A failed Muay Thai dope test? We're venturing into some controversial territory today, Muay Thai, with its rich legacy, finds itself at a crossroads, and it's time we address it head-on. Inside this episode: How the spirit of Muay Thai is being put to the test. The insidious rise of performance enhancers in the [...]
Prepare to challenge your perceptions of Muay Thai as we uncover the unspoken truth – fighters are more than mere martial artists. In this eye-opening video, we explore the evolution of Muay Thai from a traditional martial art born of the battlefield, to a battleground for modern athlete warriors. While traditional Thai training emphasises [...]
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 of the Science of Building Champions podcast... Liam Harrison, 8x World champion, current UK number 1 (and has been for 18 years), renowned Muay Thai coach in his own right, both on the world-wide seminar circuit in-person and online, and more recently, host of the “Kickin’ It” [...]
My final fight, aged 40 years... Choosing the right competitive fight weight class, and then making that weight is the fight before the fight! I’m often asked questions like, “Is fighting at 127lbs ideal for someone who's 5 '8”?” Now, there’s obviously a lot that goes into deciding [...]
Fat loss is a huge issue for Muay Thai enthusiasts of all levels. Not just cutting weight temporarily for one fight, but a long-term change in body composition – losing all unnecessary fat, so the body has only what’s useful for the highest performance. And of course, looking great is [...]
Last October, I was privileged to speak with FSC Muay Thai’s Jake Purdy and head coach Sonny Perez, ahead of Jake’s battle with Bad Company’s Joe Craven for the UK #1 spot on the Yokkao 32 show in Bolton… What with computer hardware failure and a hectic personal schedule recently, it's taken me [...]
Carbs for fighters... this podcast came about as a result of calls for a follow up after the last podcast discussing the keto diet for fighters. In it you'll learn how I manipulate carbs for individual fighters to ensure their body composition, training quality, general recovery, and competitive performance are reliable and progressing nicely! [...]
Something big happened at Yokkao 28 at the Macron Stadium in Bolton. Daniel McGowan took down a top-level Thai, Rungarai Kiatmoo9 in spectacular fashion. And this wasn't a lucky shot from an otherwise losing contender, but the finale to a commanding performance that saw one of Thailand's finest fighters KO'd from a left hook in [...]
To put these three videos in context, this Liam Harrison interview at Bad Company Gym was given just after I’d helped him with some re-hab for a chronic separated shoulder injury – that was further aggravated during his successful Yokkao World Title defence against Rayan Mekki at Yokkao 24, and had prevented Liam training [...]
This video clarifies some of my thoughts regarding the changing face of Muay Thai training in Thailand itself. It's going to be a long process, but it has begun. Things are slowly changing in Thailand. And with traditional Muay Thai training habits so strongly embedded and blindly defended, it's the foreigners that could be [...]
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 [...]
I got the chance to talk Muay Thai nutrition with Sam Miller, founder of SBG Nutrition, and we certainly cover some ground in this Podcast interview. Sam candidly shares his experience working in person with Thai boxers at Sumalee Gym in Phuket, and online with fighters from around the word, along with regular 'health' clients. We [...]
As a Muay Thai and strength and conditioning coach, you may expect that I'm focused on body weight goals for my clients. But I'm not. I really don't care what you weigh. Apart from making weight for a fight, scales aren't a big player in my assessment of your progress. Too much is made [...]
Do you want to increase strength and power, while torching body fat too? Here's a two-sessions per week programme (used on non-consecutive days) that not only improves body composition, but also builds athletic ability. Each session consists of two circuits; firstly a short plyometric power circuit (speed), and secondly a power (speed-strength) and strength-endurance metabolic [...]
Cuts are part of Muay Thai. A well placed knee or elbow can easily result in a profuse cut that prematurely ends a fight (7, 22). This sort of external bleeding is obvious, but there's also internal damage; bruising and haemorrhage of various tissues within the body (17, 22) – the most consequential being [...]
Following on from Part 1 and Part 2, this time I'll share my approach to rehydrating and restocking energy after the weigh-in. I'll begin with my rationale and then break down simply what to eat and drink, and when. Rehydrating Temporary weight loss for a fight comes almost entirely through mild dehydration. [...]
Following the first part of this article, which discussed my thoughts on how much weight you can cut and why, this second part outlines my recommendations for how you cut. As before, my approach is one of optimum fight performance, not maximum weight cut – read the first part if you're not sure [...]
When starting out on novice or C-class shows, you'll be expected to weigh-in and fight on the same day. This drastically changes things - what to cut and why.
This third and final part of my series looking at the importance of carbohydrates to Thai boxers, explains how carbs affect your final weight cut the week before a fight. Your body composition should already be on point (less than 10% body fat) by managing your calorie intake (especially carbs) for the previous 4-weeks or [...]
