29/09/2019
What comes first to your mind when you hear the phrase Muay Thai gym? A male-dominated place…. a place where only serious fighters train… a place where they do not accept weaklings? You can throw away those thoughts when you come to Luk Klong Tun (LKT) Muay Thai Gym. It is a place where people of all ages and gender gather to learn skills, work-out, and train.
A few days ago I had the chance to attend a course at LKT, it was a tiring but enjoyable experience. To my surprise, the instructors are quite friendly, as they seem to have a passion for teaching. Since I don’t really have any experience in Muay Thai, the instructor there start off with the proper warm-up techniques, then the correct stance position. The instructor told me that the basics foundation must be laid correctly in order to progress efficiently and to minimize injuries. The instructor then taught me the attacks moves such as the punches, elbows, kicks and then the knee. In addition, they are very informative, because they can correct any small mistakes that I have made, and adjust the teaching techniques accordingly. At first, I was scared of attending the class, but after a few minutes I started to enjoy it, and my fear dissipates.
The gym is not overcrowded, but it is full of spirited and energetic members. majority of the members there are females, and everyone is affectionate towards one another. Most of the people attending for that day are joining for Muay Thai for fitness class. In my opinion, it is an excellent method of exercise due to you will forget about the fatigue during the process, due to the engagement, therefore be able to work out more.
Occasionally you might hear about the terms, “the golden age of Muay Thai”, when the betting was less prevalent, where fighters would battle for the prestige, not for the prize, while the stadiums in Bangkok will be packed with audiences waiting purely to be entertained. This could be in many generations ago, I do not know what had happened between now and then but surely gambling is influential to Muay Thai, that without it the sport might not survive in the present. If you go to any of the stadiums in Bangkok where the star matchups take place, most of the audience that is present does not just enjoy the fights’ sensation, but to bid on the matches too, at high stakes.
I’ve always appreciated seeing the way the fighters formulate their approach and determined whether to go on the offense or stay on defending a lead. However, the relationship between Muay Thai and gambling does have its dark sides, such as the notorious match-fixing and poisoning opponents. Another part that I want to address is about child abuse, they are forced to train since young, and sent to the ring to fight and earn money for their parent.
Muay Thai is founded in 1238 (Buddhist years) by soldiers who were taught hand-to-hand combat and how to use weapons, as well as how to use the entire body as a weapon. In the past, the purpose Muay Thai is to be used in wars, however now it has become a recreational activity, sports, exercise, and lastly but the most important purpose, in my opinion, is self-defense.
