Jump to content

Kem Muay Thai Gym Review (3-Month Stay)


Guest

Recommended Posts

Hello all,

So after spending about 3 months at Kem Muay Thai Gym I feel as if I could give a pretty accurate review of what to expect there. Note that this is my personal experience so you might experience some things differently but I hope that this will help you in your gym decision for training in Thailand.

Little background: Prior to leaving I had 6 amateur fights under my belt and had been training for about a little over 3 years, it was also my first time in Thailand. I'm a 23 years old man as well if that can help.. I was there from September to December this year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Camp Overview:

The camp is located in the mountains in Khao-Yai Thiang near Khorat which is pretty much a village, the nearest city is 30 KM I believe.

At the camp you have 2 adults Thais training being Yodwicha and Rungravee PK Saenchai, 3 teenagers (including 1 teenage girl about 14-16 years old), and 2 kids. So other than Yodwicha and Rungravee you will be training mostly with teenagers and kids, most of the guys/fighters you see on the website aren't there anymore. The trainers might also jump in during the sparring sessions sometimes to even out the score. Don't get me wrong those kids and teenagers were technically really skilled (except maybe for the girl who was more average), but if you are a heavy guy it might not be ideal sometimes.

- Training: The training is pretty hard so beware to prepare yourself accordingly before going to avoid suffering too much during your first weeks. They will adapt the training regimen to your level but I recommend running at least 30-45 minutes daily on top of training before going.

1 round at the camp = 4 minutes

Usually 10 push-ups in between rounds of sparring and bag work

Training in the morning: (between 2.5-3 hours including the run and cool down)

  1. 10 KM run in the mountain at 6h00 AM, training officially starts around 7h30 AM for those not running
  2. 3-5 series of 10 pull-ups
  3. 1 round of shadow boxing with weights (1-2 punch going back and forth and speed punching last 30 seconds)
  4. 1 warm-up full shadow boxing round with gloves/shin pads before sparring
  5. 4-6 rounds of sparring which alternates between Muay Thai and Boxing depending of the day
  6. "Double-Kick": 3-5 series of 20 kicks with each leg on pads  (not always)
  7. Bag work (1-2 round boxing on the tires, then 1-2 rounds on the heavy bag, then 1 round of only elbows and/or sometimes 1-2 rounds low kicks)
  8. 200 blocks, 200 knees (sometimes on the bag, sometimes going back and forth with weights), and 100 teeps (push-kicks)
  9. sit-ups (up to you) and again 3-5 series of 10 pull-ups

Training in the afternoon: (between 2-2.5 hours including short run and cool down) - Training starts at 3H00 PM

  1. 2-3 KM run of about 10-15 minutes on a much more flat ground (trust me you will enjoy this)
  2. 10-20 minutes of skipping
  3. 3-5 series of 10 pull-ups
  4. 1 round of shadow boxing with weights again (1-2 punch going back and forth)
  5. 1 warm-up round of full shadow boxing with gloves before pad work
  6. 4-5 rounds of pads which usually consist of 3 rounds Muay Thai and 1 round boxing
  7. Bag work: 1-2 rounds boxing on tires, 2 rounds heavy bag, 1 round elbows, sometimes 1-2 rounds lowkicks
  8. 15-20 minutes clinching followed by 50 push-ups to close the clinch session
  9. 200 blocks, 200 knees, 100 teeps
  10. sit-ups and 3-5 series of 10 pull-ups again

- The Food:  Excellent! I have nothing bad to say about it. Be prepared to eat rice everyday though. We sometimes had pastas to break up the routine but on very few occasions. Even had fries and steak once. I think the food is really the best aspect of this camp.

- Trainers: They are pretty good and know what they are doing. They seem to be each working different aspects of your game, for example one is more cardio-intensive, the other is more playful, etc. When I got there, 3 trainers were at the gym, then 1 left, then 2 others came, so I don't know how many you will see next time you go there.

- General Atmosphere: The atmosphere at the camp is friendly and casual, they try to be as inclusive as they can. Nobody is going to wake you up to go run or come train but they will notify you when it's time to eat and such. While training you are paired with the Thais as much as possible but while eating they eat together and the farangs (foreigners) eat together. The more you show you are dedicated the more they will push you.

-Beautiful Location: The camp is pretty good looking and well maintained. They also have free WiFi and hot water for showers. WiFi is pretty good, but the bathrooms are quite small with the water from the shower splashing on your toilet seat..

-English Level: The English level is really low, as nobody fully speaks English but some do enough to answer your questions and such. If you encounter a real problem then this might become quite a bit of an issue as it will be hard for you to explain your situation to them. You won't be able to have a full and fluid conversation in English with the Thais at the camp but that doesn't stop you from joking around with them.

-Repetitive Training: Although the training is hard, it is a little repetitive at times if you ask me. We did the same exercises day-in and day-out with the only difference being the number of rounds for each one. The training is pretty much oriented on the basics and fundamentals as well. They will make sure you can do a proper jab, a proper kick, and so on.. One thing I didn't like too much as well was the fact for the clinching sessions they were just making you clinch and throwing you on the ground, they weren't really breaking down techniques much. Although this approach has its benefits, I believe taking like 5-10 minutes to properly show a technique would have been a good addition as well.

-Distractions: There aren't many things around the camp except some little mom-n-pop groceries stores. For the short term it's good to help you focus on the training but over some months it can get pretty boring during your off-times. We went out to see fights, which were mainly kids' fights because Yodwicha and Rungravee only do international fights now, but other than that we did quite few activities. You sometimes had to ask to be taken out like when you had to do some shopping at a Tesco Lotus. Being taken out would sometimes come at a cost of 200 baht for the gas depending on who was dropping you off.

-Airport Shuttle and Transportation: For airport pickup/drop-off you pay a 2,400 baht fee (that you can see on their website) which includes both picking you up and dropping you at the airport at the beginning and end of your stay.

If you plan on going by yourself paying your own taxi, you have to tell yourself that Bangkok (I landed at the suvarnabhumi airport) is approximately 3 hours away from the camp and the camp is a little tricky to find. I would say that for your way back you are pretty much dependent on them for a ride, but I guess that if you really wanted to you could take a taxi for when you are on your way in. I believe all people I met at the camp had used the camp ride services, and I did too. \When you are actually at the camp, you are quite dependent on them for transportation as you are on the mountains in a village (cows around and hearing the cock in the morning), I'm pretty sure I've seen some cars but never a taxi pass around the camp.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a separate note, I also had 2 fights at the camp. Won the first one against a chubby Thai who didn't seem to be training/fighting full-time, but as it was my first pro fight without any protection I thought it was ok for a start. I lost the second fight which was on my last week at the camp and this one left me a little bitter because they paired me against a Thai who probably had a minimum of 20-30 fights without warning me at all. The referee stopped the fight in the 4th round as he was dominating me in the clinch. I really don't know why they put me against a guy who had that much experience without letting me know what I was about to face. I was expecting a harder fight than my first one, but not a mismatch like this..

On a final note, I would say that overall it's still a pretty good camp and I guess that I would recommend it but I would suggest to be fit prior to going and maybe to learn a bit of Thai as well to help with the communications. I recommend maybe staying 1-1.5 months maximum for those looking to stay long term as beyond that the lack of distractions and repetitiveness of the training can be harsh to endure.

If anyone has questions or would like me to further expand on some topics, please feel free to reach me.

Regards

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey! Thanks for lengthy review of this gym! Great info! I love reading posts like this :) 

 

 

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you had a mixed experience there - hopefully your next visit to Thailand will be a better fit.

 

Made some modifications to the post as I didn't want to bash them for some personal issues I had with them... It was a pretty good experience that ended slightly on a down note but I want to be objective and not personal on this.

 

Glad you enjoyed the feedback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the charges for rides are relevant to the review. If they did not drive you, what would a taxi have cost for the same trip? Are there many taxis out that way or are you stuck depending on them for rides?

 

When I was in Chiang Rai my trainers drove me several places and did not charge me for the ride (though I added plenty of cash to my envelope at the end of my stay to cover those costs). I also used GrabTaxi several times and paid cash to my drivers.

 

Anyway, everything I've previously read about Kem’s gym mentions free airport shuttle so it’s good to know that may not actually be the case.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the charges for rides are relevant to the review. If they did not drive you, what would a taxi have cost for the same trip? Are there many taxis out that way or are you stuck depending on them for rides?

 

When I was in Chiang Rai my trainers drove me several places and did not charge me for the ride (though I added plenty of cash to my envelope at the end of my stay to cover those costs). I also used GrabTaxi several times and paid cash to my drivers.

 

Anyway, everything I've previously read about Kem’s gym mentions free airport shuttle so it’s good to know that may not actually be the case.

 

*You are right, I edited and added a part in the review for that*

Actually for airport pickup/drop-off you pay a 2,400 baht fee (that you can see on their website) which includes both picking you up and dropping you at the airport at the beginning and end of your camp. Me I chose to stay a few days in Bangkok before leaving back to my country so I asked them to drop me at a hotel near the city instead of the airport. The one driving instead dropped me on a road about 20-25 minutes distance from the hotel and called a taxi for the rest of the drive. I did get money for the taxi though..

For the taxi fare question, you have to tell yourself that Bangkok (I landed at the suvarnabhumi airport) is approximately 3 hours away from the camp and the camp is a little tricky to find. I would say that for your way back you are pretty much dependent on them for a ride, but I guess that if you really wanted to you could take a taxi for when you are on your way in. I believe all people I met at the camp had used the camp ride services, me included. For transportation when you are actually at the camp, you are quite dependent on them as you are on the mountains in a village (cows around and hearing the cock in the morning), I'm pretty sure I've seen some cars but never a taxi pass around the camp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a really good review: informative and as impartial as a review can be. Brilliant. I'd feel quite confident going anywhere you recommended as a result. Thanks!

 

Thanks glad you liked it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great, detailed review. Sylvie hasn't been training full time in many gyms, but the lack of clinch instruction, technically, is pretty common I believe. This is how the Thais learn. You get thrown, and thrown, and thrown, and locked and locked and locked, and you figure out it. It's a very difficult way to learn in the short term, but it's how they all learn. Also, the repetitive training on basics is also very Thai. Even very advanced fighters train heavily in the basics. Again, how they all learn. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great, detailed review. Sylvie hasn't been training full time in many gyms, but the lack of clinch instruction, technically, is pretty common I believe. This is how the Thais learn. You get thrown, and thrown, and thrown, and locked and locked and locked, and you figure out it. It's a very difficult way to learn in the short term, but it's how they all learn. Also, the repetitive training on basics is also very Thai. Even very advanced fighters train heavily in the basics. Again, how they all learn. 

 

I see, maybe I had some misconceptions about what to expect there as it was my first time in Thailand..

 

Anyhow, Glad you liked the review!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Sounds like you got an "authentic" experience lol. Awesome review, I considered going here but the price just couldn't be justified. It's ludicrously high in my opinion. So many gyms trying to make money off the name of a couple resident fighters, seems like they might have added themselves to that list or are getting dangerously close to that territory. I'd imagine this is a pretty advanced gym to attend from a cultural standpoint, likely difficult for anyone who hasn't spent some time in Thailand.

 

The taxi/shuttle scenario seems pretty messed up, doesn't seem like they care a lot. No offense, but I'm wondering if the personal issues you had with them played into that in anyway? It's easy to make a misstep in culture here, especially your first time in Thailand. It's quite possible they just didn't give a shit though and would do this with any foreigner who is done training there. Seems like once you stop paying they stop caring which isn't what I want out of a gym.

 

I guess the biggest question I have is... would you go back?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like you got an "authentic" experience lol. Awesome review, I considered going here but the price just couldn't be justified. It's ludicrously high in my opinion. So many gyms trying to make money off the name of a couple resident fighters, seems like they might have added themselves to that list or are getting dangerously close to that territory. I'd imagine this is a pretty advanced gym to attend from a cultural standpoint, likely difficult for anyone who hasn't spent some time in Thailand.

 

The taxi/shuttle scenario seems pretty messed up, doesn't seem like they care a lot. No offense, but I'm wondering if the personal issues you had with them played into that in anyway? It's easy to make a misstep in culture here, especially your first time in Thailand. It's quite possible they just didn't give a shit though and would do this with any foreigner who is done training there. Seems like once you stop paying they stop caring which isn't what I want out of a gym.

 

I guess the biggest question I have is... would you go back?

 

wow, a lot of negative assumptions there Tyler. "trying to make money off a couple of big names", "don't give a shit", etc. Hmmm. Tough to be saying these things from afar, never having met these people. The price for instance, last I checked, was pretty commensurate with Sangtennoi's gym, which is a grade A gym as well, also in a rural setting (if I remember the pricing correctly). Kem isn't just a "big name", he actively runs the training with a very close eye. He was extremely present the few times we've trained there, bringing exactness and toughness to the sessions. Yodwicha isn't just a "big name", he was incredibly generous clinching with Sylvie (huge size difference) patiently teaching his techniques to her. I've never seen a superstar be more generous, more patient. I understand we all can make broad judgements about Thais, from afar, based on our past experiences with others, but we always found Kem and his team to be authentic as persons. If I had to pick one gym that Sylvie would train at for an upcoming fight for a month, Kem's would probably be one of 3 I can think of in all of Thailand. This isn't to say that the gym might not have it's ups and downs, all gyms do, but they've been pretty awesome with us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow, a lot of negative assumptions there Tyler. "trying to make money off a couple of big names", "don't give a shit", etc. Hmmm. Tough to be saying these things from afar, never having met these people. The price for instance, last I checked, was pretty commensurate with Sangtennoi's gym, which is a grade A gym as well, also in a rural setting (if I remember the pricing correctly). Kem isn't just a "big name", he actively runs the training with a very close eye. He was extremely present the few times we've trained there, bringing exactness and toughness to the sessions. Yodwicha isn't just a "big name", he was incredibly generous clinching with Sylvie (huge size difference) patiently teaching his techniques to her. I've never seen a superstar be more generous, more patient. I understand we all can make broad judgements about Thais, from afar, based on our past experiences with others, but we always found Kem and his team to be authentic as persons. If I had to pick one gym that Sylvie would train at for an upcoming fight for a month, Kem's would probably be one of 3 I can think of in all of Thailand. This isn't to say that the gym might not have it's ups and downs, all gyms do, but they've been pretty awesome with us.

Fair enough Kevin. I was speaking more to the big name tourist gyms I have heard stories of than this gym particularly, though the review didn't sound like he had a great time or was especially well looked after. That's why I asked if he would go back. He also said the trainers changed out during the short time he was there, that leads me to believe they aren't taking great care of the trainers either or it's not being tightly managed. It's easy to set a repetitive schedule and have trainer's follow itnmindlessly day in and day out. Gym prices have jumped in the last few years, but I find 40,000+ baht to be incredibly high for a month of training and housing when many quality gyms can be found in BKK, Chiang Mai, or Hua Hin for half that price. I haven't been out there so I can't judge, I'm only going off a single persons experience. In all honesty it sounds like a gym I would really enjoy, but also sounds pretty rough for a first time stay in Thailand.

 

Edit: Also, you've gotta remember that if you show up with Sylvie and camera equipment it's quite possible you are going to receive different treatment than random Canadian guy. Not saying that's a factor, just that it's a possibility. Maybe I read this all wrong and he had a great time, but seemed like there were some bumps. As I mentioned though, that might also be due to a cultural misunderstanding between him and the gym or a perceived slight which caused them to treat him differently than other students/gym members.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fair enough Kevin. I was speaking more to the big name tourist gyms I have heard stories of than this gym particularly, though the review didn't sound like he had a great time or was especially well looked after. That's why I asked if he would go back. He also said the trainers changed out during the short time he was there, that leads me to believe they aren't taking great care of the trainers either or it's not being tightly managed. It's easy to set a repetitive schedule and have trainer's follow itnmindlessly day in and day out. Gym prices have jumped in the last few years, but I find 40,000+ baht to be incredibly high for a month of training and housing when many quality gyms can be found in BKK, Chiang Mai, or Hua Hin for half that price. I haven't been out there so I can't judge, I'm only going off a single persons experience. In all honesty it sounds like a gym I would really enjoy, but also sounds pretty rough for a first time stay in Thailand.

 

Edit: Also, you've gotta remember that if you show up with Sylvie and camera equipment it's quite possible you are going to receive different treatment than random Canadian guy. Not saying that's a factor, just that it's a possibility. Maybe I read this all wrong and he had a great time, but seemed like there were some bumps. As I mentioned though, that might also be due to a cultural misunderstanding between him and the gym or a perceived slight which caused them to treat him differently than other students/gym members.

 

I guess it is natural on the internet to extrapolate from very little information. I just try to restrain from making broad negative judgements from afar. Like in the above, the idea that they aren't taking care of their trainers is kind of absurd, and based on basically nothing. Kru Dam and Bernueng there have been with the gym for ages, and are insanely skilled. It could be that they are having problems with their trainers, but in a fighting gym itinerant trainers are also pretty common, there is always a halo of cycling trainers outside core trainers. It's hard to say which it is. As to the idea that gyms somehow snap into their best behavior when Sylvie shows up this really isn't how it is. Most gyms know very little about Sylvie or what she is, if at all. Her own gym, Petchrungruang where she has been for 4 years, hardly has a real clue about how well-known she is, or whatever her website is - if you can believe that - and don't really care about it. Any "fighting" gym really doesn't think that much about these things. What they do respond to is that she trains like hell, is really knowledgeable, is skilled and speaks Thai, they definitely changes the dynamic, but we also watch how others are treated and what the training is like. I'm not sure where you got the idea that this was some kind of big tourist gym. That's not the feeling I had at all. It's a fighters gym as far as I can tell. Kem is a huge gambler, and loves the game. I can also say that the way the gym treated us when we walked into a festival fight with no corner, and stumbled upon their mat, was nothing short of memorable. They took Sylvie right in and treated her like their fighter at a moment's notice (festival situations can be very political). It said a lot to us how they absorbed her right away into their family of fighters.

I'll agree that it is probably a very steep learning curve for a first time in Thailand, but some people like that. Some people are adventurous. Price isn't everything. If you are on a shoestring budget this isn't the place for you. But this is a gorgeous gym in an incredible setting with a very tough training regime. You can't really compare this gym to a Chiang Mai or Hua Hin gym, which are actually tourist gyms, that is, the reason they exist is to serve tourists. This is a fighting gym, or at least it was when we were there. There are gyms that exist in order to serve tourists, and there are gyms that exist to develop Thais, and use tourist dollars to supplement their fighter development, that's the pleasure of the gym. The good ones, like this, then allow the tourists to integrate with the "real" gym. That's the feeling we had when we were there. It's not easy to integrate if you aren't the focus, and gyms go through bad periods, sometimes for a long time, but the chance to get to be close to the "real" business of Muay Thai is kind of irreplaceable. You aren't the boss because you are a customer. When you aren't the boss because you are a customer you can have a hard time finding your spot in the system. The only way in is through work and attitude. It can leave you with mixed feelings. You don't feel valued sometimes, or left out.

As a sidenote, and really, this is going off our short visits to the gym, the clinch focus at this gym was some of the best we'd encountered in Thailand. This not a small thing. Nobody knows how to clinch in the west, more or less. When you come to Thailand you want to clinch. So few "tourist" gyms focus on clinch in the Thai way. You need to work against Thais, you need lots of hours in the ring. It's the only way to learn the balance. It's not really imitate-able. Again, the gym might have changed, but this was one of the few gyms we've encountered which was very clinch focused in the real kaimuay sense.

Hey, it's up on a mountain. It's been running for a while. Things can get into a rut. I don't know. But I think it a big mistake to impune Kem with some pretty harsh assumptions, that he doesn't give a shit about westerners in his gym, or his trainers. Those are some kind of hardcore things to toss out there, even as "maybes" from very little information. I know you had a lot of time at Master Toddy's, at least from our experience there is no gym we've ever seen like Master Toddy's (though some of the dynamics we've seen). This isn't like Master Toddy's gym.

I'm not going to say that this is an easy gym to go to, but it has some elements that are very hard to find in Thailand and that are worth experiencing. This is one of the most interesting questions about coming to Thailand to train. How much do you need to be the focus (in a customer experience way), and how much do you need to submit to a "real" kaimuay dynamic (which means you aren't the focus, and really, that you aren't very important)? There are gyms that take advantage of this differential and just offer shit training, but it doesn't really sound by his description that this is what was happening. Honestly, I thought this was a great review of a mixed experience. It didn't sound like he was miserable, but more like there were things that bothered him a little.

Take this:

-Repetitive Training: Although the training is hard, it is a little repetitive at times if you ask me. We did the same exercises day-in and day-out with the only difference being the number of rounds for each one. The training is pretty much oriented on the basics and fundamentals as well. They will make sure you can do a proper jab, a proper kick, and so on.. One thing I didn't like too much as well was the fact for the clinching sessions they were just making you clinch and throwing you on the ground, they weren't really breaking down techniques much. Although this approach has its benefits, I believe taking like 5-10 minutes to properly show a technique would have been a good addition as well.

This is actually REAL Thai training. You are experiencing exactly how Thais learn. Lots, and lots and lots of repetition with lots and lots of focus on the basics. You do innumerable rounds on the bag or pads. To be honest about it, this is not that far from some "wax on, wax off" Kung Fu shit. Something deeper is being instructed than you realize. And yes, exactly that, in clinch you get dumped on the ground endlessly. This is how Thais build fighters. It takes a really long time, but this is it. Learning clinch for instance, and looking for technique breakdowns (I understand how someone would want this, but it isn't how it is done) would be like trying to learn "surfing breakdowns" and not wanting to fall off the board. For Thais you just get on the board and try to keep on it, again and again. It can be very frustrating, and feel like you are being abused, but once you give into it (stop being the customer) and start relying on yourself to solve the problem, you start to grow in a deep way. You haven't "learned" a trick, externally, you develop it. You watch others, you experiment. You solve. This is how it is done. For a long time Sylvie was clinching with Bank, her own gym's owner's son, who had an incredible lock. He would just very painfully lock her. He wouldn't even knee really. He would just crush her. It didn't feel nice at all. Eventually she just had to solve it. She learned that she couldn't really get out of the lock so she had to learn how to defeat the move before it locked in. It took a long time, maybe months, but she learned. It would have been a very different experience if she was just shown the "counter" and drilled it over and over in a class like situation against a westerner. It's a very different kind of knowledge that she has now. This is how technique is taught in kaimuay situations. High repetition, lots of problem solving. The point is that something that disappointed the reviewer (and I get it, you want to be shown) is actually coming in contact with "real" Muay Thai. And, there is something very valuable in that. The problem is, this kind of process takes a long time. And, it feels a little uncaring. It's a form of immersion. It would be like learning a language by just having people talk at you. You learn nothing at all for a while, but then as you get your feet, you learn much more deeply. By letting westerners into this training approach the gym is actually generous. It's not distorting it's culture of what Muay Thai is to accommodate you. You are able to get in touch with real Muay Thai. Now, whether this is of value to you in a 1 month or 3 month trip is a different story. Sure, you can pop on down to Hua Hin, hang on the beach a little, learn 3 counter moves and 2 trips, practice them all the time, and come home to your home gym and kick people's ass who don't know those moves. Totally. But that isn't really Muay Thai, in the Thai process. People come to Thailand hoping to get the "hack", the short cut to real techniques. It's the home of techniques, but the nature of how Muay Thai is traditionally taught is the opposite. It's slow. That's why you kind of have to decide in a real sense how much you need to be the focus, and how much you want to feel real Muay Thai processes, and find a gym that is on the spectrum in the right place for you. This is one of the most important questions to answer when coming to train in the country.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well said, and I totally agree it is a great review of a mixed experience. Really it may not sound like it from a what I have written thus far, but this sounds like a gym I would really enjoy. It wasn't my intention to shit on them in anyway, just worried they were turning into what so many other gyms here have turned into. This is actually the gym I had planned on going to when I came out initially for this trip. I also plan on being out here long term though, have put time into learning the language, don't mind being beaten on (dumped endlessly), or mentally killed via repetition. Everyone comes out for different reasons though and not everyone wants to learn the Thai way or about Thai culture (unfortunately). Master Toddy's was great for someone who had never stepped in a gym before (me) or who was brand new to Thailand (me), but I didn't really learn anything after about six months to be honest. It's not a gym I recommend to anyone serious about fighting. Definitely not a "Thai/Isaan" style gym.

 

On a random side note, I would like to again compliment your writing abilities lol. Fantastic and a pleasure to read as always. Both of you are quite talented with verbal imagery.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Fair enough Kevin. I was speaking more to the big name tourist gyms I have heard stories of than this gym particularly, though the review didn't sound like he had a great time or was especially well looked after. That's why I asked if he would go back. He also said the trainers changed out during the short time he was there, that leads me to believe they aren't taking great care of the trainers either or it's not being tightly managed. It's easy to set a repetitive schedule and have trainer's follow itnmindlessly day in and day out. Gym prices have jumped in the last few years, but I find 40,000+ baht to be incredibly high for a month of training and housing when many quality gyms can be found in BKK, Chiang Mai, or Hua Hin for half that price. I haven't been out there so I can't judge, I'm only going off a single persons experience. In all honesty it sounds like a gym I would really enjoy, but also sounds pretty rough for a first time stay in Thailand.

 

Edit: Also, you've gotta remember that if you show up with Sylvie and camera equipment it's quite possible you are going to receive different treatment than random Canadian guy. Not saying that's a factor, just that it's a possibility. Maybe I read this all wrong and he had a great time, but seemed like there were some bumps. As I mentioned though, that might also be due to a cultural misunderstanding between him and the gym or a perceived slight which caused them to treat him differently than other students/gym members.

 

Hello Tyler,

Sorry for the late reply, these mails are now ending up in my spam folder, which I almost always automatically delete/never check.

To answer your question, I would probably go back and not at the same time. I would go back because it is a good gym and the training is hard and the food is excellent. Kem does take care of you and makes sure to supervise the training and even participate (holding pads, sparring) sometimes. Kru Dam and Bernueng are the two veterans in terms of trainers and have been there for years, but the others change a bit. That said, all the trainers that were there were really skilled and took care of you and made sure to check your game on different aspects. I've noticed a big progression when I came back to Canada after my staying there, especially my kicks.

My issues with them are really subjective and probably won't happen to you if that is your concern. It was partly them (reacting a bit offensively when I got a skin infection at their gym) and partly me having a negative attitude after losing my last fight agains't a guy that was way beyond my skill level without me expecting it and them telling me, but I've figured out that this is the Thai way to learn as well (much after unfortunately). 

If I wouldn't go back, it would be just to try something different and experience a new gym because I like to try new things.

So I do recommend the gym overall, but maybe not for a long stay (3 months) like I did, because it might get pretty repetitive/boring after a while. Unless you are a committed pro fighter that really want to take your game to another level, then ok go for it. 

For the camera stuff, well I did notice that they were a bit more instructive for the clinching part when doing the videos than during the actual training but other than that, they do take care of you and your progression. 

Hopefully I've answered your questions and clarified your doubts.

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

(Since there are already two topics about this gym, I don't know if I should open a new one. So I will just post my question here,. If that's not fine, feel free to delete/move the post :) )

Reading about gym reviews, here and at other forums/websites, I was wondering about what people think of training for a short period (one week) at such a gym. Last year, I went for a week with my trainer, and a couple of other people, at our "sister gym" in Bangkok. It was fun, and I definitely enjoyed it. This year, we are going again, but I am keen to go a week earlier to try something on my own. Kem's gym looks like a great place, and two of my favourites fighters train there! I would love to stick somewhere for more than a month, but my current job makes it difficult...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

(Since there are already two topics about this gym, I don't know if I should open a new one. So I will just post my question here,. If that's not fine, feel free to delete/move the post :) )

Reading about gym reviews, here and at other forums/websites, I was wondering about what people think of training for a short period (one week) at such a gym. Last year, I went for a week with my trainer, and a couple of other people, at our "sister gym" in Bangkok. It was fun, and I definitely enjoyed it. This year, we are going again, but I am keen to go a week earlier to try something on my own. Kem's gym looks like a great place, and two of my favourites fighters train there! I would love to stick somewhere for more than a month, but my current job makes it difficult...

 

The only real risk with training at a hard training gym like Kem's for a shorter period of time is that of acclimation. It might take you a few days to settle in physically. But Sylvie who is always in fight shape trained there for only a day, and loved it. I would just say that you should try to get your running up, and be ready to be tired.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only real risk with training at a hard training gym like Kem's for a shorter period of time is that of acclimation. It might take you a few days to settle in physically. But Sylvie who is always in fight shape trained there for only a day, and loved it. I would just say that you should try to get your running up, and be ready to be tired.

 

Thanks for your opinion. Well, I will try to get in touch with them, and we will see how it goes. Regardless of where I go, I will give my feedback on the forum in a near-future.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Most Recent Topics

  • Latest Comments

    • Some of my thoughts on the weigh-in change, and how it reflects back onto deeper aspects of how Thailand's Muay Thai is fought, in this Reddit thread: Recently announced. This should produce much bigger weight differences in the ring, move towards even more power and forward aggression combination fighting, and the diminishment of skilled (femeu) fighting (the longtime hallmark of Thailand's art and sport), and should favor farang who are larger bodied and often more versed in Western style day-before, deeper cut weight drops. It also seems like it will put a greater burden on small kaimuay and provincial fighters, as they would have to come to Bangkok the day before a fight, increasing fight expenses when often its hard to even break even on fights (perhaps there will be some support?). For the longest time day-of weigh-ins were the standard of legit matchup Thai trad fighting. Silently this change could have long lasting effects. and As I mention above (here) there are some aspects about Thai traditional scoring that also keep deep weight cutting in check (these are things people are also trying to change to a more Western style). Thais can cut the way that they do, same day, in part because of how the sport is fought and judged. You just can't cut too deep and still win. Also, Thai trad weight cutting is very different. It's not about making huge plunges close to the fight. It's incrementally getting closer to the weight, with its own science and knowledge. and It's a National PAT (SAT) rule change. It's supposed to cover all Muay Thai, part of a "Grassroots to International" effort. Entertainment Muay Thai was already headed there, or there, so this most dramatically effects traditional stadium Muay Thai in Bangkok I imagine, and major trad promotions. Enforcement of rules in Thailand is quite varied, so I imagine it pragmatically has little to do with trad fighting in the provinces (?) unless a part of the new gov outreach there. (just guessing). Have no idea what it means for fighting in tourist centers like Phuket or Chiang Mai. and Some of deep weight cutting was constrained by two things in trad day-of fighting. The first was because you were fighting later that day you were really limited in how far you could effectively go...but the second hidden aspect is that because trad scoring aesthetics have of a lot of subtle by important aspects to them (ie, they aren't entirely about "points" or "damage" but involve things like "ruup" [posture] and balance), you couldn't really go into the ring very depleted...your ruup and just your substance as a fighter would be down-scored. This was even more reinforced by Thai narrative scoring aesthetics (which a lot of Westerners get upset about). If you FADE in a fight you are penalized, because the fight has an arc to it. You have to be strong in round 4 or you just won't win. This, combined with the same day weigh-in, created a natural barrier for how low you could go. You have to have stamina. You can't artificially pad your lead with early rounds point wins, and coast in the 4th. One of things people don't realize is that if you chop away at the narrative scoring structure (the new rules start heading in this direction), and at trad scoring aesthetics AND add deeper weight cuts, this produces a huge swing which could be dangerous. They are mixing Thai and Western protocols and also Thai and Western fighting aesthetics in ways that I think haven't been completely thought about. Thai practices developed over many decades within their own sport. and Longtime Thais have a very precise understanding of how to cut weight in the trad scene, day-of weigh-in, trad scoring aesthetics. Western weight cutting, and weight cutting competition trends will start to seep in. This is pretty dangerous in my view, because knowledge of how to do the deeper cuts will communicate itself very unevenly. Already there is a lot of pseudo "Sports Science" stuff floating around Thailand, often via lightly qualified farang who offer themselves as advisors or coaches. Lots of Thais will end up having partial or just plain mis- information about how to cut in a Western fashion. Add in the common use of diuretics which amplifies issues. The Western cut is very different than the Thai cut. And mixing the two, or moving back and forth between them could be dangerous. Doing a Thai cut with a Water loading cut or a sodium loading cut, or deep Albolene sweat, who knows what can happen. At least IVs (which are very popular in Thailand) are plentiful, but still, there is danger here. Once pieces of information start entering the culture they can become a game of telephone. Spread this out over an entire sport and its asking for risks. and I suspect that one of the main reasons for this is actually economic...that is as Thailand's labor pool for fighters shrinks its harder to fill the many cards. This rule change means that a wider group of fighters are available for any particular match. Matchmakers are less constrained. Also, it happens to serve folding larger-bodied Westerners into the trad market...ie, they can fight much smaller Thais. This helps with the labor market some (more fighters to choose from), and also helps with Soft Power (selling the sport abroad). More Westerners fighting, and more Western winners (probably more Westerner belt holders as well). It really addresses in the short term several pragmatic issues, and it seems like its a government ambition to kind of codify all of Muay Thai, so that it can export the sport more readily, which is unfortunate because much of the sport's uniqueness and ultimate marketability in a deeper sense, relies on its uncodified, un-rationalized nature. I also am not sure if it just leads to everyone then using the same weight cutting practices, as for instance happens in Internationalized sports, because as I have mentioned in other comments, Thai cuts are very different than Western cuts, and the way that knowledge and practices disseminate in Thailand really is uneven. It's much more likely that Westerners will just hold a significant advantage, as will big Westernized or Western-informed Thai gyms (who already have large political advantages in the sport), and the smaller gyms and provincial fighters will not be able to play the same weight cutting game, and may even be led into dangerous hybrid or misinformed practices.
    • Well, the PAT announced 24-30 hr weigh-in, a huge change the sport. Get ready for tons of weight bullying (including bigger farang fighting small Thais in trad stadium fights). Basically for all practical reasons all weight classes have been expanded. This is in part in relationship to the labor crisis mentioned above, the capacity to draw from a wider range of fighters to fill cards. Trad Muay Thai will likely have greater skill disparities (shrinking talent pools) and now more massive size differences, as well as drawing in more farang who will become part of this solution. This will also likely mean more farang stadium/promotion belts in trad fighting. Of course laws in Thailand are unevenly forced, so there could be major hiccups in implementation, including a significant problem that fighters now have to come to Bangkok the day before, which means even greater costs to fight...which could ALSO shrink the fighter pool. Already many gyms, small kaimuay, have difficulty even breaking even in Bangkok fighting expenses. Will outlying fighters be able to regularly afford to come to fight in Bangkok, especially in a scene that favors the political power of major Bangkok gyms (they can't dependably recoup their expense by betting on their fighters).  These changes could have a massive stylistic impact on Thailand's trad Muay Thai over time, as it gives even more advantage to size and power. Saenchai was famous for his criticism of the loss of femeu fighting after he left the trad stadium scene, because large-bodied power clinch fighters (who he had some trouble with) had become the gambler's favorite. With the even greater increase in size differential now, and the influence of more smashing and clashing fighting styles of Entertainment Muay Thai, it stands to reason that power will become even more effective over femeu skill than ever before. In the Golden Age there were fairly substantial size differences, but the technical skill level of fighters was such - and the trad artful scoring bias in favor of - that small fighters like Karuhat and many others could handle 2 or more weight class (in the ring) differences. This high level of the art just really is missing in this era, and scoring biases are shifting toward the power aesthetic. Trad Muay Thai may become much more combo-heavy smashy with the big man coming out on top. 
    • Some notes on the predividual (from Simondon), from a side conversation I've been having, specifically about how Philosophies of Immanence, because they tend to flatten causation, have lost the sense of debt or respect to that which has made you. One of the interesting questions in the ethical dimension, once we move away from representationalist thinking, is our relationship to causation.   In Spinoza there is a certain implicit reverence for that to which you are immanent to. That which gave "birth" to you and your individuation. The "crystal" would be reverent to the superstaturated solution and the germ (and I guess, the beaker). This is an ancient thought.   Once we introduce concepts of novelness, and its valorization, along with notions of various breaks and revolutions, this sense of reverence is diminished, if not outright eliminated. "I" (or whatever superject of what I am doing) am novel, I break from from that which I come from. Every "new" thing is a revolution, of a kind. No longer is a new thing an expression of its preindividual, in the ethical/moral sense.   Sometimes there are turns, like in DnG, where there is a sort of vitalism of a sacred. I'm not an expression of a particular preindividual, but rather an expression of Becoming..a becoming that is forever being held back by what has already become. And perhaps there is some value in this spiritualization. It's in Hegel for sure. But, what is missing, I believe, is the respect for one's actual preindividual, the very things that materially and historically made "you" (however qualified)...   I think this is where Spinoza's concept of immanent cause and its ethical traction is really interesting. Yes, he forever seems to be reaching beyond his moment in history into an Eternity, but because we are always coming out of something, expressing something, we have a certain debt to that. Concepts of revolution or valorized novelty really undercut this notion of debt, which is a very old human concept which probably has animated much of human culture.   And, you can see this notion of immanent debt in Ecological thought. It still is there.   The ecosystem is what gave birth to you, you have debt to it. Of course we have this sense with children and parents, echo'd there.   But...as Deleuze (and maybe Simondon?) flatten out causation, the crystal just comes out of metastable soup. It is standing there sui generis. It is forever in folds of becoming and assemblages, to be sure, but I think the sense of hierarchy and debt becomes obscured. We are "progressing" from the "primitive".   This may be a good thing, but I suspect that its not.   I do appreciate how you focus on that you cannot just presume the "individual", and that this points to the preindividual. Yes...but is there not a hierarchy of the preindividual that has been effaced, the loss of an ethos.   I think we get something of this in the notion of the mute and the dumb preindividual, which culminates in the human, thinking, speaking, acting individuation. A certain teleology that is somehow complicit, even in non-teleological pictures.   I think this all can boil down to one question: Do we have debt to what we come from?   ...and, if so, what is the nature of that debt?   I think Philosophies of Immanence kind of struggle with this question, because they have reframed.   ...and some of this is the Cult of the New. 3:01 PM Today at 4:56 AM   Hmmmm yeah. Important to be in the middle ground here I suspect. Enabled by the past, not determined by it. Of course inheritance is rather a big deal in evolutionary thought - the bequest of the lineage, as I often put it. This can be overdone, just as a sense of Progress in evolution can be overdone - sometimes we need to escape our past, sometimes we need to recover it, revere it, re-present it. As always, things must be nuanced, the middle ground must be occupied. 4:56 AM   Yes...but I think there is a sense of debt, or possibly reverence, that is missing. You can have a sense of debt or reverence and NOT be reactive, and bring change. Just as a Native American Indian can have reverence for a deer he kills, a debt. You can kill your past, what you have come from, what you are an expression of...but, in a deep way.   Instead "progress" is seen as breaking from, erasing, denying. Radical departure.   The very concept of "the new" holds this.   this sense of rupture.   And pictures of "Becoming" are often pictures of constant rupture.   new, new, new, new, new, new...   ...with obvious parallels in commodification, iterations of the iphone, etc.   In my view, this means that the debt to the preindividual should be substantive. And the art of creating individuation means the art of creating preindividuals. DnG get some of this with their concept of the BwOs.   They are creating a preindividual.   But the sense of debt is really missing from almost all Immanence Philosophy.   The preindividual becomes something like "soup" or intensities, or molecular bouncings.   Nothing really that you would have debt to. 12:54 PM   Fantasies of rupture and "new" are exactly what bring the shadow in its various avatars with you, unconsciously.     This lack of respect or debt to the preindividual also has vast consequences for some of Simondon's own imaginations. He pictures "trade" or "craft" knowledge as that of a childhood of a kind, and is quite good in this. And...he imagines that it can become synthesized with his abstracted "encyclopedic" knowledge (Hegel, again)...but this would only work, he adds, if the child is added back in...because the child (and childhood apprenticeships) were core to the original craft knowledge. But...you can't just "add children" to the new synthesis, because what made craft knowledge so deep and intense was the very predindividual that created it (the entire social matrix, of Smithing, or hunting, or shepherding)...if you have altered that social matrix, that "preindividual" for knowledge, you have radically altered what can even be known...even though you have supplemented with abstract encyclopedic knowledge. This is something that Muay Thai faces today. The "preindividual" has been lost, and no amount of abstraction, and no about of "teaching children" (without the original preindividual) will result in the same capacities. In short, there is no "progressive" escalation of knowledge. Now, not everything more many things are like a fighting art, Muay Thai...but, the absence of the respect and debt to preindividuality still shows itself across knowledge. There are trends of course trying to harness creativity, many of which amount to kind of trying to workshop preindividuality, horizontal buisness plan and build structures, ways of setting up desks or lounge chairs, its endless. But...you can't really "engineer" knowledge in this way...at least not in the way that you are intending to. The preindividual comes out of the culture in an organic way, when we are attending to the kinds of deeper knowledge efficacies we sometimes reach for.
  • The Latest From Open Topics Forum

    • Hi all, Does anyone know of any suppliers for blanks (Plain items to design and print a logo on) that are a good quality? Or put me in the right direction? thanks all  
    • The first fight between Poot Lorlek and Posai Sittiboonlert was recently uploaded to youtube. Posai is one of the earliest great Muay Khao fighters and influential to Dieselnoi, but there's very little footage of him. Poot is one of the GOATs and one of Posai's best wins, it's really cool to see how Posai's style looked against another elite fighter.
    • Yeah, this is certainly possible. Thanks! I just like the idea of a training camp pre-fight because of focus and getting more "locked in".. Do you know of any high level gyms in europe you would recommend? 
    • You could just pick a high-level gym in a European city, just live and train there for however long you want (a month?). Lots of gyms have morning and evening classes.
    • Hi, i have a general question concerning Muay-Thai training camps, are there any serious ones in Europe at all? I know there are some for kickboxing in the Netherlands, but that's not interesting to me or what i aim for. I have found some regarding Muay-Thai in google searches, but what iv'e found seem to be only "retreats" with Muay-Thai on a level compareable to fitness-boxing, yoga or mindfullness.. So what i look for, but can't seem to find anywhere, are camps similar to those in Thailand. Grueling, high-intensity workouts with trainers who have actually fought and don't just do this as a hobby/fitness regime. A place where you can actually grow, improve technique and build strength and gas-tank with high intensity, not a vacation... No hate whatsoever to those who do fitness-boxing and attend retreats like these, i just find it VERY ODD that there ain't any training camps like those in Thailand out there, or perhaps i haven't looked good enough?..  Appericiate all responses, thank you! 
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      1.4k
    • Total Posts
      11.5k
×
×
  • Create New...