[Mongkol and Amulet placement options]

And re the blessing of the mongkol...  In lack of true thai monks, you can try to get a blessing from someoene else creditable.

Some person you held in great estime, whom is also a person with a feeling for spirituality.  Your grandma or grandda if they are still alive, otherwise your momma or dad... Or someone else whom you have connection with and do trust.

 

ps.  You did made your mongkol yourself.  But the same advice for all whom did buy their mongkol in a common shop.

 

Such is my belief.

[How to help women exploit their potential?]

Perhaps  "Advanced course for shorter people"??   Or  Advance course in how to fight longer opps?

 

Anyway.  In a world when we have awesome stories about girls and women breaking upp the roof,  where much HAD been established re equality and reasonably alike possibilities,  for women, but really for all;  so to notice  its not over yet.   The battle is won, but the war goes on and battles must be fought and won again and again...   So to speak...

[How to fight under kickboxing rules?]

I once saw a peculiar match.   Blue was inferior, so she fled to the corner and took her last stance there.  holding desperately a high guard.  Red was furiously attacking and punching forcefully the whole time, although most of the punches of course  were caught in the desperate but good guard.  Blue managed with just barely a couple of counter strikes, which did hit.

to my surprise, the rond (match?)  was decided as draw.

Huh?   Easy,  It wasnt Muay, it was with kickboxing rules...  Where there is essentially boxing rules.  Being dominating doesnt count, what counts is clean hits; and punches do score.

So, Red was overhelmingly dominating, but got none extra points for this..  She had lotsa of punches, but most fastened on the guard, just a few clean hits....  While Blue did managed to hit a couple of times...

Ergo   draw.

 

A side note.   This reminds me about an european fotboll "soccer" match between England and Poland on Wembley, which is Englands national arena in London; about 1974.  The english had a massive dominance.  Lotsa shots on goal.  The polish goalkeeper Tomaszewski was a hero.... Took lotsa of shots!   Even a couple of punishment shots!   Just one goal went in...

And the poles manages with the trick; they managed to send a ball forward; and Lubanski run through whole field, driving the ball with him forward.

1-1!!!   A draw!   History made!   Poland to the World Championship, where they took a good and popular third place.

 

Thus, compare kickboxing with soccer...   

 

 

 

[How to improve women’s experiences in gyms?]

This with an inner circle around the owner / trainer...   And new bees have difficult to come forward.  Here, get also the proper education they are de facto paying for, both in their time, effort and often also good money.

The phenomena is common!

A generous host / owner, whom can create a warm, welcoming athmosphere, is the remedy.   But its not always (seldom)  the reality....

 

Ps.  A standard way worth to try with, is to anyway work as hard and as well you can. Often enough, with time they will see you ARE a hardworker, not whining for nothing, and with time, accept you in their circle and perhaps even, their cameradeship.  If they dont; you hadnt lost much anyway, because your effort will repay for yourself this way or another.  Ps.  I believe THIS was the way Sylvie did, when she did come to Petchungrang, a male gym...  Showing she is a hardworker, she won their acceptance.

 

In this case, as its typically a male dominated milieu, it becomes extra difficult for most females.

Sorrowfully but true, this is a common experience for most women in many situations... In war and in peace.

That is a heavy reason why most women kept themselves into typically female occupations, and typically female sports...

It needs extra determination, and tough skin for a female to be succesfull. in a traditionally male area.

Getting massive flak from many men, but sometimes also, from other women...

 

I dont have any good advices nor easy solutions at this moment, 

 I just want to mention it; the problems are a common experience for many females whom want to go forward in a male dominated milieu...

And thus, it will help to network with other females (and sympathisers) in martial sports, as here in this forum, but also, networking with almost any other ambitious females, should give some help and mental relief..

 

Its almost only the so called  boygirls, or tomboys, whom manage comfortably in male milieus; they are used to play and work with boys and later on males, and agree with them, "speak on equal and friendly terms"

[Traveling and Learning Muay Thai as a Beginner]

On 12/6/2021 at 4:54 AM, Evan said:

Hello! I started training Muay Thai this summer and found that I really loved to train. So far I have attended Thai pad classes and Bag classes. I haven't been able to train in a gym since September because I am taking a service/volunteer year traveling around The United States and I won't be home in my region until August 2022. I want to keep pursuing Muay Thai but I am having a hard time deciding what my focus should be as I have little to no access to gyms and trainers. As of right now I spend time exercising, shadow boxing, and reading through the Muay Thai library. Does anyone have any suggestions on what else I should do to stay engaged in Muay Thai?

Thank you for any feedback I greatly appreciate it!

I think there is / were a wellknown thai Muay grandmaster, whom went the alone way.  He did learned by watching...  He had never a rational training.  After a time, he got work as assistant corner man, and used his time to observe closely and learn...   So, if you observe and learn deeply enough, doing the mental visualisation too; half of the job is done...  How to build up your physique, is next... But there are surely many ways and ideas.

[How to heal/recover from injuries?]

On 11/28/2021 at 8:14 AM, carson said:

Hello to all the Nak Muay. I have been practicing Muay Thai for few years, I have always admired those fighters able have a strong body/stamina when come to practice and fight.
So few years back then, I tried to register a semi pro fight, it is a great and worst experience to me throughout my life hahahah, I enjoyed and suffered a lot during the process.
Since I was not a great athlete and my first time. I get a lot of injuries/sprain throughout my training, which lead to my main topic here, how did you recover/ heal your injuries during the training and post-fight?
I had been carrying the injuries for few years and I went for few acupuncture sections and massage. It partially help, but does not fully recover from how I used to be. The injuries limited my strength and movement and became a burden even a stretching.

Please kindly advice/share me your experiences, I wish to get rid of it.  Thank you 

A possible try is with a friendly cat!

Its an old house cure cat skin is good for rheumatism.  The fact is, an alive, friendly cat, is even better!!!

What is,  you must have a cat whom likes to sleep on you... 

 

OK, a lesser known fact, is cats and their purring helps also to heal fractures and sprains.  These are oh so common with hard training athlethes and - of course - fighters...

There are even scientific studies telling the cat purring is in a frequence near the ideal for helping bone fissures to heal...

 

Its possible a loving, friendly dog could do something similiar...  But this is speculation.  On cats Im fairly sure.

 

In both cases a good bet is to take care of a cat / dog whom is it pity about.  From a high kill shelter; or a homeless whom seeks your help.

It helps much your karma, and it may help up your health.

[How to improve women’s experiences in gyms?]

On 12/13/2021 at 4:15 PM, MollyJuliette said:

I've been training (US-based) for about 5-6 years. I was lucky to have the option of finding gyms that weren't sexist in the ways you described, but in visiting other gyms or trying other gyms to potentially join I have experienced a lot of sexism. 

In the US, I'm considered a fairly experienced amateur fighter with 21 fights, but when I visit other gyms I almost invariably get paired with the only other woman in the gym, regardless of size or skill level. This drives me nuts, because I'd much rather have a partner with comparable skill - whether that person be male or female! It also poses a problem as sometimes there are men more appropriately sized to work with me, when I'll get paired with a much larger woman. Combine that with a skill discrepancy, and it makes me feel like I'm only good enough "for a girl" and not to train with the majority of the fighters. 

In sparring, I get a lot of guys trying to go light on me but they go so light that they're basically shadow boxing or going super slow. If I pick up the intensity, sometimes they get mad and try to hurt me. Neither is beneficial. I also get a lot of those guys that just shell-up and say "hit me, hit me!" and (maybe this is just me) I find this super condescending because if I wanted to just hit something that doesn't move I'd hit a bag. 

In some cases, I've asked coaches (that I'm more familiar with) "hey, you paired me with her, but I think this other person would be a better match based on skill and/or size." In my own gym, I try to take my turn teaching newer people how to hit and hold pads - we all have to learn. But when I'm paying to drop in at another gym, I am paying to work, not teach their new students to hold pads. 

The biggest thing I've learned is just to advocate for myself. It's really hard, and the response isn't always what we want but I find that 95% of the time people don't realize they're behaving in a sexist way and didn't realize how you interpreted what they did. Sometimes I've been given really thoughtful reasons why I was partnered up the way I was, too - trying to inspire a student who's expressed interest in fighting by letting them work with a fighter who "looks" like them. 

As for the "boys club" part of it, sometimes I find this. I always ask myself if I really want to be in that club. If yes, I assert myself. If I have valuable knowledge, I put it forward. Sometimes though, I can see that this is a group I don't care to be part of and I have no problem just walking away. I'm happy to share my thoughts if they ask, but unconcerned if they don't and that they don't consider me one of them. Many gyms have cliques and sometimes those cliques are all-encompassing. I'm not trying to join a Muay Thai cult - just train and fight and make some friends.

I hope this helps! 

Thx for the insights.   One comment.  The phenomena I did featured in bold...  This is not about you, this is about the alone girl / woman in that gym.  Here is she alone, eager to train, but more or less aside...  If nothing else, she is the alone woman.  And suddenly there comes in another adult woman!   They want to give their member a positive experience, to be able to met and train with another woman if and when the occasion arises.... Of course, if you are a paying guest, its not necessarily YOUR problem.

But. Hey, what do I know, they perhaps even thinks you are in a similar situation?  Alone woman in YOUR gym?

 

Anyways, its a problem with several bottoms.  I dont know if its customary to phone the owner / coach / host and tell whom you are and what type of train you do wish.  Or the owner / host meets the new face and asks...   

Its done in some of bridge clubs for example:  " I wish to visit your club tonight, and will be happy to get a good partner to play with.  I consider myself as an expert."

Another proposal I fancy is to have labels to put on:  Beginner medium, advanced   and  Mostly fitness (=take it easy in sparring)  (Fighter = Im OK with quite rough sparring too), but as I know, this is not done.

 

Ps.  Nay,  Im not into active martial arts myself; although I did some other sports, including bridge and riding.

[Unlocking your true potential]

7 hours ago, Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu said:

In my experience, strikes are more powerful when they're relaxed and not "trying to be hard." Trying to control power usually tenses up the limbs and makes you both less able to control them and too slow and too light. Loose, relaxed and still fast but controlling the impact. "Letting your strikes go," is almost always a trying less "hard" and being relaxed. 

Ah, so this phenomena is the reality behind the karate films.  When feks Mr Miyagi barely touches the opp, and he falls down although a big strong fellow...   Or when Daniel san crushes a big ice cube in the same film.

This is so because its a movie, but there IS a core of truth in there...  Exactly as you try to describe it.   A focused and  relaxed strike tends to be more powerful than brute strength.

 

Tx for this moment of insight!

[Best district to live in Chiang Mai?]

On 9/9/2021 at 6:18 AM, Joseph Arthur De Gonzo said:

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. 

My spontane reaction is,  baby and spouse (the main caretaker?) must have the priority.  YOU and your training, you can always get there by bike / motorbike.  This way you are easily movable.   So, not too far from the gym, so the bike ride wont take more than max 10 minutes riding.  But otherwise, plan for baby and main caretaker to have it comfortable.

If you can find something such, it should be perfect.

Unless, spouse and baby also wanna be at the gym...  If so, the planning gets a shade more complicated. 

 

If you / spouse are used bike riders, its surely possible to have the baby at your chest in a carrier device.  but this isnt in everyones taste and potentially dangerous.  Otherwise, perhaps a small car is the best.  costs more, but covers it all.

[Unlocking your true potential]

You dont want to risk to hurt your sparring pard?  its wise, of course.

Try perhaps to spar with an experienced fighter, whom is used to get and manage some rough handling.  Tell him / her its what the session will be about, so he / she wont get sour you are going all out although this is a friendly sparring...

 

If necessary, jump straight inte the deep water, ie take a real fight, preferably with an opp more experienced than you.

Because otherwise you will have the same problem: you want to win and beat up your opp, but you dont want to hurt him / her, not a beginner whom barely  had began the carrieer....

 

A note re female Muays.  In clubs in the West;, many of them are really into fitness.  So yeah, they will probably be shrieking and protesting as soon it begins to hurt.   Female muays do complains too about this phenomen.

If you want to sparr reasonably hard hits, be sure you spar with a female whom is herself a wanna be fighter.  These manage roughness much better than fitness models.       Ask them before you begin in the sharp mode version.

[Jongsanan Fairtex gym in San Francisco]

On 7/20/2021 at 8:07 AM, wolverine said:

Anyone trained with the Woodenman? His legendary elbow fight was awesome! I know he trained some UFC/MMA fighters. I wanted to learn from a real muay thai fighter and this is the closest one but still a long drive. Is it worth the drive? How much would a private cost? I have a leg injury in my dorsal flex that slightly affects my balance should I still learn muay thai? Thanks.

I suppose its best to mail there and ask...  Both about costs and his recommendations about your injury.   After all, as your coach he should be aware of it.  Either train a little easier on you; or better still; learn you techniques compensating in a real fight...

If its worth to drive in?  If its a good teacher, yes. 

Look.  Compare if you were a rider. or a dancer.  Training mostly with your own local coach, and / or on your own.  Yet you would do almost whatever you could, to regularly meet up with a top notch trainer.  And get part of his top notch coaching lessons...  Yes, you would do this even if your local trainer WAS good. But to get influences from another one good trainer, is wise.  Even if in the second case, you wouldnt bother to do it every week, but be happy with clinics at least twice a year.

 

Ps.  As I understood it, our Sylvie had to drive in to her first sensei, Master K.  Apparently it was worth it.       I also presume, she trained also lotsa on her own at home. Physical training, shadow boxing, some mental training, such can be done even if you dont have access to a good bag nor pad holder.

 

ps2.  Use the driving time for something useful.  If nothing else, to hear on a good audio book....  If so done, the long driving hours wont be no waste of time.

 

 

[Bunions and Muay Thai]

The question is, if you got this bunion / hallux vagus, from Muay, or from elsewhere.  For example, too tight shoes.

 

I havent noticed Muays have more hallux than other persons.  Some do have this sticking out bone, but that is common in the overall population.  A direct hallux vagus; yeah I have seen this occasionaly on a fighter, but its not common...

Thai women seems to almost never have this.  My guess is, they dont use high fashion shoes with tigh toe part forcing the toes together...

[Bunions and Muay Thai]

You know of course about these different devices to hold back / hold straight the toes in these hallux vagus "bunions"?    Cant hurt, may help.

For the inflammatory process and pain involved, diklofenac paste as mentioned earlier, should be good.

 

Of course, be double careful to use comfortable, no nonsense shoes or sneakers.

[Bunions and Muay Thai]

Diclofenac- paste could help some.  Its both strong anti-inflammatory and reducing pain.   I suppose its possible to get at your place?

 

Ps.  I hope its not increasing the risk of bleeding.  Salicyl-acid, as in aspirine, is increasing the risk of bleeding.

[The role of punches in scoring (and a side story how my gym got bombed)]

A little aside note re punching / boxing moments in Muay.  Im thinking on the match between Calista and Pheetjeeja  a couple of years ago.  When Calista was still the young promising european junior, trying to make a carrieer as pro in Thailand, beginning with not too difficult matches.   (and yeah, she did managed just fine although a couple of setbacks).  I dont know what Calistas manager planned.  Did he thought Calista had now matured to meet a strong grandmaster, or did he thought it were nice for Calista to meet another good junior??

And Pheetjeeja, whom at this time abandoned Muay and become a boxer...  Pheetjeeja thus did made here a temporary come back. It was visible she didnt no longer care much about what others thought... Why, she was no longer a Muay fighter:   She did climbed in above the ropes!

 

And as Pheetjeejas transition into a boxer was now done and complete, she hardly kicked anything.   She just wore down poor Calista with series of heavy punches... Calista was brave, it was visible she was determined to endure whatever was coming... Whatever the costs...

But after long and severe battering, enough was enough... 

I do admire Calista she did continued and took other difficult matches, becoming even a specialist on Kard Chuek.

Thus.  Well done punching and boxing does pays off in Muay too....   

 

Ps.  Pheetjeeja returned to Muay.  Stronger and better than ever...  She continues her tradition of not using her patented horrible horse kicks against women, but she has become instead a master of elbows...  AND her hard punching, together with her fully mature physical strengh, AND all the technical skills she always had,  makes her a fearsome opponent to any grandmaster.

 

[Should You Take Malaria Pills When Traveling to Thailand?]

ps 1.  The mosquitos I do talk about, are our european ones (and yes, some of them are able to carry malaria.  In historic time malaria wasnt unusual in Europe.   

But I suppose the asian mosquitos species, they dont like garlic them either.

 

ps 2.  Observe, garlic is more or less harmful for cats and dogs.  So we cant use them for defending our pets against ticks...  Perhaps smear some on the collar??

[Should You Take Malaria Pills When Traveling to Thailand?]

There are some home remedies and tricks of repelling biting insects, as mosquitos and bed bugs.  I myself use garlic in capsules; one each day (no taste and no smell).  Takes most biting insects, and also ticks.  Apparently they dont like the smell nor taste,  and dont bite the human whose blood tastes garlic.  Im not saying its a fool sure defence, but perhaps 70- 80%....    I have noticed I get nowadays bitten much less than before.  

If you dare to manage without anti-malaria remedies, so with garlic as addition you should feel pretty safe...

Or you can google on and try some other trick, or a combo.

 

Garlic is also by itself a healthy supplement / food.

[Fighting Consistently and Possibly Taking On Bad Matchups]

On 4/30/2021 at 10:10 PM, Dess said:

Hi guys! Ammy fighter here. I am currently 3-1. I have been actively fighting for 2 years however I find myself becoming frustrated with my lack of fighting consistency. I have had opportunities come my way that would allow me to fight on a regular basis however my coach has disagreed with some of the match ups I have been offered. In one instance he said she was more active than I was, in another he claimed my opponent was tall (she is 6ft, I'm 5'5'') so he wasn't so sure. As an amature I want to get as much experience as possible. I know coaches are their to protect their athletes but in some cases I feel as if I am being held back. I grew up being an athlete so I am use to having a regular season and competing multiple times within a few months. I'm not sure if I am being short sighted in wanting to fight more or not. My last fight was March 20th and I am hoping to fight again by June. I want to get in at least 4-6 fights this year if possible, but at this pace I don't see that happening. Any tips or suggestions on how to not be discouraged when I am constantly training but not allowed to take fight opportunities? Or any advice on how to bring this up to my coach without sounding disrespectful? 

An overprotective coach is a much lesser problem compared with a coach whom doesnt care, whom isnt YOUR ally....  I believe Sylvie has written about this aspect too.   So while you should abandon and flee such an non caring coach and gym,  I do hope its "just" to talk it through honestly and openly with this overprotective coach...   Hopefully you will get a new balance.  If not, you may think on changing gym - hopefully with this coach blessings and advice whom to choose instead.

 

This problem reminds me about another but similiar problem.  Its usually guys telling about sparring with females they dont know well.  Ie, they often do  avoid to sparr women, or take it supereasy on them.  They dont wish to hurt the girls, nor get negative reactions from the girls nor their pals.

There are several different aspects to see this.  Some are entirely legitimate!

As I see it, its because, in the clubs in west, its common many of the women training in Muay clubs, arent wanna be fighters, many are really into fitness. (Or beginners)

So they fitness fighters are often technically decently knowleable, and thus able to do some good sparring, but only as long as its friendly and easy on them...  But they dont wish to risk pains nor hurts...

So a female Muay, whom IS a wanna be fighter, and thus, doesnt mind some rough sparr - yes even WISHES hard tough sparring - must tell about this.  Or even herself challenge these guys or the more advanced female fighters present...

 

To be honest, its not only a guy - female thing, this being overprotective,  even if its the frequently described.   I have seen female fighters, whom by the same reasons avoid to sparr against other women:  the ouches and scared crys begins immediately the beating begins...

 

I think the long term solution is to have some system of labels; essentially:   Im a wanna be fighter; Im OK with serious sparring, even if it hurts some.  Or;  Im a fitness fighter.  Im able to do technically advanced sparring, but it must be on a light and friendly niveu. 

And perhaps equvalents for beginners.

 

The short term solution is, exactly as above, to try and talk with each other.  Talk by mouth, body language, behavior in the gym...

 

Good luck!   

[Reputation and Game Planning]

3 hours ago, Frank_B said:

 How big an impact is the social media documentation on the success itself? I find Sylvie's comments on her own fights fascinating. Her insights open the door to what is actually going on (which as a layman I couldn't see before). I would have to think that doing this not only helps the followers on social media understand what is going on but should be very helpful for Sylvie herself to understand what she is doing well and what not and to improve herself. Basically, she is studying film of every fight. Since she is fighting some women more than once, studying the film of her last encounter must give her a huge advantage over her opponents if they didn't do that. In a couple of these videos Sylvie pointed out that she showed the fights later to her trainers and the former fighters that she is working with and they then gave her advice on what to do. How big of an impact is that? 

Interesting observation, and I myself think, in much a spot on.

Because, its well known among serious students, to have  "learning journals" helps much in learning, in getting the knowledge mature.

And Sylvie together with Kevin does this, and in different forms. In written form, in discussing, in filming.  In talking about it, including these car ride blogs,, inside Sylvie´s  head it surely arouses new insights, and deepens up the knowledge.   And in fighting, obviously.   

Just the talking on the task, none or very little of jolly joking around looking elsewhere.  None or very little of just empty talk.

Showing up the thoughs and films openly adds up in the same direction.  Its as an artist or writer or scientist:  You can paint or write for yourself, and its nice and worthwile.  But the real test, the real insights come, when you publish yourself, make yourself open for kibitzing - and criticizm.

 

Re social media.  There are comments.   I presume some of the comments may even be helpful, and helps to arise or deepen new insights?

 

So this is a campain on many different fronts, more or less coordinated.  Both physically and intellectually, and emotionally too.

 

 

[The god of Muay Thai - Phra Pirap: Where the Real and the Unreal Come Together]

Re Protectors of Muay.

I have noticed, in the crowning ceremony of The King, He was clad all in gold.  But He sat on His trone barefooted and with ankle supports on.

I understand, barefooted may be a ritual, but ankle supports?  So what I think, The King had Muay Thai clothes under all these golden robes.

 

Is it correct? WAS  The King clad in Muay Thai outfit? 

  Is The King  seen as a protector of Muay Thai?

[Looking for gym in cheaper area]

On 9/19/2020 at 3:22 PM, DrunkenMaster said:

I’ve had contact with Rambaa only problem for me is transportation in Pattaya as I have no car or scooter and rambaa is far from anything I’m thinking about hua hin looks really cheap now on Airbnb or Chiang Mai but in Chiang mai I know lanna Muay Thai is great 

As I understand it, its easy and fairly cheap to hire a scooter in Thailand.  Several youtubers had mentioned this.  Hire both for a couple of days or several months.  

Unless, of course, you by any reason cant travel by scooter.  Say, you are uncomfortable with scootering in a city, with the left sided traffic at that.

 

I understand your wish to have your room near the gym, so its just taking a walking max 10 minutes.  But do hire a scooter anyway. It gives you an enourmous freedom if you want to take an afternoon free and go somewhere sight seeing or so.

[Gift for trainers]

How is it, do chokolate melts in Thailands warm climate?  If not, chokolate from your country, or some good chokolate from, say Schweiz or Belgium which are renown for good quality...   Good quality chokolate is healthy - as compared with most typical sweeties.

 

Dark chokolade is healthy by itself.  And 70% isnt  too bitter.   I myself like them.    Is even OK with Keto diet.   And its more manly than a sweet choklade.   

But  90% is quite bitter, so beware.

 

I presume Thailand has its own chokolade brands  (probably in some compostition it doesnt melts easily).  But foreign chokolade will alwasy be seen as something rare, exclusive, even if its not any fancy brand by itself.

 

 

PS.  If the trainer has family, say kids, you can of course instead give these small gifts to the kids and or wife / partner.  The trainer will be pleased!

And thus, you can give a somewhat sweeter chokolade for them, than for a very masculine man.... 

[Gift for trainers]

How is it, do chokolate melts in Thailands warm climate?  If not, chokolate from your country, or some good chokolate from, say Schweiz or Belgium which are renown for good quality...   Good quality chokolate is healthy - as compared with most typical sweeties.

 

Dark chokolade is healthy by itself.  And 70% isnt  too bitter.   I myself like them.    Is even OK with Keto diet.   And its more manly than a sweet choklade.   

But  90% is quite bitter, so beware.

 

I presume Thailand has its own chokolade brands  (probably in some compostition it doesnt melts easily).  But foreign chokolade will alwasy be seen as something rare, exclusive, even if its not any fancy brand by itself.

[Gift for trainers]

Something typical from your country?  Preferably something useful.   

[Child Fighting: Experts fear boxing children risk brain damage]

Re concussions in childrens sports.  It seems there are such dangers in many sports.  Muay, although that violent, is possibly NOT the worst among them.  (my personal impression is Muay has surprisingly low rate of serious damages, but its not scientifically).

 

I shall give ONE example.  Im often watching the sport of european handball, esp the teams in my town. Youth and adults.  the sport is quite popular, and also many girl teams.   I wont say its totally harmless, in almost every match there is somebody whom gets help to get off the plane, and rests a good while laying on the team bench.  But they are cheerfully taking on this.

 

OK, I mailed to a semi-friend,  active in this sport, player, parent, coach for a girls team, also member of directors board in the handball club in my town.  I wanted to tip her about the Lobloo groin guards.  These must be very useful for goal keepers, whom take lotsa of hard shorts into their body.  I mentioned of course, the Lobloo guards is extra excellent for girls and women, but they also do good guards for boys and men.

Swell.  But she responded and told me, their real problem is concussions.  They often fall down, often backwards, and hit the skull into the hard floor.  So there is some concussion almost every match....  And these whom end their carrier early, are often these whom got several concussions.

 

OK, I could help her to find a part solution.  I remembered, its very common ice skating girls use often a broad band on head.  I was always thinking it was a band for keeping the hair in place.  A popular whim in these circles.   Suddenly it dawned on me, it was perhaps  a protective device?  After some googling I found, it was correct. these band are cushioned, and they ARE a protective device, working reasonably efficiently against such falls on the ice  (or floor).

And using them in the handball wouldnt be no big deal. No extra difficulties, just the cost of buying them.  Let perhaps sponsors buy them?!

There are also leight weighs helmets of different construction.  Probably an overkill for the players, but surely useful for the goalies together with these groin guards.  Goalies do get many shots on them.  And also, there is a real danger of them crashing into the woodwork of the goal.  Even jump up into it if they are long or sporty enough...

 

I suppose these, esp the bands, could be used in Muay too, at least in the training and sparring.

 

 

Anyway, this about dangers.  When people are horrified kids in Muay fight without helmets.  The fear is more or less correct.  Even if it can be discussed if the helmets really help, or dishelp??

But its interesting to know, such a dangers are also in other sports, perhaps even really bigger dangers.  Even in such a popular sport seemingly very suitable for girlies,  as the european handball....