Barely 4 hours after arriving in Koh Samui, we had to search for wmc Lamai Muay Thai Gym. It took us a while to find the place and got lost couple of times.
Nevertheless, this is one of the highlights of the trip. I used to do Muay Thai when I was in University and I really enjoyed it. I even ran for committee (and won uncontested cause no one was interested) in my university’s Muay Thai society. However, after coming back to Malaysia, I lost interest.
wmc Lamai Muay Thai gym is a famous gym in Koh Samui. Many fighters from all around the world travel to this place to train. This gym has no wall and no doors. Anyone can walk in to train.
The gym has two boxing rings, 4 punching bags, two separate training grounds, a few sleeping dogs and hell loads of muscular and intimidating men. When we first arrived we saw a group of muscular and intimidating men. They were so intimidating that we felt like rabbits in a lion’s den.
Initially, we wanted to give up and go away. However, we stayed put and managed to get ourselves enrolled in their 5pm class. The trainers are all Thai but the students were mainly Westerners. They may be those who took time off work to train in Muay Thai camps.
According to the website Malaysian Muay Thai Tigers (who sent their fighters to wmc Lamai to train:
I feel it’s important and interesting for you to know our ‘Malaysian Tigers’ training routine in Samui. Being here in Malaysia, I can’t help but feel that these guys have a perfect set-up: idyllic island, no worries in the world(except training), good and healthy food, no financial worries….etc……etc…
First let me point out……the training is tough………really tough. Team Tigers have to wake up an hour before everyone else(jogging starts at 6am) so as they get in an hour earlier so they can train extra with their trainers, whom may I add are at the very least ex-Lumpinee Champions.
Then I got a reality check…….I was flown out to Samui and the truth of it all hit me. On the first day, I was asking the guys, “Hey why aren’t you out at the beach(which is only a stones throw away”).Bernard Radin looks at me and says “Just check out our training routine, any free time we have, we need to rest and recover, no time for the beach”. And now I realise just how tough it all is. Hey even the 7km run would floor me, neither less doing it twice a day. And Dzhabar punching me in the head……..well I’ll update you on that one soon.
[Credits to Malaysian Tigers]
Morning Routine
6am-7km run
7am-Stretching and shadow boxing
7.30am Light Sparring
8am-Pad work with trainers
8.30 am-Sit-ups & stretches
Evening Routine
4pm-7km run
5pm-Stretching and shadow boxing
5.30pm Light Sparring
6pm-Pad work with trainers
6.30pm-Clencing
Fking 7km run can kill me anytime already!
Our training session was done together with the other participants – whether pro or amateur, we went through the same training. The trainers guided us throughout the session and even ensured that our techniques were all correct.
Although brutal looking, the chaps at wmc Lamai have a heart of gold. Donate to poor dogs and cats pls.
The 2 hours sessions were divided into a few sessions, first being the simple punches, kicks, knee and elbow, second would be the combination of those punches, kicks, knees and elbows and even clenching. The last would be sparring between partners. Almost everyone went all out in the sparring session.
In between the sessions, the head instructor, Nong would throw in some quick workouts such as 30 squats and 30 pushups. It made my legs felt like jelly.
Speaking about Nong, he is probably the last person in the gym that you want to mess with. Although at 43 years old, he could easily bring down anyone in the gym. He’s probably the Thai version of Incredible Hulk.
At the end of the session, Nong made me do various moves while he holds the pads. My legs were almost jelly after that session.
When we finished our session, it was already dark. We limped back to our hotel proudly with bruised shins and knuckles.
I finally get to train in a Thai Muay Thai camp! *strikes off one paragraph from my 100 things to do before I die*
