Muay Thai
A.K.A Thai Boxing, the national sport of Thailand. Originating as an unarmed striking art used by Thai warriors. Muay Thai has became a national pastime with millions of fans across the globe. All across Thailand, there are gyms, stadiums, and bars that host competitions.
Since the sport is so popular, many parents send their children to famous gyms to train them into champions. The gyms profit partially off of the athelete's purse, but they are still able to send funds home as well as bring glory to their families. If these atheletes are at the top of their game and have talented enough coaches, they may one day be able to compete in the Lumpinee Stadium, the most prestigious Muay Thai competition in the world.
Muay Thai is known as the art of 8 limbs.
This is because practicioners utilize their fists, elbows, knees, and shins when throwing bones. There is also a focus on stand up clinching, but fighters are stood up after falling, so there is no traditional grappling outside of this. Muay Thai is slowly growing in popularity thanks to fight promotions like One Championship.
Who?
Currently, I am not training thanks to an MCL tear I sustained while wrestling.
Prior to this injury, I was coaching Muay Thai at the UNCC MMA Club
If you are interested, please Register and come hang out!
When
I was very involved in the UNCC MMA Club, re-establishing the club a few semesters ago and standing as president until Fall '22.
I am now involved in club to a lesser extent as vice president, assisting when my class schedule permits.
If you are interested, the club meets Mondays from 4-5:30 and WF from 4-6.
Where
I have trained at multiple gyms throughout my life, but my home gym would have to be the Combat Club in Jacksonville, NC.
That's where I learned all of the basic, so I will always have a place in my heart for the crew at the Combat Club.
I actually met her partially through the Combat Club as she was a BJJ player for 2 years at the same gym.
Why
It's a bit deep for me to publish in an HTML document, but I always had a deep fear of being bullied and taken advantage of. I could never shake the anxiety that was associated with this fear. My anxiety, fear, and frustration culminated at the bottom of a bottle one night where I decided I needed a constructive outlet. I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to pick up a sport that would shape my life by giving me the confidence, strength, and friends I wished for.
Why Muay Thai and not another martial art?
I really enjoy wrestling and BJJ now, but at the time I was looking at a striking based art. Boxing has amazing fundamentals, but a boxer has no idea about how to handle kicks or elbows and I wanted to be as well-rounded as I could. Kickboxing is a fantastic martial art, but there were not any competative gyms in my area that coached kickboxing. Knowing what I do now, I'm glad I learned Muay Thai. I think it would be amazing to train at a gym in Thailand at some point. A sort of pilgrimage if you will.
When I first started at my first gym, I used to stare at a very old poster in Thai that illustrated dozens of strikes and techniques, hoping that I could master them all.
How
There was no UNCC MMA Club when I became a 49er.
I re-registered the club and did everything I could to spread the word, promote coaches, and attend meetings. From that point, the club has only grown in members, staff, and reach.
