Mariana de Lira is a Mexican Muay Thai fighter training under Carlos Singto Navarro at Baan Singto Muay Thai gym in Guadalajara. Mariana de Lira's stats: Record: 11-1 Fight Weight: 55 KG Legal Name: MARIANA DE LIRA ROSALES Fight Name: FURIA Date Of Birth: 24/01/1986 Please tell us about your Muay Thai history. I started training Muay Thai about 5 years ago. I just got to some MMA gym because a friend told me just to go to exercise ourselves. I trained very irregularly in that gym. Then I started listening to comments of one particular Muay Thai professor Carlos Navarro. Good comments and also comments about … [Read more...]
Work Less, Live More: On Moving To Tulum, Mexico
I met Bronwyn within a year of moving to Toronto over a decade ago. At the time she had recently returned from living in Korea. As long as I've known Bronwyn, she's remained untamed which qualifies her as a perfect candidate for an MBSB interview. What made you choose the expat life? I'm not sure I chose this life or it chose me yet. I do know that life "back home" did not fit with my philosophy of how I wanted to live. Why Tulum, Mexico? I was planning a cross country move when I made a brief yet life changing visit to the Mayan riviera. I sat there looking at the sea and it dawned on me that although Vancouver had water and a natural … [Read more...]
Full Circle Cuba – Returning To The Roots Of My Nomadic Life.
Four days ago sand filtered between my toes in Jibacoa, Cuba. Nine days ago lightening hit and blasted my ears in a boxing ring in Havana. Eleven days ago I said good-bye to my roommate in Toronto's Bloor West Village. Today I'm writing you from a new Toronto neighbourhood. A new home. A new landscape to dig deep into. It seems fitting that dancehall from a parked car mingles with the clicking of the keyboard as I write you. Tasting the sunshine in a downtown lush backyard is a rare event for me in Toronto. Over ten years of my life spent here within the past fifteen and this feels decadent. The decision to travel to Cuba was spontaneous. An invite from a … [Read more...]
Muay Thai Mexico: An Interview With Carlos Singto Navarro
Carlos Singto Navarro is a Muay Thai fighter, teacher and owner of Baan Singto in Guadalajara, Mexico. You can read his guest post on MBSB discussing Muay Thai, rebellion, self realization and the art of life here. Carlos Singto Navarro's stats: Record: 15-3 Fight Weight: 61.200 kg / 135 lbs, lightweight Legal Name: Carlos Arturo Navarro Macías Fight Name: Singto Sitmonchai Date Of Birth: 26. 04. 78 Please tell us about your Muay Thai history. My first contact with Muay Thai was in the year 1998 in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. Before my initial encounter I used to practice other martial arts such as Hap Ki … [Read more...]
The Montreal Jazz Saints – A Photo Series
The following photos were taken somewhere along rue Sainte-Catherine / Saint Catherine Street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A last minute invite to Montreal resulted in much time to wander Montreal's streets, appreciate the street art and feel the city. More photos of Montreal may be found in an earlier posted Montreal photo series. The following images struck me. They were found in a dirty alleyway, along the side of a building I forgot to identify. If you know where they may be found, please let us know! In the meantime, enjoy the Jazz Saints of … [Read more...]
Montreal In A Day – A Photo Series
Spur of the moment invites have the power to entice me. Riding the wave of the present, accepting life as it is and jumping on opportunities that sit right within. That's how I found myself in Montreal this past week. Here are photos of my first 24 - 26 hours there. For additional photos, please check my Montreal Jazz Saints photo … [Read more...]
Matt Embree On His Upcoming Fight VS Kevin Ross
On July 26, 2013 nak muay Matt Embree will step into the ring with Kevin Ross in their highly anticipated Muay Thai match at Lion Fight 10 in Las Vegas. I caught up with Matt at Siam No. 1 in Toronto to discuss. Transcript Laura Dal Farra: Alright, I'm here at Siam No.1 with Matt Embree discussing his upcoming fight on July 26 with in Vegas at the Hard Rock Cafe on Lion Fight 10. He's fighting Kevin Ross. The fight's at what? 142? Matt Embree: 142. Laura Dal Farra: Alright, so how's training going? Matt Embree: Fucking amazing. Laura Dal Farra: Are you amping … [Read more...]
Things To Do In Windsor – A Guide For People Who Hate Malls
I grew up in the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and from the time I was somewhere between twelve and fourteen years old I was intent on getting out. Windsor was a dusty, grey hole - its only redeeming factor was that it bordered Detroit, Michigan, USA. That says a lot, as at that time in history I believe Detroit was the murder capital of the U.S. Back then, I thought, "Well, at least Detroit's interesting. And has great bands". Windsor had air that tasted like fertilizer and various Tim Horton's littered throughout the city. It took a decade or two for me to realize the incredible in Windsor. I grasped this mostly while away. For a city of a little over … [Read more...]
A July Update
There's a blackout in my building. Thunder. Tiny explosions of water on the balcony. A distant mechanical hum. Today is a lazy day for me. The blinds are drawn and the white light of my laptop brightens the room. It's time for an update. I've been in Toronto, Canada for over a month now. This wasn't the plan. I arrived in late May to attend a conference for a number of days. Protocol was then to move to the city of Peterborough to live with three girls I'd never met. The thought of being surrounded by cottage country was appealing. It was there I planned to write my book. It can be crazy how life unfolds and if … [Read more...]
Photo Series: Infa Riot + Antagonizers ATL at This Ain’t Hollywood, Hamilton
England's Infa Riot and The U.S.' Antagonizers ATL started their mutual seven day tour on July 1 in Toronto, Canada. The Toronto gig was cancelled last minute due to complications. The following photos were taken in Hamilton the next day. It was both bands' first and only Canadian show to date. Infa Riot's Bio courtesy of their official page: Infa Riot were formed in 1980 (not 1979 as published incorrectly in other biographies/CD booklets) by Barry D'Amery and Lee Wilson, after becoming friends with the Angelic Upstarts at the Lordship pub in Wood Green north London. Lee’s brother, Floyd Wilson was recruited to play Bass. Barry and Floyd were only 15yrs old at the time and Lee was … [Read more...]
Reader Q & A: A Foreigner’s Place In Muay Thai Gyms In Thailand
Last week's piece Guidelines For Training In Thailand’s Muay Thai Gyms elicited a comment by MBSB community member Geo that requires a new post in response. Geo asked two questions, the first being: About the hierarchy, what about the foreigners are they placed somewhere inside or seen as outsiders? To recap, I had written the following: Thai culture is deeply hierarchical. In regards to a Muay Thai gym, the order is as follows: owner(s) and immediate family promoters, matchmakers, anyone who is hired to do office and/or legal work the head trainer the trainers established … [Read more...]
Guidelines for Training Muay Thai in Thailand
The following is meant to act as a cultural primer for training in traditional Muay Thai gyms in Thailand. Note, I have little experience training in gyms heavily trafficked by Foreigners. I've never been to Phuket. Nonetheless, based on my own experiences balanced by discussions with those who have, the following guidelines are applicable. One of the notable differences between gyms with a heavy Foreign presence and ones without is that many of the Thais have a greater understanding thus tolerance of Western cultural norms. It doesn't mean all of them do. Often trainers move from gym to gym and you may find yourself with one who recently arrived from the countryside for the first time. I … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- …
- 21
- Next Page »