The Muay Thai Guys Podcast

Sunday, July 23, 2017

TMTG 075: The Muay Thai & Life Balance: Prioritizing, Sacrificing and Evolving To Reach Excellence

When we first being our Muay Thai journeys we tend to schedule our training around our work and life routine. As we become more and more addicted to Muay Thai there comes a time where our priorities shift, and instead of scheduling training around life, schedule our life around our training.

In this weeks podcast, Paul and I discuss the gradual evolution of our work, life and training balance as we've continued to dive deeper into our Muay Thai careers. We discuss a number of topics including:

How champion fighters like Ognjen Topic and "Bazooka" Joe Valtellini have been able to balance their full-time jobs with their fight training and careers.
The importance of deciding early on how seriously you're going to take your Muay Thai career and dedicating yourself (and your life) to it.
Why eliminating distractions, bad influences and time-killing activities is key to getting the most out of your day to day.
Sacrificing sleep, social life and other areas of your life to pursue greatness.
The idea of "planning spontaneity" and learning how to roll with the punches that life throws at you.
How reading books like "Outliers" and "The Obstacle Is The Way" can inspire and teach you the ways of excellence.
The importance of planning - your training, your nutrition, your rest days, everything!
And much, much more

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 075: The Muay Thai & Life Balance: Prioritizing, Sacrificing and Evolving To Reach Excellence

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_075__Balancing_Life__Training_And_Nutrition_Tips.mp3

Sunday, July 9, 2017

TMTG 074: The Beginners Mindset & Training At Different Gyms

Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced fighter, it's always important to have the "beginners" mindset whenever you hit the training floor if you truly want to reach the highest levels.

In this weeks podcast, Paul and I catch up and discuss our thoughts on the beginners mindset and how critical it's been for our success both inside the Muay Thai world and outside of it. We also cover other topics such as...

How being the top dog at your gym isn't always the best thing.
The importance of occasionally training at different gyms with different training partners and coaches.
Why we see so many top level fighters focus on the basics.
How Paul and I are still getting used to being recognized as "The Muay Thai Guy" whenever we are traveling.
Paul's training at CSA and how it's been improving him physically and mentally.
Sean's analysis of his training with Namsaknoi and the importance of angles, footwork and balance.
How watching fights on TV are completely different than watching fights in person.
Why you shouldn't judge someones power, speed or technique just by watching one of their fights - and how different it is when you're standing right across from them.
And much, much more!

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_074__The_Beginners_Mindset__Training_At_Different_Gyms.mp3

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 074: The Beginners Mindset & Training At Different Gyms

Sunday, July 2, 2017

TMTG 073: Muay Thai Gym Etiquette: Do's and Dont's

There are some unwritten rules when it comes to stepping foot into a new gym. However, most people are unaware of these unwritten rules because, well - they're unwritten.

Fortunately, MTG writer Angela Chang put together a great post a few weeks back on the 13 Rules For Proper Gym Etiquette, which gave Paul and I the idea to cover the same topic in podcast form... so that's exactly what we did!

We cover the 13 aspects that Angela talk about but go into further detail about each area including:

Don't be late! Show up on time and show that you're ready to put in the work.
No shoes on the mat. Should be quite obvious, but people tend to neglect it.
Get your own gear. Sometimes gyms have lender equipment, but you're always better off using your own (for cleanliness purposes)
Clean your gear. Sanitize, air out and keep good care of your gear if you don't want to get any infections.
Keep basic hygiene. Don't be that smelly bastard who clinches with everyone without showering for days and no deodorant.
Wear underwear. This shouldn't have to be said... but it does.
Do what you're told. The trainers and coaches know what they're talking about (most of the time) so don't be disrespectful by acting like you're above them and doing your own thing.
Don't spar at 100%. Don't be that asshole trying to hurt everyone!
Clinch hard, knee soft. Clinching can be a little more intense, but make sure you're not spearing knees into your partners ribs and causing injury.
Wash your hands/yourself before clinching. If you have an extra shirt to throw on before going into clinch class, your training partners will thank you.
Respect everyone. Respect is the centerpoint of Muay Thai, show make sure to show respect to all skill levels and ages.
Be realistic. Know that it will take time to get good!

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 073: Muay Thai Gym Etiquette: Do's and Dont's

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_073__Muay_Thai_Gym_Etiquette_-_Dos_and_Donts.mp3

Sunday, June 11, 2017

TMTG 072: Thailand Prison Fights, Muay Thai at MSG and Lion Fight Title Talk

Sometimes you just gotta hit record and just talk Muay Thai - and that's exactly what Paul and I did in the most recent podcast episode. With so much going on in the Muay Thai scene it's easy to find things to talk about, such as:

The 'Thailand Prison Fights' and the controversy surrounding the recently released documentary (seen below).
How Muay Thai plays such a major role in the culture and society of Thailand.
The craziness of being the foreigner fighter who steps in the ring with a murderer who has a chance to win his freedom.
The comparison of how Muay Thai fighters are modern day gladiators.
Why Thai kids fight and why western culture has trouble wrapping their heads around it.
How people call us by our "alter egos" and still can't spell or pronounce our names right.
The fights at Madison Square Garden and what it's like fighting at the worlds most famous arena.
A quick recap of the main event between Tum Sityodtong and Ognjen Topic.
Becoming the victim and how it leads directly to failure and underachievement
How Joe Rogan's "Become your own hero" video/speech is so powerful.
Paul's upcoming title fight at Lion Fight Promotions.
And much, much more!

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 072: Thailand Prison Fights, Muay Thai at MSG and Lion Fight Title Talk

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_072__Thailand_Prison_Fights_Muay_Thai_at_MSG_and_Lion_Fight_Title_Talk.mp3

Sunday, June 4, 2017

TMTG 071: 10 Muay Thai Myths Debunked

Chances are you've heard of at least one bogus fad or myth inside the Muay Thai world that makes you question everything about the world, am I right?

Well, thanks to the suggestion of podcast fan Antonio, Paul and I go "Muay Thai Myth Busters" edition where we chat about and debunk a number of the common myths that many people believe to be true, such as:

Sex before competition impedes testosterone, aggression, and primal acuity in performance
Elevation masks improve your cardio and make it so that you are training at elevation.
New training methods that take your game to the next level
Headgear prevents brain damage
Shin conditioning with pipes, bottles, and kicking trees to “deaden” the nerves.
Fighters love violence and are mean people.
Muay Thai is a traditional martial art rooted in passion and respect where the wai kru music plays everyday during training and you have to bow to every object around you
Size doesn’t matter - Sorry guys, and girls. . . it does
You must be a champion fighter to have any sort of legitimacy as a trainer
The best fighters are the most well known and respected'

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 071: 10 Muay Thai Myths Debunked

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_071__10_Muay_Thai_Myths_Debunked.mp3

Sunday, May 28, 2017

TMTG 070: Worldwide Recognition for US Muay Thai with Jason Farrell

Muay Thai is still a new and growing sport in the US, but that hasn't stopped us from producing tough, technical fighters who are able to represent our country on the world stage at tournaments like IFMA.

In this episode of The Muay Thai Guys podcast, Paul and I chat with US coach Jason Farrell who had quite an experience during his time abroad at IFMA's. We cover a range of topics including:

Why is the USMF Team picked the way it is
How will it be done moving forward
What is the Level of Competition like at IFMA
Why are the other countries ahead of us
How can we catch up
What will you do in your new role with USMF
What everyone in the community can do to support the US Team and the growth of Muay Thai in the US.
The Funding by International Teams Such as Russia and Peru

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 070: Worldwide Recognition for US Muay Thai with Jason Farrell

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/70_TMTG_070__Worldwide_Recognition_for_US_Muay_Thai_with_Jason_Farrell.mp3

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Sunday, May 14, 2017

TMTG 069: A Champions Uprising with Chris "CROM" Romulo

We all think of champions as fighters who step in the ring, fight their heart out, and come away with a championship belt around the waist. Well, former WKA champion Chris Romulo is a champion in that sense AND a champion in the sense of overcoming many of lives obstacles that were thrown his way.

For those of you who don't know Chris or "CROM", he's been a major part of the NY Muay Thai community for decades and continues to have a positive influence on all those who surround him. Not only has he overcome multiple injuries to win a professional title, he also faced and conquered even more challenges when Hurricane Sandy hit his home town of Rockaway Beach back in 2012.

In this podcast, we talk about Chris' life story and his new book "Champions Uprising" which will be released on Amazon tomorrow (May 15th). Some of the topics which are covered are:

The struggles of growing up surrounded by a bad crowd and how a street fight almost ended his life.
How Muay Thai changed his life's direction and the lessons learned throughout his fight career.
What gave him the idea to write a book and his insights on difficult it was to relive some of his tough past experiences.
What "Physical Culture" is and why he's a big believer in living an active, healthy lifestyle.
How Hurricane Sandy destroyed his gym and his home and almost "KO'ed" his will to continue his training and teachin Muay Thai.
And much, much more!

Click Here To Listen To TMTG069: A Champion's Uprising with Chris "CROM" Romulo

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_069__A_Champions_Uprising_with_Chris__CROM__Romulo.mp3

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