About 8LimbsUs

8Limbs.Us is the result of 4 years of my life thus far. I began training Muay Thai in 2008 under the instruction of Master K (Kumron Vaitayanon) who has become not only my mentor and teacher, but my heart, my inspiration and a member of my family. Shortly after starting with Master K I began filming my training sessions in order to track my progress and uploading them to YouTube in order to share the precious gift that it is to train with Master K. The channel grew and with it I began using other social media, like Facebook and a WordPress blog, in order to share more of my experiences in training Muay Thai in the particular manner that I train, with the teachers I had the opportunity to learn from, and the unique experience of training and fighting as a woman in a male-dominated sport.

In 2010 my husband and I were able to make a trip out to Thailand for a 10 week stay. It was a life altering experience and much too short. So for the next two years we saved in order to return to Thailand, in order for me to train and fight full-time, for at least a year. The goal of 8Limbs.Us is to create a nexus point where all the various media I’ve been using can be hosted in one place and all the people, both those who I know and from whom I have taken strength and those around the world from whom I receive great support, can share this rare and precious experience with me.

Muay Thai is also known as “the science of eight limbs,” as it utilizes strikes from fists, elbows, kicks, and knees. One of my great inspirations is Muhammad Ali, who is the author of the shortest poem in the English language: when giving a commencement speech at Harvard he was asked for a poem; on the spot Ali spoke the words, “Me. We.” I have inscribed these words on my heart and they color the way I see and experience my life as a female fighter. In sharing my journey as best I can, it is important to me that it be stated in the very name of this website that it is 8 limbs “us”.

About Sylvie

I am a 105 lbs female Muay Thai fighter, currently fighting out of Lanna Muay Thai (Kiat Busaba) Gym in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I began training in Muay Thai in 2008, under the instruction of Master K (Kumron Vaitayanon) in Paterson, NJ. With Master K I developed a keen eye, detailed understanding and overwhelming love for this martial art. My path has allowed me to train with many great fighters, including Kaensak Sor. Ploenjit. In April of 2012 I moved to Thailand in order to train and fight full-time.

I am also a freelance journalist who has been involved in the NY and NJ Muay Thai community, and enjoy writing and filming interviews of female Muay Thai fighters, with a keen interest in helping spread knowledge of the sport in particular as it pertains to women.
More About Me.

Fight Map. (?)

Video Journal Update Before 22nd Muay Thai Fight [vid]

Written by Sylvie on 14 August, 2012 in Diary, Fighting, Lanna Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Thailand, Training. Has 0 Comments.

It finally wasn’t raining during my run this week and I remembered my camera. This is a recipe for success when it comes to actually making a video journal update.

Four days before my 22nd fight. This is a new experience for me because I received a little injury from my last fight and decided to take an extra week between fights, which is a seemingly small deal but in truth results in a lot of differences, both big and small. Talking about a few of those in this video, and you get to see some jungle-like background on this road I’ve never run down before. So many new things!