by Don Heatrick
@donheatrick
In the long overdue 2nd episode of the podcast….
Former two-times World champion and owner of K-Star Legacy Gym UK, Damien Trainor generously shares his hard-earned Muay Thai knowledge – from both competing at the highest level in the early 90’s and onwards, and as a world renowned coach in the present day.
We cover a lot in our chat together. Get a pen and paper at the ready, and be prepared to make some notes!
You can learn more about, and more from Damien at his gym website here…
And his instructional videos on the Warrior Collective Marketplace here…
Join the most informed Muay Thai performance community out there!
Subscribe Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/donheatrick
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-science-of-building-champions/id1493554765
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5OEb22M1K9G4e3eDp8IcQD?si=7WAY7G-hSsqj-5rrFHpaJA
Each episode revolves around my Four Big Questions…
- What’s Your Story?
- What’s Your Why?
- What Makes A Champion?
- Challenges And Lessons Learned?
Digging into the answers to these questions helps uncover and share both the commonalities, and the differences in the journey to become a champion. And can help inspire and fast-track your journey too.
Timestamped Links To Key Points of Interest…
- How Damien got started in Muay Thai
- A fight career begins
- Chasing titles, then moving beyond them
- Coaching others – learning how to teach
- Seeing Muay Thai beyond the surface level
- UK Muay Thai fight scene in the 90’s – Dutch style influences
- Understanding fight habits
- Working with fighters of different experience levels
- Nearly three decades of UK Muay Thai evolution
- For one night only… Coming out of retirement
- Discipline – every champion’s key trait
- Motivation – doing it for your own purposes
- Knowing your fighters, and fighters knowing themselves
- On self-reflection when training in Thailand
- Styles make fights – Understanding what you’re looking at
- Using punchbags to level up
- Longer combinations – using volume, and serial sequences
- Effectively relaying information to fighters between rounds
- Working with the person that’s in front of you – understanding a fighter’s personality
- Persevering with a broken hand, and learning to use goals
- You don’t have to go hard all the time
- Using supplemental strength & conditioning training well
- Misunderstanding the importance of rest
- Productive training as you get older
- Coaching, and remaining capable of effective visual technical demonstrations
- Lost Muay Thai role models, and lessons in keeping your own historical personal record
- Getting the right amount of time between fights
- Reviewing opponent’s fight footage effectively
- Adaptability – the best attribute a champion can have
- You can’t make everybody the same – fight your own individual way
- Your physical attributes affect a how you can fight
Further Resources
- Do This Every Session To Get Better at Muay Thai Quicker
- Muay Thai Mindset – Who Are You Competing Against?
- Muay Thai Fighting Styles and Becoming a Complete Fighter
- A Few Good Words – Effective Coaching & Cornering
- Recovery – The Secret to Rapid Performance Improvement
- Strength & Conditioning for Muay Thai 101 – A Science-Based Approach to Accelerated Athletic Development
- Are you fighting TOO often?
- Breaking Limits In Muay Thai
Every so often, an opportunity emerges that can redefine how we train, fight, and thrive.
Today marks one such epic day. The coveted Heavy Hitters Barebones program is swinging its doors open – a golden chance that surfaces just twice a year.
Why does this matter for every western Muay Thai enthusiast, fighter, or coach?
Why Heavy Hitters is Different:
– Streamlined Efficiency: The life of a Muay Thai enthusiast, coach, or fighter, especially in the West, is brimming with demands. Heavy Hitters understands that. No need for endless hours. You need potent, impactful hours. This program is your answer.
– Real-world Results: From enthusiasts in Australia to champions in the USA, the feedback is unanimous – Heavy Hitters changes the game. Take it from Paul Banasiak:
“From broke and broken to moving and competing better than ever. Since working with Don 3 years ago, I haven’t had a single major issue. Don gave me the confidence that has translated itself into three straight knockout wins and a WBC title.”
– Holistic Training: It’s not merely about more power in your punches or lasting longer. It’s about cultivating a body that’s nimble, powerful, and resistant to injuries.
– Be Part of Something Greater: Beyond the program lies a fraternity, a global assembly of like-minded souls, all driven by the singular passion to redefine their Muay Thai boundaries.
If tales of triumph intrigue you, delve deeper into Jonathan Lane’s saga – from grappling with an ACL recovery amid fatherhood to clinching the MTA NSW State Title. His secret weapon? The Heavy Hitters program.
Seize your golden chance to embark on this Muay Thai odyssey. Remember, the doors to Heavy Hitters Barebones will shut on Dec 31st and won’t swing open again until April 2024. But here’s the silver lining – even if you’re not geared up to start immediately, you can reserve your spot in this cohort and initiate your journey whenever you’re primed.
Discover Everything About Heavy Hitters Here!
Loyalty Rewards: If you purchased either the S&C Accelerator or Minimum Equipment Program (or both) in the past, here’s the deal: Email me with your login username (email address), and I’ll send you a coupon code to take that amount off of your Heavy Hitters purchase. Commitment has its rewards!
Don Heatrick
Founder of Heatrick Strength and Conditioning
Don Heatrick is a family man from the UK, former mechanical design engineer, European Muay Thai silver medallist, former pro Thai boxer (ranked 4th in UK while aged 40-years), a Muay Thai coach, podcast host, and the go-to expert on Muay Thai performance training with over 25 years of coaching experience.
Don helps ambitious fighters and coaches take their game to the next level by bridging the gap between Strength & Conditioning, Performance Science, and Muay Thai.
Follow Don Heatrick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donheatrick/
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