Rigel's 3rd Installment From Thailand

It's a bit of an experiment this week I suppose. I had previously been writing daily installments of his journal thing and then typing it up all at once while trying to make sense of it at the end of the week. This week, however, I gotta tell you - I've just been too exhausted each night to be bothered much with writing. Getting to the stage where I'm too exhausted even to sleep at times. That could have something to do with the weather also. So 96 degrees doesn't sound so bad, y'know? While in Phillly it drops a good bit in the evening, here it drops no lower than mid 80's. If you check weather index it will give all the "feels like" temps, yeah? This week: "feels like 107", "feels like 110", "feels like 112". Nice. Nice. I can be too tired to write or think much yet still able to read and now have finished reading the third book since I started this trip and have begun number four. I only brought four books so guess I'll be shopping soon. When I've been too tired to even read this week, but body in too much pain to sleep easily, I just listen to my iPod and wait for somnambulistic bliss. Usually nodding in and out of slumber till I finally remove the headphones to remain sleping till the camp bell rings. I've been sketching notes still and trying to gather facts and points of interest. Just haven't actually had the wherewithal to gather thoughts and put pen to paper at the end of the day. Yet I'm still not training as hard as I hope to, not by a longshot. I've steadily picked up the intensity which is, I suppose, he plan. But I actually made the decision to take the entire weekend off training. That means missing out on both SAturday sessions and Sunday morning which I was recently informed wasn't for farang anyway so the trainers had been surprised to see me the past two Sundays. No one told ME. The main reason I decided to rest is actually not a case of exhaustion. The fact is the index and middle knuckles of my right fist have had open wounds since first week. My wraps are crusted with blood and my left knuckles have recently split open as well. It's painful putting wraps on and hittign through round one. After that, once he endorfins are kicking, no pain really. So for 17 straight days I trained at least once a day, though generally bith sessions. Which sounds great till you take into consideration the roughly 730 days I negelected training! Point is, I've ended up with divots a half inch in diameter and a good 1/8 inch deep on my knuckles. Still not kicking much with my right leg and have determined that I definitely broke some small bone in my foot. So rather than spend time half-training, only able to elbow and knee. I decided to spend the weekend, "sabai sabai". Relaxing. Though I still made sure to attend all sessions so I could watch, learn, and help. Oh, not to leave you hanging any longer, both of the Camp's fighters won in impressive fashion at Ratcha last Sunday. Juan won via KO in RD 2 with a left striking elbow that connected directly to the philtrum (mid upper lip). His opponent dropped. Then main event was Suasaming (Prap) the Laos kid I speak of so highly. He fought a very tough, cocky, and jacked fighter. They both garnered knockdowns by punch and had hard, even exchanges in clinch and with kicks. Prap stayed on him, smashing cut kicks and knees then lumped his left eye nearly shut with punches in rd 4. The kid basically conceded in Rd 5 and PRap danced, teeped, and let his opponent off the hook. When Prap's had was raised in victory, he dropped to his knees and bowed to the older fighter. Grace in victory. Since I didn't write this week's journal in chronological progression I'm probably going to jump around the week a bit and you're going to jump with me. Yesterday (Saturday) we had another fight on UBC at Omnoi Stadiu, which is a great venue: small, packed, bookies with their clipboard of a dozen phones running around taking bids from the punters like it's the Thai stock market, an electric atmosphere. Only B200 for entry as opposed to the grand it costs for Ratcha or Lumpini. Got the VIP seats somehow for this one which was fun. Jak, one of the more experienced active fighters at the camp, fought a very skilled, quick kid. Rd. 3 would see Jak send a vicious left inside vertical elbow from the clinch direct to the chin of his opponent. He's Southpaw, btw. The kid was out. I mean taken out on a stretcher, don't know WHEN he woke up - OUT! It was sick. These were daytime fights so we were back at the camp by three. As I said, I've picked up the intensity this week. This means clinching everyday, at least one session if not both. I get to work with, Hong, a lot. He's the thick, muay Kao (knee fighter) that I wrote about last week. Now I realize he's lighter than me, everyone at the camp (farang included) is lighter than me. When I say he's thick and muscular I mean in a relative sense. He's got huge legs, not much shorter than myself, broad shoulders, thick back. He's just bull strong and a real bastard in the clinch. M/W/F is boxing sparring here. I hadn't had a chance the first two weeks and that's probably for the best. Well I've been looking to spar more this week and be careful what you wish for. Friday I boxed Hong. He's always boxing Phil but never saw him in a headgear till he sparred me. Great then. YOu know it was fun as hell and first round I was good and egged on by all the Thais calling Hong out on every time I slipped a punch or rope-a-doped him or landed a combo. As I tired, I knew I was in for it because he wasn't fading at all. By the middle of th second 5 minute round I was spent. I (of course) just head butt a few of his shots so he didn't think he could hurt me. Damn, he hits hard too! After the second round the trainers (everyone was watching us box) gave me a break and said, "next week 3 then 5 rounds but today 2 ok". No argument. I mean we had already trained an hour before sparring and still had a long training ahead. I was happy just to get a couple rounds in finally. Still had to clinch him! There's another older fighter/kru who has been hanging around camp, training and helping this week. His English is very good and he looks VERY familiar: like famous familiar. His pink sequined shorts read, "Kai", but that wouldn't be his fight name so doesn't really help me. Don't know where I know him from but he's quite good. I had the chance to spar technique with him twice this week and did well enough but he has some slick leg technique and nice footwork. He's another southpaw, but his style is definitely not from this camp so it's a nice change up. The talent pool here is deep and can be daunting. Though they talk always talk about my power and toughness and occasionally compliment my technique, I can feel like such a beginner at times. I have so much to learn, not just technique but also so much to learn about confidence and composure. Ok, while I'm on the subject of having a lot to learn : I've mentioned the Japanese K1 fighter, yeah? I'll get his name for you yet. So he fights June 24 in Holland. He's not in the tournament but on the undercard as he's only 65K or so instead of 70. He's muscular, well-built, and fit but only about 5'7" maybe. Back to having a lot to learn - the kid rips pads, but though very competitive and a hard worker, he gets smashed by the camp kids daily. Not only do they school him in the clinch but boxing as well. THen at the end of each training session he spars technique with Anuwat for a few rds. I know opportunity, luck, promotion, management and other X factors all have a hand in a fighter's career. Still I'm wondering why this kid is such a big noise. This entire week he's been filmed and photgraphed and interviewed and followed aound by the film crew. (Which has caused me to put a shirt on while training several times, thank you). Anyway something just didn't jibe. I'm looking at the kid. Watching him come to camp in his school uniform wondering which University has him in uniform. None. Why? The kid's fifteen! That's right. \hefights undercard K1 MAx in Holland June 24 at age fifteen. That's what this place is all about. MuayThai is not for fighting, muayThai is for life. And it's amazing. Aside from clinching constantly this week (as much as I can take, that is) and sparring more, I'm doing 5 rds of pads consistently each session. The last two rds with focus mitts to work some speed, pop, and extension into my punches. There's so much emphasis on power here at times I've worried I'm going to get slower. I strength train each day but alternate exercises with the exception that sit-ups are done each day, each session. There are dumbbells, pull-up bars, and hand weights so I vary what I do and concentrate on core strength, shoulder mobility, and a lot of push-ups. Don't stand around! Watching sparring last week I was grabbed by the scruf of my neck like a puppy by Kai and thrust in front of a heavy bag. You know the 50 skip knee drill we do each fight training? Well try four sets. While Kai stood there watching and counting. So yeah, been a bit tired this week. I got email from Candi, Jackson, and Junior today. Philly MMA 3-0 this weekend and all reported to have performed exemplary. I'm superstitious. Had a friend in high school who couldn't watch the games he bet. HE believed he couldn't win if he watched. Everyone keeps smashing while I'm gone and I might have to stay away to keep the streak alive. Seems you guys are OK without me. Should I retire in THailand to enjoy my newfound obsolescence? Ok, something else I want to touch on without getting too heavy handed. Something I dealt with last time I was here and in Chiang Mai for nearly six months: the road dogs everywhere. I want to help them all, of course it's impossible. Last time I had friends in Chiang Mai: Crispy (mange), Red (had a limp), Speck. I was going to be the dog biscuit equivalent of Johnny Appleseed and run the streets giving them Milk Bones. I used to feed them when I could or just let them share my meal. Then I realized, they're none of them starving really. They run in packs, attach themselves to a particular spot, a 7 or a restaurant. You can even see the family resemblance in a pack; mother, litter, etc. I started to notice they would come up to me whenever I didn't even have food. You have to understand I'm a huge dog person. I joke that my nany was a Samoyed who was with me from 6 months when I was born till she was a month away from 30 and I was a 19 year old finishing undergrad. She had three litters for us, all long lived as well. Her name was Nika, short for Lady Natasha and she had the largest vocabulary of any dog I've known. Understood everything. I'm even a Dog according to Asian horoscope, there's an affinity there to be sure. I wondered what these road dogs wanted from me if not food. It was simple. Companionship. Someone to pet them, Even though they have each other dogs need people like we need them. So even though they get food, it breaks my heart to see them wanting attention. So another hobby of mine here is sitting in front of the 7 petting dogs. Made a few new friends this week. Stubby is a short legged black Corgi looking dog who seems to rule the pack at 7 despite his stature. Maybe I should call him Napoleon instead? So spay or neuter and take care of your companions. I gotta give a shout out to my old puppy, Scruf. Back to training. Got on the scasle Wednesday morning 5 kilos lighter than Wednesday two weeks ago when I got here. I had hoped for more but it's a start. I find myslef already a bit torn between goals. Do I want to fight again? Here that is. Do I want to concentrate on new techniques and training methods to enhance my own teaching? DO I want to just focus on getting as fit as possible (which means not risking injury)? Well of course I want all three. Just have to find that precious balance. Let you know how it goes next week.