Winning by knockout is the best feeling in the world. Seeing the referee standing over your opponent waving off the fight, you feel almost immortal. But, in a well-matched fight anything can happen. Sometimes you're the hammer, and others you’re the nail. In an instant, one mistake can render YOU helpless – all your [...]
Put this battle-tested advice from Ognjen Topic into practice to become the best fighter you can be. Although distilled in fighting, these lessons apply to every domain of your life. There's a pattern to becoming the best you can be. Know the pattern, chase the challenge, and become your best... [...]
There's a difference between feeling tired during fights and being tired... Competing as a fighter is stressful, and the cocktail of neurochemicals and hormones this dumps into your body drastically affects how you feel. Especially early in a fight career, nervousness, anxiety, or even all-out fear, will leave you feeling exhausted without even exerting [...]
Even elite pros require methods for coping with pre fight nerves. And it begins with accepting how you really feel, before adopting strategies to manage that pre fight anxiety when it crops up... And it will! Every fighter has nerves before a fight. If they didn't, they can't perform their best. However, it's important [...]
Not so common... Muay Thai coach to Muay Thai veteran fighter What happens when a 45 year old Muay Thai coach returns to the ring to compete for a Muay Thai veteran title, after 11 years out, and with 20kg to lose in 15 just weeks? …Huge lessons, and a big win! Rich Cadden, [...]
The mindset of Liam Harrison, capable of coming back despite being knocked down twice in succession by a fast-starting Muangthai PK.Saenchai in the first round at ONE 156... Looking on, it seemed he was done. But Liam's mind kicked into overdrive instead of overwhelm. With two "lives" gone, and a final one left... He got up, and knocked the Thai down 3 [...]
Sundays tend to be a reflective day for me, and my Sunday posts therefore share more personal insight… Both of my own thoughts and feelings, and a personal look behind the scenes of my own life too (in case you’re interested). This morning, while out exercising my dog Logan, I [...]
This episode looks at overcoming pre-fight fear, how introverts can shift state to fight at their best, and why it takes more than a solid S&C program to become a champion! 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/heatrick-heavy-hitters-muay-thai-performance/id1381118000 Spotify: [...]
Nearly ten years ago now, at the age of 39, I returned to the ring after a two year layoff. I was matched against Mike Clarke, an undefeated fighter in his prime from Tobin's Gym, with a bad habit of stopping his opponents within a few rounds. At the time, his record stood [...]
Panicos Yusuf came to England from Cyprus on a one-way ticket, with just £60 in his pocket and a habit of working hard... He's since achieved an incredible amount in the sport of Muay Thai, owing everything to his family, his friends, his coaches [...]
Podcast episode with Angela Chang, a New Yorker now living and fighting Muay Thai in Bangkok, WBC ranked 12 super flyweight in the world, a social media manager and writer, and author of the Muay-Ying website which promotes muay thai for everyone - equal pay, spotlight, and opportunities for everybody...
Martial arts and Muay Thai are all that 25 year old Dan McGowan has ever known. And just when he began to question his own dedication and purpose, Muay Thai gave back – in the form of fantastic opportunities with the other legends at Evolve MMA in Singapore. Dan is [...]
Kevin Ross is a pioneer in American Muay Thai, and I think everyone must have seen that photo of him in a mongkon, bowing on the floor, with his outstretched tattooed knuckles, spelling out Muay Thai… But there’s a lot more to Kevin's story than just shiny title belts. He's [...]
Not every fighter is as frank and honest as Paul Banasiak in their appraisal of themselves, with themselves, let alone sharing this with others. But, both with more than his fair share of introspective perspective, and also understanding the value of learning from other's mistakes as well as his own... He's happy [...]
I'm hard pushed to think of anyone who has made such an impact on raising the level of worldwide Muay Thai as Tony Myers. And this made for my biggest podcast episode to date! Tony Myers is Professor in Quantitative Methods at Newman University, a Muay Thai coach, referee and judge. [...]
In this episode I dig into Jonathan Haggerty’s mindset, methods of conditioning your shins for Muay Thai kicks and shin blocks, and the different maximum heart rates for different exercises. Let's get straight into it... Mandalorian footage – Star Wars (Youtube) Jonathan Haggerty – @jhaggerty_ Team Underground – @teamundergroundmma_official Keddles [...]
In this episode of the Science of Building Champions podcast... Jonathan Haggerty, the 24 year old, 3x World champion, and former ONE Championship Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, after beating none other than the legendary Sam A! "The General" joins us from Singapore ahead of his ONE Championship main event [...]
In this episode, the Secret To Unstoppable Muay Thai Mojo! And I’ll start with a very short story… As the sun began to rise this morning, it was chilly, but bright, as I set off for my Sunday run with my dog, Logan. My running [...]
I said, "Ask me anything." Well I asked for it! While getting to grips with the Instagram Live format, in this first episode of the Q&A I'm asked... 1. Why don't you buy a toupee? 2. Does masturbation or sex before a fight negatively affect performance? 3. [...]
Today, are you heading out predominantly for a Training session, a Practice session, or a Spoiling session? Let me explain what I mean by these... Training - moves you forward, it’s progressive, uses developmental loads and drills Practicing - reinforces existing skill, creates good habits, maintains athletic qualities Spoiling - [...]
