FEAR

Dressing room pre-fight

                As the days leading up to the competition turn into weeks and the weeks quietly become months there is a literal roller coaster of emotion that overtakes a fighters psyche. There is a mix of anxiety, frustration, happiness, a feeling off being a warrior prepared for battle at anytime and a feeling of fear that most couldn't handle. It is the way in which we see ourselves change and evolve on a daily basis and sometimes the emotions can change by the second. Our brains are flooded with questions; Is my opponent better than me? Have I trained enough? Why am I doing this? Maybe I should just quit. And this is just the tip of the iceberg it can go deeper and deeper even seeping into the fighter's personal life. Fear is the great revealer. Whomever a fighter thinks they are can be deciphered by what they do with their fear. Can they use it to become better at their craft or will they fall victim like so many before them and crumble at their opponents feet or even make it to the fight at all.
              During my camp for any competition I generally start out very upset with myself and that is on a good or a bad day. I have a genuine anger aimed at myself for not being better. I love greatness and I may not ever be great but I want to feel like I am working as hard as the great ones do, and regardless of how many hours I put in I never feel like it's enough. I eventually get passed those feelings in a few weeks and then I start to question my opponent and how good they might be and if I should even continue on and if I have an injury I wonder to myself if its enough to make me stop training and even call off the fight or drop from the competition. The answer unequivocally is a resounding no I will never quit and every moment I'm not training my opponent probably is so I have to keep working. If you catch me around this time and ask me if I'm ready or how do I feel I will always have jokingly tell you that "I am terrified". Half joking...
                By the last few weeks of training I am a ball of anxiety. Nothing is as good as it should be and if I can't correct it I am pissed off. I have turned my stress and anger outward at this point. I can safely say that it is not a time to pick at me and I am in no way satisfied with anything. I want to fight so bad but I know I am not where I want to be. I do know however that there is no way I am being out trained. I am putting in the work. That was all motivated by fear. I have heard other fighters say similar things about being motivated by the fear, not of the other fighter but about what could happen about "getting caught". This is a commonly used phrase in the fighting world meaning a fighter got clipped by a punch, a kick or even a submission they didn't see coming or they fell into as in, " I was doing great and just got caught". That fear is real, when it is said like that it is meant to say that at that moment it was out of your control the same as getting bitten by a shark, it just happened. Every day is a day training to be the one catching the other guy.

Erupting post fight

               The reality though is that we will get punched and kicked and choked and people will cheer or boo or yell ridiculous things that should be saved for pro wrestling i.e. "rip his fucking head off" or "fucking kill him"(really not trying to kill anybody j/s) but most will never understand what it is that you are voluntarily doing. Risking your health both mental and physical for the entertainment of the spectator and the promoters wallet. In return for this we get to stare deep into our own souls and determine that we are not weak or afraid, we are in fact brave. There is a moment where the fear disappears, maybe in the dressing room or as they announce your name or you step through the ropes but when that threshold is crossed you've officially realized that fear is everything because it pushed you and at that very same moment you realize it is nothing.

Pro fighter / Dreamchaser

Walking to the ring.

What is up people?!! I know its been a minute but I was completely focused on making my dream a reality. Let me first say that this might turn out to be long winded but I have so much to say that it has to be a complete thought. If you've read my blogs in the past then you might know that I wasn't at first planning on fighting and I actually started fighting in the amateurs in my 30's, a late bloomer. I didn't expect anything so I wasn't out there looking for a team or a manager or even a coach, I just decided to work my ass off and choose a few people that I could trust. It was a great decision. It led me to three amateur championships and the ability to train others, and to meeting some incredible people along the way. At this point I knew I really wanted to fight in the pros at least once, but a couple of things came to mind when I would think about doing it. First off nobody is looking to throw an over 40 fighter on their fight card unless they are looking use that person as a stepping stone for their younger fighters. The second thought that would come up is how can I find time to train like I need with my schedule and hectic life, regardless of my dream, I have family responsibilities as well as coaching others to help them achieve their dreams. Then I would have worries about the ability to compete on a high level, am I too old? I looked to Bernard Hopkins, Dan Henderson, as well as a long list of other over 40 fighters that used their knowledge to compete against younger fighters, I mean have you seen Hopkins vs Pavlik?

The signing of the contract

Okay so after I finally made my decision, I realized that nobody was planning on adding me to their already full cards. And then it happened, Master Mehrdad Moayedi a former fighter and the first promoter I ever fought in the amateur for gave me a call and offered me a fight. I was close to giving up on the dream and focusing on just being a coach. I would have forever been hanging over my head if I didn't get the chance. I signed the contract and so it began.
        Camp started and I was indeed rusty but hungry nonetheless. I started running regularly which is crazy for me because I almost never ran before my amateur fights but I knew that I had to have good conditioning otherwise I wouldn't make it and beyond that I wanted to train like a professional and fight like one. I worked tirelessly doing pads, strength and conditioning training and sparring with some friends and some monsters. It was all grueling to say the least and then it happened, my first opponent dropped out with an injury but something told me just keep training it will work itself out. I was right within a couple of days I had a new opponent and the motivation  was back one hundred percent. I was more focused then I had ever been but in sparring I wasn't as active or effective when I was active. I had no movement and that was the key to me finally raising my level. It had been a while since I have fought and I had become comfortable standing in place and countering during sparring but because of that I had become complacent.

Kru Dave Gomez, me, and Remy Bonnell

Lesson learned, I began studying a fighter by the name Rayen Simson, a Dutch champion that had beaten the likes of Ramon Dekkers and I thought for sure this is my style and using it would allow me to become more fluid. Sparring got better.
   The date was rapidly approaching and I was starting to become more and more irritable, as well as nervous. The closer to the fight the less nervous I got, I started to believe and enjoy the moment. I have been dream chasing for so long and it was finally here and then the last two weeks came and it started to get crazy. I had sent in my medicals however the boxing commission wanted a CT scan of my brain and an Ekg which wasn't presented to me. Talk about freaking out, I was lucky enough to pull some strings and get some favors in order to get it done and it wasn't until the weigh ins that I actually got the final Ekg results. That was the least of my worries though because 2 days before the fight my opponent pulled out. At the moment I received that message I was in the middle of dealing with some other things and I was devastated. I felt as if all the air had left my body and I was sick to my stomach. I had finally made it but it was not to be. All I could think about was all those that had helped me get to this point, people donated their time and energy and money all for me to fulfill a dream and it would all be for nothing.
        The next day the news came that I would have an opponent and it wasn't what I had wanted by any means. The new opponent was a friend of mine, Warren Thompson, his opponent dropped out as well. We had fought each other in the amateurs and had a beautiful fight we displayed good technique and had gotten cheers from the crowd after the fight. Since that time we had become friends so now what? We both took the fight with reservation. Neither of us wanted to fight each other but we both have dreams. It was necessary and quite possibly the best and worst outcome of our situations. When I walked into the weigh in we saw each other immediately and both threw our hands up as if to say what the "F" is going on. We shared a few laughs and decided that this would be the last one against each other. Warren is a one of the good ones out there a true martial artist and a legitimate Muay Thai fighter.

Round one

Now as for the fight, it was amazing. I was able to display my skills on a high level and it was an honor to do so. I had an amazing time having my family there as I had reached my long time goal. My friends made the trip and cheered loudly and I loved every minute of it. The fight wasn't judged in my direction and that is a little upsetting but the reality of it is that I gained more just walking to the ring than any one win could have given me. I accomplished the seemingly impossible. I had an idea years ago and began to follow it and little by little it grew and at times it wilted but I never gave up hope. The pursuit itself was enough to be proud of but what I can truly say now to my kids and others is never stop chasing your dreams.

Landing a right hand which was working for me that night.

Dreams are not un-achievable ideas they are the vision of the achievable. I remember Kevin Garnett after winning the NBA championship with the Celtics after years of perseverance and the pain of never getting there and he screamed into the microphone a phrase that I always repeat in my head over and over, "Anything is possible".

Lucky Lloyd Walton (Pro fighter)


Special Thanks to: Romeo Montana and Sarah Zdanis for giving me their time in training and cornering me. Jorge Vargas and William Candelario for the padwork. Jex Fontaine for just basically being a bad ass and expecting the same from me. Jolie Glassman and the entire gym for all the support. My sparring partners Dave Gomez, Remy Bonnell, William Candelario, Romeo Montana, and that one time I sparred that UFC fighter Alex Garcia. Juan Lazcano Trevino for always being the source of good energy and hooking up the hotels. Also Danny Silva for giving me another place to train. Master Mehrdad for the opportunity. The whole LMT crew for believing in me. Last but not least my family for putting up with what some might call a silly dream and everything that goes with it, mood swings and all. I Love you guys!

How pain builds and destroys champions

       Hola my friends! Just got back from beautiful Costa Rica with the family on a much needed vacation. I desperately needed a break and a moment to breath and clear my head. Now that I'm back it's time to get ready for October 9th at the Bradenton Convention Center where I will be putting my Muay Thai skills to the test against Aaron Conway. Hit me up for tickets if you need them I'm stoked to fight someone with a similar mindset like mine, I'll write about that at another time but for now let's get into this. 
       Pain breeds champions and it also destroys them. When I mention the word pain it naturally gives the connotation of a physical trauma of some sort but I'm talking about mental and emotional pain. The pain of sharing clothes between 2 or 3 siblings, of violence in the neighborhood, losing a friend or family member, domestic violence, the kind of pain that starts a fire that can only be extinguished by accomplishment and success beyond the comprehension.

I mean Mike Tyson made 300 million dollars between the 80's and 90's. That type of money was unfathomable for anyone coming from his type of background. A street kid from Brooklyn committing petty crimes with no real chance of a future until he started boxing. Emotional suffering is as much of a motivator as it is a shackle. It is this feeling and the ability for those affected by it to inflict their pain on others whether consciously or subconsciously.

    Most underprivileged youth and even adults don't have the resources to get mental health care to deal with the pain. Counseling is so far out of the realm in some places that it is even frowned upon. The question becomes then, would we have the greats like Bernard Hopkins, or even Johnny Tapia if it wasn't for the struggle of an unfortunate background ie. the pain. What about the Muay Thai greats and there are many and as much as the sport has grown worldwide Thailand is still a very poor country. Children are fighting in Thailand at an early age to earn money to feed their families as chronicled in movies like Buffalo Girls. Sylvie von Ittu recently wrote that her friend Phet Jee Jaa, who my

daughter Nin was named after, was until recently sharing a mouthpiece with her little brother. Phet Jee Jaa is such a good fighter that she was at one point banned from fighting boys. In my experience the Thai people are always smiling and happy but there must be something to the fact that some of the best all around strikers in the world come from one of the poorest places.
    When we discuss why inner city kids don't really get into games like golf in this country it always comes back to economy. Golf is expensive, you have to buy the equipment, the balls, not to mention you can't even get on a course if not dressed properly. Fighting is cheap, you have all the equipment you need attached to your body. Obviously gloves etc. would come in handy but as I remember it growing up in Chicago some of the best fights I ever saw were out in the streets. I can't even remember how many times I or another friend uttered the words, "let's play karate". It didn't cost anything for us to wrestle or kick the crap out each other for an hour.
    Sorry, started to ramble..lol. The truth is that pain, emotional distress, anger about growing up in an unfortunate situation can push a person to the limit. Take a fighter like Ronda Rousey, the other female fighters in her division are all good athletes but having lost her father/best friend to suicide at a young age has pushed her to be better then everyone else. She was a bronze medalist in the Olympics at Judo and started off her MMA career by finishing all of her opponents by throws and armbars but just recently she face planted Bethe Correia with a right hand. Bethe made the mistake of mentioning suicide when trying to build the fight. That punch that put her down was partially solid technique and part punishment for having the gall to involve herself in the pain that built Ronda.

If you are ever faced with having to fight a person that comes from a painful situation there are several ways to go about the mental battle with that person. You can bring up there personal life and issues to try to get them to be emotional and out of their game or you can simply let them know that your skills are better. It's often been proven that the latter way is the better and more honorable way in other words, don't poke the bear.
          Fighters can start to feel unstoppable and sometimes they are. The downfall of course comes later, but not always. It definitely depends on the person, but it also depends on their circle of friends and whether or not they have dealt with the pain. I feel like that need to release the built up anger and emotional destitution sometimes just doesn't get quenched. You can be on top of the world with everything you ever wanted and the ability to take care of your family but behind your smile and beneath the scars of battle the pain is still their. Drugs and alcohol often become the crutch for fighters when they can't release that pain anymore. Look at a champion like Oscar de la Hoya, he ended up with a cocaine problem and some unsightly photos floating around on the internet. Maybe it's the you that nobody else sees. The part of you that you can verbally share and even shed a tear about with friends but they can never actually understand unless they had a similar upbringing. So when people say things like "I can't believe he blew all his money" or "why does he keep getting in trouble it makes no sense". They should actually step back and evaluate the person for where they came from or what they might have experienced. Fighters and other athletes that come from places most people would be scared to walk through carry with them a deep cutting pain that's hard to get away from even in the midst of success. Now I know it doesn't apply to everyone but do some research on your favorite fighters and other athletes, I think you'd be surprised at what you find.
        I've spent years trying to get past the pain of my youth. I started fighting late but I don't know how to live without it. Once I found out how to win I couldn't stop competing. When I do stop I feel incomplete and like I have to do something to get that feeling back. It's where I feel the safest, when it's not safe at all.

Peace guys, don't forget to support me in my October 9th fight. Message me for details and I always appreciate comments.

A couple of stars does not make up the Universe

So as of late we are beginning to see some of the biggest names in kickboxing and Muay Thai defect over to MMA. The question that needs to be answered is what does that mean. In an interview I recently watched one of my all time favorite fighters, Tyrone Spong said that the organization he fights kickboxing for(Glory) can't afford him at the moment. We've also seen another big name in Joe Schilling win the Glory middleweight tournament and then eventually make his way all the way down to our lovely state of Florida and join American Top Team so that he too can reap some of the benefits of those MMA dollars.
So what does it mean to the sport of Kickboxing or Muay Thai? Absolutely nothing. The exodus by a few top name fighters to a sport that is growing and beginning to put some cash in the pockets of the fighters participating in it is just a good business decision for them in the long run. Especially if they are successful. This type of thing just goes to show that our sport is still an obscurity for some odd reason. It's hard for me to believe that with the amount of action that's involved on a Lion Fight Muay Thai card or a Glory Kickboxing card the us hasn't really caught on yet.
I know Tyrone Spong is a draw as is Joe Schilling but if you haven't seen Nieky Holzken, Josh Jauncey, and Sittichai Sitsongpeenong(a Thai boxer in kickboxing) in Glory or Kevin Ross, Gaston Bolanos, Tiffany Van Soest, etc. in Lion Fights, then you are missing out. I don't know if it's miss use of marketing money or people just not understanding the sport but either way if there isn't a renaissance in kickboxing in North America it could be one of the biggest tragedies in combat sports. And even then our sport will live on in obscurity and in some ways that would still be okay. At least we don't have to wear uniforms. J/S.

Is your training well rounded

        What is up people?!! It has been a minute but I am back and I am going to be here for a long time. So much has been going on with the LMT crew and in my personal life that it has been hard to keep up. Let's run through it really quick. First off I am back in school studying psychology trying to add to my tools for the athletes I train. I am finally becoming a pro and fighting October 9th and my fighters are looking great in the amateurs and my daughter just turned one year old, time flies. It has been an amazing journey and I am embracing every minute even the not so great ones. That being said we are popping the clutch and peeling out as we move forward with the LMT movement so buckle the f@ck up!! I wanted to touch on this subject as I head forward towards my fight and my amateur fighters enter new realms with their careers.

        In the past the physical training that was available was limited. Fighters would do the typical calisthenics and skill training along with the daily runs and possibly some heavy lifting. For the longest time it was not only what was considered the best way to train but it was also frowned upon in some circles if a fighter stepped outside that box and tried something new. Eventually athletes were "cross-training" and that became the new thing. Now fighters and other athletes are using scientific formulas mixed with a little "bro science" to get them to their peak physical shape.
         Let me first say that the amount of exercises and programs available are mind blowing. If you go on social media and flip through pictures you'll see dozens of people at sports fitness facilities doing all sorts of training to reach their goal. Working with the top trainers and pushing themselves to the next level. The only problem for the average Joe is that those places are pricey. Many fighter are fighting just to break even and most have part time or even full time jobs to make ends meet. So how can someone compete with that type of training without having that kind of cash in the bank. Well for starters you're going to have to be disciplined. You have to make up your mind that you want to get better, faster, stronger and nothing is going to stop you. Now beyond that the next step is research.
There are plenty of free resources when it comes to fight training and the first on the list is always going to be YouTube. The great thing about YouTube is that you are able to see and understand how the movements should be done and in some cases the reasoning and science behind it. At then end of this blog I'll add some links for you to check out some websites etc.
         It's been my experience that you can't stick to one way to get into great physical shape. Of course long runs are a staple in combat sports as well as sprint work. I would contend that high intensity interval training and swimming are also great ways to increase your cardio capacity. For strength you could use a mixture of heavy lifting, kettlebell training, and body weight training. Lastly you're going to need some flexibility training. My amateurs have been seriously active in yoga the last couple of fights and it has helped immensely with their breathing as well as flexibility. I've seen high level athletes starting to make their way into pilates studios as well to get that extra edge. Ultimately you have to look within yourself and at the available resources and make the extra effort to be great. It will not be given to you, you have to take it.
        One thing I have always said and stick by one hundred percent is that your skill level can often be the key to beat the more athletic opponent so after all is said and done you can have all of the physical tools but you must master your craft in order to put that athleticism to work. Understanding how your art is suppose to intertwine with your physical capability is the doorway to achieving the highest levels in combat sports.

Links to greatness:

http://www.speedofsport.com/

http://funkmma.com/site/

http://www.nakmuaynation.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLH5tDGl_QiRJ1eDUTLFxQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/donheatrick 

Racing father "Thai"me

What's up Muay thai family! I hope all is well and great on your end. This is definitely a personal one for me. If you've been around me or heard me speak over the last 15 years then you know I have been saying that I wanted to fight as a pro at least once in my life. I was a late starter and a late bloomer in the fight game. I was simultaneously taking amateur Muay Thai fights, teaching classes, training amateur fighters, and doing jiu jitsu. I was doing this and teaching myself along the way. Other than the tremendous amount of help I got from my close fiend and world champion Sarah Z., I was coachless for the majority of this time and that surely played a part in my progression and what my career could have been. I was blessed however to win 3 amateur championships in three different organizations and a handful of jiu jitsu medals. Lately my amateurs are collecting W's and I am super proud about that. I've met some amazing people throughout this time period, I've done padwork for world champions, aficiandos, and regular joes. It is always an honor and a pleasure to train people that are as into the sport of Muay Thai as much as I am. I find that I am always learning something new from them. At 42 I am considered an old man in the fight game. The dream of being a pro is fading into the sunset. I feed off of and live vicariously through the conquests of champions like George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins, the tenacity and toughness of guys like Randy Couture and Maurice Smith who knocked out an opponent via headkick at 50 years old. Now I don't claim to be one of these greats but I am inspired by them daily. Father time is undefeated and I too will fall at the hands of this adversary, but what will I have accomplished by then? Will I have done everything I ever dreamed I could do or wanted to do? What about you, will you strive to accomplish your goals no matter how far fetched they might seem to be? After the years I have put in and accomplishments I have had the only thing I wished is that I would have started earlier. If you haven't yet taken a look at yourself in the mirror and asked straight up ,"Am I everything I set out to be?", then you should do that now. The last thing you want to do is be at the end of the line and regret not having done everything you wanted to do. Life is short and opportunities are fleeting. Dreams are visuals of infinite possibilities, doubt is the only thing that keeps dreams from becoming reality. Relinquish the doubt and embrace what could be. The imagination is a beautiful place, everything that was ever created by the human race was first brought to light in the imagination. 

As for me, at some point I will only be able to hold pads, write workouts and supervise training. I will sit and reminisce about my days competing with a huge smile on my face and a cold beer in my palm. I will not however do that today, today I will have entered my name into a pool of fighters looking to fight on the only pro striking card in Miami. Mixed Striking Challenge 2 will be held in July and if I'm blessed enough I will have an opportunity to represent my brand of  Muay Thai and live my dream before it is too late. I hope that whatever your dream is you decide to grab it by the throat and never let it get away from you. Just to reiterate, life is short and opportunities are fleeting.

Peace 

Clawing at the throne

Hola people! Let's talk about yesteryear when a fighter in their respective sport would work their way through the ranks and fight their way up to the coveted title shot. The fighters of the past would have to not only win to get a shot at the title, but win impressively against top notch opponents that were also working their way up the ranks! If you asked them what their ultimate goal was they would say it is to be the champion, then they would say something smart like they are taking it one fight at a time and looking to fight the best fights, or they might even say that they are leaving it up to their manager. It has been the new practice in MMA to call out whomever has the belt, although I haven't seen it much in Muay Thai that could just be because there just isn't a ton of money to be made even at the highest levels. Working your way up through the competition is still somewhat commonplace in boxing though the lottery ticket that is Floyd Mayweather has brought swarms of boxers to the microphone that is social media to call out the pound for pound king. This begs to question, is it greatness they want or money? Which then leads to another question, is greatness measured by simply putting on a championship belt? I personally don't think so. I think greatness is measured by the body of work over the entire period of competition. Not everybody can be champ and not everyone that calls out the champion can be that good. 

Chael Sonnen calling out Jon Jones

We are living in a world of instant gratification as well as poorly paid fighters. The new way to make money isn't about learning your craft and beating people in such dominating fashion that people are falling all over themselves to get to you, now it's about learning your craft to a decent level and then learning how to talk smack once you get an opportunity to get close to a microphone. Lets see if this sounds familiar, "he's never fought anyone like me", "he's holding my belt for me", "he's scared to fight me", "I'm ready to go, anytime anyplace", nothing is wrong with those phrases except now you hear them coming from guys or girls not ranked in the top ten and with no quality wins on their resume. I get it, the only way to make the big bucks, get famous, and get a following in the social media age is to be loud and beat the big names, but at what cost? Where is the line? Did Chael cross the line with his semi-racist rant about the Brazilians being "pygmies", or does it have to involve talking about someone's family negatively for it to be past the point of no return? At what point is the cutoff, can you still do all of that and consider yourself a "martial artist"? I'm not sure that insulting someone's family or culture is worth putting asses in seats. Once certain words are said, they can't be unsaid. There is a debate about comedians that basically is do comedians get a pass to say what they want just because they are a comedian? In the same respect can a fighter get a pass after the fight just because they were trying to sell the fight? I can't judge, I can only say that for me I couldn't in good faith bring someone's family into the mix while trying to bid for a title shot or even just to move up the ladder. Let's not forget it wasn't until recently that fighters started really calling out the champs, it used to be the next guy up the ladder. At the most fighters would do that hand gesture after they won a fight to symbolize them wrapping the belt around their waist. Now, it's an immediate call out of the reigning champ and it is becoming more popular to do because it is being rewarded. Even fighters that have earned the next title shot are being passed over for the better talker. I mean after completely demolishing Cub Swanson a very high level guy Frankie Edgar is passed over for a the slick toungued Connor McGregor.

Connor Mcgregor yelling at Jose Aldo after defeating Poirer

It's not that Connor hasn't beaten a bunch of opponents, but high level opponents not so much. He has yet to even face a high level wrestler but damn can he talk and at times walk the line between respect and what some may consider disrespect on a regular basis
. So it's established that it is possible to move up the ladder by being a good orator but now we have to figure out who get's a pass to do so. Lower level guys should by no means start running their mouths. The upside is great, a shot at some dough, recognition, a bit of fame. The downside is that if they lose it could leave a psychological imprint that there is no recovery from. On the other hand if it's a champion from another top level organization or an Olympian in the case of Ronda Rousey, lest we forget that she talked her way into a title shot with Miesha Tate in Strikeforce and never looked back. These are the only passes I can say are legitimate. If you've beaten the breaks off some top level opponents the trash talk should just be ancillary to sell some tickets. Otherwise my only advice is don't sell your soul, work your ass off in training beat the guys or girls in your way and learn how to make some sense on a microphone. Your time will come and when it does maybe being equipped with a speech or broadcasting class might get you to your destination a little faster. Not so sure about mentioning someone's family or cultural background as those are more than "fighting words" where I come from.

Bring on the recovery!

Jorge and I post training.

What's up guys?!! Hope you guys are doing well. I am writing this one because for whatever reason I have been super sore lately. I mean my body feels like I got run over by a tractor, then a semi truck, then a steam roller, and then had an anvil dropped on my head. Anybody out there still using anvil's? Watched entirely too many roadrunner cartoons as a kid. Anyway, it's been brutal. I train pretty regularly and I am definitely at the point where I know how to listen to my body. So right now my body is screaming RECOVERY PLEASE!! The real question is how am I going to do that and hopefully giving some suggestions for you as well.
  I think the first thing I have to do is examine my rest. I would say I get about 7 hours of sleep per night and that seems to do the trick, however another one or two would be oh so sweet. I also believe that I need to take a longer break between sessions. I find myself going from client to client to my own workout and then teaching a class that I participate in on occasion and that sometimes ads up to about 4 to 5 hours on a given day. Yep, that might be a bit too much. Overall I guess I get enough sleep but rest between training can sometimes be non-existent. This has led to muscle soreness, nagging minor injuries, and just overall exhaustion. So from me to you, choose the amount of rest that matches your output in the gym. Don't end up with a permanent injury because you didn't listen to your body telling you that your knee was more sore than normal or your shoulder was feeling weak. Next thing you know it's a loud pop and now you're stuck with an injury that will forever be your training partner.

Cryotherapy chamber

   Next thing to do is to look into some ways to help your recovery along. A post workout drink containing some BCAA's (Branch chain amino acids) or L-Glutamine should be helpful. I am fond of epson salt baths as well as ice baths to help either relax the muscles or help with soreness. With technology now instead of doing ice baths the plain old fashion way, fighters are going to cryotherapy chambers to get their recovery fix. At these centers the fighter is stepping inside a chamber where the temperatures are a whopping 200 below zero. The treatments last only 3 mins. These chambers are known to help with a number fighter related problems such as inflammation but are also starting to be used to deal with other medical issues like arthritis and circulatory problems. For now, I'll stick to a few bags of ice and a bath tub..lol

Pre Ice Bath look

   Last but not least, get worked on! Line up a massage, some reflexology, acupuncture, and even some chiropractic work to get yourself back in order. If you are a fighter or you just hit the gym regularly some of these ideas might benefit you. I mean what good is all that working out and training if when you really want to use it, you're too sore or limping around on a bad injury.
  I suppose I'll get around to taking my own advice sooner than later! Peace and Love guys and go fricking recover!

The night we introduced LMT, again.

The team after an amazing night

What's up family? Hope you guys are having blessed days and amazing nights! It has been a great start for the LMT team this year so far. We started our first competition with four fights and four wins. The fights were competitive and exciting which made the victories even more fulfilling. Watching the fighters train so hard and then apply the knowledge they learned and techniques they worked tirelessly was absolutely mind blowing. They deserved the glory and we made a huge statement fighting some of the biggest Muay Thai gyms in Florida.

Felipe throwing a hard overhand 

     As for me, it was my greatest accomplishment as a coach to have all of my fighters win on the same night and I am stoked. I have been working at this for some time and I pride myself on studying. I might not be the most experienced, but I study as hard if not harder than a large majority of coaches. I study everything all the way down to the smallest detail of every technique. From fights to padwork etc. but I also study the minds of the masters. Genghis Khan, Sun Tzu, and Miyamoto Musashi. These three to me are the foundation to having the proper mentality to combat, sports and real world. I could sit here and spout of a bunch of cliche quotes that I might have just googled but that is not how I perceive what I have read. To be successful at combat on any level you must first accept your fate. I relate this to my students first and foremost. From that point forward we can't believe that there is only one road to victory but that the road forks several times and each fork offers a new opportunity to display a new set of skills. You must also be prepared to do so.

Jennifer with a nasty uppercut

    Being aware of my fighters abilities, gifts and mentalities

Sarah throwing her jab over the top 

has allowed me to choose in what fashion we can attack our opponents. The thing I am most proud of for myself in these fights is that I had laid out separate and unique strategies for each of the fighters and they went out and believed and applied. I spent time meditating and visualizing on what we would do and when. I had come up with a new way to get my point across in the corner in between rounds and it was more effective than the previous way I had done things. It allowed me to make adjustments without messing up the flow the fighters had. Making adjustments must be done by fighters and coaches and in this case it was happening fluidly. We had worked extremely hard and put ourselves through the ringer during the training camp for these fights and it showed.

Romeo dropping bombs on his larger opponent

This was the most organized I had ever been, I have taken different aspects of strategies for training and fighting from the masters of the past and the coaches of now ie. Greg Jackson, Faras Zahabi, and Duke Roufus. I am finally feeling like I am becoming the coach I really want to be and the fighters are starting to come into their own. I will continue to out study the opposition and give my fighters the best chance of winning. We won't win them all but they will remember us without a doubt. I Love this team. I am so proud of where we are and we are going.

This great honor!

Hola people! Hope everyone is great after an awesome couple of weekends of fights and that crazy Superbowl. I first want to start out by saying I am in a great place right now. I have an awesome family, a passion for my career, and an amazing Muay Thai team. As we move through fight week I had to express what an honor it is to be in this position. It's really an unbelievable reality.
    To begin to understand why this is such a far fetched reality for a guy like me you have to first make some comparisons to major sports and how they affect the coaches and players that are involved in them. Take Basketball for instance. Started in 1891 by a P.E. instructor trying to figure out how to keep his students active on rainy days. Now basketball players of the stuff of myths and legends. Questions arise about who the best player is or was. Often these questions boil down to a handful of guys that are in my opinion the usual suspects. Boys and girls across the country have posters of their favorite player or players lining their bedroom walls or lockers. Basketball, with a few stars has changed the culture of sports and lives across the board.
     In 1869, American football was created. teams have come and gone and great players and coaches are once again debated by Monday morning quarterbacks around the world. Over one hundred million people watched the Superbowl this year. That is a huge tell regarding the love of football as well as the history from which it comes.
     In the U.S. and abroad baseball is no different . With a rich history dating back to the 1830's and maybe further, baseball is considered to be America's past-time. Players are making outlandish amounts of money and the game is played worldwide. Players even defect from their communist ruled countries risking imprisonment  and death for a chance to play in the big leagues.

      In sports around the world you often hear the players and coaches in championship victories saying things like,"I feel blessed to be here", "It's just an honor to have my name mentioned among the best", "I just love being involved with a sport with such rich history", and they are right. However, in my case and in the case of the other fighters and teachers(Kru) that are involved in Muay Thai, it is more than that. It is a spiritual undertaking filled with honor, humility, inner conflicts, and pain. This isn't a sport that you can look back and debate who the best is because he doesn't exist mainly because it isn't a sport as much as a lifestyle. The history is more rich than the sports of of today and had multiple applications in life as well as battle.
We don't have "bests" in Muay Thai, we have legends. This sport was being practiced and applied in military training in the 1500's and against the invading Burmese army in the 1700's. It is not a sport as much as it is a calling. It is a burning passion that I cannot hide and it draws many to me but only few can actually deal with the commitment even on a exercise and fitness level. It is complicated and yet simple, it can build you into a piece of iron or crumble you into sand but all the while it is connected to your very soul. I have been involved in it for 15 years now and only in the last 5 have I been somewhat comfortable as a fighter and only the last 2 as a teacher. I am honored and humbled to be able to share my knowledge with those willing to listen and undertake the huge responsibility of being a teacher. I am passing on methods and theories passed down for hundreds of years to students that have trusted me, in some cases, with their lives. This reality is not a joking matter I take it very seriously. I received my green belt in Taekwondo in 1983, I was 11 years old.
I have been a martial artist ever since. I was just some kid in the South side of Chicago that liked
Bruce lee movies. After all this time I am still in love with the arts and I learn something new everyday. I have conceded that this is the way it will be for me and I will continue to pay homage to the students, fighters, warriors, and teachers that came before me. I am Nak Muay, I am a teacher, I am Muay Thai!

The psychology of my canceled fight

What is up people?!! I hope you are living the dream and loving life. I am for sure starting new chapters in the LMT world. Spending time working on broadening the horizons of and for the LMT team as well as the reach of the movement. I am also getting ready to put on my first event. So all in all there are a lot of positive things going on however in the midst of all this good stuff I had planned on having a fight. Now, it was to be a tune up, keep me active fight leading into a big fight in May. I had started the grind of extra training, started going through the emotional rollercoaster, and the ideas of am I good enough ,should I be doing this,etc.. Everyone is different but for me it is always like this until the last week of training when I just move into a space where I just don't care about the voices in my head and only think "please just ring the bell". As I am dealing with all of that I get the news that my fight has been canceled. Just like that, the rug has been snatched from beneath my feet. It was extra crappy because I had to tell some of my team that they wouldn't be fighting either. It may not seem like much but for an older fighter with no coach, manager and self awareness enough to know that there aren't many opportunities left, it is a huge let down. After the shock and let down comes the doubt, maybe that was it the last hurrah. "There's no reason to fight anymore, I've done everything I can do", the mind is an incredible motivator and even worse negative Nancy. Once I have come to the realization that I am not fighting and the emotions have settled it becomes easier again just to focus on the fighters competing in the next month. That is until I start to watch fights on youtube or see fights on TV, read blogs, teach class, spar, and on and on. I am addicted to it. I am addicted to the grind of training, teaching, and challenging myself. I've come to the realization that it just won't change and I need to compete physically.So planning on spending the next month stretching, getting strong, making money, and getting ready for the challenge of competition as I know for sure I will be fighting in some way either Muay Thai or Jiu Jitsu.
   I've spent a lot of time learning my craft and I was a really late starter for Muay Thai, but I truly love it. Some people will never understand the amount of work it takes to train, teach, learn, and apply but it is a labor of love to the fullest extent. I am more in Love with it now than ever. 

EPILOGUE: Shortly after writing this I slammed my finger in a steel door.. Ugh. So the plan is solidified. Train what I can with focus on healing body and mind. Sometimes the universe makes your path for you. 

Peace

Luck 

Be inspired!

Happy New Year to all of the LMT readers, fighters and folks that just like to the stuff I write, which still blows me away. I hope you all are ready for a blessed and beautiful new year. I stopped doing resolutions a long time ago an started just creating goals regularly that way I am constantly in pursuit and never disappointed by unrealistic expectations. So on that note I had a great 2014 doing just that. I had a beautiful daughter.

Me and Nin

I was able to win my 3rd belt, compete in Jiu Jitsu,  watch my fighters bring home some awesome victories, and help some people reach their own goals in Muay Thai. I was able to get on Sean Fagan's kick ass Muay Thai Guy podcast and and make contact with Duke Roufus and Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu. I felt like i'm finally getting to be part of the bigger community furthermore I felt successful as a coach and a fighter but then something else happened. I got extraordinarily inspired by how hard they work at their art.

Duke Roufus

I am at the gym teaching or training an average of 5 to 6 hours five days per week and compared to what they have accomplished I feel like i'm going so slow that i'm moving backwards. I can do more and I can accomplish more so my goals for the future are to do just that. I plan on being inspired by those that work harder than me until I can inspire others the way they do. I have heard plenty of fighters talk about how they work really hard to promote the growth of the sport and as I look deeper I realize that as usual a lot of people just talk.

Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu

I have to say that though I write this blog, it's not enough. If we expect Muay Thai or kickboxing to become more mainstream so fighters don't have to work full time jobs while trying to train for a fight that might or might not happen because of the lack of promotions, we have to do more.

    Though I just ranted about growing our sport I want to remind all of you and on a daily basis myself, that we have to be inspired in our lives. Allow the passion you might find in others that are making steps to accomplish their goals be the spark that lights the fire in your own passion.

Sean Fagan

When I was on the Muay Thai Guy podcast Sean asked me how I deal with haters and I don't really have many but I try to ignore them when they do pop up. The truth is don't focus your energy on those that are offering negative energy but focus and embrace those that are providing a path to follow with their positive energy. It's a great thing to be challenged but don't be challenged by ignorance be challenged by constructive criticism. 

     So that's it the first blog of the new year is a thank you. Thank you Sean, Sylvie, Duke, my family, fighters and friends that provide me with a vision of passion fueled by hard work. My goal is to be more like you as I pursue my goals. Peace and blessings. Big fights and big things coming soon.

Here are links to Sylvie and Sean's websites:

Sylvie- http://8limbs.us/

Sean- http://www.muay-thai-guy.com/