considered "The Art of Eight Limbs." No, it isn't because we act like Hindu gods. It's because it uses both fists, both legs, both knees, and both elbows (that makes 8, if you weren't counting). It's a rigorous fighting style that demand physical prowess and cerebral focus. I recently discovered the gym near my home, less than 5 minutes away by foot, when my friend read the sign slowly (because it is in Korean) and said, "mmmmuuuuuuaaaaaaiiiii TTTHHHHeeeigh" and I thought to myself that it sounded close to my dream fighting style. So, naturally, I signed up. You may be wondering why I even want to do Muay Thai training since I really don't like getting into fights and have rarely experienced any. Well, when you work with little kids all day sometimes you build aggression. So, instead of pile driving a child's skull through the floor and into the bank below our school, I chose to vent my aggression in a healthy way. Also, it's dern good cardio and did I mention you get to hit things...hard. Why did I wait till today to mention that I started Muay Thai, after 4 days of training? Well, today was special. No, not retarded. It held significance.
Today was actually a good day of school. The students all did well on their Oral Test (hold the dirty jokes please) and only two decided they would rather have staring contests with me. So, when school finished I wasn't in "need" of hitting anything. But when someone hands you those packaging bubbles, you pop them! Well, when you have a Muay Thai gym membership, you go and hit things...hard. So away I went, downing my Bacchus D that is the equivalent of 5 Hour Energy Shots sold in the U.S.
I got to the gym at 8pm and started the way everyone does, jump roping for 10 minutes and then shadow boxing for ten more. Then I moved to the heavy bag. It's Monday and I like to start the week off with boxing and work my way towards kicks near the end of the week, it syncs better with my weight training regiment. But, today, my Kwan Jong Nhim (Sensei, Dojo Master, Jefe, Boss, what you will) had different plans. He made the five guys, including me, enter the ring. We were going to practice kicks, both left and right. One person would hold the pads while the rest would cycle through each kicking 5 times and then the pads would be passed to the next in line as the rotation continued. Last week, my KJN made me feel as if my kicks were atrocious and lack any power, so naturally I felt pressure being in front of everyone displaying my kicks. Everyone else has been training for months, if not years! Did I mention that one of the guys in the ring brings his son with him every time. His son just so happens to be a student I've had for the last six months (and is probably the worst student as well). I hope you can feel the pressure as I did. The kicking commences. Each fighter bows as they prepare to fire their strikes. I'm fifth out of five to go, I'm nervous. My turn comes quick. I bow. I take my stance. Shit, wrong stance. Here goes nothing. I fire my first kick......."AISH!" The guy holding the pads yelled. He is the most experienced fighter that isn't the KJN. FYI: Aish is the equivalent of shit. He yelled that because my kick went through the padding and his forearm had to absorbed the strike. My power, without perfect form, was penetrating the pads, both of them! I kicked four more times after that before the switch to the next in line. This continued for an hour. Each person taking their turn with the pads and grimacing as I kicked. I apologized each time saying, "Mian Hwayo" but inside I was holding back a sinister grin.
I got to the gym at 8pm and started the way everyone does, jump roping for 10 minutes and then shadow boxing for ten more. Then I moved to the heavy bag. It's Monday and I like to start the week off with boxing and work my way towards kicks near the end of the week, it syncs better with my weight training regiment. But, today, my Kwan Jong Nhim (Sensei, Dojo Master, Jefe, Boss, what you will) had different plans. He made the five guys, including me, enter the ring. We were going to practice kicks, both left and right. One person would hold the pads while the rest would cycle through each kicking 5 times and then the pads would be passed to the next in line as the rotation continued. Last week, my KJN made me feel as if my kicks were atrocious and lack any power, so naturally I felt pressure being in front of everyone displaying my kicks. Everyone else has been training for months, if not years! Did I mention that one of the guys in the ring brings his son with him every time. His son just so happens to be a student I've had for the last six months (and is probably the worst student as well). I hope you can feel the pressure as I did. The kicking commences. Each fighter bows as they prepare to fire their strikes. I'm fifth out of five to go, I'm nervous. My turn comes quick. I bow. I take my stance. Shit, wrong stance. Here goes nothing. I fire my first kick......."AISH!" The guy holding the pads yelled. He is the most experienced fighter that isn't the KJN. FYI: Aish is the equivalent of shit. He yelled that because my kick went through the padding and his forearm had to absorbed the strike. My power, without perfect form, was penetrating the pads, both of them! I kicked four more times after that before the switch to the next in line. This continued for an hour. Each person taking their turn with the pads and grimacing as I kicked. I apologized each time saying, "Mian Hwayo" but inside I was holding back a sinister grin.Everyone in the gym speaks Korean and they constantly have to ask each other for English words since each person seems to know a different set of terms. Well, tonight, they all knew, "Good Power!" Because they wouldn't stop saying it. After the workout they all should me their forearms where I had left bruises and marks from my kicks. So, as it seem that this whole post has been about some ego trip that I wanted to share with you. OOOOOHHH but you couldn't be further from the truth. This is a tale of shame.
After the kicking session I went back to the heavy bag to practice my boxing for 30 minutes before I would leave. Boxing works up the nastiest sweat and for those of you who know me, I sweat like a fat kid. Before I could leave I decide that I needed a shower which was fine because I had brought all my toiletries. So I hopped into the shower room. This room is slightly bigger than three phones booths so when you are undressing and putting your dirty clothes in your bag, every move is like chess. Without strategy, all of your clothes will fall out of your bag and onto the wet ground or get sprayed by the shower. It took me 5 minutes just to get undressed because of this chess match. Maybe they guys thought I was in the shower with the curtain shut already. Or, maybe they're just Korean and don't believe in privacy. But, they opened the door from the shower room to the gym. My sparing partner yelled, "ohhh, six pack" looking at my stomach and then everyone glanced over at me, standing nude, even my student....
For those of you who aren't aware, teachers don't even like to see their students outside of school. Most teachers will go to a movie theater out of the way just to avoid students. Needless to say, no teacher wants their student to see them naked. I dread Wednesday. I dread the future. I now appreciate Larry David more than ever.
On a lighter note; as of today I have been working in Korea for half a year exactly and will be
back in half a year more. 183 days left. See you soon!
-MJ
