Fighters Only

Issue 019

November 2006

Written by Lisa James and Dean Jones

Sunday morning. Too early for words. The first rule of training in Thailand is to book your flights well in advance. A late booking, replete with 2 stopovers and a 6-hour wait in Doha, has the potential to destroy you way more than any subsequent adventures in the ring. Still, once on the plane, the warm-up activities officially began, in the shape of pranks, jokes and a one-man attempt to exhaust the in-flight beverage selection. 26 hours later, we arrived in Phuket.

Will, the Tiger Muay Thai (TMT) manager, had promised us a TMT taxi from the airport, and it came complete with Thai hospitality and a running commentary. We arrived at camp with a comprehensive knowledge of the local areas of interest. The on-site attractions were no less welcoming – two boxing rings, a cage, a plethora of punch bags and the all-important juice bar (no doubt a attractive proposition for the one-man in-flight beverage master).

Unfortunately TMT's bungalows were fully booked, but Will had managed to arrange alternative accommodation in the ‘Fathers’ Bungalows’, around 4km away. After our veritable expedition to get here, most logical people would have welcomed the opportunity to eat something that didn't come on a tray, wash in more than an in-flight lavatory and sleep without their heads rammed up against a window. Not us.

A £1.50 taxi ride and bag drop later and we were heading into Patong to watch one of the camp guests fight in the local stadium. The location was makeshift, but highlights of the evening included Muay Thai competitors ranging from 11 year old kids to seasoned veterans, and RJ (aforementioned guest) stopping his opponent in the fourth round with some great boxing and a knee on the way down (a move which is allowed in Thailand). We were glad to have arrived, and the trainers also seemed pleased to see us, as one squeezed Jess’ quads with an appreciative nod.

Tuesday morning, first day of camp. Rule two of training in Thailand is buy yourself an alarm clock! Rule number three should be to make sure it's loud enough to wake the dead. After our epic voyage, the 7am start slipped by the Pancrase Team, who were no doubt merrily dreaming of takedowns and submissions instead of practising them. After a delayed start, but the compensation of finding a great local restaurant called The Anchor (Thai and international food at reasonable prices), we decided to aim for the afternoon session.

Rule number four of training in Thailand (in July) is that it has a tendency to torrentially rain on occasions. This rain can make walking from bungalow to camp a difficult experience, and can result in you missing the Muay Thai class by 20 minutes and kicking off with MMA.

The class itself started off with a pretty standard MMA workout – forward rolls, shrimps, some running and a light circuit of push-ups and squats. Some obligatory stretching followed and we were ready for technique. Here the inexperience of the instructor seemed to let him down, with intermediate moves being shown to people who had yet to master basic arm bars or key locks. In the end he seemed to give up, and the Pancrase crew decided to get on with our own training.

The Thai Boxing class also had its highs and lows. Having got to grips with the 7am wakeup call by Day Two, the training started with a 5-10 minute skipping session, some push-ups and squats in the ring and some head-to-toe stretching. After 5-10 minutes of shadow boxing, things stepped up a level. Eight to ten trainers padded up and we headed into 5 x 3 minute rounds, as they corrected every tiny detail to generate more power and speed.

After such an encouraging pad workout, the class divided. Those who erred on the side of experience and hard work were chosen by the instructors for further combination work on the punching and kicking bags, more technical adjustment on the pads, some sparring or circuit training. Those who didn't were less fortunate, being left to their own devices.

All the trainers had their own specialist areas and we managed to pick up some very cool techniques from a lot of experienced fighters (from ex-Thailand boxing champions to ex-Lumpini fighters and champions). A private session for the small fee of 500 baht (around £6.50) is highly recommended and includes one and a half hours with a trainer of your choice. Aeg's specialist area was movement exercises and all manner of sneaky elbows.

The following two weeks fell into a pattern of Thai training in the mornings and both Thai and MMA in the afternoons, interspersed with generous helpings of eating, sleeping, culture and time at Rai Harn beach. Evening entertainment spanned shopping, Thai fights and the inimitable delights of Patong nightlife. In general, Phuket and TMT are a great holiday combination – the people are extremely welcoming and helpful, food and weather (aside from the occasional ‘shower’) are fabulous, and the adage about everything being cheap as chips once you are out there rings true.

The staff and trainers at TMT made us feel well looked after and comfortable – the MMA programme needs some attention but hopefully it is under construction. The Thai Boxing programme is well worth doing – just be willing to get in early (remember Rule number Two) and show heart and dedication to the trainers.

A few final Rules to set you on your way:

Rule number five – resist the urge to yelp “that's so cheap I could buy ten” every time you see a price tag. Those in the know understand that the label is more of a starting point for a long and comical bartering process, which can halve the price again. Whether you feel the need to haggle from 50p to 25p is up to you.

Rule number six – if you're planning on staying at TMT, some form of transport is a good idea, as it is situated a good 4km away from shops, restaurants etc. We took our lives into our own hands and hired mopeds, but if you choose to go down the tuk tuk / taxi route, negotiate a price before you clamber aboard, and confirm it covers everyone who is travelling. Walking away shaking your head a few times normally works wonders in terms of pricing policy.

Rule number seven – never show any form of disrespect for the King. There is pretty much universal adoration for the monarch amongst Thais, and any disparaging remarks, even in jest, will result in locals becoming a lot less friendly.

And of course, Rule number eight – if you find yourself in the company of a gaggle of beautiful Thai women, whose hands and Adam’s apples look disproportionately large in the evening light, put the whiskey down a moment and think whether you fancy sharing the razor in the morning!