to 6 day a week, running a few times and yoga once a week.

Personally. Although not a bad gym, I would not go back. There are enough better gyms out there in my opinion. My main issue with it was a certain favoritism toward some guys regardless of skills and intention to fight. I would often end up not sparring because of it. And I know what I am worth and there was no reason other that they did not care for everyone. That said a lot of people swear by this gym and go back over and over. And, it is the gym where there was the best sense of community I've been to. Most people except de Swedes would hangout together after training. And the trainers took us on a trip to a river on a sunday and stuff like that. That was fun. But in the end, I am there to train and I expect to be treated as any other farangs who trains there.

Most people don't run at Sitjaepho. You're only expected to run if you want to fight. You can do private in between sessions. I would suggest not renting the rooms at the gym, people said they did not sleep because of the dogs barking. Contrary to what was said, there are two thai fighters there, but it is true that it is mostly a farang fighters gym. The level is pretty high in general, but I would agree that several people clinched like if they life depended on it, which is unproductive. But not a clinch heavy gym anyway. Lots of Sweden cause the other twins lives there and developped connections with Sweden gyms.