Muay Thai Sessions 4 & 5

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Muay Thai Camp - Training Session 4 Report

Thursday, 15 October, 12h34

After my much needed Wednesday rest I was up at sparrows again for my second effort at yoga. I am still about as flexible as the barrel of a petrified canon, but I knew what to expect so I managed relatively well compared to my debut on the sweaty matt. I am still getting serious shakes when I try and hold certain simple poses, and I can’t even get into others, but I finished the class not feeling like I had been through a wash cycle in a prison laundry.

I may even go as far as to say that I enjoyed Muay Thai training this morning. There were only five of us, which made the session a lot more specific and personal and a lot less like a Spartan boot camp. Each of the trainers could spend some time during the various drills watching and coaching. What I have learnt from this morning is that what I have in fact learnt most in the last few days is not so much perfect Muay Thai technique as how to take criticism.

This evening, not as part of a session, I went for a run. That’s right, I, Murray Hamilton, went for a run on my volition. Oink, flap, oink, flap, oink, flap.

Scores:

Yoga - 1.5 ; Murray - 0.5

Muay Thai - 3.5 ; Murray - 0.5

Apparent injuries:
General bruising below the knees. Neck very stiff from clinching.

Bleeding knuckle count: 3

Muay Thai Camp - Training Session 5 Report

Friday, 16 October, 11h52

Yoga was much this same this morning. Like a swimming against the tide, I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere, but I’m not going backwards either. I will endeavour to swim with more zeal tomorrow.

This morning’s Muay Thai session saw me doing something I never thought I’d be asked to do while training in a brutal, bone shattering, skull fracturing martial art. After the usual light sparring, pad work, bag work and cardio, the class was instructed to go back to our primary school routes. We were doing forward tumbles, spinning around with our arms out, spinning around with one arm pointing at the sky, the other wrapped around the extended arm, and other such fun playtime games that came naturally to a six year old. These games, however, did not come naturally to a twenty seven year old. The last time I remember getting so close to barfing so regularly and so often was New Years Eve 1999. Fortunately I did not end up the jabbering wreck I did back in 99, but did have to stop my primary school frolicking on a fair few occasions to hold back the bile fountain. If that is what taking a sharp right hook to the jawbone feels like, I’ve got a fair bit of dizzying to get used to.

Scores:

Yoga - 2 ; Murray - 1

Muay Thai - 4 ; Murray - 1

Apparent injuries:
General bruising below the knees. Neck very stiff from clinching. Aching quads.

Bleeding knuckle count: 2.5 (0.5 = oozer)

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