SAIYOK VS ANTOINE PINTO

Senado de Nueva York legaliza las MMA por primera vez en la historia,Celebra UFC!!!

Una gran noticia se hizo realidad hoy para los fanáticos de las artes marciales, cuando el senado de Nueva York aprobó legalizar y reglamentar las artes marciales mixtas y enviar el oficio al gobernador Andrew Cuomo para su aprobación final.


Nueva York era el único estado de los Estados Unidos donde estaban prohibidas todas las actividades referidas a las artes marciales.

El anuncio estuvo en espera durante años y fue debatido en diversas ocasiones dentro del senado newyorkino. Sin embargo, nunca hubo un argumento convincente para continuar con el baneo de la disciplina deportiva.

A propósito, el ex campeón semipesado de UFC, Chris Weidman (nacido en New York) comentó mediante su cuenta de Twitter: “Ha sido una larga espera de poder algún día luchar frente a mis amigos y familiares en mi casa, Nueva York. No podría estar más emocionado”

NOTA :
El CEO de UFC Lorenzo Fertita comentó que ya trabajan para programar eventos de UFC en ciudades como Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany y Brookly. Todas en Nueva York.

(Vídeo) Ronda Rousey revela que pensó en el suicidio después de su derrota en UFC 193

Mientras Holly Holm celebraba su victoria en UFC 193, Ronda Rousey pasaba uno de sus peores momentos en su carrera deportiva, al parecer el conllevar una derrota, no fue nada de fácil para la judoca. Ronda admitió que incluso llegó a pensar la opción del suicidio después de aquel momento.

“Yo estaba literalmente sentada y pensando en matarme. Exactamente en aquel segundo yo estaba pensando “Yo no soy nada, lo que yo haga, todos no estarán ni ahí sobre mi”. Para ser honesta, miré para arriba y vi a Travis (Browne, su pareja y también peleador de UFC) ahí de pie, entonces yo pensé que tengo que tener hijos de ese tipo. Yo necesito continuar viva”, reveló Ronda al programa ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’.

Fue preguntada sobre alguna posible sensación diferente antes de la pelea, Ronda se refirió sobre la cantidad de compromisos dentro del octágono.

"Creo que la única cosa diferente es que era mi tercera pelea por el cinturón en nueve meses y creo que nadie intentó eso antes”, afirmó ‘Rowdy’.

Ronda Rousey aún no tiene una fecha definida para su regreso, sin embargo el presidente de UFC, ya especuló que Rowdy posiblemente haría su retorno en el mes de noviembre

Muere a los 44 años Kevin Randleman, leyenda de las Artes Marciales Mixtas

La inesperada muerte de Kevin Randleman conmocionó a el mundo de las Artes Marciales Mixtas (MMA, por sus siglas en inglés) y del Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Conocido como el "Monstruo", Randleman falleció de complicaciones en el corazón derivados de una neumonía, informaron sus familiares este viernes a través de un comunicado en su página de Facebook.

El excampeón de los pesos pesados entre 2000 y 2001, considerado uno de los pioneros de la MMA y del UFC, falleció el jueves en un hospital de la ciudad estadounidense de San Diego.

Figuras del deporte, como el campeón Dan Henderson, expresaron su pésame por la muerte de una "leyenda", quien peleó por última vez en 2011.

La Pagina de los aficionados de la MMA resaltó los "tremendos Atributos Físicos" de Randleman, de Quien Dijo Será recordado por los cuatro años Que defendió el "Orgullo de los Campeonatos de pelea" y en "por particular, su feroz Actuación en el Gran Premio de peso Pesado en 2004 ".Randleman estaba Casado y Tenia tres hijos.

3 LETHAL Muay Thai Clinch Techniques, Elbows and Sweeps

Muay Thai Champion Petchboonchu’s Clinch Seminar at Khongsittha

Most casual Nak Muay know of names like Buakaw, Saenchai, and Yodsanklai, but very few know of arguably the best fighter out of all of them… Petchboonchu.

Not only has Petchboonchu beat Saenchai on multiple occasions, but he also has won 14 world titles in 9 different weight classes! It’s hard to even fathom how incredible of a feat that is.

Think about it… we’re all hyped up about Conor McGregor fighting for 2 titles in 2 weight classes, but Petchboonchu has done it 7 more times!

And it’s not like these were chump titles either, they were won at the most prestigious stadiums in Thailand against the most dangerous fighters in the world.

Being that Petchboonchu is the most decorated Muay Thai fighter of all time, we can all agree that he is a complete badass, right?

Petchboonchu’s 3 Favorite Muay Thai Clinch Techniques

Recently at the first ever Nak Muay Nation Training Camp, we were fortunate enough to have a clinching seminar taught by the clinch master himself.

If you didn’t know, Petchboonchu is primarily a clinch fighter who smothers his opponents and can completely dominate his opponents with deadly elbows, knees and sweeps. Don’t take my word for it, watch this video which includes highlights and clinch techniques from the seminar at Khongsittha Gym:

Clinch Technique #1: Off Balance Sweep

One thing that Petchboonchu does incredibly well is time his opponents knees to off balance and toss them on the ground. Not only does this take fluid technique, but also impeccable timing as well.

As seen in most of his fights, Petchboonchu would often bait his opponent to throw knees inside the clinch. Once he gets his opponent biting on the bait, he would be able time when his opponent is on one foot from throwing the knee and then off balance and sweep him.

Clinch Technique #2: Evade Knee and Counter

Another technique that Petchboonchu excelled at was avoiding damage inside the clinch while simultaneously landing brutal knees to his opponents body.

There was two main techniques he showed us during the seminar. One was when he would shoot his hips inside to avoid the point of his opponents knee. The other technique involved shooting his hips and foot back to avoid a swinging knee and then counter with a spear knee.

Clinch Technique #3: Inside Elbow Positioning

One of my favorite clinch techniques he showed us involved elbows and knees while using the single arm crossface. Basically all you have to do is crossface your opponent with one arm (drive your fist into their chin and push back) and from there you’ll have optimal position to land a elbow over top their guard.

In the video you’ll see Petchboonchu use this technique on numerous occasions to land elbow and knees that scored big and helped him win numerous titles.

Nak Muay Nation – Thailand Training Camp

The training at the first ever Nak Muay Nation Training Camp at Khongsittha gym has been absolutely incredible. Besides that we’ve also had a number of memorable experiences including:

Seminars taught by elite Muay Thai champions Saenchai and Petchboonchu.
Exciting group nights out to watch fights at the prestigious Lumpinee and Rajadamnern.
Fight nights where teammates from the camp got to showcase their skills and experience fighting in Thailand.
Strength and conditioning sessions taught by the head coach of the Sports Authority of Thailand.
Delicious noodles, fried rice, seafood, curries and other Thai food.
Nights out experiencing the crazy Bangkok nightlife.
And much more more!
Everyone has been having an amazing time at the training camp and it’s been awesome seeing how much everyone’s Muay Thai skills have been improving. Since it’s been so much fun we will definitely be holding more in the very near future!

“This is my fourth trip to Thailand and having already trained in more than 10 camps, I can say that this training camp was by far one of the best I’ve ever been.”

Anna S.

VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO VS AMANDA NUNES PRONTO EN LAS VEGAS SABADO 5 DE MARZO EN UFC 196

La peruana adoptiva Valentina Shevchenko regresa pronto a la acción para enfrentar a Amanda Nunes el 5 de Marzo en Las Vegas dentro de la cartelera UFC 196.

Luego de sus dos victorias en el 2015, la rankeada No. Cuatro de la división peso gallo Amanda Nunes está lista para ponerse en la fila al título que esa misma noche del 5 de marzo estará en juego entre la campeona Holly Holm y la retadora Miesha Tate.

Amanda buscará ponerse sin duda en los reflectores esa noche en una división donde todo puede pasar, mientras que la peruana adoptiva Valentina debutó el pasado diciembre en Orlando venciendo a Sarah Kaufman y metiéndose con ello de inmediato a los rankings del UFC e la posición 11. Con más tiempo de preparación (pues la vez pasada tuvo apenas semanas para volar a los EUA desde Thailandia donde se encontraba entrenando), Valentina quiere mostrar más de sus habilidades y también ponerse pronto en la vista de todos los fans contra una guerrera como Nunes.

BIOGRAPHY- BIOGRAFIA : Una leyenda Alex Gong " F14"

BIOGRAPHY- BIOGRAFIA :

 Una leyenda ,un campeón , un apasionado del muay thai que gracias a sus frutos hoy en día en el Perú existe una raza de campeones que llevan su sangre,sangre de campeones ,gracias Alex Gong " F14".

Aqui un poco de su rica biografia.

A legend, a champion, a lover of muay thai, thanks to its fruits today in Peru there is a race of champions who take their blood, the blood of champions, thanks Alex Gong "F14".

Here some rich biography.

           

Alexander James Gong (October 14, 1970 – August 1, 2003) was an American Muay Thai kickboxer.

Alexander James Gong  (octubre 14, 1970-agosto 1, 2003) fue un kickboxer americano de Muay Thai.

Gong was a world champion of ISKA World Muay Thai, Junior middleweight class. He won his world title in 1999. He defended his title on August 5, 2000. Gong also held a 2-0-0 record in K-1 including a win over Duane Ludwig.

Gong era un campeón del mundo de ISKA (Mundial de Muay Thai), clase de peso mediano junior. Él ganó su título mundial en 1999. Defendió su título el 5 de agosto de 2000. Gong también celebró un récord 2-0-0 en K-1, incluyendo una victoria sobre Duane Ludwig.

     On August 1, 2003, after a hit and run driver crashed into Gong's parked car in the Fairtex Gym parking lot in San Francisco, Gong pursued the car on foot. Gong caught up and confronted the driver, who was still in his car at a nearby intersection. Witnesses say the driver then shot Gong at point blank range and fled in his vehicle. Gong was pronounced dead at the scene.

El 1 de agosto de 2003, después que un conductor lo atropello y fugo, chocó contra el auto estacionado de Gong en el estacionamiento Fairtex Gimnasio en San Francisco, Gong persiguió el coche a pie. Gong alcanzó y enfrentó al conductor, que estaba todavía en su coche en un cruce cercano. Según testigos, el conductor y luego disparó Gong a quemarropa y huyó en su vehículo. Gong fue declarado muerto en la escena.

On August 3, 2003, a man named a "person of interest" in the shooting was confronted at a hotel and, after a lengthy standoff with police, shot himself in the head. No one was ever charged in Gong's death.

El 3 de agosto de 2003, un hombre llamado  "persona de interés" en el tiroteo se enfrentó a la policia en un hotel y después de un largo enfrentamiento  se pegó un tiro en la cabeza. Nadie fue acusado en la muerte de Gong.

Today his student and friend, founded in Lima F14 fighter school, which thanks to Rodrigo Jorquera is a cradle of champions, a project that today is completely fulfilled, to honor this man, who was a big muay thai, Alex "F14" Gong

Hoy en dia su alumno y amigo, fundo en Lima la escuela de combate F14,la cual gracias a Rodrigo Jorquera es una cuna de campeones,un proyecto que hoy en dia se cumple a cabalidad , en honor a este señor , que fue un grande del muay thai,Alex "F14"Gong

TITLES - TITULOS

US Amateur Light Middleweight Champion (1995)
North American Super Welterweight Champion (1996)
Inter-Continental Super Welterweight Champion (1997)
North American Light Middleweight Champion (1998)
World Light Middleweight Champion (1999)
National Siam Award “Best fighter of the year (2001)
K1 Super-Fight winner (2001)
K1 Super-Fight winner (2000)
ISKA Lt. Middle weight world champion (1999)
ISKA Lt. Middle Weight N. American Champion (1998)
ISKA Super Welter weight Inter-Continental Champion (1997)
WMTC Super Welter Weight N. American Champion (1996)
IFCA Lt. Middle Weight US national Champion – Amateur (1995)

TRIBUTO - TRIBUTE

5 Advanced Muay Thai Combinations

                         

5 Advanced Muay Thai Combos To Try In Sparring

Variety is the spice of life.

It’s time to put on your big boy pants, because we’re getting advanced. Basic strikes can come together by building upon each other and creating combos difficult to evade or otherwise defend. However, basics can get stale, and sometimes we need a little more.

Basics aren’t getting the job done? Then let’s kick this into high gear and start slinging leather. Let’s get advanced.

Advanced combos, like all combos and strikes, are supposed to catch the opponent off guard. What you present to the opponent will be the information he has to read, if you’ve yet to throw out any evidence of a high kick or a superhuman punch, then this may be your break…ing of his face. The aim is unpredictability, and what better way to be unpredictable than a little chaos?

The grand slam of Muay Thai is the head kick. It can be a simple technique, but we can also add a layer of trickery. How about that?

You’ve got your opponent thinking about your strikes, he may have defended some and missed some. You’ve made him flinch as you pleased, and there the battle is won. The head kick can be set up through simple feints (think Machida’s hip shimmy he used against Munoz).

However, we’re kicking this into a higher gear. More than simplicity, we need trickery.

If the 10 basic Muay Thai combinations are Chopsticks, then this is Mozart. Few combinations in the world get harder and more calculated than this. The rapid fire and volume is as jaw dropping as it is jaw breaking.

Lawrence Kenshin will break this down piece by piece, let it be a cheat sheet for you to use in the future. For if you are able to pull off a combination of this combination…it’ll be a final exam passed in flying colors.

Epic Glory Moments: The Combo Of the Century by Gokhan Saki | Lawrence Kenshin

UFC: Dana White avergonzó a José Aldo por pedir revancha con Conor McGregor

Dana White, presidente de la UFC, decidió responderle de esta forma a José Aldo, quien pidió una revancha inmediata con Conor McGregor. ¿Qué dijo?

José Aldo era casi una leyenda en la UFC, hasta que Conor McGregor lo noqueó en apenas 13 segundos. La dolorosa derrota en el UFC 194 le ha costado que Dana White, presidente de la compañía, deje de acceder a todas sus peticiones, como normalmente sucede con los campeones.

Resulta que, luego de que José Aldo revelara que desea una revancha inmediata con Conor McGregor, Dana White se la negó. El mandamás de la UFC fue muy tajante al asegurar que ‘Scarface’ no se la merece.

“Es algo complicado. Pactamos la primera pelea, pero se lesionó y tuvo que retirarse. Cuando se pudo realizar, la pelea solo duró 13 segundos. Es difícil pactar esa pelea nuevamente y más aun de inmediato”, dijo el presidente de la UFC sobre la petición de José Aldo.

Por ahora, Conor McGregor no quiere saber nada de José Aldo. ‘The Notorius’ se viene preparando para el UFC 196 del próximo 5 de marzo, donde enfrentará a Rafael dos Anjos por el título ligero de la compañía.

Benson Henderson firma con Bellator , entra muy rankeado entre ligeros y welter

El ex campeón de peso ligero de UFC y WEC Benson Henderson se une a Bellator MMA. Henderson publico oficialmente la noticia en su sitio web personal lunes por la mañana.

Will Brooks y Michael Chandler son dos luchadores de Bellator que  podrían enfrentar a Henderson en su debut.
"Me gustaría anunciar oficialmente mi mudanza a Bellator MMA", dijo en un comunicado. "Estoy más que emocionado por esta nueva fase de mi carrera, es un gran paso, al igual que cualquiera  al cambiar de empleador o de puesto de trabajo después de haber trabajado en algún lugar durante mucho tiempo."

Mientras Bellator recogió otros luchadores de UFC en el pasado, los más notablemente luz Phil Davis y el ex campeón de peso ligero de Strikeforce Josh Thomson, Henderson es el primero a nivel de elite, un talento de calibre de campeonato tras salir de la UFC .

 

Bellator está en necesidad de sangre nueva en ambos 155 y 170 libras, y Henderson podría desafiar fácilmente Will Brooks o Andrey Koreshkov por el título, ya sea divisiones. Pasando los campeones divisionales, hay muchos otros oponentes interesantes para el en Bellator "Smooth", incluyendo Michael Chandler, Douglas Lima, Marcin Held y Paul Daley.

A pesar del movimiento, Henderson permaneció agradecido a la UFC. "Sería negligente al no dar gracias a Dana White y Lorenzo Fertita (sic) por las oportunidades que me presentaron", dijo. "Ustedes han ayudado a cambiar mi vida para mejor y para ser capaces de proporcionar a mi familia con las cosas que yo no tuve mientras crecía."

Desafortunadamente, no hay detalles aún sobre el debut de Henderson Bellator.

HIGH-FREQUENCY FIGHTING AND THE CHILDREN OF MUAY THAI

The bell rings and the two boys return to their respective corners. Both beginning fighters, neither has had more than a dozen matches. Twelve-year-old Mo's team coaches him, gives him water, rubs his arms and stretches his legs. Get back in there and do it, they tell him. You got this one.

Mo hasn't won a fight in months. He's been on a 12-fight losing streak. But his gym, Wor. Watthana, doesn’t give up on him. As long as he wants to fight, management will keep getting him matches. They know it takes fighters time to come into their own; everyone hits their stride at different speeds. And Mo is just a beginner, only 12, a year into his fighting career.

Mo takes a deep breath and rises from his stool in the corner, comes to the center of the ring for Round Two. The other child meets him halfway. They briefly make eye contact, then the other boy averts his gaze.

The ref drops his hand and the boys go to work. Mo jumps in with a few solidly placed kicks. He is more aggressive than usual. After a long series of losses, he doesn't want to lose again.

Less than a minute into the second round, Mo unleashes a sloppy but effective combination, sending the other child running. Mo pursues the fleeing kid like a crazed butcher chasing a chicken making a break for it.

The ref calls it off, raises Mo’s hand. Mo gives no celebratory dance or cheer or even smile upon the end of his losing streak. Just heavy exhales and a look of intensity. Maybe relief. Maybe slight annoyance.

Mo steps down from the ring, his heart rate slowing to normal, his family enveloping him in hugs, his teammates congratulating him on the TKO he just achieved over another child fighter. This marks his first win of 2016, and his second fight since the year began. It’s January 2. The new year is only two days old so far.

Mo is not the exception to the rule. All over rural Thailand, fighters take up gloves with high frequency, especially during the holiday seasons. Far from Bangkok and most regulating authorities, which mandate boxers must stay out of the ring for three weeks after a fight, fighters in rural Thailand take advantage of the lax enforcement of rules to gain ring experience, exposure, and money when Muay Thai business is good.

Up next is 13-year-old Ann, Mo's teammate from Wor. Watthana Gym. She makes quick work of her opponent, winning this fight just like she won her fight yesterday, overwhelming the other girl with precise kicks and knees, throwing her opponent down in sweeps like she’s made of sticks. The ref calls off the fight before the first round is up. TKO, just like yesterday. Ann's second win in two days.

No one gives Ann and Mo special treatment for having fought twice in two days. Other gyms have fighters doing the same thing. For all they know, their opponents have fought just as much, maybe more. Ann and Mo’s teammate, 16-year-old Senrak, fought three times in the span of 16 hours, two wins. He lost the last fight on points, went home and posted shots of his split eyebrow on Facebook to the liking of many of his online friends. The fight was on January 1. Happy Muay Thai New Year.

Mo and Ann are the only fighters scheduled for tonight, but their friend and teammate Boo, a 15-year-old girl whose troubled life weighs on her as clearly as the tattoo on her chest, is offered a fight last-minute. Her manager had seen another girl her size walking around the fair and had asked that girl’s gym if they’d like to put her against Boo.

Soon Boo, who went to the fight night just to support her teammates, finds herself across from another girl in the same boat. Neither girl knows the other’s name. With only 30 minutes to ready themselves for the match, Boo borrowed wraps and shorts from the very teammates she came to support, while the other girl, a local, sped home on a motorbike to pick up her gear.

Though only beginners, the girls fight beautifully. Their boxing is nearly nonexistent but their kicking is aggressive, full of heart. This is Boo’s third and best fight, her comeback from last week’s TKO, and it ends in a hard-won draw.

Boo is relieved to have done so well, especially since her father was watching from her corner. Having him there is a special occasion for Boo, as he works menial labor in Bangkok and seldom has time or money to visit his daughter, who lives with extended relatives in their rural village. It’s a life that mirrors many other children in the Isaan region.

Three fights for Wor. Watthana: two wins and a draw. Gym owners Boom and Frances Watthanaya are happy with the results. These small shows are where they belong for now, while their child fighters slowly build names, skills, and confidence in the ring. They explain to their fighters the value of these shows, the subtle value beyond the fight purse or the chance to get their names out. Small temple fairs like this are unpredictable. The kids could get a tough opponent or an easy one. They have to be ready for anything.

After the New Year’s frenzy ends, life goes back to normal. The kids train daily and take fights when they can, maybe one every couple weeks depending on the season. The next time they’ll be offered multiple fights over a matter of days will be in February, during the annual week-long festival at a local temple. One Wor. Watthana fighter who stepped into the ring twice over the New Year’s holiday, 12-year-old Bpaet, is already planning for it, pleading with the owners of Wor. Watthana daily at training to match him up for a fight every day in the upcoming holiday week.


By Lindsey Newhall

D&T Interview : Yoddecha Sityodtong

A diamond is only formed after a lump of coal is moulded by tremendous pressure for years. Such a parallel could also apply to the life of professional muay thai fighter and Evolve MMA instructor Yoddecha Sityodtong, who rose above terrible childhood adversity to make good for himself.

The 32-year-old Ladburi native was abandoned by his parents when he was just seven – they had fallen too deep into poverty to continue taking care of him, so they left him on a street corner during a family outing one day and simply disappeared. Desperate and afraid, the young Yoddecha was forced to scratch out a living on the streets before a gang forced him into slavery. He endured four years of abuse before he was rescued by professional muay thai fighter Vichai Sityodtong (of Pattaya’s famous Sityodtong Gym) and brought to the academy to train.

Yoddecha was taken under the personal tutelage of Sityodtong Grandmaster Kru Yodtong. At 11, he trained hard and competed in his first professional fight that same year. Going from strength to strength, he won his first world championship at the tender age of 22. Today, Yoddecha boasts a fight record of 145-37 and has been featured on the History Channel’s Human Weapon documentary. Not bad for an impoverished street kid. Here’s what he had to say.

ON HIS CHILDHOOD
 After I was abandoned, I lived on the streets. I was only seven, yet every day I had to hunt for food so I wouldn’t starve. I often went to sleep with nothing in my stomach. When I didn’t sell enough dumplings on the street for the gang, they burned me with cigarettes and whipped me with a belt. I would wake up each morning with nothing to look forward to – no family, no love, no dreams and no hope. And I was only a child. I did not want to live. Looking back, living on the streets gave me great suffering, but also taught me many great life lessons. I shed many tears, but I am grateful. I would not change anything about my past because it made me who I am today.

ON FATE STEPPING IN
 My life changed dramatically when I was rescued and brought to the Sityodtong Gym. The Grandmaster, Kru Yodtong, treated me like a son from the very first day. He gave me food and a bed, and I slept for two days straight because I was so tired. I remember thinking I was in heaven because I had three meals a day for the first time. By some miracle, here I was, a little boy at the greatest muay thai school in the country. I remember watching a few of the world champions train. It was beautiful, graceful and powerful. I was hooked instantly. From that day, Sityodtong Gym became my family and my life.

ON STARTING OUT
 I had never considered becoming a professional muay thai fighter. In fact, I never even had any dream up to that point. I always assumed I was going to be a slave forever. A whole new world opened up to me. The first few weeks of training were very tough because my body was not used to training six hours a day, six days a week. But I stuck to it because I owed my life to Kru. He sheltered me and gave me options. He gave me knowledge – and hope when there was none.

ON OVERCOMING EMOTION
 People ask me if I ever get scared or angry in the ring. Of course. When I was a young fighter in my early teens, I felt fear. Now, after almost 200 professional fights, I have no emotion. No fear, no anger, nothing. I empty my mind and heart before I step into the ring. Poverty toughened my mind, but it is muay thai that truly taught me how to beat my fears. It strengthened me physically and spiritually. When I enter the ring, I am prepared to die with honour. If you love what you do and you are willing to die for it, then there is no fear. There is only honour.

ON MOTIVATION
 It is because of my brothers at Sityodtong Gym that I was able to become a muay thai world champion. They gave me hope, love and
 courage. Above all, they gave me a reason to live. Daorung, Chatri, Ped, Noi… we trained together, ate together, lived the dream together. They gave me the will to fight whenever I felt like giving up. I only hope I’m able to give more than I have received in this world before I die.

ON DISCIPLINE
 People often think that discipline is the absence of laziness. But to me, discipline is the will and mental strength to overcome the presence of laziness. At Sityodtong Gym, we trained almost every day of the year, with no holidays. On an average day, I ran 40km in addition to my four to five hours of training. I did it six days a week for 11 years straight before I became a world champion. There were many times when I did not feel like running or training. But as a professional fighter, you cannot cut corners. There is a fighter out there who is outworking you and you will face him one day.

ON EDUCATION
 The biggest misconception about muay thai is that it’s about beating people up. Rather, muay thai is about unlocking your potential as a human being by expanding your horizons physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Just as Kru Yodtong changed my life for the better, I want to change my students’ lives for the better. If I can put a smile on a sad face, help someone gain confidence to chase a dream, push someone to lose weight or enhance someone’s mental strength, I am happy. Muay thai gave me a reason to live when I had none. The only way I know how to fulfil that debt is to try to enrich the lives of my students with what I’ve learnt.






FIGHT FOR (AND GET) THE THINGS YOU WANT IN LIFE
Yoddecha Sityodtong’s top tips on achieving your goals.

1 Love what you do
“When you love something, it creates an intense passion to excel in it. Find something that you absolutely love and follow it. Ignore your fears and doubts. Just love what you do and you will see magic appear in your life.”

2 Be delusional
“I was a child plucked from the streets. The odds of me becoming a world champion were almost zero. However, Kru Yodtong told me to dream the biggest dream possible. I believed I could become a world champion. However, that very delusion gave me the will to train hard. Dream the impossible dream and chase it with everything you have.”

3 Surround yourself with winners
“I was lucky to have trained at the top muay thai school in Thailand. I was surrounded by the greatest teachers, world champions and
 winners. You maximise your chances of success by surrounding yourself with people who will push you to your limits.”



To find out more about Evolve MMA, check out Evolve Far East Square's Grand Opening Week, from 18-22 January, 12-2pm, at Raffles Place directly outside of the OUB Centre. Or visit evolve-mma.com.

Muay Thai Boxing Bangkok – Fears & Dreams / Los miedos y los sueños de los jóvenes boxeadores

The documentary “Fears and Dreams of young boxers” is a very nice video about two young Muay Thai fighters in Bangkok. They tell us their lifetime story and how they came to Muay Thai and how important the sport is in their lives. They report about the dreams to be a champion one day and to gain fame and honor. However, their fears and concerns remain not hidden …

El documental "Los miedos y los sueños de los boxeadores jóvenes" es un muy buen video sobre dos jóvenes luchadores de Muay Thai en Bangkok.
Ellos nos cuentan su historia de vida y cómo llegaron al Muay Thai y lo importante que es el deporte en sus vidas. Nos cuentan sobre los sueños de ser un campeón de un día y para ganar fama y honor. Sin embargo, sus temores y preocupaciones no queden ocultos ...

                                       


Credits:
Fears & Dreams of Young Boxers
The story of two young Muay Thai boxers. They tell us about their path, their fears, and their dream to one day become a champion.

Créditos:
Los miedos y los sueños de los jóvenes boxeadores
La historia de dos jóvenes boxeadores de Muay Thai. Ellos nos hablan de su pasado, de sus miedos, y su sueño de algún día convertirse en un campeón.

Learning How To Read Your Next Muay Thai Opponent - Aprende a leer a tu rival en Muay Thai

When you face someone for the first time are you aware of what is going on in your mind? Do you try to read your opponent to find any weaknesses in his game or does your brain turn off?

The answer to this question will likely depend on your experience level and your fighting style. Fighters who only use aggression in the ring, are less likely to read their opponent because they are only focused on their offense.

Reading your opponent does not happen over night. It is a process that is developed in training by practice and enhanced through experience.

When you first learn how to spar, your focus should be on simple execution and staying relaxed. The term K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) should be the only thing going through your mind. Learning how to stay relaxed when someone is standing in front of you is the key element you want to work on.

Once you start becoming comfortable hitting and getting hit, you can start focusing on more advanced areas that can improve your game. Instead of just throwing strikes, the next stage is to learn how to LAND strikes. This requires you to develop better timing so that you know WHEN to strike and when not to strike.

After you begin executing your offense fluently, the next step is to learn how to start using your head when you spar.

Instead of trying to impose your will on opponent, you will start noticing what your opponent gives you and counter their tactics. Being able to expose weaknesses in your opponents and fight to your strengths, will make you a difficult fighter to face.

Reading Your Opponent Takes Practice

Do you remember the first time you learned how to read a language?

You might remember the painful process of having to sound out each letter as you attempted to form a word from the groups of letters (learning Thai is also pretty painful). Once you start becoming familiar with different words, you will start to recognize words when you see them, instead of having to sound them out.

Through practice and repetition, you slowly begin to add more words to your vocabulary. After enough practice, you will eventually have a full vocabulary and be able to read without having to “think” about reading.

Learning to think in Muay Thai is a similar learning process. The first time you try to read your opponent you might be able to “see” what is happening, but your brain will not be able to translate his movements (letters) into something that you can understand.

As you face different fighting styles and gain more experience, you will begin to recognize similar patterns that occur from person to person. Once you start recognizing specific patterns, combinations, and fighting styles, you will start understanding how you can adjust your game to match your opponent.

Over time, you will naturally start to counter your opponent without having to consciously think about what you are doing. Just like reading a language becomes second nature with enough practice, the same can be said about reading an opponent in Muay Thai.

An Example of Reading Your Opponent

Imagine you are sparring someone who keeps catching your right kick and sweeping you. The following are three different responses you might see.

Response #1 – The Beginner

As a beginner sparring, everything around you will happen at a lightning speed. You are at the survival stage of sparring and are trying make it through the round without getting hurt. You mind will not register that your kick is being caught because there are so many other things that are racing through your brain.

Beginners have to much going on in their minds to worry about trying to analyze their opponent. This is the equivalent to someone who is learning how to ride a bike attempting to learn tricks, before they can even balance the bike. You have to go through step A before you can get to step B.

Response #2 – The Hot Head

The second response is from someone who is a Hot Head (has a temper when they spar). This person gets swept repeatedly from their opponent and starts to get angry. After each sweep, they start to increase their power and try to go harder to get him back. Instead of using his brain when he spars, the Hot Head spars off instincts and emotions.

This fighter might recognize that his kicks are getting caught, but thinks the solution is to increase his power and try to catch his opponent’s kicks. The Hot Head will probably try to catch their opponents kicks and knock them on the ground, in order to get “even” on the score cards.

Response #3 – The Thinker

The third response is from someone who has learned to think in sparring. After his opponent catches his kick for the second time, he sees this pattern and looks to take advantage of it. In addition to seeing his opponent grabbing his leg, he also notices that his opponents hands drop every time he goes in for the catch.

Since he knows that his opponent wants to keep grabbing his leg and throwing him down, he adjusts his tactics to counter this. His next strike will be another kick, but instead of allowing his opponent to grab the kick, he will use it to set up another strike. When his opponent takes the bait on the third kick, he will use that bait to set up a strike to take advantage of his opponent dropping his hands.

The Thinker sees what his opponent is trying to do and adjusts his offense accordingly.

Now that you understanding the benefits of thinking when you spar, it is important to identify specific ways that you can learn how to read your opponent.


Here are some tips to help you read your next opponent:

1. Let Your Opponent Act First                 



One of the best ways to train yourself to read your opponent is to let your opponent act first. While you might feel tempted to strike first because of habit, it is better to see what kind of game your opponent has first. Allowing your opponent to act first allows you to see what kind of tricks he might have up his sleeves.

Now when I say sit back and wait, I don’t mean shelling up in a ball like you are scared. If you shell up in a ball then your opponent will probably assume you are scared and will fight with more confidence. Waiting for your opponent to strike requires you to be confident in your defense regardless of who you are up against.

A side effect of allowing your opponent to strike first is that it puts your concentration on your defense. When you focus solely on defending, it makes it difficult for your opponent to land significant strikes against you. A strong defense will not only allow you to see what your opponent will do, it will also set a strong defensive tone at the start of the round.

Given the fact that the first round of sparring/fighting is often the most dangerous round because you don’t know what to expect, focusing on defense reduces the risk of a fast knockout in a 5 round fight.



2. Test Your Opponent                                         

In addition to allowing your opponent to work, you should also be testing their defense to find holes that you can exploit. Throw a body kick and see if your opponent blocks it. Does your opponent like catching your kicks? Is he constantly leaning back to avoid your kicks?
Testing someone’s defense means throwing strikes that are designed to give you feedback. Controlled, calculated strikes can help give you important information about your opponent.

When you watch experienced Thai fighters face foreigners in Thailand, you will often notice them throw calculated strikes to see how the foreigners respond. Since it is well known that foreigners don’t like elbow strikes, you will often see Thai fighters throw hard elbows and see if they can scare their inexperienced opponent.

If a foreigner responds to the elbow strike with fear and panic, the Thai fighters will attempt to exploit this advantage with hard elbow strikes designed to cut. If the Thai fighter is successful in exploiting this fear, there is a good chance the foreigner will “go down” to a punch or kick in order to end the fight.

If you don’t test your opponent’s defense, you will not be able to see how they react. So while it is important to read your opponent’s offense and see what they give you, it is also important for you to see what kind of defense you are working against as well.



3. Spar with New People                                 


When you spar with the same guys over and over, you already know their favorite weapons, their style and their tactics. Your regular sparring partners won’t do anything that you haven’t encountered before.

While it is great to have regular sparring partners that you train with, you also need to mix in new sparring partners so you can experience facing unfamiliar opponents.

Facing someone for the first time is like showing up for a blind date. You don’t know what to expect until you start sparring and see what your opponent has to offer. When you spar with someone new it gives you the opportunity to analyze your opponent from a blank slate.

The Harder the Sparring Session, the Harder It is to Think

It is worth pointing out that when you are technical sparring with no power, it is much easier to sit back and try to analyze your opponent. However, as soon as you add more power and the risk of being knocked out in a sparring session, suddenly thinking becomes much more difficult.

If someone is throwing strikes that could knock you out, your adrenaline level will increase, which causes your increased nerves, tension, and heart rate. Unless you are able to slow things back down, you will probably fight off instincts and won’t be able to use your head.

That is why you should focus on technical sparring first, before you try increasing the power and sparring at a harder level. Hard sparring without a good foundation will only make your technique worse and create bad habits.

Putting It All Together

Learning to think when you have someone trying to hit you takes practice. Before you learn how to think, you need to be able to stay relaxed. When you can slow your breathing down, it will work to reduce your nerves and allow you to use your head.

When you look at high level fighters like Saenchai or Yodsanklai fight, these fighters have so much experience that they can read their opponents without consciously trying to. Just like you can read the words that I am writing right now without any conscious thought, good fighters have enough experience that they don’t have to think about reading their opponent, they simply do.

This is the level that you should aspire to achieve as you continue to progress in Muay Thai. You should always go out and try to become a better version of yourself everyday in training, that is how you will make long lasting improvements.

Reglamento oficial del Muay Thai Profesional

Técnicas permitidas en combate

1) Agarrar la pierna del oponente cuando el mismo proyecta una patada. Se podrá mantener la pierna sujetada durante 3 segundos o 2 pasos adelante pudiendo contraatacar con las técnicas permitidas en el Muay Thai (codo o rodilla a la pierna tomada, puño al rostro, patadas circulares como Low Kick o High Kick, o proyectar al oponente haciendo que el mismo pierda el equilibrio.

2) Patadas frontales: Son permitidas como golpe siempre que superen la linea de la cintura. Es permitido frenar el avance de una patada circular utilizando la planta del pie (sobre el muslo o la cadera) siempre que no sea por debajo de la rodilla y que la intención de dicha patada frontal no sea de lastimar el muslo del oponente. El arbitro considerará la intención del golpe.

3) Patadas circulares: Podrán impactar en todo el cuerpo (por dentro y por fuera de la pierna, inclusive en la rodilla) exceptuando los genitales.

4) Bloqueos: Permitido bloquear los golpes con la tibia.

5) El Clinch: Los boxeadores podrán tomarse para golpear utilizando los golpes pactados (codos, rodillas, puños). De no producirse ningún golpe, tendrán un limite de tiempo de 5 segundos donde deberá intervenir el arbitro separándolos. Durante el clinch sera permitido trabar al oponente utilizando la pierna (tibia), para evitar el ataque de golpes de rodilla, pero siempre que la intención no sea de desestabilizar al oponente.

6) Proyecciones: Son de validez siempre que no se utilicen técnicas de Yudo (utilizar la cadera o enganchar con la pierna). Los arrojes son tomados con gran importancia por los jurados en la puntuación de las tarjetas y se contabilizará como caída.

7) Las rodillas: Podrán utilizarse para golpear siempre que el impacto no sea en la zona genital. Serán de gran validez en la obtención de puntos en las tarjetas. También se podrá tomar de la cabeza al oponente para bajarlo con el fin de golpearlo con la rodilla a la cabeza.

8) Los golpes en la espalda y nuca: Son tomados como válidos.

9) Empujar: Permitido para desestabilizar al oponente y conectar golpes.

10) Tomar de la guardia: Para conectar golpes de codos o de rodillas.

5 BASIC MUAY THAI WORKOUTS

Get started with a basic training routine that you can do on your own or with a buddy.

These 5 basic training workouts here are focused on getting you started and building and developing a training foundation, to start building muscle endurance, losing weight and burning calories to get you in better overall shape.
Even if you are a beginner in martial arts Muay Thai. With anything new… Start slow and go at your own pace. And consult your physician before you begin any of these exercises.
These are some of the basic training routines that my beginner’s at my gym do. And it will give you an idea on how Muay Thai fighters train. Go at your own pace. And know that you don’t have to do ALL of them. This is just a basic layout of some of the routines you can perform.
I’ve added youtube videos of some of the best fighters training. Check them out.
Above all have fun and enjoy the journey.
The first and most important part of the training is to do a proper warm-up and stretch before you start to try these martial art techniques. Warming up will actually increases your performance and reduces the chance of injury. Remember you are just learning these techniques so take your time GO SLOW and really focus on the techniques for now.

Stretching Before You Begin:

Start your stretching by using controlled, leg and arm swings that make use of your body’s natural range of motion. Like arm swings, truck rotations, and twists. This is called Dynamic stretching. Don’t force your muscle past your own range of motion. That comes after the workout.

• Circle your arms forward and backwards about 8-10 times each
• Rotate your neck up and down, side to side, left to right.
• Truck rotations 8-10 times.
• Frankenstein’s: Stand shoulder width apart, hands out in front and lift your foot to your hand in a swinging motion. Don’t forget to go backwards too.
• Leg rotations: Step on the ball of the foot and rotate your leg back and forth like your putting a cigarette but out. 8-10 times each leg.

Road Work:

Getting your road work in is a big part of Muay Thai training. This will help increase your conditioning and build strong shins for kicking.
Start small. Don’t measure the distance. Measure your time.
Maybe 10 minutes of light running (you don’t have to go full out sprints) 3 times a day after your stretching. And add 2 minutes with each new run, until you hit up to three mile. Try and run outside if you can, early in the morning when the sun is not beam down on your back. Running will help a lot with your cardiovascular training. You will be able to last longer hitting the bags, Thai pads, and fighting inside the ring or in a self defense situation. It will also help strengthen your leg muscles, which is a must for Muay Thai.
It takes a while to get used to, but I can tell your right now it will be one of the best benefits you’ll gain. It will help get your busy day started along with your training, and have a better peace of mind. Like meditating — it’s one place your don’t have to think about anything.

Shadow Boxing:

Shadow boxing is one of those things that you Have To Do in order to practice and perfect ALL of your Thai boxing techniques. It helps you to develop your strategies against any type of opponent.
If you can, try shadow boxing in front of a mirror (your local gym or Muay Thai school should have one). This will help to make sure that your executing your martial arts techniques correctly from every angle. If you see a mistake in your attack or defense, fix it. The mirror never lies.
Stand in your basic fighting position and go through all the Thai Kickboxing techniques you know. Don’t worry about looking silly. EVERYONE does their first time. As you get better start picking up your speed (keep proper form and periodically check yourself in the mirror for mistakes) and imagine fighting someone in front of you. Make it as realistic as you can, moving your feet and head and mixing the punches and kicking for good combinations. Try and go for 2 or 3 rounds with 3 minutes on and a 1 minute break.

Rope Skipping:

Jump roping is also a vital part to your training. No this isn’t the type of jumping roping you did in grade school. This type of training not only provides great stamina, but it also helps build hand-eye-coordination, and builds strong shoulder, wrists, forearms, calf and leg muscles too.
Constantly mixed up your footwork… Bounce with both legs, one leg, move forward, backward, side to side, bring the knees high to your chest, chris-cross if you want to get fancy. Just make sure your always changing your rhythm. Try 3 minutes, one minute rest for 2 to 3 rounds.

Bag Work:

The bag training is great for practicing your punches, kicks, knees and elbows. Hitting the bag will give you a better realistic feeling on fighting an opponent and at the same time give you a great workout. The benefits of bag training will improve your movement and timing coordination. It’ll also build stamina in your shoulders and legs with each strike you throw, which in turn will add more power to your Muay Thai punches and kicks.
When working on the Thai bag remember to always wrap your hands to protect your knuckles and wrist from taking damage. And again, take your time. You don’t have to go ROCKY style on the bag. Work on executing clean, technical punches and kicks. Perfect your form. The speed and power comes later. Try going 3 rounds on the bag mixing in all attacks. And don’t forget your footwork and head movement.

Muay Thai Pad Work:

I’m not going to talk about pad work here. I’ll save that for another blog. Pad training is a more advance method of working out, and should only be done with someone who knows what their doing. Ask your Kickboxing coach (Kru) to set some time aside to hold pads for you.
Muay Thai Pad training is an art in-it-self, and takes a lot of time and constant pad holding the master. A good pad trainer will mix up all the different techniques. Offense and defense to simulate different situations you might find yourself in a real fight. They’ll even dissect what your strengths and weaknesses are and come up with a Muay Thai fighting style that best suits you.

Here’s a basic training routine you can start doing right away.

• Start with a 10-20 min. jog (depending on your current condition)
  10 min. stretch
• 3 rounds of jump roping for 3 mins. with a 1 min. rest
• 3 rounds of shadow boxing for 3 mins. with a 1 min. rest
• 3-5 rounds of pad work for 3 mins. with a 1 min. rest
• 3-5 rounds of drilling techniques on your own or with a partner
• 100 knees, 100 round kicks, 100 push kicks on the heavy bag
• Conditioning – 50-100 crunches, 20 push-ups, 30 squats
• End with a 10 min stretch