CategoryChiang Mai

3 years ago

Some Padwork with Daeng at Lanna Muay Thai – With Commentary

Fighting the next day I still wanted to get a round of padwork in: one, to stay sharp after all that driving; two, because my old trainer Daeng had returned from a lengthy stay in China, and I wanted to experience the difference in my growth, it had been maybe a year and a half since he held pads for me; and three, because Daeng was cornering for me the next night, it would be good for him to feel how I have changed. Daeng has always been a very fight oriented padholder. By this I mean he brings fight-like 

3 years ago

Underground Gambling, Beetle Fights, Heart and the Clinch of Muay Thai

File this under The Culture of Muay. If you are to understand Muay Thai, I mean really understand it and see how it grew out of Thai society, and the forces that sustain and feed it today, you have to appreciate Fight Culture. It is not just the techniques and gyms that make up Muay Thai in Thailand, but rather a whole system of beliefs and experiences the pull together the karma and excitements of gambling – gambling on contests of body and soul. Part 1 on the Battle Beetles of the North is here: Muay Thai Clinch is Not 

3 years ago

Lanna Muay Thai History in Chiang Mai – Brave Dave’s 90 Minute Documentary

Brave Dave, about 10 years ago, put together a DVD of his 3 long visits to Lanna Muay Thai in the early 2000s, capturing a time and a place in a way I’ve never seen before. For anyone thinking of coming to stay long term in Chiang Mai, no matter the camp, this short film is a must see. The things it covers are extensive, including not only the camp but also the “life” that drew people from all over the world to the camp: Training, Food choices, bro bonding, Chiang Mai markets, renting motorbikes or cars, festival fights, the 

3 years ago

Transformation and Belief: Receiving my Sak Yant Sua Ku and Takroh

I climbed slowly down the short ladder from the corner of the ring, the cool air washing over the water soaked clothes, Vaseline and oil on my skin, while the warmth of blood streamed down from my forehead, along the bridge of my nose and down my chin. Because I was smiling, blood trickled into my mouth and crept into my mouthpiece; I could taste it. And I felt so happy. Straight from my 108th fight, a victory and 6 stitches in my forehead, we drove through the dark highways with only a few other cars on the road to 

4 years ago

Chiang Mai Muay Thai – Best Prices, Equipment, Custom Shorts – A Review of Shops

In this post I return to two shops I had previous reviewed for Muay Thai equipment and custom shorts in Chiang Mai. You can find my original reviews, more than 2 years ago, here: The Sportland Shop, Near the 3 King’s Monument: Where to Buy Muay Thai, Equipment, Gloves and Gear in Chiang Mai Boy’s Twin’s Shop on the Kalare Night Bazaar: Where to Buy Custom Muay Thai Shorts in Chiang Mai I really never meant to do a thorough review, so much as just share what I ran into. I needed equipment and had a bit of an adventure 

4 years ago

How To Best Connect to the Internet in Thailand – Phones, Computers & Hotspots

I’ve been living here in Thailand for three years, and because I’ve made a commitment to blogging and reporting my experiences continually online, getting and staying online is a big deal. Add to this that my husband is employed through and works with clients via the Internet, so reliable and consistent internet is a priority. So, here are a few things we’ve discovered. It took us several months before we finally got much of it down as the difference in how phone plans and providers work out here can be confusing, so this may help you speed that process up. 

4 years ago

Pre-Fight Warmup and Process for Muay Thai in Thailand

A couple people have asked me to describe what the warmup process before a fight is and what I do and don’t like about it.  I was asked about my experience, so that’s what this is.  I’ll start by saying that the warmup in Thailand is almost not even a warmup.  The oil massage is with a mentholated liniment that is thermogenic, so the body temperature rises and the muscles warm without moving around very much.  So the oil massage kind of is the warmup for most Thais, although light shadowboxing is certainly common, as is some light stretching, like 

4 years ago

Forever Young – Overload on Cute at the Muay Thai Gym

In the photo above are all cousins, at the center is Bam (6-7 years old, Den’s nephew); left is Den’s son Dtong (3 years old) and right is Badt (8-9 years old, Den’s nephew). As I strode into the gym this morning there was nothing unusual going on.  It was largely empty, the trainers kind of milling around before any of the westerners were ready for padwork and the main thing of note being that the number of little gromit kids running around was about half of what it’s been the past month or so. The youngest of the kids, 

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