What Is A Sak Yant Tattoo?

And How Do I Get One in Thailand?

Sak yant are traditional Thai tattoos. Literally meaning “tattoo yantra”, they are believed to be magical and give the bearer protection, strength, good fortune, and more, depending on the yantra received.

Sak yant is extremely popular in the Muay Thai community, namely in those that have visited Thailand. With geometric shapes and depictions of animals and gods, sak yant is as beautiful as it is painful to receive.

Who does sak yant?

Sak yant are done by monks or arjan who have studied the art for a very long time (are also usually long time ex-monks). Monks are not allowed to make profit off doing the tattoos, as part of their code, so going to a temple to get it done is always donation-based. One of the most popular temples to get sak yant done is Wat Bang Phra.

If you go to a temple, be sure to dress appropriately by covering your legs and shoulders,...

Why “Training Like A Thai” Isn’t For Everyone

I get it, you’re in Thailand and you want to train as hard and as often as possible. You want to make the most of your time in the mecca of Muay thai and “train like a Thai” by putting in two intense training sessions a day, six times a week. There’s only one problem…

You’re not a Thai.

Now I’m not saying that you won’t be able to handle the daily grind of training that the Thai’s go through, I’m just asking the question, do you think it’s worth it?

Yes, you’ll be putting in the hours when it comes to hitting pads, punching the bag, clinching and skipping rope, but how many of those hours will you actually be focused on what you’re doing? Will you be benefiting from the amount of hours you are putting in, or will it end up being more detrimental to your technique and overall health?

These are serious questions to consider, even if you...