Women In Muay Thai

The Perfect Warm-Up

2008-10-15T12:30:00.002+08:00

What is in the essence of a perfect warm-up? Essentially, it is important not to over-strain your muscles that will impede your performance during the actual training. Perfect is in striking the right balance in warming up all your various muscle groups. To me, warming up exercises can be divided into 3 parts – running/skipping/bouncing on old tires, shadow boxing and bag work. The idea is to prepare your body for the vigorous exercises that follows. It is not necessary to spend an excessive amount of time during warm up – the bulk of your training time should be spent on the techniques and strength training – an ideal estimate should be approximately 30 minutes.

Running / Skipping / Bouncing on old tires

Running

These exercises are substitutable. Running is essential for the development of leg muscles and stamina and while many say that it is most ideal to run in the morning, do note that the peak time for running is definitely not the first thing in the morning. Due to daily fluctuations in our body temperature, scientists have found that our temperature is the lowest in the morning and peaks in mid afternoon. And wholly from a running perspective, athletes perform better when their body temperature is higher and thus many prefer to run in the late afternoons and evenings. And because our body’s vital functions peak at the same time, it is found that our lungs work best in the evenings too.

I have broken down the pros and cons of running at different times of the day from a survey conducted by Running Times.

Early Morning – The Mental Hurdle

The peak time for running is definitely not first thing in the morning. Virtually all bodily functions are at their worst at this hour. Body temperature is low, which means that muscles will feel stiff, lung function is poor, and not having any substantial food intake for the last ten hours significantly depletes your energy stores. All these means the same level of exertion is likely to feel much harder at this time of day than later on. To top things off, exercising early will leave you more prone to injury or worse. Research has also shown that this is the most common time of day for heart attacks and strokes.

Just because nearly everything physical is against you at this time, however, doesn’t mean the early morning session has no benefit. The very fact that it feels harder means it’s good for building up mental strength.

Mid-Morning – Muscle Booster

Lung performance and body temperature are much improved from the early morning, plus if you’re training at this time you should have had a good protein and carb-filled breakfast, meaning your energy levels will be much higher. However, although most of your physical functions will be improved from the early morning, they are still not as good as later in the day. Furthermore, if you work normal hours, a mid-morning run is likely only to be possible on the weekend anyway. If you do put in a mid-morning run, on a Saturday for example, you might want to make it a speed or hills session in which building up your calf and quad muscles is the aim. The reason is that most scientists agree this is the best time of day to boost muscle. “There’s a strong argument for doing weight training in the morning if you’re interested in building muscle,” said Dr. Stephen Bird, from the School of Human Movement Studies in Australia. “This is because testosterone, the hormone most responsible for muscle-boosting, is at its highest around this time.”

Lunchtime – The Convenient Substitute

The lunch-time run is extremely popular with all those who work normal hours. Getting out of the office and breaking up the day with some running seems like a great idea. And indeed there are positives to training at this time, but mostly they have to do with your work performance rather than your running performance. "Many people choose to exercise at lunch because it doesn’t eat into their free time," said workplace psychologist Mike Clinton. "Plus it perks you up and is likely to make you more productive in the afternoon."

In fact, nearly all bodily functions experience a lull in the middle of the day, particularly those such as lung function and body temperature, which are crucial to running performance. Like the early morning, this doesn’t necessarily make it a bad time of day to train; just make sure you save those time trials, or sessions where you’re looking to run your absolute best, for later.

Afternoon and Evening – Score!

It has been known for some time that most physical activities are best performed in the mid- to late-afternoon, as this is when body temperature peaks, meaning the muscles are at their most supple and running at speeds that feel tough in the early morning will feel much easier. Recently this has been bolstered by a study by Dr. Boris Medarov of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, which found that lung function was more than 6 percent better in the afternoon than at other times during the day. So this is definitely the time of day to run if you’re going for a personal best.

If your gym trains in the evening, you’ll probably want to sweat out your personal best before class starts! A short 10 min run should be sufficient.

Skipping / Bouncing on old tires

Skipping is an intense cardiovascular workout, more tiring than running I would say. Skipping strengthens the muscles in your upper and lower body and also promotes the hand-leg coordination that is much needed in most Muay Thai techniques.

Skip in sets, usually 3 sets of 3 mins each should be sufficient but if you feel that it is not warming up your body enough, bring it up to 3 sets of 5 mins or 2 sets of 10 mins. Do not skip with both your feet bouncing off the ground at the same time. Alternate between legs, for example, tap 3 times on your right leg and then switch to your left. It might not seem easy at first but you’ll get used to it.

The same goes for bouncing on tires.

Here’s a good video on jump rope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvEnee4rF4k

I’ll update a bit more on shadow boxing and bag work for warm up in the later part of the day.

Germaine de Randamie versus Lucy Bertaud

2008-02-05T13:57:00.001+08:00

Germaine de Randamie versus Angela Rivera Parr

2008-02-05T13:03:00.000+08:00

As promised, videos of Germaine Randamie. Angela Parr's fighting out of Boonchu Gym in Australia, hometown California, married to John Wayne Parr. Good fighter in her own stride.

The undefeatable Iron Lady - Germain de Randamie

2008-02-04T23:29:00.001+08:00

Name:
Germaine de Randamie

Nickname:
The Iron Lady

Height:
1.79m

Fight Weight:
61kg and below

Fighting out of:
Team Germaine, Netherlands

Fight Record:
32-0, 14 by K.O

Titles:

WIKBA Muay Thai Champion
1 time Netherlands Champion
3 times European Champion
3 times World Champion in two different weight classes (63kg and 59kg)

Enough checking out her abs. This girl is an awesome fighter. Her fighting career began at the age of 16 and she never lost a match. I'm going to be posting some videos of her. She has a very aggressive style of fighting, always dominating her matches. Watch out for her powerful high kicks and knees as well. Germaine's gotta be the idol of all female nakmuays.

She's gonna be fighting at this year's SLAMM event, Netherlands versus Holland. Keep your eyes glued here for updates! Here's an interview with Germaine.

Slamm IV - Nederlands versus Thailand

2008-02-03T21:34:00.000+08:00

Details:
2nd March, Holland
Pierre de Coubertinlaan 7
1362LA Almere
Nederland (Flevoland)

K-1 rules: For more details on K-1 rules, please visit k-1fans.com

Watch out for two female fighters:
Germaine de Randamie vs Maria Verheye

taken from http://slamm.nl

Prized Pinay Fighter - More about FilAm Christine Toledo

2008-01-29T23:47:00.000+08:00

By Joseph Pimentel Asianjournal.com
SHE was set to fight in the undercard of the World Muay Thai Championships at the Las Vegas Hilton last January 12. However, an eye injury prevented FilAm Christine Toledo from avenging one of her two losses in her career, this one against Maiko Katsuyama.

Toledo is disappointed at the Nevada Athletic Commission. "They never had a problem with me before," she said. "I fought with contacts all the time but I guess, they are stricter now."

To be able to fight in Nevada and California again, Toledo needs to undergo refractive eye surgery, a procedure for military personnel.

Killer looks

Looking at Toledo, one would think she's a typical regular gal. Wearing blue jeans, a black leather jacket and sporting glasses, she looks like the Pinay version of singer Lisa Loeb. But don't let her looks fools you.

Toledo may look meek on the outside but deep down, she is a Muay Thai Champion ready to kick butt.

"My co-workers get surprised when they find out that I'm a Muay Thai expert," she said in an interview with the Asian Journal inside the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. "They joke with me all the time. They say, 'If I ever get in trouble, you'll be my bodyguard. I'm taking you with me to the parking lot."

"I like that," she admits. "I like seeing people's reaction when they find out [I'm a fighter]."

Toledo works as a marketing manager at an energy company in Las Vegas during the day. She moonlights as a Muay Thai fighter sporting a professional record of 11 wins, 2 losses and 4 KO's at night.

The 30-year-old Pinay enjoys her anonymity. But get her inside the ring, and she's a completely different person. Her opponents call her the "blade."

Muay Thai is a combination of kickboxing and boxing which includes the use of the elbows and knees.

"I'm known for my elbows," she said.

Toledo has fought professionally for the past eight years in the US and around the world. She has fought in Thailand, Great Britain and hopes to one day compete in front of her kababayans in the Philippines. She trains everyday after work for three to four a hours a day.

The World International Kickboxing Association (WIKBA) ranks her anywhere between the No. 1 and No. 3 female in her weight division in the world. She holds the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) US Title and another world title. She has also been featured in a documentary and reality television series about Muay Thai.

Despite all of her accomplishments, Toledo said there is still more to be done.

"The titles are great but I want to be recognized by the larger governing bodies," she said.

It's this goal that drives her.

Inspiration

Toledo said her greatest source of inspiration is her mother. Born in Norfolk, Virginia and raised in San Diego, Toledo said that she grew up in a typical Filipino household.

"My brothers and I were Navy, military brats," she said. "My dad was in the Navy and my mom was a nurse."

When her parent divorced, her mother raised them by herself.

"It was tough for her," she said. "It was hard for me to adjust to that."

Growing up, Toledo's mother did not allow her to participate in rigorous sports activity.

"She wanted me to be the girl that she wanted me to be. I did tap dancing, played the piano and hula but I wanted to do gymnastics and karate. I was a real active kid. My mom wanted me to grow up a certain way."

Beginnings

It wasn't until college at San Francisco State University and an old boyfriend that she pursued training in the martial arts.

She began Muay Thai training with instructor Kru Sam from Team USA in the Bay Area. Her trainers said that she had a natural talent so she began to train harder.

"This is something that I've always wanted to do," she said. "Muay Thai became a passion."

In 2002, she scored her first win against Jennifer Kelly by unanimous decision at the Hollywood Park Race and Casino in Los Angeles.

Her mother, who had disapproved of her martial arts venture, attended the event.

"She wasn't happy with the idea but she came to my first fight," said Toledo. "She became more comfortable once she saw how I handled myself in the ring."

"It's a rush," Toledo said. She added there's nothing like being inside the ring.

Toledo racked up eight wins in a row before a knee injury led to her first defeat. She tore her ACL on her left knee when training for a match against Katsuyama. The knee eventually gave out on her during the fight and the referee stopped the match.

Toledo is now getting back into gear since suffering that knee injury in 2005.

After losing a tough match in Thailand, Toledo is on a three consecutive victories streak.

She carries with her, life lessons that her mother taught her.

"Looking back, I get my drive from my mom," she said. "Everything that I've been doing not just fighting is from my mom. I just look back at how hard working she was taking care of me and my brothers growing up."

Toledo plans to have a busy fight schedule this year. She knows that she's getting older but she wants to finish her career off strong. She added that once she has corrective eye surgery, she'll have fights lined up in February and May.

She hopes to encourage more Filipino women to join Muay Thai.

"Filipino women don't have to be typical housewives who just sit around and take care of their home," she said. "Women can do [martial arts] too." (AJ)

Female Muay Thai Legend - Christine Toledo

2008-01-21T02:17:00.001+08:00

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Toledo has been raised in San Diego, California since the age of three. She began her training in Muay Thai in San Francisco, California in her last year of college. What began as just a hobby for keeping herself fit, Toledo gradually fell in love with the sport. She began to excel in her passion and under the instruction of Kru Sam Phimsoutham and Anthony Badua at Team USA in San Francisco, Toledo began competing in Muay Thai.

Her passion in the sport became the driving force for her success. In 2003, she relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada and began training under Master Toddy. This gave her the opportunity to compete against top ranked opponents in her weight category, travelled across the globe and appear in various film productions.

Today, Christine continues training Muay Thai under Master Chan and Anthony Badua in Las Vegas and plans to continue fighting at a professional level.

Toledo is scheduled to fight Maiko Katsuyama (rematch) in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA), Hilton Hotel on 12th January.

Fight Weight:
112 - 118lbs

Fight Record:
11wins - 2losses

June 2002, Los Angeles, California (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Jennifer Kelly
Win by UD

October 2002, Casper, Wyoming (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Dear Kanthawong
Win by TKO

February 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Alisanne Casey
Win by Split Decision

June 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Jill Izzo
Win by TKO

March 2004, Manchester, England (UK)
Christine Toledo vs. Janine Carlson
Win by UD

May 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Alisanne Casey (Rematch)
Win by TKO

October 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Brenda Lopez
Win by UD

November 2004, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Christine Toledo vs. Aeng Nua
Win by KO

March 2005, Las Vegas, NV (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Maiko Katsuyama
Loss

March 2006, Phuket, Thailand
Christine Toledo vs. Saep Wor Por Sukhothai
Loss

June 2006, New York, NY (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Rima Sidhu
Win by UD

August 2006, Las Vegas, NV (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Jennifer Nguyen
Win by UD

December 2006, Las Vegas, NV (USA)
Christine Toledo vs. Rima Sidhu (Rematch)
Win by UD

12 Scientifically-Proven Fitness Tricks to Up 'Burn Rate'

2008-01-20T18:57:00.001+08:00

I know we're Muay Thai practitioners, but we're girls too! Keeping our body in shape is probably one of the reasons why some of us pursue Muay Thai as a long term hobby, other than, of course, we all love the sport! The twisting and turning in Muay Thai techniques help to burn a alot of calories and develop nice ab muscles. However, females tend to have a higher density of fats than men. When we're training, we're building muscles fast and because the training requires high power intensity, we tend to develop muscles in bulk, bulk up especially the upper part of our body. And this when accompanied with our high density of fats makes us heavier and bulkier.

I don't know about you guys but sometimes getting bigger kind of worries me. I build up muscles on the upper part of the body very fast and therefore, I make an effort in watching my diet and make it a point to do my long runs and intervals at least 2 to 3 times a week. I find that by doing this, I am maintaining my muscle density and losing the weight of my fats at the same time, keeping me in shape and not exactly bulking up too much.

I found the article below on the web:

Know this: If you’re convinced that you’re melting fat while exercising, you’ll make a mind-body connection that will actually help you lose fat faster, Dillinger explains. In a 2007 Harvard study, participants who believed they were getting a good workout showed greater reductions in body fat than subjects who performed the same activities but didn’t feel like they were really exercising.

Do this: The next time you do anything active, remind yourself every few minutes that you’re giving it your all. This little mental move may moti-vate you to push yourself harder, leading to even greater fat loss.

read more | digg story

Working the bag

2008-01-18T20:22:00.001+08:00

I remember coming across a video once before and it had some great bag work techniques. Most people would be bag work in this manner - 4rds x 2mins - and the instant the timer starts, you pump your muscles and exhaust yourself even before you get to the 3rd round.

This technique that I came across is not less exhausting. It can in fact be more exhausting on the body. This technique, however, propels your mind to think before executing your moves, slowing building up an instant effect of body and mind coordination. Here is the routine:

4 Rounds(8 sets) x 4 Mins

Each round constitutes 2 sets, 2 mins each set.

As soon as the timer starts, begin your first set by executing whatever moves that first comes into your mind. The first set is about power. Pump your muscles, throw your punches, master your roundhouse kicks. Sweat the first set out. Stop at 2 mins.

The second set is a slow set. As soon as the timer starts, think through your combinations before executing them. The second set is about technique, about combination, about anticipating your opponent's move even if you are just really punching a dummy bag. Go slow for this first round. Stop at 2 mins.

Set the timer at 30seconds. At the end of each round, it is good to work on some cardio. For the end of the first round, do a 30-second speed punch.

Rest for one min.

Repeat the two sets for each round till you reach the fourth round. As each round progresses, your second sets should go faster. You should develop clearer combar mentality. You should slowly see your techniques forming up in successive first sets. End the second round with 30 seconds of knee, the third round with 30 seconds of push kicks, alternating legs, and the last round with 30 seconds of roundhouse, alternating legs.

This bag work technique is good for getting your body and mentality used to throwing certain combinations such that when your body is tired out in the middle of a bout, your mind has pre-programmed combinations that your body can use.

The Contender Asia and updates

2008-01-18T14:56:00.000+08:00

Sorry guys, I know I haven't been updating for a bit. I've just recently set up another two blogs:

http://www.contender-asia.blogspot.com
I have uploaded as-it-happens Contender Asia updates on this blog.

http://www.muaythai-videos.blogspot.com
This site is a central for all Muay Thai videos, be it for female or male NakMuays. I will post any great videos I find on the net on this blog.

In the meantime, here is a video on Muay Thai's Best Female Fighters - Stephynee Bouquet V Shahan Beaver:

The two world champions Stephynee Bouquet (AUS) & Shahan Beaver (AUS) go head to head to qualify for a shot at the WBC Muay Thai Women's ... all » World Title to be held in the near future. This was the main event of The WBC WOrld Muay Thai Super Fights June 24, 2006. Presented by Phon's Thai Martial Arts & Australian Muay Thai Promotions.

Proper Shin Conditioning - DON'T KILL YOUR NERVES!

2007-08-21T15:40:00.001+08:00

When I first started Muay Thai about a year ago, my coach introduced himself by knocking his knuckles on his shins. This knock produced a hollow sound followed by a gasp amongst the class and him jokingly saying, "These nerves are dead."

After that, this idea of shin conditioning was rooted in my head - shin conditioning was killing your nerves. Subsequently during classes, I witnessed some of the seniors rolling bamboo sticks on their shins, applying pressure as they did. Some of them even tied a couple of thin sticks (the kind you used to make cane) into a bundle and began hitting their shins with it.

As much as I wanted to have shins with extreme immunity to pain, I never dared to venture that far. At first I was afraid of the pain and then, I began researching on shin conditioning and I realised that shin conditioning in these methods kills the nerves in your shins! What is wrong with killing the nerves in your shins? What are the consequences?

Your Nerves are Damaged for Life!
Nerve's are your body's form of communication. The nerves are free ended in a deep layer of the skin called the dermis; they pick up any pain or other senses from the environment and send these messages to the brain (via other nerves), which in turn reacts to the stimuli in an appropriate manner. Nerve damage are usually accompanied by pain, numbness, weakness or paralysis. Some me may feel these symptoms in areas far from the site of damage (referred pain) and this occurs because signaling is defective from all parts of the area which the nerve receives input, not just the site of the damage.

Proper Conditioning of Shins
I would say proper conditioning of shins should come in the following methods:

Kick heaving bags and / or Thai pads at least 100 times a day and gradually increase the number of times as your shins get used to the impact. Start by kicking the bag lightly and then slowly increasing the impact as you go along.
Stop every so often and massage your shins vigorously, allowing the circulation of blood to return to normal. This promotes faster healing of any damage to the flesh or bone. Remember, if you have a nasty bruise on your shin, stop for a while and waiting for it to heal.
DO NOT "beat" or "tap" your legs with sticks, boards, metal, ironing boards, baseball bats whatever. Worst still, DO NOT try kicking bamboo or coconut trees. Even the Thais don't do that. They kick baby coconut trees that have soft trunks. These will cause bruises, knots, bone damage to your shins and will stick with you for a long time.
Optionally, you can use soft plastic bottles or rolling pin and toll it up and down the length of your shin lightly. Do this for maybe 15 mins per shin.

One of the more traditional methods still in practice is hitting your shin with a wet cloth. I suppose this will not have that great a damage on your shins as the material is soft. Kicking pads and heavy bags will as well do some damage to your nerves but they repair themself after some time. So instead of working towards creating dead nerves, you are conditioning your shins to take impact.

Shin conditioning is a gradual process, you cannot rush it. The above idea of proper shin conditioning are just my thoughts on the matter. Of course, some Muay Thai practitioners find it better to kill the nerves, especially female fighters as they're shins are less hardy than guys. I personally feel that dead shins are just empty shells attached to the body.

Female Muay Thai Legend - Naoko Kumagai

2007-08-20T03:04:00.000+08:00

Biography

D.O.B: 8th August 1971
Fight Wt.: 115 lbs
Height: 5'2"

Fight Record

31 wins
4 losses
1 draw (Holly Ferneley)
27 KOs

Often compared to Lucia Rijker because of her powerful knock-out punches, Kumagai is a three-time World Champion in three different weight categories. Some of the World Champions she defeated:

Kim Messer - Five rd Muay Thai fight in Tokyo Dome

Amanda Buchanan - 4th rd K-O

Regina Halmich - 1st rd K-O

Lisa Smith - 1st rd K-O

Lisa Howarth - 1st rd K-O

Kumagai also won a K-O victory over a male US Marine in a modified Muay Thai fight in Okinawa. She was only 19 then.

Kumagai switched to professional boxing after 12 years of Muay Thai. She, however, did not have much success in boxing with only winning one amateur fight against
Russian Elaina Karpacheva.

Here are some videos:

Naoko Kumagai VS Lisa Howarth - First Round K-O

Naoko Kumagai VS Regina Halmich

When Kumagai fought Halmich, she had a total of 17 wins, five losses.

(Halmich held an impressive record of 20 wins, 2 losses)

Approximately one minute into the fight, Kumagai landed a roundhouse kick into the midsection followed by a punch to the liver. This will followed by a knock-out at approximately one minute and eight seconds when she delivered a high roundhouse kick into Halmich's face.

Female Muay Thai Knock-Out

2007-08-20T02:50:00.001+08:00

The Tao of Muay Thai

2007-08-20T01:59:00.001+08:00

It is common knowledge that Muay Thai training is one of the toughest in the world of sport. Some sports physiologists even feel that it is too stressful for the nervous system to go through two sessions of anaerobic training a day like Muay Thai practitioners do.

I believe that it is not the physical alone that makes Muay Thai such a formidable art. Muay Thai’s prowess lies in the unique combination of physical strength and mental power. Most people and even the athletes themselves often overlook the mental training or psychological aspect of Muay Thai.

Muay Thai has a long history and is an integral part of Thai culture. Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam have influenced the rituals and traditions of Muay Thai. From the Mong Kon, Ram Muay and Wai Kru to the recitations before the fight, there is a very spiritual element to this sport. During my training and study of Muay Thai in Thailand, I noticed that many elements of these traditional practices actually mirrors closely with modern sports psychology, especially in the theory of optimum arousal and visualization.

OPTIMUM AROUSAL

Arousal is closely related to anxiety, attention and stress. One finding with respect to arousal is the Yerkes-Dodson law, which predicts an inverted U-shaped function between arousal and performance.

A certain amount of arousal is necessary in order to perform at your best. But too much or too little would most certainly work against you. In sports, a player who is playing great is at the optimum arousal point and is said to be "in the zone."

Many inexperienced fighters may suffer from pre-fight jitters causing their anxiety to increase. Instead of bringing down their arousal level in order to control anxiety, they get even more aroused by psyching themselves up with some sort of aggressive ritual such as slapping their own faces and shouting out loud. These fighters usually allow anxiety to get the better of them resulting in silly mistakes and tiring easily.

I remember my first fight in Thailand. Physically, I was at my peak. I trained twice a day for almost six weeks. All the physical conditioning came to nothing when I allowed adrenalin to take over. By the end of the second round, I was too exhausted to even lift my hands up! Sure enough, I lost my fight.

I observed that many of the more experienced fighters seemed to be in a meditative state when they are fighting. They seemed to have so much time to react to almost anything that their opponents threw at them. Fighting in the ring seemed almost like a walk in the park.

Ring experience definitely contributes to their mastery but when I began paying more attention to the rituals and practices associated with the sport, I came to realize that mental training plays an equally important role as well.

Note: There are also fighters who need to have a higher arousal level to perform well. So this arousal level actually differs in every athlete. Ultimately, the athlete has to find his/her own “magic number” – optimum arousal level.

Meditation

Meditation is often defined as “a state of relaxed concentration on the reality of the present moment.” Many Muay Thai fighters meditate regularly and some even go on temple retreats where they shave their heads and eyebrows and spend their days meditating and doing mundane chores. They hardly speak to each other and are discouraged from making eye contact. Apparently, these practices help them to cultivate their minds and spirits.

It is indeed a challenge to remain alert and relaxed during a fight. You are put in situation of real threat where you could be injured or knocked out anytime, yet you have to remain calm and composed. Meditation actually increases alpha wave activity in the brain, which is responsible for a calm and relaxed state of mind. This in turn helps one to bring down the heightened arousal levels during a fight to the optimum level.

Distance Running

Professional Muay Thai boxers typically run an average of twelve to fifteen kilometers everyday. Long distance running and other repetitive and rhythmic exercises such as swimming and rowing increases alpha-wave activity in the brain as well.

Wai Kru

A dance-like routine performed by the boxer before the fight, the Wai Kru’s movements are slow, focused and controlled. (Almost like a form of Taiji) It is performed to the almost meditative and trance-like sounding music from traditional Thai pipes and drums. Not only does the Wai Kru serves as a warm up, I believe it helps to control the boxer’s arousal levels and gives him some “private space and time” to focus before the fight begins.

VISUALIZATION

Visualization involves the training of the right brain, which is closely linked to athletic ability, creativity and relaxation. The right hemisphere is also associated with emotional and subconscious learning. In other words, visualization helps to train the subconscious which has been repeatedly proven to be an effective and powerful strategy for athletes seeking to improve their sporting performances.

The power of visualization can be best illustrated by a famous and well-documented experiment conducted by an American psychologist, Dr. Alan Richardson.

Dr. Richardson divided a team of basketball players into three groups. They were tested on their accuracy in free throws, and each group’s results were recorded. The first group practiced free throws in the courts everyday. The second group skipped training altogether and the last group stayed in their rooms and mentally “saw” themselves taking free throws.

After a month, the three groups were tested again and the results were astonishing. The second group’s (They did not practice at all) results did not improve at all while the third group who had only practiced in their minds improved as much as the first group. (Practiced shooting everyday)

Shadow Boxing

Two keys to successful visualization are to practice regularly and to practice it as if it is in the “now.” Shadow boxing is actually a form of “active” visualization. When shadow boxing, we should behave as if we are in a real-time “now” event. Be focused and relaxed- exactly how you want to feel during a real fight. Imagine yourself actually sparring with a real opponent-you lean back to avoid a punch and counter with a combination of your own. You see an opening and throw a big elbow at your opponent!

Also, put lots of feelings and details into the practice. For example, actually feel your gloves knocking back an opponents head as you deliver a knockout punch and literally feel your opponent fall onto the canvas as you are sweeping him off his feet with a low kick!

Shadow sparring is an integral part of Muay Thai training but many boxers do not seem to take it seriously. It is more than just a way to warm up; it is an awesome form of mental training. Each time you practice, you are programming your subconscious and the images become clearer and more potent. Eventually, these images and actions will be internalized and you will react instinctively during a real fight.

In addition to shadow sparring, we should also practice “passive” visualization at least once a day. See your thoughts and actions being put into practice at night or when you wake up in the morning.

MIND, BODY and SPIRIT

Many non-practitioners of the sport perceive Muay Thai to be purely aggressive and a no-brainer. We cannot blame them for having such perceptions as aggression is more blatantly displayed in this sport as compared to say Table Tennis for example.

However, I reckon most practitioners of the sport will agree with me that Muay Thai is not purely about aggression. It is about controlled aggression and patience. You hardly see any boxers chasing and brawling at his opponent when his initial strikes fail to find the target. He will most probably go back to his fighting stance and wait for another opportunity to strike.

I believe that the practice of Muay Thai helps to simultaneously refine one’s mind, body and spirit, which I personally refer to as The Tao of Muay Thai.

Written by Hansen Bay with Grace Yip, Sports Psychologist

If you think you'd let a bruise heal by itself, think again.

2007-08-20T01:33:00.000+08:00

I have a friend who once accidently bumped her thigh into the edge of the window sill. Thinking it was just a small bruise, she left it alone. After an hour or so, she felt an aching sore at the injured area and as she inspected it, the bruise swelled to almost palm size.

A few days later, she went to see a doctor and was diagnosed with kidney failure.

We often pay no attention to our bruises and think they can be rubbed off or healed with some cream from the pharmacy. But some bruises can be life-threatening. Below are a few questions on bruises:

What is a bruise?
A bruise is caused when tiny blood vessels are damaged or broken as the result of a blow to the skin. The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured blood vessels into the tissues as well as from the body's response to the injury.

Why do some people bruise more easily than others?
Age - an elderly person will tend to bruise more easily than a child because blood vessels become more fragile as we age.

Medications that interfere with blood clotting, causing more bleeding into the skin or tissue. Examples - non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (e.g., ibuprofen/Advil, Nuprin and naproxen/Aleve), over-the-counter medications (e.g., aspirings), Warfarin (Coumadin), Cortisone medications (e.g., prednisone) promote bruising by increasing the fragility of the tiny blood vessels in the skin.

How long will it take for a bruise to heal?
2 - 3 weeks for the skin to return to normal.

What if the bruise doesn't go away or starts to swell?
There are two cases for this. The first case is known as Hematoma (a large collection of blood is formed under the skin or in the muscle, instead of trying to clean up the area, the body may wall the blood) and the second is know as heterotopic ossification or myositis ossificans (occurs when the body deposits calcium). These two conditions have to be diagnosed by X-Ray.

What are the different types of bruising?
Petechiae - very small, one to three millimeter, accumulations of blood beneath the skin. These can appear like multiple tiny red dots on any part of the body (most commonly the legs). These are often multiple and can suggest a serious health problem. Examples of these are an infection of the valves of the heart or abnormal function of the blood clotting elements.

Bruising around the naval - bleeding in the abdomen

Bruising behind the ear - can suggest a skull fracture

Raised, firm bruises - can be multiple. Can be a sign of various types of "autoimmune" diseases (diseases in which the body attacks its own blood vessels).

The most effective way to treat bruises is to ice it. Pack some ice into a bag and wrap it with a towel. Do not apply the ice directly to the infected area as this can cause frost bite. Apply the ice (wrapped with a towel) to the injured area and repeat this two times a day. If possible, elevate your leg to above the heart level. This will reduce the bleeding and swelling. Apply pressure to the area by hand while rubbing cream recommended by your local pharmacy.

Myth about Female Muay Thai in Thailand

2007-08-19T22:38:00.000+08:00

"Women are not allowed to train Muay Thai, Muay Thai is too difficult for Woman”

An incident in the 1970s, that involved a popular female TV announcer climbing into the ring at the Lumpini stadium, became a temporary set-back to female Muay Thai.

In the superstitious point of view, women were not allowed to come into contact with monks in Buddhist countries. Thailand was a country rich in its Buddhist beliefs; monks blessed the rings and Monkols prior to any fight.

It was then rumored that the incident involving the female TV announcer angered the spirits guarding the ring. Coincidental or not, the next half dozen or so fighters who fought after she she stepped into the ring were injured by cuts and bruises. The Thais’ superstitiouns led to a ban on female Muay Thai fighting.

The ban was, fortunately, only temporary. It was not long before female bouts resumed. However, female bouts were scheduled to the end of every event, as a precaution against any Man or spirit. Despite reinstating female Muay Thai,

most Thai camps still did not allow the participation of female fighters. Even in the rare event that they do, there are separate rings for men and women.

Interestingly enough, due to the absence of Thai female fighters the Western fighters started to dominate the Muay Thai scene. Since it was a matter of pride that the Thai sport should gain priority recognition in the world, regardless of sexes, the Thai government began to focus on female fighters again and made sure that they emerged victorious amongst others.

Throughout the world, Muay Thai is recognized and appreciated for its excellent aerobic conditioning. Women who did aerobic kickboxing regularly became acquainted with the term “Muay Thai” and its characteristics. Its popularity soared, bringing the Thai influence across seas and nurturing excellent champions from namely, Australia and Britain. The term “Thaibo” was then adapted to be a fusion of Thai boxing and Aerobics exercise.

It is undeniable that female Muay Thai fighting has reached its quality levels, to a point where many fights are being televised in cable channels throughout the world.

Amateur Muay Thai have also benefited from an influx of women, as was evident during the large IFMA event in Kazakhstan where there were dozens of excellent female bouts. While training can be difficult, most women who gave Muay Thai a first shot ended up addicted to the sport.

2007-08-16T18:20:00.000+08:00

Update: I accidentally deleted my blog and Blogger hasn't gotten back to me regarding recovery. But do check back up exciting Muay Thai stuff.

Creating a New Sidebar

2007-08-16T17:18:00.001+08:00

I thought, since I've got to wait for Blogger to restore my blog, I'll post here some stuff I've learnt while trying to recover it.

Creating a new sidebar
Blogger only offers two-column templates and if you are searching for three column templates online, you will most likely be unable to change the color scheme of the template and replace blog header / description with a picture.

Here's some html that can be easily installed into your HTML area.

Under *Outer-wrapper
insert #newsidebar-wrapper after #sidebar-wrapper
Copy and paste the rest of the code accordingly. It should look something like this:

/* Outer-Wrapper
----------------------------------------------- */
#outer-wrapper {
width: 850px;
margin:0 auto;
padding:10px;
text-align:left;
font: $bodyfont;
}

#main-wrapper {
width: 350px;
float: left;
margin-left: 30px;
margin-right: 40px;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

#sidebar-wrapper {
width: 230px;
float: right;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

#newsidebar-wrapper {
width: 170px;
float: left;
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

#main-wrapper = the column for your posts (in this blog, the middle column)
#sidebar-wrapper and #newsidebar-wrapper = your sidebars
#outer-wrapper = the columns that make up your entire blog

Change the width(s) according to what you desire. The bottom line is

Outer-wrapper width = main-wrapper width + sidebar-wrapper width + newsidebar-wrapper width + spacing between columns

If according to the above example,

850px = 350px + 230px + 170x + 100px (fit the values in with the above example accordingly)
Also, if your #sidebar-wrapper should "float: right", your #newsidebar-wrapper should "float: left" and vice versa

Scroll down to the part where you find

div id="'main-wrapper'

*insert '<' and '>' and the front and back of the line

Insert

div id='newsidebar-wrapper'
b:widget id='Profile1' locked='false' title='About Me' type='Profile'
b:section
/div

*insert '<' infront of every line and '>' at the back

If you have installed your #newsidebar-wrapper on the left to your main wrapper, make sure the above code goes above div id="'main-wrapper', followed by the #sidebar-wrapper section. If your newsidebar is on the right, just switch the places for #newsidebar-wrapper and #sidebar-wrapper

* insert '<' and '>' at the font and back of the line

I'm no HTML guru and I think I should have input everything there should be to create a new side bar. I hope it helps. I know, some of us really hate this shit.

Blog Recovery

2007-08-16T16:52:00.000+08:00

UGH! This sucks. I have contacted Blogger and requested for them to restore my blog but I know that's gonna take another two weeks. So while I wait for them to consider my mail, I'm going to try to restore the entries myself.

Well first, here are some tips for you:

DO NOT, NEVER, DON'T EVEN THINK OF deleting your blog EVER

Even if you do get tired of the blog, keep the URL active

If you get so fed up with the template you think you can create a new blog and redo the template. DO NOT DO THAT.

(That was me. Now it doesn't even sound like there was a reason to do that)

If you do, somehow, accidentally or intentionally (or sometimes never the server fucks up) delete your blog, do the following:
Claim back your old blogger address with the same URL and title (before someone puts HACKED on the entire page)

Create a stub post

(Explain to everyone how your finger accidentally hit the delete button and how you're an idiot. The other alternative is to blame the server)

Contact Blogger: "I was so stupid I deleted my blog by mistake. Could you please restore it for me?"

BLOGGER SUPPORT
http://help.blogger.com/?page=contact
BLOGGER PROBLEM REPORT FORM
http://help.blogger.com/?page=troubleshooter.cs&problem=&contact_type...
BLOGGER HELP FORM
http://help.blogger.com/?page=troubleshooter.cs&problem=&contact_type...

Email: support@blogger.com

Okay now wait for them to reply. In the meantime, try to recreate your blog template. (like how I've done it) From what I've read, Blogger will restore your blog in one to two weeks and delete your claimed URL after your have made your first changes.

Oh, and always save your template! Don't use the download feature CTRL+C the entire source and paste it in NOTEPAD, not Microsoft Word or anything.

I Goofed!

2007-08-15T14:26:00.000+08:00

This is a stub post. Actual contents coming soon.

(Okay, I goofed. I hit the delete button)