Bad Company’s Richard Smith Interview – Preparing Muay Thai Fighters
Don Heatrick grabs the opportunity to speak to Richard Smith, Bad Company Muay Thai founder and senior instructor, about his philosophies and methods for preparing his team of Thai boxers, from undercard to World Title fight.
These four episodes where filmed at the Supershowdown Presents Yokkao 23 & 24 event at the Bolton Macron Stadium on 25th March 2017, in which the 5-strong Bad Company team came away with 1-draw and 4-wins, including two successful Yokkao World Title defences.
EP. 01 WEIGHT CUTTING & NUTRITION
Featuring Jordan Watson, Tamara Fallon and Joe Craven.
In this episode, Richard Smith shares his thoughts on choosing fight weight, cutting weight, and nutrition for training, performance, post weigh-in and pre-fight.
“It’s not over, you can’t let yourself relax until the day after the fight…”
EP. 02 COACHING FIGHTERS
Featuring Jordan Watson, Stephen Meleady & Liam Harrison.
In this episode Richard Smith explains how he individualises his coaching personally with each fighter, how he involves them in classes, and tailors classes for a fighters specific needs.
“I’m a believer in not keeping the fighters off separate in an ivory tower, they have to join in classes.”
EP. 03 FIGHT SPECIFIC PREP & MANAGING INJURIES
Featuring Jordan Watson, Liam Harrison & Stephen Meleady.
In this episode Richard Smith explains how he sees sparring as part of a fighter’s training and fight prep, and how he manages fighter injuries with respect to training and fighting.
“I don’t actually believe sparring is about tactics… I think sparring is fitness, and getting your eyes working, getting your coordination working.”
EP. 04 FIGHT PEAKING & SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING
Featuring Liam Harrison.
In this episode Richard Smith discusses building a fight camp for each fighter, progressing training and coordinating supplemental training/coaching.
“I don’t start stepping things up, or changing what we do until a month before the fight.”
Thank you to Supershowdown promoter Brian Calder and Yokkao for providing press access for the show, and to Richard Smith and all the Bad Company team for their hospitality too.
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