In about 7 weeks time, if everything goes well I am headed to Thailand for a 4 week Muay thai camp Yes its happening, finally.
Today I sat to recollect since when I got this fascination for Muay Thai...and this dream to go training amidst the 'sticks' in Thailand arise. May be over 10- 12 years. No its not the usual suspect - the movie Kickboxer, not even Ong Bak. Its pretty recent when compared to all my other wish list around martial arts. I fondly recollect 'threatening' my grandma that I would go off to China to one of those Shaolin monasteries and never return. Where exactly did it all start? I remember its root too- watching 'Shaolin Temple'. I do remember watching it in theaters, one of the very few movies I had watched in a theater thanx to my uncle that came from Kerala to visit us. These are very old memories from my childhood, I was always this dreamy, lazy kid lost in my own world of thoughts and so I don't recollect too many of 'em. If my life was a movie, there was always a movie inside of that movie n most time I hardly remember the plot - the every day events.
As for my first exposure to practicing a martial art, it was when I was in 8th grade - Tang Soo Do. Then growing up with Dharam, Achal the still powerful, stocky knock out artists.. my inspirations at school helped. Then there was Prem, Raja the Shotokan kata expert n Kirish my jatti dost n Tang Soo Do buddy in my village. As I write, we are in 4 different continents. Hmm. The gang went all the way to get their black belts, my martial art stint ended rather abruptly first year of my college post a tournament that left me with black eye, cut lips n swollen legs. Mom pulled the plug on it.
Talking about theater and television both were out of our means growing up for most part. We had our first Solidaire black & white television until at least I was 9-10 years old. I do remember watching, please note just watching not listening TV sitting on our compound wall through our neighbor's window. I remember the excitement my sister & I had when that big box arrived. Those were days!
As I grew up to be a teenager, watching movies got easier. I do remember bunking almost every other Friday (movies normally get released on a Friday) to go to Alankar(no more) n Shanti(dunno if its still functional) in Mount Road to watch that random Kung Fu movie that invariably starts with the Indo Overseas Film production theme music. Most of 'em were that of Jet Li- My father is a hero, Hitter, Winner, Master, Iron fist, leg, little finger, twisted finger n what not n there were so many of 'em they ran out of any more creative names. Then there would be just I, II, II suffixed to a random name. There were other actors too whose names I don't remember. That bus drive from Tambaram to LIC! Priceless. My partner in crime was my 'Jatti dost' my 'Langoti yaar' my 'Bosom friend' Kir***(he is too shy a guy to be called out in blogs :-P ) who had zero interest in those movies. He just had to come with me!
Mom I am sorry, chances are you will get to know about it via my sister but you already knew didn't you?
Its been 12 years living outside of India, and have lived in 4 different countries and though very briefly I've exposed myself to other fighting systems - Shotokan, Kyokushin, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing & just a few classes of Muay Thai in Singapore. All the while I have been out of shape and poor cardio. I like MT for its no nonsense approach. No wonder its imbibed so well in MMA by all fighters these days with very few exceptions like Machida.
As for my Muay Thai camp preparation, my cardio is poor, and I am overweight but still the intent is there. Will I get to fight there? Depends on how much progress I make.I am exited, focused and looking forward to it.
Here is a video of 'as is' situation and would like to keep log of the progress. Training is mostly through watching. One more here
Thanks to Youtube and my wife for her patience.
Wishlist-
Kalari & Kushti in India
Kyokushin in Japan,
Shaolin, Boxing in Cuba
Today I sat to recollect since when I got this fascination for Muay Thai...and this dream to go training amidst the 'sticks' in Thailand arise. May be over 10- 12 years. No its not the usual suspect - the movie Kickboxer, not even Ong Bak. Its pretty recent when compared to all my other wish list around martial arts. I fondly recollect 'threatening' my grandma that I would go off to China to one of those Shaolin monasteries and never return. Where exactly did it all start? I remember its root too- watching 'Shaolin Temple'. I do remember watching it in theaters, one of the very few movies I had watched in a theater thanx to my uncle that came from Kerala to visit us. These are very old memories from my childhood, I was always this dreamy, lazy kid lost in my own world of thoughts and so I don't recollect too many of 'em. If my life was a movie, there was always a movie inside of that movie n most time I hardly remember the plot - the every day events.
As for my first exposure to practicing a martial art, it was when I was in 8th grade - Tang Soo Do. Then growing up with Dharam, Achal the still powerful, stocky knock out artists.. my inspirations at school helped. Then there was Prem, Raja the Shotokan kata expert n Kirish my jatti dost n Tang Soo Do buddy in my village. As I write, we are in 4 different continents. Hmm. The gang went all the way to get their black belts, my martial art stint ended rather abruptly first year of my college post a tournament that left me with black eye, cut lips n swollen legs. Mom pulled the plug on it.
Talking about theater and television both were out of our means growing up for most part. We had our first Solidaire black & white television until at least I was 9-10 years old. I do remember watching, please note just watching not listening TV sitting on our compound wall through our neighbor's window. I remember the excitement my sister & I had when that big box arrived. Those were days!
As I grew up to be a teenager, watching movies got easier. I do remember bunking almost every other Friday (movies normally get released on a Friday) to go to Alankar(no more) n Shanti(dunno if its still functional) in Mount Road to watch that random Kung Fu movie that invariably starts with the Indo Overseas Film production theme music. Most of 'em were that of Jet Li- My father is a hero, Hitter, Winner, Master, Iron fist, leg, little finger, twisted finger n what not n there were so many of 'em they ran out of any more creative names. Then there would be just I, II, II suffixed to a random name. There were other actors too whose names I don't remember. That bus drive from Tambaram to LIC! Priceless. My partner in crime was my 'Jatti dost' my 'Langoti yaar' my 'Bosom friend' Kir***(he is too shy a guy to be called out in blogs :-P ) who had zero interest in those movies. He just had to come with me!
Mom I am sorry, chances are you will get to know about it via my sister but you already knew didn't you?
Its been 12 years living outside of India, and have lived in 4 different countries and though very briefly I've exposed myself to other fighting systems - Shotokan, Kyokushin, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing & just a few classes of Muay Thai in Singapore. All the while I have been out of shape and poor cardio. I like MT for its no nonsense approach. No wonder its imbibed so well in MMA by all fighters these days with very few exceptions like Machida.
As for my Muay Thai camp preparation, my cardio is poor, and I am overweight but still the intent is there. Will I get to fight there? Depends on how much progress I make.I am exited, focused and looking forward to it.
Here is a video of 'as is' situation and would like to keep log of the progress. Training is mostly through watching. One more here
Thanks to Youtube and my wife for her patience.
Wishlist-
Kalari & Kushti in India
Kyokushin in Japan,
Shaolin, Boxing in Cuba
