THE MUAY THAI GUYS: EPISODE #139

By Sean Fagan

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 too.

One of the most important tips I can g...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #107

By Sean Fagan

This is an older episode of The Muay Thai Guys podcast coming at you right now, but it feels like it fits. The world’s chaotic right now, so it’s difficult for anyone to train like they want to, BUT you can still work on your Muay Thai skills and continue to get better and better.

Everyone talks about working smart. Well, right now we have to do that. It’s time to build even more knowledge than ever so we can get back to training knowing so much more.

 With that being said, one of the best ways to improve your knowledge of the sport of Muay Thai and in combat sports in general is to learn from other people. It’s tougher in Muay Thai where there’s a language barrier since the majority of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world only speak Thai, but there are still lots of amazing resources out there from amazing fighters.

I think one of the most important tools in learning from other people is knowing how to ask good question...

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

By Sean Fagan

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 there are more resources than e...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #123

By Sean Fagan

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 to face on our journeys. Your Muay Th...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #122 

By Sean Fagan

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 Thais so effective with it? It’s beca...

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 Motivation?

THE MUAY THAI GUYS: EPISODE #130

By Sean Fagan 

In this episode of the Muay Thai Guys podcast, pro MMA fighter Bi Nguyen sits down with the Muay Thai Guys, Paul and I to chat about her fight journey so far! 

What I love most about fighting is all the beautiful people I get to meet along the way. I’ve been able to travel all over the world, visiting countries like Greece, Costa Rica, Spain, and many others, and meeting all types of amazing people who inspire me to keep working harder and doing more and reminding me of what a privilege this is that I get to do this. 

And today we’re getting to know someone who fighters under the ONE FC banner: it's “Killer Bee” Bi Nguyen, my friends! Let’s get into it. 

We talk about: 

• What life was like for Nguyen growing up in the US as a Vietnamese immigrant;
• How "Curly Sue" and "Heartbreak Hotel" taught Nguyen English; 
• The progression of Nguyen’s career and martial arts life;
• How tournaments and fighting three times a night toughened ...

THE MUAY THAI GUYS PODCAST: EPISODE #127

By Sean Fagan

Times are wild right now. For example, they're getting SO crazy that all types of animals are coming out and flooding out into the open. If you’ve seen that video of all the monkeys running out onto the road because there’s no tourists to feed them, you know what I’m talking about. 

But even with all that craziness, Paul and I are here to try and help you find a silver lining and find a way to make sure that you’re still progressing towards your goals despite what’s happening. Times are tough, but you can be tougher! 

If you can take advantage of this horrible situation and turn it into a positive, just think about all the problems in the future that you’ll be able to turn into a positive! If you can deal with this, you can deal with the rest.

With that being said, I hope that Paul and I are able to give you some good advice that you can apply to your life and help keep you strong and moving towards your dreams! 

• What Pau...