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 Thailand—Cambodian (Aranyaprathet—Poi Pet) … [Read more...]
Gentleman’s House Barber Shop and Cocktail Bar – Proponents of Change in Russia
The following is a guest post by Nick Harbison. Nick was previously featured on MBSB discussing his transcontinental motorcycle trip. The Gentleman’s House Barber Shop, Irkutsk, in the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, opened earlier this year. I ducked in for a shave and a drink and ended up chatting with owner Nikita Fedchishin about old fashioned style, old fashioned service, and the challenge of getting Russians to stop drinking straight vodka. Walking down Decabr'skih Sobitii Street in Irkutsk, Russia, the sign for the Gentleman’s House Barbershop jumps out at you. It’s not its English writing - there are English signs scattered around the … [Read more...]
Annihilation Of The Self In Muay Thai
One of my favourite films is Kill Bill, because secretly I am a sixteen year old boy. I love almost every part of the films, even though I know almost every part is stolen. Creativity is hiding your sources, said no one ever except me. But one thing that strikes me about that movie/those movies is that what makes the character of the bride so powerful, and so resonant, is her single-minded drive to complete her tasks, no matter how much pain, despair and anguish she experiences. And this natural bent is cultivated by Pai Mei, who punishes her ceaselessly, in order to build in her an indefatigable, indestructible spirit. She submits to a master and an art … [Read more...]
Muay Thai – An Essay By Carlos Navarro Of Baan Singto
The following is a guest post by Carlos Navarro of Baan Singto Muay Thai gym in Guadalajara, Mexico. Note: I met Carlos while training at Sitmonchai Gym in 2011. I noticed Carlos upon my arrival to Sitmonchai amongst the other Foreign nak muays but what perhaps marks the moment that he truly stood out to me was the following: Carlos was sitting one the edge of one of the two rings at Sitmonchai watching a Foreigner shadow box. He stood up and showed the boxer how to follow through on a left hook. That was it. That was the initial defining moment for me. It was in that moment that I realized I could see myself train under … [Read more...]
Burn Your Guidebook
The following is a guest post by Justin Samuel Martin of Off The Path Travel and the band Automata. Dear Reader, I do not know you, but I am writing this under the assumption that you travel or intend to do so at some point in your lifetime. I also have taken the liberty to presume that you or someone you know uses or will use guidebooks while abroad. Though it is plausible – likely, in fact – that our personal trajectories are wholly dissimilar, I was hoping that you might allow me to persuade you into doing something somewhat out of the ordinary. I would like you to burn your travel guidebook. I know that you just spent $19.95 on it. Burn … [Read more...]