Zyaga Writing about whatever the hell I want, cuz it's the Interwebz!

Muay Thai – Day One

I’ve recently decided to get back into Martial Arts and start training again. Quite a few years ago, when I was younger, I use to be into different Martial Arts and was in great shape, but times have changed. At one point, I had injured my back, more specifically my spine, severely. So that, and the fact that I have a desk job writing code all day, so I don’t really get any exercise at all that way, has kind of put me off on the idea up until lately.

I had been thinking about getting back into Martial Arts but couldn’t decide what I wanted to study or how. I wanted it to be something “foreign” to me. Something I had never really done at all, something brand new. One day while I was in class(college) my teacher(who happens to be an ex-marine) happened to mention all of his past Martial Art experience and that he happened to know Muay Thai because he got stationed different places and had the opportunity to learn it while away from home. He trained under a specific Muay Thai teacher for around 2 years or so. Personal training goes a lot further then most places “group training”.

I later talked to him about what I was planning on doing and he told me that he was training people for free as long as they could fit in with his schedule. He trains only a handful of people per week so that the training can be effective. Big groups of “students” simply cause everyone to not be able to get that “personal” experience. His training is not what you would call “full fledged Muay Thai”. Most of the traditions have been stripped out because the fact is that any Martial Arts has two faces to it, the application and the traditions. The traditions can be neat and fun to learn, as well as required, if you plan on ever fighting in a ring with that particular fighting method, such as is with Muay Thai. The application remains the same either way as long as it’s taught the right way. All too often traditions are taught and application is left behind. He is also teaching other methods from his other Martial Arts experience but generally points out what is from what, just for my own knowledge and understanding.

I decided I’d go for it and so yesterday, I did. We met at a giant ballpark where no one was, since we did this during lunch time, and for roughly an hour or so he worked with me to figure out what level I am currently at so he can adjust the level of intensity of training I need to start at. To be honest, my level of fitness is very low. Anybody who knows me in real life can tell you I’m quite thin, some even think I’m too thin, but the fact remains that I’m just “out of shape”. Just being thin doesn’t mean at all that you’re automatically “in shape”, and thus that’s the situation I’m in.

We worked with focus mitts on jabs, knee strikes, and some kicks. After a bit of practicing, we’d spar lightly to get me used to what I had just went over, before going back to practicing again and repeating the process but with new combo’s. Since we were only sparing lightly, I only ended up with some bruises and scraped up knuckles. The problem is, at the current shape I am in, it’d be stupid to take it too much “harder” so fast. Once I build up my endurance, I’ll be able to go a lot more “hardcore”.

If you want to find out more about Muay Thai, click the link. That will give you a general overview of what Muay Thai is sort of about. For more information, look up Tony Jaa who has made two popular movies Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior and The Protector. The image displayed is of Tony Jaa. If you want to see a more traditional fight though, look up Rob “The Dutchman” Kaman.

Anyways, I’ll be posting more as my training progresses. I’ve got a long way to get back to where I was, but I’m enjoying it so much, the time will fly by faster than I think.