Dates for 2006: March 07 – March 19, July 30 – August 12
Itinerary for two-week tour
Schedule is subject to slight variations depending on local conditions. The Muay Thai training itinerary is for guidance only. Our instructors will themselves choose a precise course of Muay Thai training that is appropriate to your needs and abilities.
Day 1 Sunday July 30
Arrive Bangkok international airport and transfer to the domestic terminal. Board a 40-minute flight to our neighboring resort island Koh Samui to land at a tropical island paradise, in what has been described as the most beautiful airport in the world. You will be met at the airport by Horizon Camp staff. Ferry transfer to Koh Phangan Island and arrive at Horizon Thai Boxing Camp. Take the afternoon to soak up the island atmosphere.
Day 2 Monday July 31
Orientation day: relax, explore the local area or take a dip in the warm sea. Afternoon: meet with instructors in the gym to discuss training objectives. There will be a light training session to help our instructors assess your abilities and for you to loosen up from the journey.
Day 3 Tuesday August 01
Training day:
7:30 – 10am Morning Muay Thai training session
Warm up:
Running 30 minutes (if you are already very fit you may wish to run for longer, if you are not in great shape just be sure to build up a really good sweat)
Stretching (do your own routine or follow your instructor’s lead)
Muay Thai workout:
Members of the group will do various exercises depending on their level of experience. In each part of each training session you should repeat the full repertoire of techniques learned so far. Your trainer will point out any recurring mistakes and help you to correct them. He will gradually introduce new moves as you are ready. Morning training sessions are generally lighter, concentrating on acquiring new techniques while your mind is fresh from a good nights sleep. An ordinary training session is made up of the following.
Shadow boxing: Each training session should begin with a shadow boxing warm up, preferably in front of a mirror or perhaps on the beach. In your first session you will learn basic Muay Thai footwork: how to move around while maintaining a strong guard to protect your body’s vulnerable targets. The basic punching techniques will be introduced: the straight punch, jab, uppercut and hook.
Pad work: You instructor holds special Thai pads on his arms and a wears a belly protector. Student works one-on-one with the instructor in the ring to practice the full arsenal of techniques the student is familiar with. You probably won’t begin pad work on the first day if you are a beginner.
Weights or speedballs: While instructors are busy with other students, work on your conditioning with our free weights or sit up benches. Help develop your reflexes with the speed balls.
Sparring: At first you will begin very light, very slow sparring with your instructor. As you build confidence you can begin working with a sparring partner. Sparring is an essential part of Muay Thai training during which you see how to use the offensive techniques you have learned dynamically. You will quickly learn to defend your most vulnerable points, and begin to anticipate the movements of your opponent. If progressing very well a beginner may expect to begin sparring within a week.
Bag work: Excellent way to develop conditioning and muscle memory. Repeated kicking of the long hanging bags is really the only way to condition the shins. Kicking the bags will hurt a bit to start with. We fill our bags with cloth, not sand, but still expect to bruise some (especially the ladies). You won’t start this kind of training until you have learned to properly kick. Kicking with poor technique is even more painful!
Clinch work: Basically techniques of standup grappling. Always makes up the final part of an intensive training session. You grapple your partner for the better position in an attempt to set your opponent up for knee strikes or to topple him by pulling or knocking him off balance. This is an exhausting part of training and is essential if you are interested in competing within Thailand. You will not begin clinch work until your fitness is quite good and you have mastered other techniques to a good level.
Warm down:
Shadow boxing warm down, followed by other low impact exercises.
4pm - 6pm Afternoon Muay Thai training session
Warm up:
Skipping or tyre bounces. Bouncing on old car tyres is a great way to improve balance.
Muay Thai workout:
The afternoon session is generally more intensive than the morning training session, with more emphasis on quantity of exercises to improve stamina and muscle memory. You will normally continue practicing techniques learned in the morning. The basic pattern of each training session remains the same: shadow boxing, pad work, bag work, sparring, clinch work.
Warm down:
After shadow boxing, a dip in the sea is a great way to warm down.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 4 Wednesday August 02
Training day: You will practice all the techniques you already know in your shadow boxing warm-up. Today you will begin to learn how to kick while shadow boxing. Then move on to kicking practice with an instructor in the ring. Your instructor holds specials Thai pads and will teach you to kick while maintaining good balance, keeping your guard and observing correct footwork. Afternoon: continue kicking practice and learn how to block a kick.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 5 Thursday August 03
Training day: Kicking and foot thrusts. If you have developed a good kicking technique you may now begin to practice on the heavy bags.
There will be a Thai language lesson in the evening. Although our instructors speak English (some more than others) in order to help preserve the art of Muay Thai in its genuine form it is important you try to learn the proper Thai terms for techniques and aspects of training.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 6 Friday August 04
Training day: You will practice everything learned so far concentrating on footwork and stance. Remember to work on your weak side.
Video night: learn by watching The Greats in action. Friday night party at Guy’s bar for those inclined.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 7 Saturday August 05
Training free day: herbal steam sauna at What Pho temple. Receive an invigorating traditional Thai massage. Every Saturday night we heat up the coals for a massive seafood-BBQ.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 8 Sunday August 06
Training day: If you have already mastered good basic kicking technique elbows and knees come quite easily. Elbow training, three styles.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 9 Monday August 07
Training day: Knees. Now you might begin very light, slow sparring with our instructors practicing every technique learned so far. This is dynamic training. You will start to see the value of correct technique and begin learning how to defend yourself. Your instructor will encourage you to use combinations of your offensive techniques during pad work right from the start.
Fight night in the local town where you can cheer on competitors from Horizon Thai Boxing Camp.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp Full Moon Party
Day 10 Tuesday August 08
Training day Every Tuesday and Friday morning training is boxing only. This is essential training to develop a good eye and super quick reflexes. Remember that the fist is as important a weapon in Muay Thai as any other. At this stage you may have a good command of the basic Muay Thai techniques (good stance and footwork, you know how to punch, kick and push kick, and effectively use your knees and elbows to attack your opponent. Now you are ready to learn how to fight. You will first learn a number of techniques to defend against a low kick.
Day 11 Wednesday August 09
Training day: Learn to defend a kick or push kick aimed at your stomach or ribs. Hopefully by this time you can begin training with a sparring partner. In the afternoon learn how to defend against head kicks.
In the evening attend the internationally renowned Full Moon dance party on Haad Rin beach.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 12 Thursday August 10
Sleep late to recover from the party! Try to make it to afternoon training, not long left.
OVERNIGHT: Horizon Thai Boxing Camp
Day 13 Friday August 11
Training day: this is you last day of training. You must practice, practice, and practice. Techniques need to be repeated over and again in order to develop muscle memory, helping you to deploy techniques reflexively. Discuss future training possibilities with your instructors.
Transfer to our neighboring island Koh Samui. Goodbye party in the evening.
OVERNIGHT: Hotel in Koh Samui
Day 14 Saturday August 12
Return flight to Koh Samui. Transfer to flight home. I bet you can’t believe it’s all over so quickly! |
