| How To Beat the Credit Crunch: With your Fists, | | | | start training at a very early age, I have seen 6 year |
| Knees and 6 other Muay Thai Weapons! | | | | olds go at it in the ring. This national love of the sport |
| It was a cold dark night in September when David | | | | translates to the training very well, whether you are a |
| Cook finally succumbed to a long burning desire. | | | | “farang” (Thai word for Western) or Thai |
| Fuelled by a combination of his interest in the Thai | | | | national. They are so passionate about the sport that |
| national sport: Muay Thai, abysmal UK weather and his | | | | even if you are inexperienced, yet show desire or |
| repetitive job and lifestyle: he decided to get away | | | | interest to learn, they embrace you and will give you |
| from it all for a while, to have a short career break and | | | | the training of your life! |
| learn Muay Thai . He wanted to become a better | | | | The instructors language skills were not great, but it |
| fighter, and at the same time have a decent break on | | | | really did not affect their performance, their enthusiasm |
| a paradise isle in Thailand: The land of a thousand | | | | was infectious, and you always knew what they |
| smiles, where it is always hot, the beaches are idyllic, | | | | wanted you to do. Also there are many westerners |
| the food fragrant, healthy and stupidly cheap. | | | | on the island, dive instructors and other nationalities |
| Taking advantage of a new gap year provider ’s | | | | living and training there, so you meet lots of people and |
| (Xtreme Gap) Muay Thai program he set off for 2 | | | | make new friends, you never feel that you are alone in |
| months to the motherland of Muay Thai. We caught | | | | a foreign country. |
| up with him after his trip, looking brown and smug to | | | | What did the training actually involve? |
| find out a little bit about his experiences and what it | | | | Every day in the early morning hours, when it is was |
| was like… | | | | not too hot, we would start. The training consisted of |
| MIA: “So tell us about what made you decide to set | | | | skipping rope and shadow boxing, bag work, and then |
| off on this adventure?” | | | | 3-5 minutes of punching, kicking, kneeing and elbowing |
| Dave: I have been training in Muay Thai for a couple of | | | | a kick bag. Pad training with the Thai Trainers – |
| years at a couple of different clubs, so it has always | | | | former national Champions where the trainer wears |
| been a sport that I have enjoyed, then I heard about | | | | shin guards, a stomach pad and two pads held in his |
| this Xtreme Gap program where you get a true sense | | | | hands, so he can interact with you and make the |
| of the sports roots: training with the Thai and being | | | | training more exciting and focused. |
| trained by Thai champions. The setting looked pretty | | | | Clinch training followed where you practiced close up |
| spectacular too: a small little tropical island north of | | | | knee strikes and elbows techniques as well as |
| Samui in the gulf of Thailand, so I figured what the hell | | | | grappling and foot work for 10-30 minutes depending |
| – what have I got to lose. Looking back on it now I | | | | on your strength and fitness. |
| believe that any avid Muay Thai enthusiast should take | | | | Finally to cool the body down slowly, we finished up |
| a pilgrimage there, not just to watch a fight but to train | | | | each Thai boxing training session with some light |
| and take part in a contest. So I looked into it, and | | | | shadow boxing, sit ups to strengthen stomach muscles |
| worked out that it would actually cost me very little to | | | | and stretching. |
| take a 2 month break and give me proper time to | | | | Did you compete? What was it like? |
| devote to myself to Muay Thai training Thailand.. | | | | It was the most incredible mix of sensations I have |
| Tropical Island sound nice… | | | | ever had in my life: nerve wrecking and exciting at the |
| It was. Stunning. Turquoise blue sea surrounds | | | | same time. I was out there for 8 weeks, so I had |
| gorgeous little white sand beaches with palm trees | | | | some time to prepare and watch a few fights, but |
| everywhere, in fact some say 3 million coconuts are | | | | nothing really prepares you for the sensation of |
| grown there a year, so much so that they warn you | | | | stepping in the ring with hundreds of spectators |
| not to fall asleep under trees in case you get hit by | | | | watching. Some of whom have become your friends |
| one! But it makes for a spectacular setting, on the | | | | over the weeks. You know that you are going up |
| islands interior is a tropical jungle, not quite Robinson | | | | against a determined opponent who does not want to |
| Crusoe but not far off it. The perfect place to | | | | loose. The drone of the Pi Muay really gets you into it |
| spending your recovery time relaxing your muscles | | | | though one of the 4 instruments used to create the |
| and building your strength with amazing Thai food. The | | | | sound of the “Wong Pi Glong “ fight music. It |
| Gym itself was nestled up a sandy track a few | | | | focuses the mind on the fight and helps prepare you |
| minutes from the sea, best looking gym I have ever | | | | mentally. |
| been to… | | | | Before the fight starts it is tradition to perform a |
| So what can you tell us about living there? | | | | ceremonial dance Waikru a demonstration of respect |
| What a place, you live in an environment where | | | | to your teacher and it is while you are doing this the |
| everyone is happy, and interested in making new | | | | adrenaline really starts to kick in. |
| friends and having fun. The weather is great, as you | | | | The fights last for 5 rounds, 3 minutes a round my |
| would expect, but there is more to it than that. The | | | | opponent was tough, I had a reach advantage but |
| Island seems to have a magical attraction to it, people | | | | hitting this guy was like punching a wall and he moved |
| go there for 3 days and end up staying 3 years. A | | | | really fast. It was a close call but I beat him, thanks to |
| combination of the easy happy lifestyle and total lack | | | | my brilliant instructor Pi Toon and all weeks of training. |
| of outside world influences creeping into spoil your day. | | | | After the fight I was like a local hero! All the Thais |
| Some day’s your toughest decision will be what | | | | were shouting my name when I arrived at the bars |
| colour Thai curry to eat. At night the beaches come | | | | that evening for a well deserved Singha beer. |
| alive with fire shows and happy revellers drinking Thai | | | | Well done. I bet it tasted good! Any Advice to budding |
| Whiskey buckets, I mean seriously? Who ever came | | | | Muay Thai Champions? |
| up with the idea of serving drinks by the bucket knew | | | | Don’t have any pre-conceived ideas, just do it will |
| how to party – but it is not over done, it still has a lot | | | | be the experience of a life time. I went out there for 8 |
| of charm of a small island. | | | | weeks and I only spent a little over £1000 on the |
| What about the training? How did it compare to the | | | | program including accommodation and travel insurance, |
| UK? Were there any language problems? | | | | and the cost of living there was so cheap, that I came |
| Well first lets just say that the Thai are 110% | | | | back with spending money to spare. I experienced a |
| committed to the sport, in Thailand becoming a Muay | | | | new culture, learned a lot and came back feeling fit |
| Thai fighter brings great honour on the fighter and his | | | | and healthy: ready for my next fight, the only down |
| or her family. Not to mention it can be a respected | | | | side was coming back, but I know that one day I’ll |
| form of income for their families. So much so that they | | | | be back out there. |