I got unceremoniously promoted to the advanced ring from the intermediate ring about a week ago. However, I refused to move over there till this week. I didn’t think I was ready to handle the craziness that is advanced training at TMT. All the fighters are there. All the wannabee fighters are there. All the best trainers are there.
Which brings me to Yod.
Yod is an advanced trainer at TMT. He has also been a fighter, a champion and has trained folks all over Europe and Thailand. He just got back 2 weeks ago from a 3 month stint in Sweden. He brought back with him two people from Sweden that will be competing in the world championships in Bangkok in December.( more on them later. I decided that I might as well take the best guy in here since I’m already all the way in Thailand. In addition, I wanted someone who is as close to my trainers technique at NJMT(my gym in NJ). I don’t want to have to come back home to unlearn everything I just learnt over here.
I think I made a BIG mistake
This guy is brutal. He means business when he is in that ring. He doesn’t give a damn if you are blue, grey, short, tall, whatever. He works you very hard and is very very technical. Every time I don’t block the way he wants me to, I have to do 10 pushups. When he says lean back, he means it. I’ve gotten a bloody lip already from focus mitts in addition to being smacked in the head by a flying right kick. I got a bloody nose from not parrying the punch when we spar. The list goes on and on.
Needless to say, I can lean back with much accuracy now. I block in my sleep too now. The funny thing is after the training sessions and he is out of the ring, he turns into a big jokester and comedian. He is also making sure that I do 3 rounds of sparring and 3 rounds of pads with him EVERY.SINGLE. DAY. Morning and afternoon. He won’t even let me attempt to go to another trainer. It’s personal now!
His favorite sayings are “scare, cannot!” which translates to don’t be scared when my fists and elbows come flying at you. And my all time favorite…”power more!” which comes at the end of a round after he has made you do like 30 kicks.
I love Yod. Check me out with him in this video and see for yourself.
I have been having a great experience in Thailand so far. It has not been easy with the adjustments and training, but nothing worthwhile ever really is. The things that are really important to me at this time, are the people that I meet along the way, and the little nuggets of wisdom that I glean from them on a daily basis. I’ve already written about Ed, but there are so many other people here that I’m learning new things from. In the process, I’m learning more about myself by seeing some of myself in them.
Everyone has an interesting story to tell if you would only take the time to listen without judgement. Muay Thai makes for strange bedfellows because I’m finding that even though we have all come to Thailand from different parts of the world, come from different backgrounds, are all shapes and sizes, we are essentially exactly the same people.
I understand this because I stop to listen every single day. I do my best to lift the spirits of the people around me and in turn they almost always feed my spirit. I go out of my way to make a difference in people’s lives. I never want anybody to forget me.
I decided to treat myself to a movie after a long day of training at TMT. I went to the local Mall and decided to watch Beowulf in the first class movie section of the cinema.
And what an experience it was!.
The first class movie theater opens for business 1 hour before the movie begins and has it’s own private waiting room with comfortable chairs and couches for you seating pleasure. It also has a buffet of delicious finger foods and deserts. Once seated, the attendants then come around to serve drinks as you wait for the movie seating time.
About 15 minutes before the movie starts, they usher everyone to their assigned seating and lo and behold there is a huge lazyboy recliner sofa with a blanket in it waiting for you. Whoa!. Then they come around again and give everyone a bucket of popcorn and any drinks that you want (soda, beer, wine, champagne).
They give you free refills of everything on request all for a grand total of $15.
I have to say that once I got into my lazyboy recliner and put that blanket over me, I had to do my best not to fall asleep right there and then. I wasn’t even paying any attention to the idiots on the screen. I couldn’t be bothered. What is a beowulf anyway?
This has been another edition of things you will NEVER experience in the United States.
I have a freind who shall remain nameless. Hmm…let’s just call her “A”. Let’s just say that A is a starbuckaholic. I mean, she hasn’t even been in Thailand for 24hrs and we are already shuttling off to the nearest starbucks to get whatever concoction they whip up over there. And for all you ignorant folks out there:
Yes.Starbucks exists in Thailand. Yes. I have a photo to prove it. No. I have no idea if it tastes the same as in USA. Yes. You should get a life it this actually matters to you. hehehehe..
I just don’t get this whole Starbucks fascination. Nothing but panic, fear and dread grips me whenever I set foot into a Starbucks.
First of all, I don’t know what anything means. I can’t tell a venti from a mocha. A latte from a cappucino. Or whatever! There is always a line of people after me and I never know what the hell to order. Then I break out into a cold sweat because I know the people behind me are whispering “complete idiot” under their breaths as I analyze all the various formulations of coffee. I end up always ordering a hot chocolate and I’m out the door. Quickly.
It’s just coffee for crying out loud! This is simply insane people. Insane……
Ok..I’m done venting. We will now continue with the regularly scheduled program. Humph!
Hey Folks..There is this little kid that trains with us in the afternoons after school. He is so little and so very very cute. But watch out, he has mean kicks, knees and elbows. He posed for the camera today when I disrupted him from his bag work. And then to top it all off, he thanked me for taking a photo of him. He is just too cute. I want to just eat him every time I see him. He always brings a smile to my face.
Ed and I arrived at TMT on the same day. We also started training together in the beginners camp and then we gradually made our way to the intermediate camp where we finally bonded.
My friend Ed has no hands and one prosthetic leg. Despite all this, Ed trains 6 hours a day at TMT in the Muay Thai and MMA class.
I couldn’t imagine what a Day in the life of Ed would be like, until I spent a day(Sunday) with him. I watched him go through life with so much joy, enthusiasm and resolve. All I can say is that it was one of the best experiences of my life and I’m glad to have met him.
And to all of you who may be reading this post, I say this to you:
You have no problems in life. None.Whatsoever. So stop feeling sorry for yourselves.
William Shakespere wrote in his play (I believe it was the play “as you like it” ) that “All the worlds a stage, and everyone plays their part”. My friend Ed is showing me every single day, that life is not a rehearsal on that world stage. You only have one chance to act the play and act it out well. So make sure that you draw a standing ovation once the play over.
I’m personally making it my life’s mission to get an oscar for my performance.
Here is my friend Ed working the pads at TMT. Draw any inspiration you would like from it, but draw inspiration nonetheless.
Folks, I am staying at a place called the Phuket garden homes in Phuket Thailand while I continue to train at TMT. It’s not exactly what I expected, but it’s grown on me. There is something about open spaces in Thai bathrooms that I can’t quite get my head around.
In my bathroom, there is a garden with live plants growing. There is an opening in the roof so that when it rains, the plants get watered. While this is all nice and ecological and peachy, it fesses me up that the bathroom floor is covered with water EVERY time it rains which has been EVERY single day I’ve been here. I don’t like the fact that mosquitos can come in through that opening and have a field day with my lovely skin on a regular basis.
That is not cool!
However, I’m going to channel my inner “inconvienient truth” and play the cards I’m dealt.
Another quibble is where the TV is located. The chairs are so hard that no one would want to watch any TV sitting on those stones. What is up with that?. So I haven’t watched TV is 2 weeks which was annoying at first but is actually good for me. It gives me more time to blog for all you slackers out there.
This is a short video from early last week of myself and the hell I go through on every single day here at TMT.
Keep in mind that the camera adds 20lbs. I’m not kidding.
The trainer’s name is Kay and we are working the focus mitts. I’m seriously focusing on getting my punches to look better after the spectacle of this video. Those punches look hideous if you ask me. What do you all think?However bad the punches may be, I’m still a badass Muay Thai fighter and I’ll still kick your behind.
Now get off your rear ends, get workin’, and make it happen. If I can do it, you surely can do it too.
People ask me all the time how I keep going despite all the setbacks that may come. As you all know, setbacks come in different forms to try to take us all down and out for the count. Health issues become prevalant, financial issues start mounting, emotional issues surface and your spirit slowly and painfully decays and rots to the very core. So what does one do really? Dig deep my friends. Dig deep, and reach down to the bottom where your soul still rests and in constantly shining regardless of the circumstances and do the following:
1. Get Angry: Yes get very angry, use that anger to push you over the top.2. Get Motivated: Anger will spring up motivation the likes that you have never seen.3. Dispel fear: When you are angry and motivation, there will be no fear.4. Leap of faith: When there is no fear….jump high and far. Know that God (or whatever higher power you believe in will see you through.5. Just do it: Make it happen.
Hey there christmasgoaters…goatarians….goats…Well pick a name and stick to it!
Friday night was fight night at the famous Bangla Stadium in Patong, Thailand. So after my afternoon training session we got into an old rickety bus that smelled of sweaty feet and headed to Patong to cheer on two fellow TMT collegues. Lisa from Sweden and the resident bad ass Veronika from Norway were fighting.
Lisa from Sweden was fighting for the first time after only being at TMT for 6 weeks of training and no previous Muay Thai experience. It wasn’t pretty, but she won when her opponent out of nowhere took a nose dive and hit the canvas.
Definately fixed!
The least the thai girl could do was shoot for an oscar worthy performance. Or a bollywood Oscar for crying out loud! Sheesh!
Veronika on the other hand is a champion . She has been living and training at TMT for the past 15 months. When she got here, she had no Muay Thai experience. You really have to see the video of the fight to trully appreciate the beauty of Muay Thai when done correctly. Her opponent really had no chance. It wasn’t even close.
As for me, I think I’m too damn pretty to be fighting. But of course you ALL already knew that!
In the meantime, please enjoy the pictures and video that captures the sights and sounds of a great night.
Disclaimer, the video you are about to watch is rated B for Bloody! Watch at your own risk! And before you ask yes that’s me screaming “Oaaaaaaaa” in the background.
In Phuket Thailand, there are night markets everywhere. There is a big one near the TMT camp. It’s about 3 miles away and goes from 4pm – 11pm on Saturday and Sundays.
So me and my homies from da Muay Thai hood, decided to take a trip up there to see what we could get are grubby little fingers on. Well to our delight there was so much out there from designer jeans, handbags and glasses to boiled corn. I got 6 pairs of fishermans pants (very comfortable cotton loose fitting shorts that you can lounge around in) for a whopping total of $9.
Damn Thailand is so expensive!
Six pairs of shorts for $9? Well that’s highway robbery I tell you! What was I thinking coming to this place? hahaha
So we get to the night market, and all the homies from the Muay Thai hood are looking to me to bargain for them like I’m some sort of African or something. Wait a minute…..that ain’t even right!.
Anyway, I haggled all day at that damn night market. My mother would be so proud. Now the homies want to capture my haggling on video tape.
What the hell!
I am not going to make a spectacle of myself. I’m a decent, hardworking, tax paying individual. I have pride and dignity. I will NOT be made a mockery of!………………..
Video of Nkem haggling coming soon for your viewing pleasure!
P.S..If you have any shopping requests, please feel free to keep it to yourself! Or you can send me an email.
In the meantime, please enjoy me and da Muay Thai homies trip to the Night Market.
Well what do we have here folks? I’ll be damned, but there is orgasmic jasmine brown rice on the menu(top left hand corner). I had a portion and waited patiently…and waited…..and waited….and waited. Nothing happened. Bummer!
I have to say that it did bring me pleasure in another place…..namely my stomach!
Well folks. I went ahead and stepped in it real hard. I got a few tattoos or “tats as some of my homies in “da hood” like to call them. What the hell do I know about da hood?.
Anyway as I was saying, I got some tats today. I mean, all the badass Muay Thai fighters have them, and I’m the very definition of a bad ass Muay Thai fighter. So do the math damn it. Do I have to think for all of you as well? Sheesh
Hmm….too bad they are henna tattoos and will only last for 2 weeks. But I had you all fooled right?
Right…….
Oh come on! You all know that you were about to get on the first flight to Thailand to check me into a mental institution. Well save your money. I’ve completely lost my mind.
Take a long hard look at the photo accompanying this post (click on photo to enlarge). It’s the look of a beaten person. I’ve been battered. I’ve been beaten. I’ve been taken, had, run amok, bamboozled, led astray. I’m tired folks, and it’s just the beginning.
I’ve been doing 2 a Days since Monday and it’s been rough for me. I woke up on Tuesday morning after a brutal 2 workout session and couldn’t even remember my name. I proceeded to go to the gym and get through the morning workout still in one piece. But it wasn’t easy. I’ve decided to cut the 2 a day sessions to Monday, Wednesday and Friday until I get my endurance up. I will do single sessions on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Have I already told you that
This is not easy folks. Not in the least!
Sometimes in life, you get beaten. Afterall, you can’t win them all. However, what one does when beaten is a true test of character. Do you lay down and and give in? Or do you pull yourself up by the bootstraps and carry on? I gotta tell you friends, giving in is easy. Too easy. Taking a non defeatist attitude is hard when all you want to do is just surrender.
There will be no retreat. There will be no surrender. I will not be defeated. I will not lose.
What I’m refering to by “2 a Days” is two training sessions a day. Ahh yes. The time has come my friends for me suck it up and do what I came here for. Which is to train like the thais do, in case you all out there have lost the plot of this whole adventure.
What the hell did I get myself into?
I really need psychological help for entertaining this idea in the first place, let alone actually doing it. The inner workings of the mind knows no bounds I tell you. In case you all are wondering what each training sessions entails, the details can be found in this post.. My day started at 6.00am. Here is what I did today:
06:00 – 06:30: Run06.30 – 06:45: Eat (banana and yougurt)06:45 – 07:00: Drove to TMT07:00 – 08:00: Yoga08:00 – 11:00: Muay Thai Training11:00 – 12:00: Lunch (Spicy Seafood Salad)12:00 – 02:30: Shower, Sleep, Rest04:00 – 07:00: Muay Thai Training07:00 – 08:00: Dinner (Vegetable and Seafood Soup08:00 – Now: Blogging my day for all you rascals out there
That’s seven and a half. Count them…seven and a half hours of some sort of training. And here’s the clincher folks:
I get to do this all over again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day and the next……..You get the point. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. Wish me luck folks and keep the comments flowing. Please enjoy the pictures below which show the atmosphere of the gym today.
Click on my beautiful face below to see more pictures!
November 21st, 2007 by 
nkem
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