# LICKSHOT vs THAILAND!



## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

Hey guys, its 6.45am, I'm in gatwick airport, and havn't slept yet lol. just had a very nice English Breakfast and will shortly be proceeding to the pub with the trusty sun newspaper to kill some time before my flight! :happy:

So the saga begins...:happy:


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## SanshouMatt (Jul 1, 2008)

Git... LOL

Have a great time mate.


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## spitfire (Apr 19, 2008)

Doh..


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

I hate you.....Have fun, enjoy yourself....I hate you


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## temeura (Oct 29, 2008)

LICKSHOT vs THAILAND!

My money is on Thailand :yes:

Enjoy yourself and cherish every minute. Just remember that, might look like a beautiful young lady but she may be packing!


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

hey guys,

its been a while! Thailand is a blast. and no i havnt got a) a Thai Mrs yet or B) shagged a ladyboy...yet! before any ask!

the first couple of weeks i was here I was in bangkok and sakeo ( near cambodia) as one of my good friend from home was getting married ( I only found out when I got to Thailand!!!! and my 25th birthday happened! so 2 weeks of training went straight out the window and 12 days of whiskey and beer began.

Its been 1 week since my last drink and my birthday and im pleased to say that....Im at Tiger muay thai in phuket! woooooooooo

the trainers here are awesome, friendly, put you in your place and really do work you hard!.

typical day is

6am wake

7am yoga

7.30 running or technique

8 - 11 training

3.30 running or technique

4-7training

monday weds and friday are sparring

tues, thurs and sat are core

lots and lots of push ups, bag work and drills, if you do anything wrong, its 20 push ups, if you spar with a trainer and use too much power its 20 push ups and a jab!

Ive met a lot of cool people, majority are sweds, brits and yanks! but yet to get my own little posse together!

ive takend today off due to dead calfs so lots of liniment oil!

im finding it really hard to eat every 3 hours and the fact that whey protien ( of brands ive never heard of) are about 50 quid for 1kg!!!! and these dont include bcaa glutamine ect! a few people have brought stuff with them but i was under the impression you couldnt bring it into thailand! so the home made protein shakes have been essential. but they do sell protein shakes at the bar here at 2 quid a pop!

if you do come to tiger, my advise is not to take the meal plan up as the choice is very limited and you can easily get good food and better tasting from down the road.

the good news is that there is a tesco nearby where you can get everything, and its only a short taxi ride away.

but i am having a blast, ill give details on training when my brain doesnt get to fried during it!

speak soon.


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

p.s. sorry for the grammer these keyboards are doing my box in! lol


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## SanshouMatt (Jul 1, 2008)

Sounds like you'rte having a great time fella. Away from the faliure of British spring and recession! My mate is in Suphan and managed to get some protein shakes and things at reasonable prices, I'll ask him where if you want?


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

LICKSHOT said:


> the fact that whey protien ( of brands ive never heard of) are about 50 quid for 1kg!!!! and these dont include bcaa glutamine ect!.


Oooh im smelling a business opportunity!!!

Good to hear all is going well mate, get some pics up of your training how long are you there for?


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

marc said:


> Good to hear all is going well mate, get some pics up of your training how long are you there for?


I would except, i dont have the facilities at present to do so, im thinking im gunna stay here at tiger until the end of may and come back to the uk, as i'm quite settled here now, got a good bunch of lads, loadsa things to get up to and also because im running out of money too :S, i can get used to training every day, going to watch boxing 3 times a week and loving the weather, its the life

but training is going well im loving every moment and especially enjoying sparring, i feel my technique improving each session and also feeling alot stronger mentally and physically too. hopefully not long until they move me to advanced sessions and then i can think about having a few fights before i come home. also have got a bunch of private sessions to use aswell.

got chased by a pack of dogs on a jog which suddenly turned into a sprint that was not cool. also been learning kettlebells aswell. definitely and investment for when i get home aswell as some good quality whey protein (this is where you come in marc)

made some good connections too, one of my friends is the CEO for grapplewear ( i smell sponsership) and another guy trains at chute boxe so a trip there is deffo on the cards.

ohhh and i met K1 champion Baukaw last night at patong boxing stadium.


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

You need to get some pics up, met buakaw? Chased by pack of dogs? i call BS, your really sitting in a 1 bed flat in cheltenham spinning us all tall tales!!

If you or your Thai buds need any stuff sending over let me know - i send loads of items worldwide daily so its not a problem

Keep training & enjoying it mate - dont work too hard


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## spitfire (Apr 19, 2008)

got chased by a pack of dogs on a jog which suddenly turned into a sprint that was not cool.

He he.. sorry , but thats frairly funny. Gives norman wisdom images.

Sounds damn cool though. Very jealous.


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

hi everyone, im back! all I can say is wow! I had the time of my life training, touristing and socialising. it is an experience I will never forget! and I cant wait to do it again! 

So tiger muay thai in phuket...when I first got there it was the mid end to end of the high season and classes were packed full you only really got 9 minutes with a trainer on pads in a 3 hour group session and the rest of the time was doing bag work, technique and sparring but the cardio aspect was wicked. but doing 2 X 3hr sessions in one day is a killer and only for the MADCORE!!!

There's also another Gym on the same road as Tiger and thy're called "dragon" ( cliche I know). Dragon is run by the old head trainer of tiger and through out my time alot of people started to train at dragon and the groups were too big.

MMA took a back seat for when I was there though as alot of people caught "staff" and getting staff on a training holiday was not my idea of a good time! and in all honesty the hygiene wasnt that great in cleaning and disinfecting equipment was really poor, but towards the end of my stay It got alot better, The MMA instructor was "Ray Elbe" he got eliminated by Demarques in TUF9. he was a bit of a pr**k!

after a month and a bit I wasnt really learning anything different from what I already knew but my technique was getting better, to get staff infections so i decided to spend some cash on private lessons, 2 x 1hr 15mins a day for the rest of the time I was there. @ Â£100 per week It was such a good investment, having that amount of time with a trainer soley focusing on me and me only!

My trainer was a man named "Pichai Vor Volapol" aka "Kay", Kay was a well respected Lumpinee competitor in his day and fort the likes for ramon dekkers and orono, so to have someone of that calibure and experience training me was a blessing. Kay tought me lots of new techniques, tweeked my overall game and put me through a world of pain but I didnt grow just as fighter but also as a person aswell. he got me sparring with other guests and 15yr old badboy named mon ( he was one tough little mofo probably tougher than the other guests i fort).

towards the last month of me being at tiger, it was the low season and classes were smaller size of 5-10 rather than 10 - 20 so time with trainers were in a great abundance. It was really sad to leave as It become a daily routine that I loved to the max, I made some awesome friends and connections. But It was time for me to do the touristy stuff and get drunk and get up mischief before I went home.

my advice I would give to people looking to go to train are:

- Get a "lonely planet : thailand" and read it religously before and while you are there!

- buy your gloves, wraps and shorts in Bangkok either at Lumpinee or Ratchadamneon Stadium as they are far far far cheaper than getting them in shopping centres or Markets. Â£25 for a pair of twins 14oz Lumpminee gloves :happy: and about Â£15-20 for twins shorts, but you can get cheaper makes shorts in shopping centres around bangkok but be careful some people will try and rip you off, wraps Â£3.50,

- take your own whey protein or get the address of where you are staying and ship a load out there ( the stuff they had had there was crap and expensive) but I bought a blender and made my own as was ona budget!

- If you go during high season ( nov -may) stick to privates if you want to learn but for fitness take groups, if you go during low season ( may to nov) stick to groups

- take an icepack and compression bandage with you!!!

- if you go to tiger dont take the meal plan the food is crap there and there are better places close where the food is great and cheap too.

- buy detol, detol bodywash and wash yourself and your gloves straight after training.

- Take your own running shoes! ( Big mistake on my part!!!!)

- Go and watch as much Muay Thai as you can! its Â£20 a time in phuket, Â£30 - 40 in Bangkok and Â£7 in chaing mai but well worth it.

- If you get a moped dont drink and drive, always wear a helmet. I saw some nasty accidents.

- avoid KFC, the quality of the chicken is crap

-dont be affriad of eating off the street stalls, its cheap, cooked infront of you and is fricking lovely!

- Make the most of your training but also make time to party and experience the culture too. as its a trip you'll never forget!

any other questions feel free to ask me, but its good to be home but time to get training again to loose the beer gut I put on and to get saving so I can go back and have a fight or 3! oooooowwwwwaaaayyyy!

p.s, ill put my Bukaw picture up later! 

P.P.S. @temeura, I finally got a copy of flashpoint....still aint watched it, but ill get on the case!


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## Jamie 'Ghost' Eccleson (Apr 3, 2009)

wow sounds like a blast and you got me wandering what itd be like xD

unfortunatly im too young hahaha

but a guy can dream cant he


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## Imy (Jul 20, 2007)

Oh man, sounds amazing. I would love to go their one day.

What's the standard of the classes like? I mean, I don't want to go alone, so if I take a mate who's never done muay thai before, would they admit him? Bit of a silly question, but I must ask. =)

Saying to people "I went out to Thailand to train for three months". That would just be amazing and earn you a ****load of cool points.


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## adamjowens (Jan 4, 2009)

Imy said:


> Saying to people "I went out to Thailand to train for three months". That would just be amazing and earn you a ****load of cool points.


defo:yes:


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## Imy (Jul 20, 2007)

Any pictures of Thailand? I've always had this image in my head that Thailand is a very deprived, 3rd world country!

Am I very wrong?


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

Welcome back man, sounds awesome, get some pics up asap.

I was supposed to be going out to train, but my missus fell pregnant, so that went bye bye, one day though...one day!


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## matty0603 (Feb 2, 2009)

Sounds awesome! Thinking about going out there myself next year.

Would you recommend tiger muay thai?

Did you spend alot over there or is it really cheap?


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## Imy (Jul 20, 2007)

matty0603 said:


> Would you recommend tiger muay thai?
> 
> Did you spend alot over there or is it really cheap?


Quoted. How long did it take you to plan? And how much did the trip cost you in total?

I want to do this next Summer after my recovery, but I'm not sure if they'll take me after being out of training for two years. My desire to learn and passion for martial arts still burns strongly inside me though! :laugh:


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

Hey guys, sorry i just got in from wrestling. I know late, but i went out to eat with the guys

so imy, the standard of classes was good, except when in the high season where there was loads of people in a class. Where its just a 3 hour boxercise session with kicks, knee's and elbows, imo if you can do one group session and a private session every day! You'd be one mean mofo! Your mate would be fine though, you get a little test the first day that you are there and they would tell you which class you need to go to!

Thailand is still classed as a third world country, you can see a family of 4 on one moped! Its quite the site, lol

but like every where you got your good bits and bad bits except in thailand its one extreme to the other! But its so gorgeous, but my previous post about getting chased by a pack of dogs should have given it away! Lol

yeah, i would defo recomend tiger muay thai to anyone, i had a good experience and made some awesome friends too,

in 3 motnhs i did Â£5k but that was everything!!!!!! Training, bungy jumping, playing with tigers, hotels, food, booze, clothes

i had been planning it for a while, i used to be a bank manager for tsb and when the economy went shit, work went shit. And when work went shit, i jumped ship! Lol however i went at the worst time when all currancy rate were down so it cost me alot more than if i did the same trip next year!

My advice get training before you go, especially on cardio, skipping and running is a must everyday!!!!


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## Imy (Jul 20, 2007)

Could you give a breakdown of finances? So a list of what each thing cost, etc? 5K is a helluva lot of money, especially for a student! =P

I really want to do this, and your story has inspired me to go out and get training as soon as I get recovered.

What are the size of classes, and what's the language barrier like? (Sorry if these questions have already been answered before!)


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## Robk (Nov 8, 2007)

sorry to butt in on your thread lickshot but Il help out from a cheaper end of the scale opinion lol, I did one month in Thailand in oct/nov. I haggled with the owner of Tiger before I got there and got a 10% disco on room + trainin, worked out about Â£20 a day for room (air con/dvd TV/fridge) + your full days training which is not bad at all, its surprising just how expensive it is to train in thailand these days, easily as much as training at home!!!!!

So theres Â£140 straight away, food wise, Id say you could live on about Â£5/Â£10 a day easy. I was doin the home made protein thing lol, 3 egg whites in a glass of milk!!!! lots of peanut butter on brown bread with pumpkin seeds!!! and you can get chicken on a stick on most street corners for about 10bt a stick (20p) usually eat about 4 of them a time  There was an absolutely amazin restaurant one of the coaches took us to most nights called the Anchor (i think) an they sold the most amazin chicken salad with a huge breaded breast on for 80bt (Â£1.40ish)

As lickshot said, the weak pound has led to a fairly more expesive do in thailand, spent much more than I did last time I visited!

If you want a scooter (At Tiger you would be mad not to) I think they will do you one for about Â£3/Â£4 a day again haggle.

The one thing I would say about tiger is, its run by an American and they are ****in sharks there when it comes to money, its like the macdonalds of mma! great guys, great coaches but they will have there hands in your pockets given the chance, food deals, you get stung, trips to watch fights etc you get stung.

One guy reffered to Tiger as a fat camp but, in fairness he was a pr**k and shite at muay thai so they were takin him through the basics and had him in the beginner group which was a bit of a cardio frenzy !!!!

BJJ wise, agreed, Elbe was a all singin all dancin cock to be fair, everyone seemed to hate him, but he wasnt bad as a coach. We also had a brazillian tony eduardo there but he only did privates at about Â£25 a shot. Jon Fitch also did a few free seminars while we were there


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

you're good mate, nice one for filling in for me.

when i went it was 50 baht to Â£1, when my friends first stated going they were getting 75baht to Â£1 so a big difference!

rob probably stayed in a room on camp, where else I stayed in the bungalows next to the camp, which were pretty swank, own bathroom, kitchen, air con, cable (3 months there i wanted to be comfortable) in all the bungalow was Â£360pm and training was

Â£180pm for groups, but then i started doing privates and that cost Â£100pw.

as rob said you can live so easily on Â£5-Â£10 for a whole days food, and the street food is extra cheap but very nice too. @rob, yeah it's the Anchor Inn, the food there is the bollocks! but its more like 150baht upwards now.

a moped is about Â£80pm and you can get them near enough anywhere around the area

but as i explained earlier it was my first time to thailand, so i done lots and lots of touristy stuff too! so hence why i spent all my savings! lol

but everything else rob said is bang on the money!


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## Imy (Jul 20, 2007)

How much are flights?

The thing is, next year is big for me. I have to go to football trials in LA in March, and going to Brazil in July for a month to train underpreviliged kids! Then I'm moving to the States in the US in August, so I need to save up for the year I'm there!

I want to go to Thailand next month though. If I was to save up, say, 1000 moniez, how far would that get me in terms of flights, training&accomodation?


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

my flight was Â£450 return, so for a month id really say you need 1500 inc flights


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## Robk (Nov 8, 2007)

yeah you should easy get a flight for 450, most ive ever paid is about 490 and ive seen some super cheap deals recently with the credit crunch competition on! try airlinenetwork.com I always book through them and fly with Etihad airways, on par with emirates and cost you about 80 notes less. If you cna fly from london ive seen flights goin for as little as 360!!!


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

yeah? 360 sounds fan bloody tastic to me!!! I flew Quatar. food, in flight entertainment and service was all spot on. but 360 return....i dont think it will be too long before im back there!


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## LICKSHOT (Feb 10, 2009)

so here it is finally... my ugly mug! with bukaw










he done a exibition match with Namsaknoi (3 x lumphinee champion) patong stadium in phuket


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