Muay Thai, nothin to be scared of! Honest

  Lam Sai, Ko Yao Noi, Thailand
Friday, April 25, 2008

Haha, yeah Muay Thai, Where do I start?
 
Well as you can probably tell from the pictures, I'm no fitness freak. Luckily for me these pictures were taken at my last session, on day 6. At least now I can lift me legs to at least waist height  and put a decent jab-jab-uppercut-hook-punch combo together. In training at least!  
Although I am noticing some improvements; muscles have started appearing where I have never seen them before - on my calves for example. And during my first session I managed to last about 20 minutes, currently I can do about an hour before my lips start turning blue and I feel like passing out. Also I notice that over the last few days I am taking more and more punches to the face. Does this mean that my previously excellent defensive blocking is slipping or are the trainers are starting to get more serious with me? I must remember to ask this afternoon.
 
Although I am aware that I'm being stretched, while in the ring I tend not to notice;
 
Day one,
Trainer, Hlukhin (pronounced Lekin): "5 high kicks"
Me: "1..2.....3.............ok 1 minute......"
Hlukhin: "Ok, no rush'
Me: ".................4,.........4and a half............5!"       
   

Day Eight,
Hlukhin: "5 high kicks"
Me: 1..2..3..4...5"
Hlukhin: "5 more"
Me: 1..2...3....need a minute...
Hlukhin: "No pussy! 5 more"
Me: (In my head "Bastard, I'll F'in Show ya,) 1..2..3..4....5"
Hlukhin: Like a mind reader (and actually laughing saying this) "other foot, 5 more"
 
So when I eventually peel myself up from the mat at the end of the session, and after I've done my torture sit-ups....oh yeah, I love these.
You do sit-ups with a trainer on your thighs, every time you lay back down for some reason they think its fun to whack you quite hard in the stomach with the hard edge of a kickpad! These really hurt, like being hit with a baseball bat across your midriff. Go on, go and get one, or a cricket bat, do 30 sit-ups and in between each one get someone to hit you across the stomach with it.........done..............ok, well I have to put up with that feeling twice a day!
 
So yeah after an hour of being pushed in the ring, and then being tortured, when my legs will actually hold me again, that's when I realize that this isn't going to get any easier. Not ever! The more capable I get the more they are just going to leave me battered and bruised.
 
Then in addition to all the above I have to work up to running 10k a day, swimming and resistance workouts. Can someone please explain why I'm putting weight on?
 
That said I'm loving it truth be told, the exercise is infectious. I'm looking forward to my run today to see if I can beat my time from last week. The people here are great if a little weird:
 
The Thai people who train don't pay money to do so, but there families pay in other ways; they build rooms for the gym, outside decks, lounging sala's. They provide seemingly unlimited food for our consumption - some of it so hot I cant find words to describe it. And overall are some of the most genuine nice people I have ever met. They love watching me train, the fat Falang (white person), trying to do Muay Thai, and love the fact that I'm having a go. They cheer when I get punched (really) but also cheer when I eventually land one too!
And they love my beer gut too, constantly giving it a shake and saying "pompooey" (fat) while laughing. I feel like I'm there version of the laughing Buddha, who's belly westerners rub for luck. Its like, if we give the pompooey falang's belly a shake we'll have a good days fishing or something. Really I'm gonna have to ask them, if that's the case, not only am I providing them with a few hours entertainment but also a good catch - I'll have to ask for a commission!
In return there helping me with my Thai, I can now have a basic conversation, and its getting better as the weeks pass, I'm learning a new phrase every day.
And the whole island is full of people of the same character, always smiling and waving as I pass on my moped, Shy kids who look away in embarrassment when you say sawadee kap (hello) to them. I love it
 
That said they have their strange customs too. If were out on a run, and it starts raining, they turn back as the rain makes you sick (seriously, not like were on a tropical island where its 40 degrees permanently and pollution is unheard of I mean the rain on a run at 4pm is welcome in my book). Then to ensure that that the warm rain on their heads doesn't make them ill, they wash it off with cold shower water! And look at me quite disgustingly when I don't do the same. So what have I found myself doing quite regularly? Yep you guessed it, washing the rain off my head, shoot me now eh?
And as if to compound matters, after the session, I want to take a ride on my bike to the shop for a drink, but my bike seat is soaked, so I get a towel and dry it off. Only to look up and see about 10 Thai people standing round laughing and pointing, at me. Have a got my flies open or something? No, stupid pompooey falang is drying his bike seat! Falang not want wet bottom! Well pardon me, I mean you's are the people who wash the same rain off your head! Go figure eh?
 
Well off to Phuket in a bit to see some of the other Trainees fight, hope I don't get the bug.....I like my nose as it is!

Oh if anyone one is interested, the gym is called KYN Muay Thai and there website is at http://www.phuket-krabi-muaythai.com/ - just in case you want to get punished too!