Bangkok Dangerous

Tuesday night ended sweet as I was able to speak to my girlfriend on the phone.  Thanks to apps like Viber I can call anyone free of charge anywhere around the world as long as the recipient has Viber as well.

Obviously speaking to my sweetie is always good.  The problem was that it was close to 2 am Wednesday morning when our conversation ended.  I went to sleep but when I woke up at 6:30 am to run I realized that it wasn't a smart idea and that I should take the morning session off so that I can catch up on some sleep and recover.

I slept for a couple of hours and when I woke up I was able to catch the last bits of the morning session.  I don't recommend skipping training sessions but sometimes skipping one during the week is a good thing. Not only was I able to heal up but I was also eager to train for the next session.

After breakfast I couldn't sleep and I didn't really know what to do.  I had 4 - 5 hours of free time before training and so I decided to visit a gym that I've always wanted to check out but never had the opportunity to do so.

Eminent Air Muay Thai (http://www.eminentgym.com) is a gym that I've always to see but never had a chance.  Along with Kaewsamrit it has a reputation for hard training and being accommodating to foreigners such as myself.  Last year I probably could have gone there but I ultimately decided to train at Kiatphontip Muay Thai (http://www.kiatphontipgym.com).  Training at Kiatphontip is a decision I didn't regret and I would like to train there again sometime in the future.  However, visiting a new gym or scouting a new gym for the future seemed to be a good idea for me.

It took me a few taxis before I realized that Eminent Air is in a different part of Bangkok.  My contact Melissa told me to have the Taxi driver take me to the BTS (Bangkok Transit System) station and just get off at Punnawithi Station.  I told the taxi driver to take me to the BTS but he ended up taking me to a BTS station that was so far from where I had to go.  I didn't realize it at the time but I was taken to Wangjian Wai station and Punnawithi was on a different line.

Luckily for me the transit map was in English and so I was able to track where I had to go.  I ended up taking a train to from Wangjian Wai to Siam Station.  That took about 20 minutes.  And then from Siam Station I was able to catch the train to Punnawithi.  After I got off I was able to catch a Taxi and the Taxi promptly took me to Eminent Air Muay Thai.

Eminent Air is clean but small compared to Kaewsamrit or even Kiatphontip at least training space wise.  Like Kaewsamrit it is located in a nice residential area.  It's located off of a small residential road and if you were going northbound the gym's apartment housing is on your left and the gym is to your right.  As soon as you walk in the open training area is staring you in the face.  The gym sign is located above and there are photos of champion fighters everywhere.  Also there are belts and trophies chronicling the success of the gym.  To the left are two boxing rings side by side with the logo emblazoned on the floor.  Also there are weights and other exercise equipment.  Unlike Kaewsamrit the open training area is not matted it is just concrete.  It was around 1 PM and therefore no one was training yet.  The gym was empty save for the owner of the gym who politely greeted me.  Also, a foreign fighter by the name of Claudio Amoruso showed me around.  I find out that Claudio, who's originally from Italy, has been living and fighting in Thailand for the past 4 years.  He speaks fluent Thai and English and politely served as my translator.

After getting all the particulars I find out that the set up is not much different from the gyms that I've had the honor of training at.  You train twice a day and the times are similar.  However, the routine is a little bit different.  Eminent's Monday, Wednesday, and Friday sessions are similar to what I've done in the past.  Their Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning sessions are quite different as they do extensive weight training.

After buying two shirts from the gym as a way of saying thank you for their hospitality, Claudio offers to give me a lift to the BTS station.  It was a grand gesture and one I won't forget.  At the station the attendant, who speaks fluent English, told me that I should get off at the Victory Monument station and get a taxi back to the gym.

The train ride to the Victory station wasn't long and I was able to get a taxi ride to the gym.  I was able to make it back to my room a little past 2 pm.  I took a quick nap and about 2:55 pm I woke up, took my supplements, and made my way back to the gym.

Because I missed the morning session I was so hungry to get back in the ring and start training again.  Also, another fighter, this time from Spain, arrived at the gym.  Marco, from Spain, had just arrived and immediately started training.  I got along fine with Marco, he gave me respect which is all I ask, but he came off as being arrogant to other people.

It all came to a head early on in the training.  Wednesday afternoon training sessions are sparring sessions.  I was politely asked if I wanted to participate this time around.  Cheng, the head trainer, told me I was welcome but that everybody in the ring participating this time were professionals.  I politely declined and thanked them for asking me.  I diligently worked on my technique with my trainer while the sparring was going on.  Marco was in the ring and sparring with Chanachai Kaewsamrit.  Chanachai is a 6'2 former World Champion that is currently scheduled to fight in the Isuzu Grand Prix of Kickboxing.

As I was training all of a sudden I hear a loud thud on the ground.  Marco was on the mat clutching his ribs and acting as if a sniper on the gyms balcony got him.  It was a painful sight to see but the trainers who were monitoring the sparring were mockingly counting as if he was down for the count.  I smiled and went back to my training.  Chanachai was then sparring with James from Australia. James along with his supportive father Jeff had come to Thailand.  James had a fight in Australia coming up next Friday and was in Thailand training for that particular upcoming fight.  James sparring with Chanachai was uneventful as James just kept fighting from the outside on the perimeter of the ring.

The end of the first half of my afternoon session coincided with the ending of James sparring with Chanachai.  I then decided to take a 10 minute break as Marco, who apparently had just recovered, wanted another go at Chanachai.  Just a few minutes into the round Marco takes a right cross to the nose from Chanachai and goes down again like a sack of potatoes.  He's slow to get up and blood is running from his nose.  Sparring promptly stops and training resumes.

By now I'm used to the routine and I'm just on autopilot.  After the training session ends I head off to shower up.  Afterwards I go to the cafeteria for my dinner.  I'm just joined by the four Frenchmen, two Aussies, a samurai from Japan, and Marco from Spain.  One look at Marco and after only one day of training he looks like he's had better days.  Busted nose and a black eye.  I can't prove that he did anything wrong but something tells me he did or said something to cause his demise.  I was later informed that he signed up for 6 months of extensive training.  Something tells me that he trained somewhere else and the gym wanted to show him no mercy.

Thursday's training sessions were more or less the same.  However I feel that my body peaked on Thursday afternoon.  I felt incredibly fit, strong, and fast.  My training went flawless and I was able to complete it without incident.  However, a few of my french companions did not train that afternoon.  Some would train in the morning but not in the afternoon.  Or two would train in the afternoon but not in the morning.  Rarely did one of them train twice in the same day.

After our training session there were privates for most of the evening.  Parents were taking their children to box and company workers were getting their exercise.  Their training wasn't as intense as ours but it was nice to see them getting authentic training.  I say authentic because back home in the States the Muay Thai training is so watered down it's sad.  I used to spend upwards of $100 a private session at Faitex Muay Thai in Mountain View, CA.  Include $40 for round trip fuel, $15 for a meal at applebees, and I would have spent $155 to $160 just for one private session.  I thought it was awesome and it was but it's garbage compared to what you get in Thailand.

Anyway, after torturing myself on Thursday I just wasn't up to eating at the cafeteria this time around.  I was craving fast food again and I took a taxi to Khao San Road.  It's a touristy area that a girl introduced me to a few years ago.  It's the closest Burger King to the gym and tastes just like the BK back home.  I order a whopper meal and a coke and I ate it like it was my last meal on earth.  After buying two shirts from a local vendor I was able to catch a ride back home.

Friday's morning session started just like all the other sessions.  However, during the middle of my training a wayward soul trickled into the gym.  Head trainer Cheng had a concerned look on his face, stopped what he was going, and promptly started speaking to the kid in Thai.  The young man stated that he wanted to learn how to box.  I asked Cheng what the deal was and he informed me that he thinks the kid is drunk.

Cheng's got a good heart.  While the wayward soul was watching; Cheng was teaching a new student by the name of Che.  I was informed that Che is 17, was from the mountains, and that his father had just died.  He wanted to find a way out for his family and he feels that Muay Thai can get his family out of poverty.  I've been able to watch him train and he diligently works his craft with Cheng on a daily basis.

Anyways, after Cheng was done training Che he immediately turns his attention to this kid.  The boy informs the gym that he dreams of being a champion in Muay Thai.  But then the scene turns a little hostile as Cheng and fellow trainers Ong and former world champion Kapton Kin corner him.  They speak to him in Thai so I couldn't understand exactly what they were saying.  However I then see Ong get what seems to be an alcohol test and hand it over to Cheng.  Cheng then informs the kid to take the test but if he fails then the gym is going to ask him to leave.  The kid complies and the test looks similar to a pregnancy test a girl would take.  A few minutes later the test is administered and the kid totally fails.  They promptly kick him out as if he's leper from the stone age.          

After training and breakfast I take a nap.  I also start to think about my time here knowing that the afternoon session is going to be my last in Bangkok.  I do not love Thailand but I love the environment and the camaraderie of the gym.  People who have experienced something similar would know what I am talking about.  I lost a lot weight, learned some new techniques, and made some more new friends.

The afternoon session was tough not only for me but for almost everybody.  The training has taken its toll somewhat on us foreigners training there.  I was able to complete my training but it was hard.  I just had a hard time getting my engine going.

When word got out that Friday was my last day of training I started getting well wishes from the trainers and the fighters.  I told them what my plans were and they all wished me luck.  It also helps that the gym is bilingual and that they all speak fairly good English.  I was then asked by James and Jeff from Australia if I could go with them to Khao San Road.

James and his father Jeff are great guys and its their first time flying out of Australia.  However, they've kind of had a rough time finding their way around Bangkok.  I agreed to go with them and the funny thing is the real reason why they wanted to go was to eat at Burger King.  I told them to meet me at 6:30 and we'll go together.

I was able to get a taxi, told him Khao San Rd., and the Taxi promptly takes us there.  We arrive and James and Jeff inform me that this is the best place they've ever been to in Bangkok.  We ate like Kings, no pun intended, at Burger King and afterwards I take them down Khao San Rd.  They buy a few things and afterwards we promptly get a taxi back to the gym.

As soon as we get back to the gym they both thank me for the flawless road trip and then we call it a night.  It's now about 12:30 AM Saturday morning.  I'm going to catch some z's.  I have a lot to do and I depart for Pattaya on Sunday.
 

Stretch Run

It's about almost 10 pm on Tuesday night as I write this.  Monday and Tuesday were just hard core premium training days.  No fanfare, no having fun, just total hard core training.

Monday morning started off with a run.  The sun was just rising and the weather was nice and cool.  As I head out to do my roadwork I see Jeff from Australia and Josh from England just coming back from their runs.

To describe the run I head out of my dorm room and make a left and almost immediately I have to make a right.  I end up running down the road which is a residential road.  There are homes on both sides, the road is paved, and it's about a half mile long.  After that stretch of road is done you end at a T intersection in which you make a right onto one of the main roads.  After a quick left you end up at the main road in which the majority of your run takes place.  There are cars that come by and a few intersections that you have to cross.  As you are running it is not uncommon to see other boxers heading the opposite direction.  

The run is about 5 miles and it takes me about 45 - 50 minutes to complete.  After I head back to the gym I limber up, stretch, and shadow box for about 15 minutes.  After shadow boxing I wrap my hands, head into the ring, and then start training with my trainer.

The routine is the same in which I do pad work, bag work, clinch work, and hard calisthenics.  I lose an average of about 5 lbs. a session.  Of course I gain some of it back after breakfast and dinner but for the most part I lose on average about 2 - 3 lbs per day.

Last week I was just getting acclimated but starting Monday I geared down and just trained hard.  I was notified that one of the new trainers, Kaptan Kin (sounds like Captain Kim), is very famous in Thailand.  Mr Kin has won 3 world titles and is a highly sought after trainer for private lessons.  I had the opportunity to work with him and although he cannot speak English I was able to absorb what he was able to teach me.

Monday's afternoon session was pretty much the same difficult thing but there were 4 fighters from France that arrived at the gym.  They ended up being assigned the room right across from mine.  They are a great bunch of guys and easy to get along with.  

Tuesday morning I was just so sore to get up early enough to run.  I ended up just going to the gym and doing warm up exercises just to get my body going.  It was tough, tiring, and my is just aching all over.

Another fighter just arrived a few hours ago from Spain.  I haven't had the honor of training alongside him yet but he seems to be a pretty nice guy.

After another premium training session it was time for dinner.  But today I just had a craving for something different.  Something with...taste.  There's nothing wrong with the chicken, fish, and veggies that I'm getting everyday and it is half of the reason why I lost 15 lbs. in a week and a half.  To put the weight loss in perspective I lost 8 - 10 lbs. after 5 months of marathon training.  So the clean fuel that I am putting into my body has been working wonders.  But today I just needed something good and I was craving McDonald's. So without telling anyone I just slipped off after training and took a Taxi to Central Pinklao.

Central Pinklao is a Major Shopping Mall in Central Bangkok.  I find the holy grail of fast food right away and order a Double Cheeseburger Meal with a Coke.  McDonald's in Bangkok has both a similar and a very different menu than what we have back home.  You can buy a McKau and Thai Curry.  Also, my co-workers would recognize the pose Ronald McDonald is doing in one of the photos.

After eating my unhealthy goodness I pass by Dunkin Doughnuts and buy a dozen of them.  They are not for me but rather the trainers and the students at the gym.  After I arrive I give the 2 doughnut boxes to the manager and she promptly gives them to the students and trainers and they are snapped up right away.  

A few hours of chilling out with the girls and I'm now here in my room getting ready to go do bed.  I have a few more days over here and I'm looking forward to what it has to offer me.  

Weekend

So Saturday morning rolls on and I wake up a little late.  There is training going on but I don't train on Saturday per religious reasons.  Taking Saturday off has its benefits such as giving me the opportunity to watch the Pro's train.  


After eating breakfast I take a taxi to Mission Hospital.  Behind the Hospital is Bangkok Seventh Day Adventist Church.  I've been attending this church since 2009.  I attend the service and I'm immediately happy as I find out that it's communion.  I partake in the service and find a taxi to take me back to Siam Paragon.

I have lunch at Mos Burger again and I immediately head out to the Shiseido Salon to get a hair cut.  I've been heading out to Mos Burger a little too much lately but the alternative was KFC, McDonald's, or Burger King.  I didn't fly all the way out here just to eat something I can easily find at home.  Mos Burger isn't Thai, it's Japanese for the record, but it sure beats deep fried grass hoppers or scorpions.

I head back out to the gym to catch the afternoon training.  I could've easily enjoyed myself more at the mall or head out to another district.  However, I remembered that today was Louis's last day before he heads back home to Hong Kong.  I really liked Louis, he was pretty much my little brother this past week.  I take a motorcycle taxi back to the gym and I was able to catch the last bits of training.  I also started socializing with some of the students.

After taking photos with the students and some videos of training we head out to dinner.  Saturday night was pretty uneventful as I just did my laundry.



Sunday was a day off for the gym as a whole.  I take a taxi back to Siam Paragon with the intention of having Lunch, dinner, and to watch a movie.  It's been a couple of years since I watched a movie overseas and Siam Paragon's theater is apparently second to none.  I had lunch at Mos Burger, again, and went up to the fifth floor to catch the racing movie "Rush".  Rush is a biopic about the 1976 Formula Season between James Hunt and Niki Lauda.  Being a big Formula One fan back in the day I found it imperative that I check it out.  Also, Ron Howard was directing it so I was pretty excited.

The movie was awesome but trailers and commercials were too long.  Back home in the States you'll probably watch about 10 - 15 minutes of trailers about upcoming movies.  In Thailand you'll watch trailers of Thai Movies, a few US ones, and a slew of Thai Commercials.  All in all it's about 30 minutes before the actual movie starts.

After the movie I head off to Dinner at Burger King, sorry guys, but I was craving it.  Afterwards I was about to get a taxi when I decided to get the kids at the gym something to eat.  I bought a dozen doughnuts from Krispy Creme and jetted back to the gym.  When I arrived the doughnuts were snapped up and I then realized that I should have bought another box.

I can already feel the effects of training.  About 2 hours after I ate at Burger King I was hungry again.  Luckily the gym cafeteria was open.  I eat the clean portions of chicken, vegetables, and rice.  As I am typing this I am also cleaning up my room.

Anyways, I feel great and strong.  More importantly I feel blessed that I am able to train.      

I feel Strong

Training twice a day for about 3 hours each session for a total of 6 hours of training started to take a toll on me.  I didn't think I'd feel it but I did this past Wednesday.  I was able to run, kick, and punch my way through.  I looked all around me and saw that my fellow students were feeling the same way. 

After the afternoon session four of us decided to go to Healthland (http://www.healthlandspa.com//home.html) to get a full body traditional Thai Massage.  The massage lasts two hours and traditionally it is suppose to be very painful.  But although painful, about a few hours later you normally feel the benefits.     

Thai Massages are painful in nature and I wasn't expecting anything else.  However, this time around it was even more so.  It could be that I am just not used to it and that the last time I had a Thai Massage was a year ago which was the last time I was in Bangkok.  I have a masseuse back home and I see her 2 - 3 times a month depending on the season and those massages are great and not painful at all.  

My masseuse in Thailand was just brutal.  Walking all over my body and working muscles I didn't think I had.  I was biting my lip as I was contorted all over the place.  I just clenched my teeth knowing that its only for my own good and that I'll feel better than ever. 

Unfortunately I didn't feel better than ever, at least not right away.  The full body pain lasted until the following morning and I just didn't feel my legs.  I decided not to run and just tried to wing the morning session.  Thursday's morning session was my worse session and hopefully the last one that would be that bad.  I just didn't have any spring and I needed Ong to stretch me out more than once.  

After the morning session I decided to take the afternoon session off to let my body heal.  Taking that session off was the best decision yet.  Not only was I able to rest up but I was hungry to train again.  I was already thinking about my next session.  

It rained hard this morning to the point that running was out of the question today.  My trainer Ong was in charge of cooking breakfast and so this morning I had the honor of training with Cheng.  I always loved training with Cheng because he is such a technician.  I always learn something new and I always bring back what he thought me to the US.  

I didn't go anywhere special after breakfast and I decided to rest up until the afternoon.  The weather dried up and I was able to do a short run.  I was reunited with Ong and I felt good.  Cheng would then ask me how I felt and I replied, "I feel strong."  I really did feel strong and healthy.  I was able to power myself through the session.  

Since it is Friday I decided to have dinner at Siam Paragon.  A lot of the smaller fast food restaurants were full of kids.  I decided to try an old favorite and I ended up having dinner at Tony Roma's.  Yes there is a Tony Roma's in Bangkok.  

After over paying for my dinner I decided to go to the Shiseido Clinic.  Unfortunately the clinic was closed.  Much to my dismay I was 30 minutes late and the other high end salons were closed as well.  I then decided to just take a taxi ride back to the gym.   

So here I am, just waiting for tomorrow.  I need a haircut and I need to go to church.    

Top King and the Muay Thai Angel

Right now it's about 12 pm Wednesday and I just got back from having lunch.  I meant to update on my well being last night but I was just so tired and beat that I crashed out when I hit the sack.

Yesterday was my 2nd day of training and after a pretty brutal and taxing session I had my breakfast.  Normally I would just go back to my room, rest up, and get ready for the dreaded afternoon session.  However, I was feeling pretty good and I wanted to buy some equipment.  So I got myself ready, got a taxi, and then headed off to Central Bangkok to the Top King Muay Thai Store.

Top King is currently the premiere brand for kickboxing equipment the world over.  A pair of gloves can cost anywhere from $90 to $120 per pair.  However over here in Thailand you can get the same pair for about $45 US at the factory store.  It's because of this that I always go here and buy some new equipment.

However, today my selection was going to vastly limited.  As soon as I arrived at the store I witness a kickboxing gym from New Zealand buying equipment.  They were not just buying one or two pairs of gloves or shin guards but they were buying truckloads of gloves, shin guards, and head gear etc.  I saw the final tab and it came out to be around 30,000 baht (about $1000 US).

When it came time for me to select I had to change my original selection but I did manage to buy a full set of gloves and shin guards.  After I was done with my purchase I took a taxi back to the gym to rest up and get ready for the afternoon session.

Afternoon session went well and although tiring I was able to get myself through it.  The gym has a world renown reputation and now there are private lessons being held multiple times during the day.  Mostly women have these sessions and I found out that one of them was a fashion model and another is the daughter of the prime minister.

After training my friend Louis, a student from Hong Kong, wanted to go to the Top King factory and asked me if I could go with him.  Louis has never been out there and I volunteered to help him since I pretty much know my way.  We didn't have dinner at the gym this time and instead we went to Siam Paragon (http://www.siamparagon.co.th/) . Once there we had dinner at Mos Burger which is a Japanese burger chain.  Louis had asked me what I was going to order and told him I was going to get the Mos burger set.  Louis then asked me to get a seat so that no else would take it.  It was pretty packed and I figured that would be a good idea.  Little did I know that Louis bought my meal as a way of thanking me to help him out.

After dinner we took another taxi to the Top King Store and again it was packed but this time with asians from Hong Kong and South Korea.  I was then notified that the Korean fighter at the store was none other than Noh Jae Gil who happens to be one of the most famous fighters in all of Korea.  I've heard of Mr. Noh just from following the sport but I've never seen him fight.  A person who I did notice and seen fight was a girl by the name of Lim Su Jeong otherwise known as the Muay Thai Angel.  Not only was she a world champion but she was hot as well and has recently got into movies in South Korea.  Louis and I commented on her nice tan legs that looked like they could break me in half.  

Cool thing about running into them is that I discovered that they speak English and they were in Thailand because the Muay Thai Angel was fighting the next day in Central Bangkok against a fighter from Morocco.  I asked about her opponent and she mentioned that her opponent has some nice front kicks and a strong right hand.  After complementing her opponent she then stated, "other than that I should be able to dismantle her."  Such confidence indeed.

After a little more gear shopping from Louis I decided to call it day.  We took a taxi ride back home and there I was able crash like a baby.

Kaewsamrit Muay Thai

The training is always the same.  I've done it countless times but it's always tough just to get through it.  I just had dinner and my last training session was about 3 hours ago.

Yesterday I arrived in Bangkok after one of the most grueling flights of my life.  It was so long and tiring.  My first flight took about 13 hours from SFO to Hong Kong.  I had to wait in Hong Kong for about 2 hours before I caught my 2nd flight which was from Hong Kong to Singapore.  That flight was about 4 hours.  As soon as I landed I literally had only 10 minutes to catch my last flight to Bangkok.  Singapore to Bangkok is no big deal as it was only 2 hours this time.  But together I spent about 19 hours in a plane.

After going through customs and immigration I was picked up by Ken from Kaewsamrit Muay Thai.  Four years ago Ken picked me up on my first trip to Bankok.  Ken looked hard and cool and that time four years ago asked me point blank "how many fights have you had?"  I was little perplexed but I said 10.  I wasn't lying but I was counting my Tae Kwon Do and grappling tournaments.  I've never kickboxed competitively.

This time around Ken picked me up, had a smile on his face, and whisked me away from the Airport and back to the gym.

Sunday was uneventful as I just checked in, paid my dues, and waited for the next day for training to start.  Monday morning I woke up at 6 am and ran for 40 minutes.  The marathon training came in handy as I was able to complete the run with no incident.  Afterwards I checked back into the gym, stretched out, and I was then told to wrap my hands.

As I was sitting there wrapping my hands the fighters all started to trickle into the gym.  I was then ordered to shadow box and after throwing a few techniques Cheng, the head trainer, stated to me "you lost weight didn't you?"  I told him that I had and he smiled simply saying "I could tell."

I was then told to get in the ring and start training with Ong.  Ong was putting me through the paces known as pad work.  Your trainer is holding pads and you throw whatever technique he asks you to throw.  Whether it be a jab, cross, upper cut, kick to the leg, you have to throw it and you have to throw it 100%.  In Muay Thai everything is thrown at maximum strength.  Even the combinations have to be thrown with full force.  For example a combination would be a one two (for me since I'm left handed it would be a right jab and then a left cross), followed by a right hook, and then a kick to the body with my left leg.

The pad work, although grueling, wasn't so bad at first.  It gets difficult during the later rounds when you're dog tired and your trainer is throwing techniques at you.  So you may be throwing your moves but after you're finished your trainer would counter with a kick of his own.  You're supposed to either check it, block it, or evade it.  For some odd reason I just can't react fast enough to check the kick to the body.  Ong always gets me.

Pad work is 4 rounds with 5 minutes in duration per round.  After that I headed over to the heavy bag to work on my timing and power.  Again that took about 4 rounds.  Then the morning session finishes up with the extreme physical fitness of sit ups and push ups.  The exercises wouldn't have been so bad if I could just push them out but we're all supposed to do them in unison and count after every rep.

After breakfast I went to sleep so that I can rest up for the afternoon session.  The afternoon session is just like the first except it is a little harder and longer.  You do pretty much everything like the morning session except you add a 2 mile run AFTER the session.

Dinner sucked, well at least for me it did.  There was nothing wrong with the food but I was just dead tired and sweating profusely.  I had already taken a shower a few minutes earlier but my body was just hot and dripping sweat.  In laymen terms they call this the after burn in which your body is burning calories after the workout.  The food was so hot and spicy that it made it even worse.  I didn't eat much, told the guys I'd see them tomorrow, and now I'm here typing away.

One day down and I already lost 5 pounds.  Crazy to think how much I'd lose after I'm done with this trip.      

  

The Journey Never Ends

The Journey Never Ends

Another year another trip.  I just finished dinner at a local Japanese Restaurant here in SFO.  I checked in a few hours ago now I am just waiting to board my flight.  I spent almost a year planning for this.  A lot has happened and now I am just itching to get on that plane and head off.

A lot has happened since I flew out to the far east.  My co-worker John was quick to remind me that I screwed up last year and I did not update my blog.  Last year was a little different as I trained at a different gym and spent a good two weeks in a different part of Bangkok.

I did not enjoy my trip last year as I have in years past.  2010 was worse and last year I left Singapore with a lot more to be desired.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my stay at Kiatphontip Muay Thai and Evolve MMA in Singapore.  However, I went into those trips in the worse shape of my life.

From 2007 to 2010 I trained MMA (cage fighting) religiously 4- 5 times a week.  I spent days every week sparring hard and even thought about competing again.  I haven't fought since I took 4th at a submission tournament  back in 1998.  But I spent those days training hard and took pride every time I went in for a check up.

However last year I was just in the worse shape of my life.  Also, in the back of my mind I always knew that I could "just train in Thailand" to get  back in shape.  For my first 3 years I lost an average of about 25 lbs. in 3 weeks.  Two 6 mile runs a day, two 3 hour training sessions, and constant sparring will do that to you.  Add the clean diet of rice, chicken, and fish and your body becomes a metabolic machine.

But last year was different.  I couldn't train as hard as I could.  The gym was different and the routine was a little different as well.  I couldn't run as much I wanted because I feared that by the time I came back the training session would be finished.  In Thailand when you run you run.  Minimum distance is 5 miles.  After I did my pad rounds with my trainer I would be so exhausted to even commit to hitting the sandbag.  I sparred with Mas from Holland and he just beat the living shit out of me for 3 rounds.  After that happened I witness Mas getting his ass handed to him by a 15 year old Thai fighter.  Seeing that did not do any wonders for my confidence.

After spending two weeks at Kiatphontip Muay Thai (kiatphontipgym.com) I flew to Singapore to train at the world renowned Evolve MMA Gym (evolve-mma.com). The facilities are 2nd to none, training was great, but it lacked the edgy intensity you get training in Thailand.

When I was Seoul waiting for my plane to get back to SFO I decided then and there that being so out of shape wasn't going to happen to me again.  I enrolled in marathon training and I ran my first half marathon (13 miles) this past May.  I signed up for sports conditioning at pureform perfomance fitness training (pureformpft.com) this past August.  I lost 8 lbs. over the past two weeks.

So here I am at gate 96 in SFO waiting for my flight.  Waiting to get back to Kaewsamrit and train with multiple world champion Anuwat Kaewsamrit.

Waiting to train at Fairtex which is highly regarded as the most finest kickboxing training facility in the world.  And waiting to just let go and forget about everything else and just be selfish for myself the next few weeks.