OOI's TKD in Pattaya/Si Racha Thailand

[Damian Mavis]

Lately I have been training at a new friend's of mine TKD school here in Thailand. It is WTF of course, I have yet to even hear of an ITF type school here. It is a OOI's branch which is based in Canada but is run here by Mr. Mike Gillies. Mr. Gillies is a great guy and a very good instructor with excellent technique. Much better than mine. He has been living here for about 7 years and runs 2 branches in this area. When he first got to Thailand he took up Muay Thai and fought 5 times. Now he teaches TKD with a bit of a Muay Thai flavor. His 5 assistant instructors are all ex pro fighters. They are actually giving me the best training to get me ready for my fight next week. I get alot of information and tricks from them that I normally don't get out of the regular Muay Thai camps.

It's amazing how at both the TKD schools I have trained at here they both have girls who kick some serious butt. It's like the females here in Thailand take TKD waaaay more seriously than the boys. I am very impressed with the ability and heart of the girls at Asia Pacific TKD and OOI's TKD here in Thailand.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[arnisador]

Are you still there or have you moved on again? When does your trip end?

 

[Damian Mavis]

Yup I'm still in Pattaya and I'm covered in bruises all the time and in pain everywere. The personal training I'm getting with the guys from the TKD school and the other camp around here and the training my friend Chao is giving me (he's a pro fighter with about 100 wins and 23 losses) is so much better than what I was doing at the camps, simply because I'm the only one they are training currently so I get alot of concentrated learning.

I'm scheduled to fight Sunday night but there's a small problem..... I sprained my foot really bad last night showing off to some of my trainers that wanted to see some of my "matrix" type moves and gymnastics. All I did was slip and go over my toes but it did some damage. I can barely walk today. If I don't heal enough to train a bit tomorrow or to even fight by Sunday then I will pay to extend my trip since I'm supposed to go back this Wednesday.... there's no way I'm leaving Thailand without fighting. If I can't fight by Sunday I will reschedule for a week or 2 away.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[J-kid]

Hey i am just curious, What should i do.

I want to learn TKD kicks but i dont like there hand technics at all.

I do boxing for hands and use many diffrent grappling technics.

I only know a few kicks from MT.

And wish to learn some fresh kicks from TKD.

Is there anyway i can find maybe a training teacher or partner for tkd, That wont want me to do all the other stuff.

 

[Damian Mavis]

Ya you could befriend martial artists from other arts and train together but I think you are still pretty young right? It's probably harder for you to network with other martial artists than someone around my age. Honestly though I don't learn very well just messing around with friends, and what I learn takes alot longer to perfect. I would look around for a TKD school that you deemed acceptable (they are ALL different) and just train there a couple times a week until you learned all the kicks you liked and then quit and train them over and over on your own. If you want really fast powerful kicks though you should train TKD for a few years..... but if you really don't want to, take the basics and try to perfect them on your own. I don't know you so maybe it's entirely possible for you to do that. I don't know if I could though.

On a side note..... alot of the really good amateur and pro fighters I meet around here from other countries all have a solid background in TKD.... it's kind of funny when we start talking and everyones like a 2nd, 3rd or 4th degree black belt in TKD. These are all full contact Muay Thai fighters.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[J-kid]

I found one!
only once a week he helps me with escrima and tkd kicks.

I train the rest of the time on my Grappling skills and my MT/boxing.