LAC2285

I have had a similar problem- I recently moved cities and have had to move from a gym I really love to one which is predominantly an MMA gym (I'm not really a fan of MMA at all). I was worried at first but although it's a very different session now, I still really enjoy it and feel I'm learning a lot. There are aspects of my technique which I feel aren't criticised as much now, so I supplement my training by having a couple of private sessions a month with my old coach, even though it's a four hour round trip for me. If you can afford to have a couple of privates a month I'd recommend it. I know it's kind of frowned upon sometimes to skip between gyms like this, but I've been honest with both my trainers about my reasons so they are all cool with it. It's not me saying their training isn't good enough, it's just a way of getting a different type of training and also touching base with a gym I still feel pretty loyal to and owe a lot to.

I've been wondering about this... I feel like my boxing skills are pretty weak so would like to do more boxing, but as I already struggle keeping my stance wide and have been working on this a lot I'm worried that i would let it slip...

You'll have an awesome time however long you go for- enjoy :)

It seems like a good plan to me :) Presuming the gym you choose has a similar timetable to mine, you should get about 5 hours free between sessions which allows time for exploring (and sleeping!) I arrived on a Saturday which worked really well- I got to spend the evening getting to know everyone over a few drinks without the worry of training the next day, then had the Sunday to acclimatise before starting to train on Monday. I was really worried about the heat, as I'm not so well travelled and used to English weather! But again I was surprised at how quickly I got used to it. I've just noticed your other question too- I actually had never sparred properly before I got out there but they had me sparring within a week. There were lots more people my size (I'm 5'7 and about 65kg) than I was used to at home, and (as I think someone already mentioned) they started me off sparring with trainers or more experienced people who went a little easy on me. This might be an unecessary piece of advice (I know finances/ work get in the way) but if you're uncertain I would recommend staying as long as you possibly can! Once you factor in travel times, jet lag, and then Sundays (presuming the gym you choose has a rest day) the sessions whizz by! I stayed for one month and got a good deal with my gym so it would actually have made more sense financially for me to stay there longer, considering the amount I spent on flights.

Micc- I trained in Thailand earlier this year having only been training twice a week beforehand. During the two months leading up to my arrival in Thailand I had been unwell so had actually not trained at all- not even light exercise- on doctor's orders! Whilst obviously this isn't advisable, I was surprised at how easy I found adapting to a full- on schedule. For the first five days I trained just once a day (two hours each morning) before upping it to two sessions (four hours) a day in the following weeks. I found it benefical easing myself into it rather than going in all guns blazing. A couple of guys at my gym went straight in at four hours a day plus extra cardio and weights etc, and were unable to sustain this beyond a week. I would say take some time to understand what your body can do, rather than risk injury/ exhaustion that could ruin the rest of your trip! Looking back I think I could have achieved more if I'd have been better prepared, but still feel like I trained pretty hard and learned a lot! I am in no way an expert- probably the least experienced person on here- so don't take this as gospel, it's just my experience :) Since I got back I've found it much easier to maintain my training/ exercise regime. I did two hours the evening I stepped off the plane- I was pretty jet lagged but it meant I never lost the momentum I had in Thailand. You will have the time of your life and I'm insanely jealous- enjoy!