THE MUAY THAI GUYS: EPISODE #139

One of the easiest traps to get pulled into when doing Muay Thai, and when doing anything really, is creating excuses for yourself.

I get it. Muay Thai’s tough. Even if you’re a professional fighter, it’s still tough to get up each and every day to train. There are times when even Paul and I get really beaten down by training. And if it’s tough for us, how could a beginner or a hobbyist expect to keep up?

 The reason why Paul and I are talking about this today is because we get lots of comments about people who want to start Muay Thai but are hesitant for whatever reasons.

Some people might say they’re not in good enough shape, some people think they’re too old to train Muay Thai, some say they’re afraid of the environment, etc. The list goes on and on.

Paul and I both had and have excuses, too. We’re not perfect. Which is why we know how to address these excuses, because we’ve made them...

EVEN IN THE WEIRDEST OF TIMES, MUAY THAI WILL BE THERE FOR YOU

We’re living in some crazy times right now. What sucks the most in my opinion is having your passions stolen from you. There are so many things that you can't do right now, particularly if you're an athlete.

Fortunately for us nak muays, this does not have to be the case. Training right now is a very difficult thing to do. However, you can still improve your skills and be an even better nak muay than ever!

I'm not being delusional either. Think about it. Doing things like padwork and sparring are all very important, but they're not the only ways to improve your Muay Thai skills.

One of the best ways to get better at Muay Thai, and one of the things that I’ve really enjoyed doing is breaking down fights. Everyone knows that “knowledge is power,” right? We have to live those words now!

We are living in unprecedented times but remember that we’re also living in a time where...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #121

One of the most difficult things any fighter will have to deal with in their career is facing defeat. It’s a scenario no one wants to be in, but it’s something that seems almost inevitable.

Even the greatest Muay Thai fighters of all time like Samart Payakaroon, Saenchai, Dieselnoi, and countless others all have defeats on their record. Sometimes they even have brutal defeats.

That's why today’s topic is all about overcoming defeat.

The last fight I had sucked and I ended up losing by head kick KO. Not a good way to go out. But, hey, as Rocky said:

“It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”

Overcoming defeat is how you ultimately find success. If you can’t handle defeats, then you’re going to have a very tough time in this sport where even the best fighters...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #123

Today we’re getting deep!

The fight game is a crazy, crazy experience. Sometimes you might be on top of the world and next thing you know you’re a nobody that no one even cares about. You might be unbeatable one year, then go on a massive losing streak the next. 

Fighting is tough. So that’s why today Paul and I are talking all about the lessons in mindset that we’ve learned from all the years of training, fighting and studying we’ve put into Muay Thai!

Everyone talks about how sports are more mental than physical, but how often do you actually hear people talking about the psychological aspects of training? We all know exactly how to throw a teep, but how many people know how to focus their mind and get it ready for a fight? Not many. 

But today we’re not just talking about things like how to keep your mind sharp. We’re also talking about all the obstacles that Paul and I both have had...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #122 

There is already so much to learn in Muay Thai. Just learning how to box is tough enough, and now I have to master six other limbs, too??? C'mon!

Seriously, even after 10+ years and 30+ fights, I'm still picking up completely new-to-me tactics and techniques here in Thailand. It can get overwhelming very easily, but one of the main principles Paul "Reaper" Banasiak and I will be talking about today is how that variety and doing so much can help you. 

As you can guess, in today’s episode, we’re talking all about the supplemental training you need to do in order to maximize your Muay Thai training and turn you into the best nak muay that you can be!

It might seem counter-intuitive to spend all of your effort on so many other things that aren’t Muay Thai itself, but it absolutely helps. 

Think about it this way. Why is Muay Thai such an effective martial art, and why particularly are...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #131

By Sean Fagan

Motivation is a substance. Did you know that? It's a real thing!

But it's nothing you can feel; nothing you can see, or touch, or weigh, or quantify easily. There's no such thing as "1 motivation" or "2 motivations."

You either have it... or you don't.

So how can something so nebulous be SO integral to a fighter??

That is what Paul and I are discussing today! It’s so easy in life to lose track of why you started doing something. When we’re having to grind every single day, it’s so easy to forget that you started doing this because you love it. That’s why Paul and I are here to talk about all that today.

Let’s get into it!

• Why Paul wanted to talk about motivation;
• Why we should be more afraid of complacency than fear;
• Balancing enjoyment and ambition;
• The importance of surrounding yourself with good people;
• The power of an arrogant belief;
• And much, much more...

What's YOUR Muay Thai...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #128

By Sean Fagan 

We’re all living in tough times right now, but that doesn’t mean we need to be beaten down. It’s an incredibly stressful time for the entire world right now, but I believe that we can come out of this having learned some great lessons and grown tremendously. With that said, let me introduce our guest.

Today, Paul and I are chatting with Chad Mueller! He’s participated in our Thailand training camp once before and is the owner of Maryville Boxing.

Right now is an incredibly difficult time for small business owners and specifically businesses like ours where there is so much physical contact. Our hope today is that not only can we provide you with some sweet entertainment but also some useful tips to keep you moving forward despite everything on your plate right now.

We’re dealing with challenging times, but times like these are opportunities for us to rise to those challenges that await!

...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE 124

By Sean Fagan

If you want to achieve your goals, you need to make sure that every single thing you do is directed towards that goal! You need focused and intentional training! You can’t expect to make quick progress if you’re just working aimlessly.

If you want to quickly get from point A to point B, you need a map and you need to plan out your path! You don’t ever just hop into your car and think, “oh, I need to get to Costco… I’ll just drive around and maybe I’ll get there.” The exact same logic applies to training and anything else in life.

With that being said, that’s all we’re talking about in today’s episode of The Muay Thai Guys podcast. Paul and I are both very ambitious people. We’ve got our brands, we’ve got this podcast, we’ve got our fight careers, we’ve got relationships, etc. We are both OBSESSED with reaching our goals! Which is why we...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #125

By Sean Fagan

If you have never trained in Thailand before, you MUST! Training in Thailand will be one of the best experiences of your life. And you will improve faster than you ever have before! 

I mean, Muay Thai is the birthplace and national sport of Thailand. What else would you expect, right? Most of the greatest fighters in Muay Thai all come from Thailand. Saenchai, Dieselnoi, Buakaw, Samart, etc. That tells you everything you need to know. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to train with the best. And the best are in Thailand! 

But in order to get the best of Thailand in terms of training and fights if you want them, you need to prepare some. There are many mistakes you want to avoid, but there’s also lots of acclimating you must do in your training. 

With that said, let’s get into it! In this episode, you will learn: 

• The difference between training in Thailand and elsewhere;
• The...