Chao Phraya - Newsletter (February 2017)

LINCOLN, UK

25 JANUARY 2017

Chao Phraya Muay Thai Academy

สวัสดีปีใหม่ - Happy New Year!

Top News

Check out…

Kru Steve’s brilliant hand wrap tutorial on the club’s Facebook page. There’s overwhelming amounts of advice on the web and not all styles are suited to Muay Thai. Steve’s video covers the basics that you can adapt with experience.

Thanks Miggins!

Welcome back! 2017 is going to be the best year ever for our club!

2016 was a really tough year for lots of reasons. It’s the first year we’ve had no fight wins and I was absolutely gutted that we had to cancel our first show in April. That's all in the past - this year will be different! We’re going to smash the pants out of this year and this new club newsletter is a sign of new beginnings. For this year to be a success, I think it’s important we get focused by clarifying what it is that we want to achieve over the year. You’ll each have your own personal goals and if you don’t, talk to Steve, Brian or I and we will help you to set some! You might want to attend your first inter-club (Cess!?) or compete in a pro-fight, you might want to

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JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

1st class of 2017

Club Grading @ 10am

Muay Thai Day!

Burn off those Christmas calories with Fighting Fit!

Get practicing the syllabus now!

It’s also Kru Leigh’s birthday on 15…just saying

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Did you know?!

We honoured 3 club members at our Christmas Party. Mac McDonald was awarded 2016’s most committed member. Darren Sullivan and Paul Stafford also won awards.

Feedback Tell us what you think of the new club kit, it will help inform next year’s order.

LINCOLN, UK

25 JANUARY 2017

grade for your next pradjiet or you might just want to get healthy whilst having fun with a bunch of great people (and Lawrence hee hee!). For those of you that attended our Christmas party, we each launched Chinese lanterns embellished with a goal for the year ahead. This is a Thai tradition for Loi Kratong (festival of light). Having an end game is really important and motivating so I also want you to be aware of what success looks like for the club. The club is founded on the 4 principles below…

Myself along with Kru Steve and Kru Brian want to ensure that everything we do and plan for this year has these principles at the heart so our club can be a success just like you.

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Fight hard, train harder - our club prides it’s self on the art of Muay Thai, teaching traditional technique and the importance of authentic training. We’re not just fight focused. People wanting to train and get fit are just as welcome as those who want to compete.

2. Thai Tradition - our club cares passionately about the roots of Muay Thai and Thai culture. At our club we’ll teach you

traditional techniques as well as the modern, evolved style used in Lumpinee today. You’ll be supported and encouraged to learn some Thai language too. We’ll stretch your mind in addition to building your fitness!

3. Respect and sportsmanship - our club welcomes people from all backgrounds - providing they are “khon dee” (good

people). We promote a culture of courtesy and thoughtfulness. Whether you are competing or training, whether you are a pro or a

beginner, members will be respectful and supportive of each other, those who aren’t can ‘do one’. Diversity is important to us, we

value every individuals uniqueness and how it can help to make our club great. Regardless of your fitness, skill, gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexuality, smell, ideologies, political or religious beliefs or anything else you will be welcomed by our family-feel club. We

even welcome left-handed boxers (;-p don’t we Liam!?) and are exceptionally proud to hang a multitude of flags above our boxing ring, representing all the different nationalities of our members.

4. Fun - our club promotes and integrates fun into our training and we love a good old knees-up. We have two formal social events, one in summer and one at Christmas and as many get togethers as we can muster in between! We don’t want our club to be all work and no play, after all it made Jack a very dull boy. We think you’ll learn more and train better in a fun and relaxed atmosphere and we believe socialising will help build your confidence. Muay Thai has roots in entertainment after all!

Our club always sees high attendance numbers in January but it soon peters-off by the beginning of February.

They say habits are embedded after 21 days. So try and come to 21 regular sessions before even contemplating slacking-off!

I hope you enjoy our first newsletter and I look forward to training with you all this year.

High hopes for our club - many a smile and bruise lie waiting for us!

CHOK DEE KHRUB!

Kru Leigh x 2

WISE WORDS FROM BIG BAD DANGEROUS BRIAN… It's our first news letter of 2017 and ever, in fact! And BBDB has been given his very own column! I hope it has an 18 Certificate. Each quarter I hope to share with you my thoughts on the club and the amazing Martial Art we all know as Muay Thai (aka Mooey Tooey). I might even act as an Agony Aunt if any of you want to write in with your woes!

For now, I want to try and highlight what Muay Thai means to me. It's not just about the sport which I consider the most brutal stand-up martial art ever - along side DSC (Desert Scorpion Combat) but it's all about the club itself. I've been training for nearly 10 years. The 10th Anniversary being April 17th 2017 (which just happens to be my birthday, just saying!) I love the people our club attracts...the characters and the obvious love that all the students bring that makes the club so special...without that it would just be an awesome youth club minus the Panda Pops, Frazzles and fingering. The point I'm making is that for me it's all about the people. The friends I've made are incredible: Miggins, a true veteran like myself. We both rose from the ashes together… Then there’s Staffy, Rapter, Turtle, Family Guy, Sweetcorn, Vanilla, Big Green, Mac, Lego Head, Princess Care bear, Fatty Tatty/Mary Hen and those are just the people with nicknames! Then there’s the fallen few...Spartacus, Fat but Fit, Shins, Rapey, The Dog Whisperer, Gonzo, Knuckles, Kit Kat, Hitler Youth, The Godmother, Maximum Maximus, Fancy Pants, Wax On, Soft Scoop, Man Boob, Bitty, Pedo Eddie (aka Flake and …WISER WORDS FROM KRU STEVE Bake), Full Fat, Little Spoon, Trunks, Sweetcheeks, Health and fitness tips: Moose Knuckle, Smiler, Frey Bentos and Iron Lung.

I’m proud to call many of them friends and lovers.

Then finally... and I haven't mentioned this person until now for a reason, without him none of this would have happened. From a distance I always admired his passion and his skill, not to mention his attractiveness but when he brought me into his world it changed my life forever. I'm in constant pain, my limbs ache, knees are shot, my spine is as crooked as a dog’s hind leg, my toes have been broken in so many different ways, some days I can't feel my right arm (not a bad thing), I'm sure I've lost a few marbles and my bowel movements have had a turn for the worst and that's all thanks to Leigh 'The Preacher' Edlin. He's like a 3rd cousin to me, a friend and lover, although I tower over him and he will always have to look up to me, just saying! I can't say enough about Leigh to reinforce how much passion and dedication he brings to Muay Thai and the Chao Phraya club. I could talk about this man and his achievements until the next Thai New Year. I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say “thank you poppet”. You’ve driven the club forward from training in 5 different venues to our very own gym.

He's a credit to the Muay Thai community and an ambassador to the sport. Leigh, we salute you.

I'm afraid I must bring my column to an end, the editor isn’t pleased with my word count. Till next time!

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As the New Year is the season of the diet, here are a couple of useful tips from me…

Flavour is your friend, there is no need to eat plain chicken breast and boiled rice. For instance, add a dry spice rub like the ones used in BBQing to your chicken and cook your rice in a vegetable stock.

You don't have to suffer through your food, enjoy what you eat and make it a pleasure not a chore at meal times.

Bulk cook your food and freeze it, make a hearty chilli full of lean meat and vegetables and you save time, save money and have a quick meal ready to go.

The best dietary tip I was ever given, was to “change your normal” make your “normal”; training three times a week and eating home cooked, balanced meals and reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.

Our new club kit!

Have you ordered new club kit? Have you collected it? Do you like it? And do you wonder what the inspiration is behind the new design?

If the answers to the above questions were “yes, I want to know more!” Then read on…

Firstly, a massive thank you to both Staffy and Sean Blake for designing this years club kit. Staffy has led on the design of club gear for a few years now and with the help of Blakey, we have had a refresh to our design! Sean is a regular member of our club (although he’s swanning around the country playing his guitar at the moment) and like Staffy, is a very gifted artist. Sean is a tattooist by profession and used his skills to develop the design which builds on our existing club logo. We’re absolutely thrilled with it and we hope you are too!

The club logo that hangs above the alter in our gym is symbolic. The central circle is the first Chao Phraya logo, designed by my

instructor some 15 years ago. The central square symbolises the modern day boxing ring and the circle that surrounds it symbolises the traditional ring (that would be etched in dirt during by the sealing of the ring ceremony). The Thai writing in the centre says ‘Chao Phraya’.

The snake like creatures that surround the central logo were added by me when I started the Lincoln branch of the academy. They are

‘naga', a mystical Thai serpent that surrounded Buddha while he was reaching enlightenment. Stories say that Mucilinda, the queen of the

naga gave Buddha shelter from the elements to enable him to reach enlightenment. A Buddhist Thai custom involves having a birth Buddha relating to the day you were born on. Being born on a Saturday means that my birth Buddha is the one that is surrounded by Naga. Why not google your own birth Buddha? Staffy kindly added these naga to our original club logo to help give us our own identity.

The print on the back of our new t-shirts was designed by Blakey. He took the club logo and using his tattooing wizardry, created an awesome image. The 8 pointed star symbolises the 8 weapons of Muay Thai. I love it! Thanks Staffy and thanks Blakey!

AND Finally…

BBDB wasn’t going to be happy unless we ended the first newsletter with a few funnies…

“That’s all folks!”

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