Tiger Muay Thai
Thailand Training Camp Day 1
August 20th, 2011
“When your going through Hell, keep going” Winston Churchill
There is one place in this big world of ours that I have been coming back to for many years. Its a place that can clear your mind, cleanse the body and make you the strongest and most resilient you’ve ever been. This place is known as Tiger Muay Thai training camp. This is where I am right now with a few good mates training hard for the next two mountains, that are coming up in a short three weeks time. I find Day 1 of any new training schedule is hard but enjoyable, its all new and the excitement can power you through. We ended up training for 4.5 hours over the course over the day consisting of the following.
Body Fit 8AM 1hr – Croosfit/Bootcamp style class
Strength and Conditioning 12.30PM 1Hr – We will concentrate on one muscle group per day
Western Boxing 4PM 2.5 Hrs – Three times world champion Ong leads the class
The boxing in the afternoon is a gruelling session that seems like it will never end, The tropical heat is tough on the boys who have sat through a bitter Sydney Winter and I am also struggling as Ive just come back from the freezing Russian peaks.
Everyone is sore but in high spirits after Day 1, we will be ramping up the training gradually each day to push ourselves to our absolute limits. Here is a photo of Sam and Chris enjoying there first Thai meal after a long day training in paradise.
Thailand Training Camp Day 2
August 21st, 2011
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go” William Feather
For those that have never been for a run dragging a car tyre on a rope, you would have been in the same position as three of the lads this morning, in pain. Dragging a tyre makes a normal 300m run one of the toughest things you can do, pushing you outside of your comfort zone in every way. It was a shortened route compared to what the guys will be doing in the near future but it is a great intro into one of the most talked about session in the training camps history, Thursday beach day.
This was Day 2 broken down-
Walk 6km - 6AM
Crossfit Session 10-1/-5 Tyre drags- 5 Runs- 7.30AM
Burpees-PushUps-Situps-KettleBell Swings
This workout involves completing 10reps of each exercise then going for a 300m run dragging a tyre. The second round is only 9reps of each exercise followed by a run dragging a tyre. This sequence is repeated counting down 1rep each time. 5 Runs with a tyre must be completed and 5 normal runs.
Strength Training 12.30PM
Western Boxing -5.00Pm Onwards, Private one on one sessions with the camps top boxing coach ONG
It was a tough day for everyone, but very rewarding. The lads a feeding off each others enthusiasm and motivating each other to push further for longer, I couldn’t have asked for a better crew to achieve results.
Thailand Training Camp Day 3
August 22nd, 2011
“I have failed over and over again. That is why I succeed”. Michael Jordan
Day 3 fell on a Sunday for us here at the Camp which I decided would be a good day to have an afternoon of rest so we could launch into a full week starting on Monday. An afternoon off still meant two training sessions in the morning though. We started our day with a 10km walk and then launched straight into one on one boxing with Ong the Training Camps best boxing coach and two time world champion. He is a patient, humble Thai guy and is one of the best technical teachers I have ever come across. Take a look at the videos of John and Adam Below and The pics of Ong holding his two belts.
Adam and John
http://youtu.be/hCcFSnQxnxc http://youtu.be/P-4xzV5J3A4
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 4
August 23rd, 2011
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever”.
Lance Armstrong
Day 4
6AM Walk 6km- 45min
8AM Tabata Body Fit Session – 1hr
12.30PM Strength Training – 1hr
4PM Boxing 4PM 2.5 Hrs
The 4th day was no easier than the first, if anything we have ramped up the training. The lads are all in high spirits but I think the stable of grilled chicken and vegetables, no matter how effective it is, has almost run its course. A new meal will have to be added to the menu to keep the taste buds satisfied. The hardest part of the day for me is the 2.5hr boxing session, it is a real grind. It seems like the continuous rounds of bags, pads and sparring will never end. Before you can leave the boxing area however, you must first complete 300 situps and 100 pushups, that’s the final killer.
In the camp I have seen people from all over the world, of all ages and from a diverse list of careers. Ive seen drug addicts, alcoholics, UFC fighters, teachers, famous sporting celebs, monks, models, to the guy who didn’t have a cent to his name(Luke Richmond). This place gathers them all, brakes them down and then builds them up again. To change someone physically you must first change them mentally, and Tiger Muay Thai can definitely test and then change your mental. I believe the camp saves lives on a daily basis and I feel privileged to come here from time to time for a reality check and a few situps.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 5
August 24th, 2011
It’s a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired – you quit when the gorilla is tired.
Robert Strauss
6AM- Walk 6km -45min
8AM-Body Fit that consisted of the following – 1Hr
100 Jump Lunges, 50 Push Ups, 100 Crunches
Run 800m Dragging a tyre
100 Squats, 50Burpees, 100 Knees to Elbows
Run 800m Dragging a Tyre
100 Flutter Kicks, 50Leg Ups, 100 V-Ups
Run 800m
100Tuck Jumps, 50 KB Swings, 100 Side Crunches
Run 800m
12.30PM Strength Training -1hr
4PM Boxing One on One- 1hr
6.30PM Walk 6km -45min
For all of the fans waiting to see another video of the boys in action here it is. A quick look at the sparring session conducted by Ong and Chock Chai, two former world champion boxers turned trainers at Tiger Muay Thai.
Click on the link below.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 6
August 25th, 2011
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” - Wayne Gretzky
Day 6
Last night it poured rain all night and at about 2AM the power decided to die on us. This isn’t of a great surprise if you saw the wiring outside the hotel but was still an inconvenience when the rooms temp soared to 30+ degrees. It was still hammering down at 6AM and even though we are a motivated training unit at the moment, the morning walk was put on a silent suspension. It held off long enough at 7AM for us to get to the camp fairly dry and prepare for Body Fit.
8AM Body Fit – 1Hr
12.30PM Strength Training – 1Hr
4PM Boxing Class 2.5Hrs
There is one guy in Phuket that everyone has met or has heard of and who’s restaurant has turned into an institution. This mans name is TONY. He is a 4.5ft Thai guy who I met when I first came to Thailand many years ago when he was opening his first little restaurant and bungalow.He now owns multiple hotels and restaurants but he will still be there every day to greet you with a smile. The basic layout of his place and the communal style of eating that forces you to make conversation with your neibour is what makes Tony’s so popular. This man is the little godfather of phuket, a nice humble guy who can solve any problem you bring to him no matter how big or small. I make it a rule that once a day we go to Tony’s restaurant to pay our respects and enjoy some of his food, he is a man who can come in very handy in a land where life is cheap and corruption is ingrained.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 7
August 26th, 2011
“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.” Muhammad Ali
Day 7
With torrential rain pumping all night and into the morning the walk was put on hold and we made our way to the camp for the Body Fit session. I cant remember the last time Ive seen so much water fall from the sky in such a small amount of time, it was impressive. But just like my old sergeant used to say “if it aint raining it aint training” so this was our day.
8AM Body Fit 1Hr
12.30PM Boxing 1Hr
2PM Strength Training 1Hr
4PM Spin Session 1Hr
This photo is of the lads with Peter the Thai bodybuilding champion who is the manger and trainer of the weightlifting area at the camp. He has great knowledge of his craft and is a top guy
The video link below is of Chris and Chook Chai doing Muay Thai Pad Work.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 8
August 27th, 2011
The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline. -Steve Smith
Thailand is known around the world as the land of smiles, and as long as respect is shown to the local people, every door will open for you and help will always be there while you holiday in paradise. The only thing that is not cooperating with this smiling paradise at the moment is the weather. The rain has not stopped in three days and is predicted to last for a few more yet. It does dampen the spirits of those who have come to enjoy a tropical beach in the sun, but for the Parramatta crew who have come here to reach goals it simply adds another element which in the end will make our trip even more rememberable. Who wants to tell a story about dragging a tyre for kilometers in the sun when it could have been in pelting rain and wind.
6AM Walk 6km – 45min
8AM Body Fit Tabata – 1Hr
12.30PM Strength Training – 1Hr
4PM Western Boxing – 2.5Hr
Last night I travelled out to the airport to pick up another addition to the Tiger Crew in the form of the infamous Rob. He has come to join the lads for a solid week of hell and return with us next Saturday. Its great to have him with us.
Check out the videos below of the lads doing some tyre dragging in the lovely tropical weather.
http://youtu.be/pZD2bs2o9Ok http://youtu.be/Zc7QqodZ2qY
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 9
August 27th, 2011
Show me a guy whos afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.
-Lou Brock
Saturday morning, while most people sleep in and rise only to consume a full English breakfast and plan their afternoon tea, the Tiger crew slipped out of bed at 6.30AM, stepped out into the cold, wind and rain to make our way down to the camp. Thinking the morning can only get better from here, it didn’t. Out into the weather we pushed dragging heavy foreign objects, all with the vision that in doing so it will shape our bodies and minds into opponents to be reckoned with.
7.00AM Bootcamp - 1Hr
10.00Am Boxing – 1Hr
3.00PM Strength Training – 1Hr
6.00Pm Walk 6km
http://youtu.be/-6aw5M47eVc http://youtu.be/5JqdzYI6cRA
During the Boxing session today, the ex world champion Ong took on John and Adam at pad work. It was great to watch, so check out the video links above.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 10
August 30th, 2011
“Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way.”
~Satchel Paige~
Once a month Tiger Muay Thai throws an event that echos for four weeks until its time to do it again. That event is called the Barbecue Beat Down. The concept is simple, a great barbecue with all you can eat chicken, and organised fights of Muay Thai and MMA in the ring and octogon all night. Its great to watch people you have trained with all week jump in the ring together and really go for it. Its a fun night and a must see if its your first time to Thailand and TMT. Our day before the lads could watch me eat all the chicken I could eat consisted of,
6AM Walk 6km – 45min
8AM Boot Camp - 1HR
10AM Boxing 1HR
4PM Strength Training 1HR
Have a quick look at Rob doing some Pad work with Chook Chai.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 11
August 31st, 2011
A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. – Max Lucado
There was no rest for the lads over the weekend, I put together two brutal crossfit sessions for the mornings and they all had some one on one boxing privates with the trainers. Sun afternoon however was a little more relaxed to prepare for the big week coming up. Its the beginning of the last week and we have to stay focused and stick to the schedule so at 5.30AM up we got to start our day with our walk.
6AM Walk 6km - 50min
8AM Body Fit – 1HR
12.30PM Strength Training 1HR
4PM Western Boxing 2.5Hrs
Check out the video link above, of Adam and two time world champion Ong having a friendly sparring session.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 12
September 1st, 2011
Self-delusion is pulling in your stomach when you step on the scales. — Paul Sweeney
Thailand is a place to come to for relaxation and to try and unwind from the normally chaotic lives we have built for ourselves back home. For me, a training trip is the ultimate form of de-stressing, to come and sit on a beach, get burnt and have a cocktail of sand, sunscreen and sweat clogging my pores is not my ideal holiday, and will send me home even more wound up then when I arrived. I can tell you now that after close to 48 training sessions in 12 days the stress has departed and in a few more days when we board the plane for Sydney we will all be ready to insert ourselves into the rat race and excel.
6AM Walk 6km – 50min
8AM Body Fit – 1HR
11AM Western Boxing – 1HR
3PM Strength Training 1HR
Take a look at the video link above of the Body Fit Class. Its Basic, hot, sweaty and effective.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 13
September 2nd, 2011
No pressure, no diamonds – Mary Case
Mid week of our last week and the sunny weather has returned after nearly a week of rain. The humidity is hard to handle if you haven’t spent much time in a tropical climate, but it is great to train in. Your clothes are soaked through with sweat after the warm up and from there its just getting worse.
6AM Walk 6KM 50Min
8AM Body Fit Circuit 1HR
12.30PM Strength Training – Legs Day 1HR
4PM Boxing – 2.5Hrs
Here is a video of the Tyre Session we had on the hottest day of the week.
Tiger Muay Thai Training Camp Day 14
September 2nd, 2011
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.” ~Napoleon~
Remind me next time not to do volume training on legs before a Beach day that involves dragging tyres up hill, hill sprints and reverse walking up stairs. Although when your legs are shot from the beginning it definitely builds character.
6AM Walk 6KM 50min
8AM Beach Training Day 2HR
12PM Boxing 1HR
Here are two videos from the Beach training day, funny enough you dont get to see the beach for 2Hrs, enjoy.
Fairwell to Tiger Muay Thai……..for now.
September 3rd, 2011
It comes down to a simple question: what do you want out of life, and what are you willing to do to get it?
The final day has arrived after 15days of brutal training with very little rest. We have completed 63 training sessions in the time that we have been here, ranging from walking, running, tyre drags, strength and conditioning, kettle bells, boot camps, countless burpees and endless hours of boxing. It has been a great two weeks and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to train with. The weight loss has been staggering, some of our totals will rival the biggest looser but you will have to wait until our plane arrives in Sydney and we can weigh in on the same calibrated scales we started with to hear the final results.
I cannot wait to get back here again at the end of the year with a new crew all trying to achieve their best and improve their lives, this place can break you down physically and change you mentally, sending you home clear minded and ready to tackle any challenge this fast paced world can throw at you. A successful business man I met in the camp told me that Tiger Muay Thai saved his life and he comes back every six months for a tune up, so that he never slips back to his old ways again. If a simple training ground in the jungle of Thailand can have that sort of effect on people it is definitely a place worth returning too.
Stay tuned for the results………
The Weigh Ins……. and the Stop Sign
September 9th, 2011
Is a two week period too short to make any dramatic changes ?, not if you dedicate yourself and push through barriers both physical and mental. When you do that you can achieve some amazing things. The team trained for two weeks straight encompassing all aspects of fitness. Through highs and lows, pouring rain and blazing sun it was a testing 14 days in one of the best training camps in the world. At the end of the day its all about results and here they are.
Adam – Lost 12kg and increased his cardiovascular capacity by 50%, gained almost 3inches in mobility, improved his running style and gained 30kg in strength on generic lifts.
Sam – Lost 10kg and improved mobility and functional movement.
John – Lost 4.5kg while improving strength, endurance and mobility.
Chris – Lost 4kg and improved his flexibility through the Yoga program.
One of the most important aspects of the Training Camp in Phuket and the reason it is so successful is that it pulls you out of your comfort zone and detaches you from the day to day stresses that hold you back. The jungle, heat, rain and hours of exercise all combine to do one thing. Show you the stop sign in your life and the alternative road you can take, clearing your mind of stress and allowing you to analyse the important things in life, and above all else give your body the tools required to travel along that road for as long as humanly possible.