ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE s an avid martial artist, 1. Train with the masters some body fat while holidaying in I have visited Thailand a The main reason foreigners with a this beautiful country? Or are you number of times to sharpen passion for fitness make the trip to looking to improve your technique A my martial arts skills in Phuket is to experience Thailand’s and fighting ability? Some of the Muay Thai’s homeland. national sport, Muay Thai, and to learn it gyms are quieter and more remote ANOTHER DAY IN I’m not alone — there has been a from some of the best in the world. while others are more commercial. massive increase of travellers jumping Regardless of where you go in Phuket, The choice is really yours. on a plane for an ‘active’ holiday. These you will be a stone’s throw away from a adventurers are keen to push their Thai boxing gym, where you can learn 2. Stay safe physical boundaries alongside the the basic fundamentals as a beginner. I have always felt safe visiting this nation’s masters. Kru Yod, a Muay Thai master from amazing country, with its friendly More than 50,000 people, including Tiger Muay Thai, told me that he has locals and amazing scenery, but as professional fighters and average Joes, trained everyone from UFC champions with any country in the world, you travel to Thailand each year to learn — such as Georges St Pierre — to K1 must know where to go and where to PA R A D I S E Muay Thai. and Muay Thai champions, but there are avoid to maintain your safety. There A training camp in Thailand is now thousands more who just come for the are always going to be safer locations TOP TIPS FOR TRAINING IN PHUKET on a lot of people’s bucket lists, regardless training experience. and less desirable places to visit when of their fitness level, or previous The choice of training camp will travelling to a foreign country and experience. depend on your personal preferences knowing these areas is essential. Try Here are the top tips when and your own goals. Is your main to follow these steps and you will have training in Phuket: focus to get in shape and drop a safer and more enjoyable visit: Returning from a holiday will often bring extra inches on your waist and a few more kilos on the scales. Imagine flying to a tropical paradise and returning home with a leaner physique and a new set of kickarse skills! Welcome to Phuket! BY STEPHEN WALTON 64 / www.kickboxermag.com.au www.kickboxermag.com.au / 65 ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE FIGHTERS IN PARADISE • Stay aware of your surroundings • Five 3-minute rounds of one-on- GENAH FABIAN the week a lot of people, especially new followed Miriam Nakamoto from the people, they wanna bang out the training States. She was such a beast, so sharp, and how to get back to your one padwork with a trainer 27 years old accommodation, or a safe area • Three 5-minute rounds of and try to do it all but they fizzle out so fast and that’s the kind of style I Welterweight fighter after three days and start to struggle. really love. I wanted to emulate her if needed. A solo visit to an sparring or clinching Trained for 16 months style and pick things up from her. uninhabited beach may sound • 15 minutes of exercises – push- at AKA Thailand What’s living in Phuket like? Also a girl called Zoila Frausto, amazing, but if things go wrong ups, pull-ups, sit-ups Originally from New who was the first female Bellator you may not have anyone to • Cool-down Its beautiful, the environment is amazing, Zealand, then moved to Sydney plus you’re always five to 10 minutes champion, and just the same — she’s help you in an emergency. Adequate hydration is one of the Trained in Muay Thai for three away from the beach on this side of really athletic and explosive, fast and • Don’t carry all your cash at once most important things to keep in mind years, fighting for two years Phuket. For me, personally, it feels like the powerful. So those are things I try and emulate and feel my style is similar to. when out of your hotel, and be when training in the Thai heat and this Seven pro Muay Thai fights — 5W 2L place I need to be to pursue this career, which I have been, and it’s given me discreet when paying for items is where a lot of people get caught out. One pro MMA Fight — 1W so as not to draw attention to the Ample bottled water should be at hand time to put in the groundwork I needed Where do you see yourself in five years? to do, because I’m not going to get valuables you carry. at all times while pushing your body easy fights; I’ve gone straight into title The plan is UFC all the way with that. We What is a typical day like for have a plan in place at AKA with Mike • Many bike/scooter rental places will to its limits. Electrolyte intake is also you at AKA Thailand? matches due to the weight class I’m in. ask you to leave your passport with crucial for maintaining your health and and the team. We are now branching Every day is different but usually I never really got evenly matched in out into MMA due to not getting them as insurance for their vehicles. sachets of ‘De champ’, an electrolyte cardio or a Muay Thai session first any of my fights and I know now it’s only Muay Thai fights very easily and an This is the number-one way that supplement, can be purchased from thing in the morning, then I coach going to get harder, because I look more opportunity came up to fight MMA. people lose or get their passports every pharmacy, and this accompanied strength and conditioning in a class experienced than I am, but I realise that and I’m cool with that — I’ve just got to I wasn’t keen on the idea at first, stolen. Rather than leave your with plenty of water will keep you in at AKA. At 11am till 1pm I’m into pro sparring, then a little breather and lunch put in the effort. Being here allows me to a couple of years back, but coming passport, move on to the next place fighting shape. followed by yoga at 4pm, finishing with train, allows me to focus and everything to AKA broadened my horizons and that you will be happy with. the AKA 30-min Airdyne workout. is very accessible, the food and the diet is that’s where they see me fit best • Don’t overindulge on the alcohol. Enjoy paradise really clean and it’s easy to keep that up. and where my head is now. Working really hard and putting all Intoxication will hinder your You can’t go to a place like Phuket Sounds like a lot of training in Who do you look up to in the sport? the mixed martial arts pieces together judgement and safety in unfamiliar without experiencing what it has to offer one day; how do you maintain that and getting as many fights as I can. I surroundings. other than world-class training. schedule and have enough energy? I grew up watching people like Mark can fight, I’m good, I just need to work “Phuket is a good place if you like I do admit I struggle sometimes but Hunt. He’s very good friend of mine and hard and work on those missing links. Listen to your body I’ve got it down pat now; it took me a a mentor of mine; we have known each clean air and the beach, so combined other for a few years. Soa ‘The Hulk’ Training Muay Thai in Thailand can be with the training it’s perfect,” says MMA while to find that rhythm. I typically eat small meals in between training and and Mark are like family; we all come What is your philosophy on training? an extremely exhausting practice but at fighter YuJen ‘The Machine’ Huang, from have to be organised with that prep. from the same area and have known Training should be cycled; there’s so the same time one of the most fun and AKA Thailand. I make sure I do my yoga and have each other for a few years and they are much training and everyone is different gratifying experiences. The list of scenic landmarks in Phuket plenty of rest; that’s easy to say, but helping me as I’m coming through. and everyone needs different work for Your fitness level will influence is endless but here are three of my must- make sure you do get enough rest. I was very young watching the different reasons. You need your main I used to go five-to-six days banging Mark Hunt vs. Ray Sefo fight at my training, such as Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, how much training you will be able to see places: grandma’s house and remember handle when your first get to Phuket. • Phi Phi Island equals ‘Paradise’. Phi them out, but it’s hard to maintain that. but we need strength training to maintain What I typically do now is have an asking, “Who’s this blonde Samoan our body plus recovery with yoga.