Friday, February 7, 2014

My Time In Thailand


As my flight got into Bangkok I couldn't really wrap my head around the fact that I was on the other side of the world. Even though cab driver to the gym not did not know english and all the signs looked like abstract art I was just too tired to really process it all. When I finally got to the gym it was 2 am  and all I wanted to do was sleep. There was training at 6:30 am and I was wondering if I was actually going to have the energy for it.

A few hours later I hear a rooster signaling the sunrise. I briefly thought about sleeping in as not many people would blame me for doing so. Then I realized I came to this place on a mission to learn and now was as good a time as any to jump into the experience head first.


The only way I can describe the look/style Sitmonchai is to say that it is simple. They have what they need, nothing more. It is located in Tha Maka in the Kanchanaburi provence which is a fairly remote area. There are two boxing rings, a few heavy bags, a small matted work out area, and a bunch of pads for all the trainers. Its not dirty, but it's definitely no five star resort. The gym is outside and covered by a metal roof. The small accommodations are located right off the gym area. There is no hot water (not much of a problem after a good work out), there is wi-fi but it doesn't work most of the time, and most of the Trainers speak little to no english.
They don't have much, but they have what they need. 

I wasn't sure when it was going to hit me. The fact that I was on the other side of the planet, in a foreign land, where I didn't know the language, training with people who live it everyday, hadn't really sunk in. At least not until I took my first few steps outside my room. Then it hit my like a tidal wave! "Woah, I'm in freakin Thailand!"

Without much time to wrap my head around it, it was time to start training. I had just missed the start of the morning run so I warmed up by skipping rope while chatting with some of the other people who had travelled to train at the gym. To my surprise almost every non-Thai there was either a return visitor and/or had been there for an extended period of time. All of that confirmed that I had picked a great gym to come to if I was serious about learning good technique.

Kong Fa, My trainer!
My training there at the gym was some of the best Muay Thai training I had every received. They were sticklers for technique and never let you get away for doing something even slightly wrong. Even though there was a huge language barrier a lot was able to be communicated through body language and facial expressions.

While the training was intense, it was never forced. If you wanted to go easy you were supported and if you wanted to go hard the trainers would push you. Kru Kongfa and I developed a good rapport with each other since he was my trainer everyday I was there. They make sure they consistently keep you with the same person. It helps the trainer know your capabilities, push you, and stay invested in your progress.


The food alone is worth coming to train here. 
After training each day we would have a meal prepared by the matriarch of the gym "Mama Lek". She was very sweet and genuinely cared about all the people there.  Lets just say, after coming home, that I haven't had any Thai food that has even come close to comparing to what I ate at the gym. I think I am a bit spoiled now.

 My time at the gym was so valuable even outside of just the training. The few days I spent in Bangkok was also really interesting. Oh and Phuket? well? It was smelly, dirty, crowded, and I was sick the whole time I was there. haha! There is a lot that I could write about my time in Thailand but it would take many pages to go through all the experiences and observations I had while I was there. So i'll sum it up the rest with a few things I learned from my journey


  • You don't need much to be happy. We have so much here and people around the world are just as happy, and sometimes happier, with much less.
  • Spicy fried ants actually don't taste that bad!
  • That you can always push harder than you think you can.
  • That there are a few things you should learn how to say wherever you travel or you may find yourself in a tight spot. "Bathroom" being on the top of that list. 
  • A lot can be communicated with body language and a smile.
  • Even the Thai's think I have a pretty mean roundhouse kick! I'm honored!
  • Some of the most beautiful places are the ones most people don't travel to.
  • I am very fortunate to have what I have, and will do my best to be thankful every day for it. 
I am so glad I pushed myself to go in this trip. While I am glad to be home, there are definitely things o miss (like sticking a straw in a coconut and $6 Thai Massages) It is the kind of experience I would encourage everyone to have. There are many other places in the world I want to see, but I believe Thailand will get a return visit someday. 

If you would like to see more pictures just follow this link:  https://plus.google.com/photos/101990179994687757885/albums/5977849465997301169?authkey=CO2Lic3TnYX44wE

Friday, January 10, 2014

I Am Who, I think, You Think I Am

This is a re-post from a year ago, but with a message that is timeless.

I have many little “sayings” that I use to help guide me as I teach and help the assistants that I train. I almost look at them as rules. If I stay true to them, they will always point me in the right direction when I have to decide how to approach a certain situation. One in particular that I was recently reminded of is: “I am not who I think I am. I am not who YOU think I am. I am who I think, you think I am”. Yes, it may get your brain going.

I have a student (lets call her Sarah). Sarah is 9 and has been training with me for a number of years now. During a vacation with her family she decided that she wanted to continue learning how to snowboard. She did fairly well, but after a day of falling and picking herself back up, she was physically and emotionally exhausted. On her last run her parents noticed she was slowly crying her way down the hill. Remembering a “Mat Chat” I had with the students one day about “Hitting the Wall” (Also Separate Post), Sarah’s mom went over to her and said:

"This reminds me of Sensei's mat chat about hitting a wall.  You're tired, you've worked hard learning to snowboard all day, you’re cold - it's like hitting that wall Sensei was talking about.  He said, 'we all hit walls from time to time but it's how you respond to it that defines your character”.  She leaned in softly and said, "this isn't who you are"

She gave her a hug and skied ahead, giving Sarah some time to let it sink in.  As Sarah caught up to her mom she took her time, carving some cautious but nice turns and no longer crying.  She made it safely down the hill with her head held high, proud of all she accomplished that day.

Sarah’s-Mother’s response, in my opinion, could not have been more perfect. That last line “this isn’t who you are” was key! By hearing someone she trusts say that, it helped her find that belief in herself that she could, indeed, push through.

We all know that people can be their own worst enemy. No matter how hard they try to avoid it, doubt, frustration, fear, and other negative emotions can sink in 
during those most stressful times. It is during those times that people look to others for guidance (even if they won’t admit it). They want to be shown that these emotions they are feeling are not totally true. It is those times when remembering that saying comes in handy. When you are working with someone (student, child, employee) during a challenging time, keep that saying in mind.

They way people think you perceive them can have a huge impact on their ability to overcome life’s challenges.

I know that if I can show my students how much I believe in them, they will be able to achieve amazing things.