I am new to this forum, but likely will check in a fair bit as this is the first MA forum I have found dealing with MT.
A bit about me...I am 42 and have been doing MT for about 3-4 years now, I also have some MMA experience from prior to that. (shootfighting)
I fought my first ring fight under amature rules in Vancouver Canada, it ended in a draw...It went the whole three rounds with plenty of heavy strikes landed by both of us...by all accounts it was one of the best fights of the night. I was hooked, the fact that both of us where totaly happy with the draw, and in fact shared a beer immeadiatly after the fight only added to my respect for this sport.
I fought the first time at 190...comming down from well over 210. I fought again at the same event one year later at 170 and won a split decision. I messed up a bit in my training and was very tired for that fight (unable to even warm up properly) I had to save my strength and fight from the clench a lot, it was not my best fight. I also got thrown badly by the head a one point and had my neck badly injured.( a small fracture and 3 herniated discs....I still have problems from it a bit )
I still train and spar quite hard, though I most likely won`t enter any more "none padded" events. I am still doing "smokers" though, with shin pads head gear etc., although I lost the last one. ( was almost k.o.ed early in the first round by a very good round house shin to the head, I took 2 rounds to more or less recover..and did too little too late )
I am I think still improveing even at my age, getting stronger and faster still as well as learning to usemore advanced things like back fists, elbows etc. more effectively. I started out being more of a puncher with good leg kicks, but very weak high kicks. Now I often kick high with a varitity of kicks, and punch much less...though leg kicks are still my "specialty" and prefered first choice in any given match up. I had no knoees or clench at all to begin with, now they are a strength. (well most of the time not today, I ate a couple of good knees sparring today and I am sore)
I am also a outdoor guide, and foster parent, we work mostly with troubled teens some with violent pasts. ( hence the interest in continuing with self defence training ) I am an ex biker/sailor, and exdrug addict as well. I know what it takes to survive a bad street situation, I have had far more than my share, and IMHO muay thai is a great place to start. MMA style grappling has its place but being on the ground on in the street just does NOT work well, too many things can go wrong. I prefer to be able to run if things are not going well... (hell even if they are sometimes, and rolling around in broken glass and dog crap Is just NOT healthy any way you look at it)
I have two sons one of whom trains with me regularly. I devote about 10 hours week to training, more in the six weeks before a fight etc. I also work often at very demanding jobs to help stay in shape, and earn a bit of extra cash for gear travel to evets etc. ( digging, splitting wood anything that will push me a lot and keep the wieght off)
MA has been a very important part of my life ( and my recovery from addiction) for quite a few years now, it will continue to be in some form for a while longer I am sure. Currently it is MT as I really prefer stand up strikeing to any other "style", I do see myself going back to grappling at some point though as I get older.
A bit about me...I am 42 and have been doing MT for about 3-4 years now, I also have some MMA experience from prior to that. (shootfighting)
I fought my first ring fight under amature rules in Vancouver Canada, it ended in a draw...It went the whole three rounds with plenty of heavy strikes landed by both of us...by all accounts it was one of the best fights of the night. I was hooked, the fact that both of us where totaly happy with the draw, and in fact shared a beer immeadiatly after the fight only added to my respect for this sport.
I fought the first time at 190...comming down from well over 210. I fought again at the same event one year later at 170 and won a split decision. I messed up a bit in my training and was very tired for that fight (unable to even warm up properly) I had to save my strength and fight from the clench a lot, it was not my best fight. I also got thrown badly by the head a one point and had my neck badly injured.( a small fracture and 3 herniated discs....I still have problems from it a bit )
I still train and spar quite hard, though I most likely won`t enter any more "none padded" events. I am still doing "smokers" though, with shin pads head gear etc., although I lost the last one. ( was almost k.o.ed early in the first round by a very good round house shin to the head, I took 2 rounds to more or less recover..and did too little too late )
I am I think still improveing even at my age, getting stronger and faster still as well as learning to usemore advanced things like back fists, elbows etc. more effectively. I started out being more of a puncher with good leg kicks, but very weak high kicks. Now I often kick high with a varitity of kicks, and punch much less...though leg kicks are still my "specialty" and prefered first choice in any given match up. I had no knoees or clench at all to begin with, now they are a strength. (well most of the time not today, I ate a couple of good knees sparring today and I am sore)
I am also a outdoor guide, and foster parent, we work mostly with troubled teens some with violent pasts. ( hence the interest in continuing with self defence training ) I am an ex biker/sailor, and exdrug addict as well. I know what it takes to survive a bad street situation, I have had far more than my share, and IMHO muay thai is a great place to start. MMA style grappling has its place but being on the ground on in the street just does NOT work well, too many things can go wrong. I prefer to be able to run if things are not going well... (hell even if they are sometimes, and rolling around in broken glass and dog crap Is just NOT healthy any way you look at it)
I have two sons one of whom trains with me regularly. I devote about 10 hours week to training, more in the six weeks before a fight etc. I also work often at very demanding jobs to help stay in shape, and earn a bit of extra cash for gear travel to evets etc. ( digging, splitting wood anything that will push me a lot and keep the wieght off)
MA has been a very important part of my life ( and my recovery from addiction) for quite a few years now, it will continue to be in some form for a while longer I am sure. Currently it is MT as I really prefer stand up strikeing to any other "style", I do see myself going back to grappling at some point though as I get older.
