Monday, March 16, 2009

Happy Naikhanom Tom Day!

This mornings training -
8km jog
1 round shadow boxing
1 round fast punching on the bag
3 rounds thai pads
1 round focus pads
3 rounds muay thai sparring
2 x 50 knees on heavy bag

Heavy legs this morning, maybe because of the McDonalds I ate last night. So I detatched my brain from my feet and the run seemed pretty easy after that.

Sparring was horrible. I have a fight next month which is weighing on my mind. However, the trainer said "Light Contact" which was fine with me because I had to spar with a german who is at least 1 foot taller, and about 20 kgs heavier.

Do the Germans have any word in their langauge for 'Light Contact'? Does anyone know? This guy obviously hadn't heard the phrase before. In round one I copped a punch that almost broke my nose (it was still swollen from getting belted around the ring by the Japanese last week). I thought if I get hit like that once more I'm going to have to go to hospital.

By the end of the first round I was spitting up blood. By the end of the second round he'd managed to cut my head open. During the third round the trainer stepped in and reminded him it was 'light contact sparring' which he ignored. Some of the trainers sat down to watch round one and actually cheered because he was kicking me so hard. Not cheering him on, but they do appreciate a good brawl. In round 3 he kept saying "faster, faster". No mate, learn some control first, then we can spar as hard and fast as you like.

However, despite getting injured and this guy being a knob, I'm happy with my performance. If he can't knock me out then maybe there is some hope for me as a boxer yet. I managed to slip past a couple of punches which I didn't have the confidence to try before. But I'm really starting to hate this guy and his superiority issues, which leaves me with an interesting question to consider... How do you train with someone you hate? It's not just me, other people have said bad things about this guy as well but it's a gym that's open to everyone and I just want to get along with the people who come there.

My trainers given me this afternoon off training and told me to go and watch a fight not far from my gym so I'll try and get some photos. Below, are photos from the 5th Annual Muay Thai & Wai Kru Festival which kicked off yesterday.


Elephants, obviously.


Wouldn't have been a Thai festival without a 9 metre high buddha to watch over it.


Team Iraq taking advantage of the free training sessions.

Photo from the traditional tattoo stall


'Wat' a sunset..


Boat for serving free food from


Sasiprapa stall & bling. Easily the most popular stall of the day.

The whole reason for the festival. This is a statue of Nai Khanomtom, the Thai who defeated 10 Burmese Boxers after the Burmese captured him during the invasion of 1767.

2 comments:

  1. geeze... seems like both the guys you sparred with have no sportsmanship at all! Do most of the trainees behave like this in general?

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  2. wow, u want to be a contributer or write a guest post for my blog? www.talkmuaythai.com

    - Tom

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