Fitness adventures are designed to provide a way to explore the world alongside staying active with the sport. You might be training Muay Thai in Thailand, honing your silat skills in Indonesia, cycling, or rock climbing anywhere in the world, but whatever and wherever it is, it's all about getting you moving alongside some stunning backdrops. Whether you are just getting started on your fitness journey or you’re already into sporting activities but just want to spice up your routine with a bit of adventure, they can be a great way to inspire and motivate you. Read on to find out how taking a fitness adventure can improve your health. 1. They Can Be Motivating It could be … [Read more...]
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A Guide to Training Muay Thai in Chiang Mai
Muay Thai in Chiang Mai If you’re thinking of training in Thailand but you want to avoid the bustling cities and mega tourist traps, then Chiang Mai might be the perfect place for you. With it’s stunning mountains and peaceful pace, it has everything you need to unwind…Plus it has some amazing Muay Thai camps to train in. How to Travel to Chiang Mai Chiang Mai is situated in a mountainous region in the centre of Northern Thailand, far from the bright lights and bustling streets of Bangkok… 400 miles away to be precise. This makes for some amazing scenery and a slightly cooler climate, but it takes a while to reach. If you’re travelling in from the West you’ll need to fly into … [Read more...]
Buriram’s Muay Thai Expo Confirmed for Two More Years
Yesterday concluded Thailand's first ever Muay Thai Expo. Held in conjunction with the MotoGP, the four day long event was hosted by the Sports Authority of Thailand at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram. The Muay Thai Expo was co-hosted by the Nai Khanomtom Association, with proceeds of t-shirt sales going towards medical expenses for retired fighters. There to initiate proceedings was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Mr. Pongpanu Sventarundra. Fight fans from around the globe joined together to celebrate Muay Thai. Local students from around the region were invited to showcase their skills. Performances included Wai Kru, Muay Boran, and Keeta Muay … [Read more...]
Kulabdam vs Tawanchai Rematch at Historic Muay Thai Expo
In two days the world’s first Muay Thai Expo will debut its artistry to the world. Hosted by the Sports Authority of Thailand, the four day long event will take place in conjunction with Thailand’s first ever MotoGP. The Muay Thai Expo is now setting up the stage for the highly decorated fight card on 05 October, in addition to the Muay Boran, and Wai Kru performances that are scheduled for the duration of the event. There will more than 100 professional Muay Thai Fighters coming to the Expo to take part in the festivities. At total of eight nations will join together to complete the 11 fight card. The fight that everyone is talking about, is the rematch between Tawanchai PK … [Read more...]
Thailand’s Muay Thai Expo Fight Card Released
The world’s first Muay Thai Expo in Buriram, Thailand is officially underway. Yesterday the elite of Muay Thai gathered at the Sports Authority of Thailand for the official press conference. To open festivities, those in attendance were treated to a Muay Boran demonstration by none other than Sagat Petchyindee. The expo is cutting no corners, bringing together all the truly amazing elements of Muay Thai. It goes beyond the martial art into the deep cultural traditions of Thailand and the rich history it entails. The four day event is being headlined by a 10 fight card on Friday the 5th of October. Muay Thai legends Somrak Khamsing and Samart Payakaroon were on hand at the press conference … [Read more...]
An Introduction to Indonesian Martial Arts
Indonesian martial arts incorporate a variety of fighting styles from traditional to hybrid. It's common to see pencak silat as an umbrella term, but many expand well beyond that. Types of Indonesian Fighting Systems Indonesian martial arts are composed of more than a few combative styles designed for self-defense or general combat. Below are some well-known systems. Pencak Silat Pencak silat is used as a universal term to describe the fighting arts in Indonesia. Some use the term separately, viewing them as two different aspects. "Pencak" can be observed by causal outsiders as it's all about the essence of training. Whereas, "silat" is more about the essence of … [Read more...]
Fun Things to Do While Visiting Japan
A lot of people want to visit Japan. It’s known as a country that’s established a nice balance between cultural identity and forward-looking modernism. It has beautiful country areas, huge cities, and by all accounts some of the world’s friendlier people (not to mention a very long and rich history). It’s a place that simply has a lot of appeal to a lot of people. The following are some of the things you might enjoy doing while you’re there. Walk the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest One of the most unique features of Japan as a country is the presence of towering bamboo forests. They exist in China too, but they’re perhaps a little more accessible in Japan, and they’re commonly recommended for … [Read more...]
A New Manila
Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is one of the birthplaces of Filipino martial arts (FMA). Previous inhabitants of the city — along with the island of Cebu — played a pivotal role during historical times in the development of Eskrima, Arnis, and even Panatukan, but despite that, the city has a surprising lack of FMA schools. It has also been overshadowed somewhat in the tourism department, with a certain class of holidaymakers preferring those other Asian metropolises like Bangkok, Macau, Singapore, and Hong Kong. But a new Manila is beginning to emerge with a change in fortune and a boost from the luxury tourism industry. The fourth-largest city in the world and a major … [Read more...]
The Bangkok Taxi Chronicles: Just Landed
Part 1 Oh man I'm starting to get excited. The plane landed about forty minutes ago and here I am already taking my luggage from the conveyor belt. Forty minutes to walk to Immigration, queue up, get my passport stamped up and pick up my luggage; that must be some kind of record here in Suvarnabhumi. I think I struck a slow day, or maybe not being swamped by one of the many Chinese tours nowadays makes all the difference; whatever the reason, I'm back! After customs, I emerge on the ground floor of the four level airport. I know where I'm going, I need a taxi, but I'm not going to wait in that taxi queue just outside. No sir! I took it once a couple of years ago and … [Read more...]
The Importance of Shadow Boxing in Muay Thai: A Guide
Shadow boxing is so much more than just punching air. It tends to be an underestimated and underrated component of training. For some, punching air can feel awkward and weird and I can see how it might seem pointless if you don’t know what the purpose is, but there is plenty of purpose, I promise. Shadow boxing is an important component to training: on par to bags, pads and sparring. It definitely shouldn’t be overlooked, and if it is, it's big loss to your game. I'll explain. Below are five reasons why shadow boxing is so important. The first one is obvious but has an accumulative effect over time. 1. Practice Specific Movement Patterns Besides warming up … [Read more...]
How To Travel To Phutthaisong, Buriram
Anyone training Muay Thai will typically choose, Bangkok, Pattaya, Chang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin or places close by for their training; Isaan is somewhere not many Westerners will venture due to it being fairly unknown. This is now a very easy trip for me, having travelled many times to Isaan to train, fight and see friends. Getting To Phutthaisong From Bangkok The journey starts from Bangkok. By MRT go to Chatuchak MRT station and take Exit 1. If you’re traveling by BTS, you need to go to Mo-Chit station and exit towards Chatuchak Park. Once you come out of MRT Exit 1, there will be motorbike taxi drivers sitting around waiting for their next job. … [Read more...]
How To Do A Thai Visa Run To Poi Pet, Cambodia
Your allotted time in Thailand is coming to an end. But like most foreigners who visit the Land of Smiles you’re not ready to leave just yet. Assuming you want to stay, you know you have to do a visa run, but which method do you choose? Do you hire an agency for a modest price to take you to the border and handle all your paperwork? Or do you choose to do it alone? After all, you probably took the journey to Thailand alone. So why not deepen your travel experiences? If you’ve been entertaining the idea but don’t know where to start then this post is for you. One of the closest border crossings in Thailand is the … [Read more...]