Access to champions, Training with legends in Thailand

   Chance of a lifetime!

     Have you ever been a big fan of someone? Your favorite baseball player or racecar driver? Wonder what its like to stand with them, to get a peek at what makes them the superstar that you see them as. Well in the motherland of Muay Thai, beautiful and exotic Thailand. This is not that hard to do when it comes to access to champions current and former.

    The little hidden “hole in the” wall gym may contain a fighter with well over 400 fights and multiple stadium championships. This is not normally posted on the front door or in the name of the gym. The fighters will take the name of the gym as their last name. You may stand next to them and have no Idea.

     Tuk Tuk driver to Muay Thai champions 

    This post is coming from a meme that someone posted last night and it was along the lines of a traveler talking about fighting Muay Thai in Thailand. Going on to say well they really only fought a tuk-tuk driver. I get it that’s supposed to be funny. The reality is you may be fighting a now tuk-tuk driver who held some of the most prestigious stadium titles in Thailand so its no joke! Also, most tuk-tuk drivers will kick the shit out of you if they ever were fighters lol.

     Thailand is Muay Thai

    Thailand’s national sport and a way that many young people can support their whole family. Is through the art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai. When you visit this amazing country you will have access to a talent pool of elite martial artists that will blow your mind! On any given day in thousands of gyms across the land of smiles, you can stand next to a living legend.The access to champions is something to value.

    You are able to learn an ancient art of warfare by the people that have made it. One of if not the most effective striking discipline in mixed martial arts. Not every one of these fighters will have a name that you will recognize. Like Saenchai or Buakaw but none the less, they are true legends! If you train any martial art it should already be in yourself to treat everyone that you train with, with respect. Does not matter if the person that’s cleaning up or the 10x world champion that is training in the ring next to you.

   Training with the best

     I have had the opportunity just 2 days ago the train under one of the most lethal low kickers in the game of Muay Thai Manachai YOKKAOSaenchaiGym . This is the second time I trained with Manachai. This time I had a very clear picture of what I wanted to learn from him! The low kick game that is making him famous. The powerful and relentless punishment of his opponents’ legs is amazing to watch. Many people underestimate the low kick seeing that it may not be seen as exciting as an elbow to the skull or highlight head kick. If you train Muay Thai, you know how much a low kick sucks. 

     With nearly 300 fights to his credit and recently earning the WBC Muay Thai World Welterweight title, The chance to learn from him again was something I had been looking forward to since coming back over to Thailand in July. At the age of 22, he has accomplished so much and seems as he is just on the way up! He shares his camp with the legend Saenchai among other world champion world class fighters! 

  Respect the History    

    I’m not going to break down the whole training in this post. That is not what this one is for. I want you to understand that if you want the experience of a lifetime with some truly amazing people, that training here in Thailand is a great place to have that. Access to the highest level of the martial art of Muay Thai is as simple as finding where your favorite fighter is and visit. Someone that it doing an absolutely great job at providing information and preserving the history of Muay Thai is @SilvieMuayThai , definitely check her out she has a wealth of knowledge and experience here in Thailand and in Muay Thai.

   Visit the home of Muay Thai

 I guess the point I want to make is that if you want to learn from legends. You want to know Muay Thai. Thailand makes this very easy for you to do. Share the ring with a Lumpinee champion.

    Hit pads with a trainer that has 20 world champions in his career. You can easily start your day with a run alongside multiple world champions. Sit down and share a meal after training. Maybe it is because most of these fighters started as kids and are very humble. It makes this very easy to do. I have yet to see an ego in any gym that I have been to in Thailand. That is an amazing thing with all the talent that overflows from these small gyms. Also so refreshing when compared to the state of MMA in the states these days. Take that step and feel what it is to have access to the champions of Muay Thai! Come to Thailand!