LengLeng

Hey interesting advice, thank you. Had no idea it's the heat that also adds protection, but of course it makes sense. I currently use ankle protectors on my shins for some extra padding. But once I get access to better shopping opportunities I might try these things as I've struggled a lot with shin splints in the past and they always on the verge of reappearing.

Hi Kevin this is gold! Thank you so much. It's this kind of advice that is like 'yeah of course it's like that/why on earth I didn't consider it yet it's so obvious'. Game changer advice. Use your legs as you use your hands (duh) with control. Makes 1000 percent sense to me and I'll try it immediately.

To catch kick at top of shin would that mean to not raise leg as high as one would regularly do? Or do I sort of angle the leg/knee? I was considering the low kick destroyer (I'm not really good at it yet or tbh not at all) but wouldn't I hurt my partner?

It's actually a lethwei gym in Yangon, Myanmar and I don't have a my gear with me and I have not been offered shin guards and I'm just going with the flow and doing what I'm told. In general the trainers are pretty rough with me compared to Thailand. Not violent, they just a bit rough including that shin guards are not offered to me. The trainer put on one shin guard after some sessions but he uses both his legs so it's still painful. Not sure if it is this gym, or these trainers, or me, or lethwei, because I have nothing to compare to. I have the feeling I'm being tested for toughness (this is like a fitness gym but I'm getting different training than the fitness students). So out of pride I'm refusing to ask for protection. I like it as it makes my kicks faster and more elegant and I think more before I move, but I also noticed I automatically stopped blocking and instead catching kicks which might not be great. I also started sparring and doing bags and pads without gloves as this is how you fight lethwei. It's a cool feeling. But I can't say I prefer one or the other.

Thanks so much Sylvie. I've never heard of the apple cider spice mix I think I'll give it a try. Sounds fun. The goal is to have the same experience as @Kero Tide describes above but it might be too late.

I see it like this. There are two main reasons you want to run. 1. Show dedication so the gym invests in you. 2. Build stamina for a fight. If running causes injury there are other ways you can show dedication. And there are other strategies to build stamina. In my experience Thai trainers notice dedication and acknowledge it. I wouldn't be too worried if you can't run so and so many miles, but still show up and demonstrate dedication.

Found this thread while I was searching for info on sparring without shin guards. I'm currently sparring without shin guards (and mouth guard lost it cannot get hold of a new one for a while) and although I love it, the pain is getting to me. Obviously it's light sparring but we block shin on shin and my partner has the boniest hardest shinbones I've ever experienced and while my shins are full of dents, swollen, puddle of blood and stuff between skin and shin bone he doesn't feel it. My shins are burning most of the time. I do the hot water towel massage thing. And put liniment on before training. And tiger balm before bed. Anything help to help speed up the hardening process? I've heard something about luke warm salt water should help?

With my amateur eye you look so great! Composure, nice kicks and everything. You must be so happy with this achievement ! Dude I'm so impressed.

Yeah!!! Awesome.

I feel you. It took me forever to get to fight in Thailand and it cost me a lot of money. I've also fought sick, had a doc telling me I couldn't possibly fight and yet during fight I felt 0 sickness and had a great experience. Then I got a knee ligament injury, trained around it kept making it worse and realized I had to rest to avoid permanent damage to the knee joint. And declined wonderful exciting fight offers which was so hard to do as I'm leaving Thailand soon for Myanmar. This stuff is hard! There is really no easy way of doing this. Whatever your decision I want to say I'm really impressed by your training and attitude with all those curve balls coming your way. Curious to hear how it panned out.

I understand. Puh. No easy situation. There's a chance adrenaline will take care of things for you though.

Are you cancelling the fight?

Oh man that's rough! Go to pharmacy and ask what they recommend. To stop it you can try charcoal tablets, I've forgot the thai name but just ask. Also of course electrolytes (in every 7/11). Btw for sleep there's a very strong antihistamine available OTC in most pharmacies called Codiphen (diphenhydramine also sold under name Benadryl). 2 of those pills knock me out completely and I've tried most stuff. But if you try them do your own research and take on own risk. Best of luck man!

It's impossible to answer this as it depends on where you go and what other guys are training where you'll train and whether you'll fight a thai or foreigner. It won't be impossible but it might not be super easy.

This guy weighs more than you and he's fighting soon

Oh no I'm so sorry. Hoping it will work out!

Puh. Not easy. Hopefully it works out and you get the training you need. Eager to hear how it unfolds.

That seems like an odd excuse, weight differences are common and I often see thai trainers sparring with less experienced heavier guys. Usually the head trainer knows how to control these differences. Are those fighters foreigners or thais? Is your fight confirmed? Sometimes it can sound like things are determined when they are really not... It can be hard to understand communication in Thailand. Some times things that are not necessarily true are said to save face or to avoid discomfort.

I'm a female fighter and after 1.5 years of training with the last nine months being in a traditional thai gym with mainly very skilled male fighters I learnt you have to ask for it. It's awkward and hard. As a woman I had to force myself to get in the ring while the others were clinching and more than once guys who've been paired up with me have refused to clinch. I was also told to get out of the ring to kick pads while the guys did hard sparring. I insisted and for a while I was forced to wear a helmet (which felt humiliating) until slowly I was accepted and then fully included. I am not trying to hijack your diary (I really appreciate your posts btw) just to to tell you to not give up. If you pay for training you deserve to get what you paid for.

My experience from watching fights in Thailand for almost 2 years and training in Thailand for a year and a half tells me yes. I go to watch fights in Bangkok quite frequently and I don't think I've ever seen anyone above 72 kilo (if even 72 kilo). I don't have the exact weight classes for Lumpinee and Rajadamnern but mainly it ranges between 48kg and 72kg or around those numbers. Same at MBK for example (but you can see guys weighing around 70). At shows like Max and Muay Extreme SuperChamp etc weights tend to be a bit higher but above 76kilo I'm not sure... The guys at my gym fight at the national stadia, asiatique, and superchamp and the heaviest (foreigner) is 72kg and the heaviest thai 66kg (he mainly fights 64kg). One of my previous trainers who is known internationally (Nonsai sor. Sanyakorn) fought at 165lbs. Buakaw, who I dare to say is considered "big", fights around 72 kilo same for Yodsanklai if I'm not mistaken. So I would say, at almost 80 kilo, yes you are considered big in Thailand. It doesn't mean though you don't get fights or good training.

I've been explained that when flexing foot you have the benefit of your shins being harder/stronger which is beneficial when it comes to blocking for example. But it also opens up the risk of breaking your feet if it lands the wrong way. I keep my foot flexed (or try to) during blocks for this reason and balance. Not flexing when kicking as I feel it affects speed and can cause injury if I land the kick in the wrong spot.

There will always be assholes to avoid in a gym. No matter her behavior, it is the responsibility of the coach to manage this so it doesn't affect the class. Perhaps you can talk to other students to see if others feel the same and if yes, talk to the coach? It is really annoying to see female peers using their looks or sexual power to get attention from the trainers. It feels like they're cheating or using short-cuts. And it affects every female student if teachers stop seeing them as students and instead as objects for their sexual desires and means to get some ego massage. But I can understand it. It's not easy being taken seriously and flirting is a handy strategy. Or taking the role of daughter/female protege or whatever. But it's their choice and the responsibility of the coach to manage depending on his level of professionalism You will just waste precious energy and focus to get upset about her.

Safe journey. I'll try to spot you during morning runs in Chatuchak park. I'm injured so I'll be the one run-limping.