Here’s my list of rock songs:

And electronica:

Eargasm yeah!

Here are some videos that I’ve seen recently which motivate me. The best thing about YouTube is that you can practically find all sorts of videos online. You get a peek into the lives, the beliefs, the ideas of people in full video glory.

This video shows you the history of Dutch kickboxing, and how it has evolved over the years. It’s interesting to see what people think about K-1 and Muay Thai. For many people, Muay Thai might be just a bloodthirsty ring sport, but to these guys, it’s an art.

Lucien Carbin explains in this video how important it is to always be open to learning. I think many people today have short attention spans, especially when it comes to learning. We go to school for a significant portion of our lives. The time we spend in education can easily add up to an odd 20 years or more, that’s about a quarter of an average human being’s life. Yet, we often have very poor attitudes to learning, especially from people whom we deem to be less knowledgeable.

What I’m trying to say here is to be open and be motivated! Whatever it is you do!

Hope you guys enjoy the videos!

Timberland 6 Inch Zip Boot

Saddleback Leather Company Satchel Bag

There’s just something about leather that gets to me. Especially good leather. Maybe it’s the distinct smell, or perhaps the feel of it against my skin, but it’s something that you can pass down to your kids, and it’ll never go out of fashion. It’s timeless.

Goddamn gotta have it.

I love training at Sinbi Muay Thai. I think it has a great atmosphere and a good culture. You are only as good as the people around you. As an athlete in a combat sport like Muay Thai, training and sparring partners are so important in your progress as a fighter. You need training partners who are technically better than you, and have the experience to spar without causing unnecessary injuries in training. I was lucky enough to get the chance to train and spar with some really awesome people this time while I was at Sinbi Muay Thai. It’s a totally humbling experience sparring with fighters like Saenchai and Saiyok, who are more or less superstars in their own right. I thank them for their time sparring with someone like me, for they obviously have nothing to gain from it.

Saenchai SinbiMuayThai (formerly Saenchai Sor Kingstar) is considered to be the pound-for-pound best in the sport. He has fought some of Muay Thai’s best including Orono Wor Petchpun, Khem Sitsongpeenong (formerly known as Khem Fairtex), Bovy Sor Udomsorn, and most recently beating Nong-O Sit Or (also considered one of today’s best pound-for-pound) the last three times they have met.

Saiyok Pumpanmuang is one of the heavier Thai fighters coming out of Thailand, and he is popularly known for having been a Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Champion in the heavier weight classes. As such he has been fighting mostly overseas over the last few years, with notable wins over Farid Villaume, Bruce Macfie (Contender Asia fame) and Warren Stevelmans (K-1 fame).

The trainers this time around are almost all new faces to me, except for Det, Bao V, Pot and of course Sing. I’m glad the culture has not changed too much. Everyone’s friendly and approachable and always willing to teach. This time around my padholders more or less consisted of Pot, Sing, and Bao V. I sparred with Oron (often to some really hilarious results), Ann (who has really heavy knees in the clinch) and Pot (who is technically so good that he’s on a whole different plane of existence).

One of the things I like most about staying in the gym is being able to meet interesting people from all around the globe. I must say that what makes staying at Sinbi Muay Thai most enjoyable is the company you get. I spent both Christmas and New Year’s at the gym, and we had a celebration during New Year’s which was full of food and drink. It was fun watching all the trainers drunk singing and dancing the night away. Unfortunately, I was preparing for a fight so I had absolutely no alcohol at all.

My training for this fight consisted of the traditional Thai routine:

• 6.15am – Run (7 to 12km)
• 7.30am – Morning Session (3R Shadowbox, 5R Padwork, 5R Bagwork, Conditioning Exercises)
• 10.3oam – Breakfast/Brunch
• 12 noon – Rest/Sleep/Recreation
• 3.45pm – Run (4 – 5km)
• 4pm – Afternoon Session (Same as morning but with clinchwork or sparring)
• 7pm – Dinner
• 9pm – Rest/Sleep/Recreation

I ran a lot more this time around, covering an average of about 12 to 14km everyday just running. The first week was particularly bad because I had not been training consistently before coming to Thailand due to exams in late November and early December. I literally couldn’t feel my calves by the end of the first week. The second week was a little better and by the third I actually felt good and physically fit for the fight. If I had a choice I would have done a month of resistance and weight training before coming to Thailand, felt I lost a bit too much weight from a month training. I normally weigh about 64kg, but by fight time I was about 56kg. And I wasn’t even trying to lose weight. I ate and drank lots and lots.

Here are some pictures of the fight taken by Sing from Sinbi Muay Thai Gym (warning – not for the fainthearted):

I got hit by an elbow in the 1st round, it was only a light tap but blood started to run down the right side of my face. Couldn’t see out of my right eye and I knew it was bad and I would lose the fight if I did not finish it quick. I rushed to finish the fight in the 2nd round and it was a bad move because I wasn’t careful and got hit with another elbow which opened up another cut. I lost the fight in the 2nd round due to referee stoppage. The cut was too deep and it wasn’t safe for me to continue the fight.

You can watch the fight video here:

Special Thanks: Sing and Sinbi Muay Thai, fighters and students at Sinbi Muay Thai Gym, Ian and Michelle Vandaboxing Gym, Jess Ek Jerry and Randall for all the support.

I’ve been trying to learn Thai for a while now, but it seems that I’m lacking actual practice in speaking it. I’ve been thinking about actually enrolling in classes once I have the time. I need to save up for so many things it’s getting crazy. I want to get my motorcycle licence, because I kinda got hooked on it, think it’s actually pretty fun, plus it’s a skill! Next in line is getting a personal training certificate, which I think is a worthy investment for me in this line. Truth be told, I don’t intend to stay as a boxing trainer once I graduate, I’m basically doing this straight out of passion for the sport. Of course, the money that comes in does help!

When it comes to learning a new language, I find the hardest part about it isn’t actually figuring out the translations of vocabulary or the nuances of the grammar and word placement, but rather it is developing that inner reflex and instinctual feel in response to words in the language. For example, when you think of the word ‘snake’ in the English language, you don’t just think of ‘a type of long thin animal with no legs that slithers on the ground’, but you get the mental imagery of a creature that represents cunning and danger, or even as a description for a human being.

Here are some Thai words that I find are interesting!

1. sabai

This word to many people can be roughly translated as “happy”, however its use is often closer to “comfortable” or “relaxed”. To Thai people (and Buddhists in general), happiness is not a state opposite that of sorrow. Rather, it is more akin to tranquility or balance. Chilling by the beach while listening to the waves hit the sand is sabai. Winning the lottery, on the other hand, is not.

I’ve even heard it being used in Thai Boxing, when trainers tell you to be ‘sabai sabai’, to relax and not rush. Take your time to feel your opponent out, not throw wild punches and kicks and hope something lands! ‘Sabai sabai’!

2. gin

I love to eat and thankfully eating is a huge part of Thai culture! It isn’t unheard of for people to ask if you have eaten yet as a form of friendly greeting. Gin can mean “eat”, but it is actually more akin to the word “ingest”: one can gin nam (“drink water”), gin kao (“eat rice”), or gin ya (“take medicine”).  Because rice accompanies just about every Thai meal, gin kao is usually used instead of gin to mean “eat.”

3. mai bpen rai

Literally translated as ‘no-is-nothing’, this phrase basically sums up the Thai motto to living life happily: ‘don’t worry’. You’ll often hear this being said while in Thailand, and it can have many meanings depending on the context of the situation. ‘Never mind’, ‘take it easy’, ‘stay cool’, ‘no worries’, it is the quintessential Thai phrase that when paired with a genuine smile will get you out of trouble if you get into any!

4. jai yen

Jai stands for heart, while Yen stands for cool. In Thailand, being jai yen is probably the preferred approach to situations. Not losing your cool, not getting angry and staying calm in a difficult situation would show that you have emotional maturity or jai yen – a cool heart.

In Singapore, I do sometimes get the feeling that people can get too uptight about things. As we become more and more westernized as a society, I think we can still learn from the Thais regarding this approach. Bad traffic? Horrible day at work? Things not going according to plan? Mai bpen rai, jai yen yen.

To wrap it up, every word has a unique taste and texture that is special and should be appreciated not just for its literal meaning, so the next time you use a word try to savour its uniqueness and enjoy language for what it is – an awesome tool for communication.

The first day we spent getting to know each other playing icebreaking games and had to make a team banner with a theme featuring either heroes or villains.

Team Mojo Jojo!

Later in the evening, we were made to watch horror films before entering a “haunted building”. I’m not a very superstitious person, but after watching those horror films and telling one another our own ghost stories, you could say that I was ready for a good scare!(Plus it was a great East meets West with it being Friday the 13th and the Lunar 7th Month!)

I personally thought Jade was pretty scary!

Yeah. I know. Scary right?

I would like to say I did not scream like a little girl. (My secrets are safe with the group mates.)

The next day was a long day full of activities. We were to try out each different martial art/combat sport. There were different stations set up in the SIM campus, and we spent a rough hour and a half at each station.

Muay Thai basics included learning the stance, basic footwork, movement, punching and kicking.

At Judo we spent time learning how to breakfall, a few throws and how to choke a person out. I found the last one especially useful! Haha!

I like Karate because I felt comfortable there. The kicks are pretty similar to Muay Thai. I tried breaking a few tiles, which went pretty successfully. The brick however, was particularly uncooperative. Ouch.

I thought Wing Chun was hard. It’s very technical and I think it’s very different from what I have experience with. It was a good learning experience though!

We ended off the night with a BBQ. For our group we were lazy to BBQ so we bought some food to share together.

Thanks all for a great camp!

Photo Credits: Sarah Ong, Rin Chan, Garrick Huang, Jolyn Toh.

On a side note! Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao came to Singapore and visited Vanda Boxing Club!

Unfortunately I was away in Johore dirtbiking, or I could have seen him in person!

Firstly, summer has been a killer semester. As most of you would know, I’m taking a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with the University at Buffalo. In the United States, students generally study during the fall and spring, taking a summer break, and graduate in 4 years. Here in Singapore, students do 3 semesters in a year – spring, fall and summer, meaning we can graduate in 3 years or less.

So this has been my first summer semester, and it’s been hectic to say the least. The SIM campus was pretty much empty for the first part of summer, with the UOL and RMIT students enjoying their holidays. It’s interesting to come to an empty campus when you normally see it so busy and filled with students.

If you’re interested in obtaining a degree with the University at Buffalo, you can take a look here at their official website. Note that as a student in the Singapore programme you are free to complete any of your semesters here in Singapore or at the main university campus at Buffalo, New York. Some of my friends have been to Buffalo and have said that it’s an amazing experience that’s worth the time, effort and money.

Secondly, work at the gym is really picking up! Lots of people nowadays, with classes numbering up to 20 members.The white collar boxers have been selected and have started training for the next event to be held at the Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Hall in September, so we’ve brought down two new boxing coaches to deal with the increased crowd.

What you don’t see is the other side of the gym: just jam-packed full of people.

Got some new equipment: Kettlebells. Great for boxing conditioning!

Ian Wright of Lonely Planet fame doing a special with us at the gym.

The competitive squad competed in late June with great results.

Was lucky to be featured on this week’s The Straits Times. They cut out a lot of the interesting parts of the article though. I told them to remember mentioning Vanda Boxing but they never did! And I never said I was a champ!

I teach the kid’s classes on Saturdays and we’ve now expanded the programme to three classes instead of two. If you have kids and are looking for a great workout for your children, do consider our Kidz Academy!

So yeah, forgive me for not blogging more! I hope the last month have been fruitful for all of you reading this too. Till next time!

Our flight was early Sunday morning at 6.40am. That meant that we had to be at the airport by about 5am. Being the excited boys we were, we arrived there early, reaching at 4am. Yes, that’s right. 4am. Basically the gate wasn’t open that early so we were stuck and starving at Changi Terminal 2 for about an hour.

Hungry men are ANGRY men.

I happened to tell Edmund my theory for arriving early. That is usually when people arrive early, they’ll end up late in the end. I was right. We had so much fun enjoying our McDonald’s breakfast at Terminal 1 that we lost track of time. We ended up running (with terribly full and satisfied stomachs) for close to 500 metres in order to get to our gate on time. An awesome start to our journey. Edmund nearly regurgitated.

We arrived on Sunday afternoon and spent a whole hour walking and lugging our luggage around Mong Kok looking for our hostel. Turns out that the entrance to the hostel was a tiny entrance on the side of a building called Sincere House. The place we stayed at was called Ah Shan Hostel. It’s something like a backpacker’s inn. Clean inside but the outside area resembled a really run-down building.

By the time we found the entrance we were perspiring bucketfuls.

Our room was really small, but I guess we did more than fine because it reminded us of our army bunk. It had everything we needed really. Shower, toilet, sink, electricity and a television set.

You meet quite a few interesting people at backpacker’s inns. That’s for sure.

The toilet couldn’t fit two people even if we wanted to.

Sunday was spent rather uneventfully because we realised that we weren’t prepared for the urban jungle that is Hong Kong. To be honest, we were more or less lost in the streets of Mong Kok. Every street looked the same.

Walking aimlessly around Mong Kok.

To be honest we didn’t find anything much for men on the first day.

In the evening we went to Lan Kwai Fong, the main nightlife area in Hong Kong. However, it was a Sunday night so the streets were rather empty. We asked around and this man told us that if we wanted to enjoy ourselves we should go to Wan Chai. So we thought we’ll head there tomorrow.

Monday came along and we headed to Tsim Sha Tsui. We did most of our shopping and went sightseeing along Avenue of Stars. In the evening we headed to Wan Chai and realised that it was full of Go-Go Bars and hookers. It felt like the equivalent of Geylang and I personally felt really awkward there. We walked into a bar and I started breaking out in cold sweat. Had a few drinks and we were out of there! Let’s just say that we’re not exactly their average clientele.

Tsim Sha Tsui on day two.

On the third day, my dearest friend Jess whom I haven’t seen in months brought us around. Jess is a Hong Konger but she’s lived in Singapore all her life. She’s been back in Hong Kong since finishing her studies and without her our trip wouldn’t be half as fun as it was. We had dim sum for lunch and then proceeded to the peak in the evening. I love Victoria Peak I think it’s the most beautiful spot in Hong Kong.

Oh yeah I just love dim sum!

Jess and Edmund on the peak tram.

The lot of us at Victoria Peak

Yes we “jumped” off the top of the peak.

Later on in the night Jess brought us to Why Club. First time clubbing in Hong Kong we had lots of fun. The girls had to pay 2 dollars, but the boys had to pay close to 40 bucks each. Much more expensive than in Singapore.

The next day we shifted to a hotel called Butterfly on Prat. It was a nice change from the place at the hostel. Only problem was that the bathroom was transparent. You know how these boutique hotels are. All the arty farty interior design left us with a lack of privacy. We did all our showering and toilet business with good old fashioned trust. Yes that’s right. Trust.

The last day we basically spent doing more shopping and eating. Dim sum and tea time at this place that had great condensed milk bread thingy. In the evening Jess brought us to Lan Kwai Fong for drinks.

More dim sum!

The boys playing pool.

And drinks on the last night.

Coming back to Singapore I gotta start catching up with school. Work is piling up and I’m really worried about it! Also have to restart my exercise regime and get back in shape. Haha! My resolution is to come up with more fitness articles soon! Later guys.

To put the term literally, unconditional love means loving and accepting another person without any conditions, without expecting to be loved back in return. As human beings, we all want to feel loved. We spend our entire lives looking for it, thinking about it, hoping for it, and trying to achieve it. Unconditional love is different from conditional love. Imagine that every time you pay me money, I say that I love you and give you a hug. We simply can’t be satisfied and fulfilled with conditional love. We only feel love when it is given to us freely and unconditionally.

Of course, this whole unconditional love thing is tough, it really is. Human beings are naturally possessive creatures. We want to own things. We want to make things ours and ours only. Our modern capitalist cultures focus on our individual needs and wants. It’s all about me, me and me. We are addicted to our material possessions. This includes possessing your partners and loved ones.

If she’s happy, then I should be happy for her.

It’s time to go.

Terence Tong: Hi Nicole, it’s been a while since we’ve met. How’re you doing and what are you up to nowadays?

Nicole Chua: Hi Terence, I am good. Had a fight in Phuket in March as you are aware. And then had a month of holiday without Muay Thai, spent some quality time with my family and friends. I just got back to training recently. Currently sorting out my visa, am preparing to go over to Thailand soon.

T.T: How did you do in your most recent fight in Thailand?

N.C: My last fight was in Phuket in March. It’s a big event, the annual Sinbi Naiharn Charity fight, where the proceeds go towards a local school. It was a good experience. I lost on points though, probably because I couldn’t perform in the clinch.

T.T: I’m sure our readers will be interested in knowing more about you. What made you decide to take up Muay Thai? When did you decide to do it seriously?

N.C: Everyone’s asking me this question. I was first introduced to Muay Thai by my uncle. Back then, I had absolutely no idea of what Muay Thai was at all. At the time I was looking to do some sort of sport just for fitness. I started off with First MuayThai at Turf City under Alvin. I started training just for fitness, but I really enjoyed the sport and training and found myself gradually addicted to Muay Thai. It’s weird but there’s just an element about Muay Thai that gets people hooked onto it. When First MuayThai closed, I was referred to Master Johnnie from Hilltop. Training at Hilltop was different because the trainers were pretty aggressive, but at the same time fun-loving people. They were the ones who inspired me to take my first fight. I trained for more than 5 years before I had my first fight and my first amateur match was at “The Return of Contenders”. I used to be an Accounts Executive. But one day I just got sick of the dull and boring 9-5 working routine that I decided to strike out on an adventure of my own. That was when I went to Sinbi Muaythai in Phuket for full time training alone.

T.T: What are some of the things you had to give up in order to pursue your dream?

N.C: I had to make just a tonne of sacrifices. It’s more or less impossible to pursue a fighting career when you have to work a full-time job. It was a hard decision to make, but I chose to give up my job and concentrate on training that is required in order to fight professionally. Giving up my career simply meant that I practically had no income! To be honest, it’s not easy having to come up with my own savings to pay for training, accommodation and expenses in Thailand. I need to be really thrifty and forsaking my executive spending pattern was one of the things which I had to give up.

T.T: How did people react to your decision of quitting a proper job for a career in the fight game?

N.C: My family never liked the idea of me practicing Muay Thai because they feel that it’s violent and dangerous – they just don’t see it as a career a woman should have. Friends and family are concerned about my safety and well-being. Most importantly, most people were worried about my career prospects in a realistic society like Singapore. They ask questions like: where do you see yourself in 1 or 2 years time, when your peers are already earning big bucks, having a lot of savings, while you’ve spent all your savings and have to start all over again.

I will be lying if I say I am not worried or concerned at all. I do understand what they are getting at, but I know perfectly that I do not want to live my life like everyone else: to study, work, get married and then have kids. I want to accomplish and fulfill my dream while I am still young, while I still have got what it takes to do it now. All the rest can come later. I know I will be working for the rest of my life after that. But at the very least, I could say that I did something I liked, something different from the rest and I’ll have interesting stories for the grandkids!

The only thing that affects me is that I feel bad for not having time for my family and friends. Preparing for fights, training 2 sessions a day means I have little to no extra leisure time.

You’ll be surprised that there are a lot of talents in Singapore, many better than me, but they are just not willing to make these sacrifices. I really hope Singapore Sports Council will recognize local talents in Muay Thai just like any other sport and offer sponsorships to allow more to go out of Singapore and get more experience internationally.

T.T: How long do you intend to continue training and fighting?

N.C: I guess you know there’s an age limit for every sportsman. Unfortunately, an athlete in a combat sport like Muay Thai have short sporting lifespans. I try not to fix and confine myself to a specific time frame and hope to fight for as long as I can. I simply just train hard and hope I get opportunities to fight in bigger events to gain more experience. The Muay Thai World Championships, for example, was an eye opener for me.

T.T: What do you enjoy most about Muay Thai?

N.C: One World, One Muay Thai. It’s all about making friends. It’s interesting how people from all over the world get together because of their common interest in Muay Thai. Training in Thailand has allowed me to meet so many people from all over the world, it gives me a chance to learn from different cultures and see new perspectives. It’s really the best thing I like about Muay Thai.

I also find it fascinating to see and learn how Buddhist culture is incorporated into Muay Thai. For example, the sealing of the ring, the wai khru pre-fight dance, the mongkong. It’s just amazing to see that although it is a modern sport, Muay Thai still has a strong traditional background. I love that.

T.T: What has been your most memorable event in your Muay Thai career so far?

N.C: That will have to be my first fight in Thailand! It was memorable for me because it was my very first professional fight and I was all alone in Thailand. My trainer wanted a deal that no elbows were to be allowed in the fight. The promoter was really against it in the first place, but finally agreed. I saw my opponent only when I was in the ring and she was tall and big! She was definitely heavier than me by some amount, a huge mismatch, and when the fight started she was throwing elbows like there was no tomorrow! I was completely thrown off guard, I had thought that no elbows were allowed and here she was slicing away with her elbows! The end of the night resulted in a list of many firsts for me: my first professional fight, my first fight alone in a foreign country and my very first black eye!

T.T: When you’re not training at Sinbi Muay Thai in Phuket, in Singapore where do you train at?

N.C: I train at Hilltop The Gym in Singapore under the guidance of Master Johnnie. Hilltop is just like a second home to me. I am really fortunate to have a kind Master, a great trainer and best of all, a group of helpful training mates.

Personally, I tend pick things up really slow and it takes a lot of effort to coach me compared to others. The trainer’s patience matters a lot, in this respect. I’m glad that my trainer is sensitive to athletes’ needs and takes an athlete-centered approach to training. He has well-planned and sound training programmes for each individual. He sets goals together with me and is always able to motivate me effectively. My trainer keeps communication open and provides constructive feedback, so I could identify areas to work and improve on.

Talking about the other fighters in the gym, they are just indispensable. They are remarkable training mates and friends. I am thankful for them being constantly around, making training and fighting not seem like work. We have a good vibe going in the gym and we’re always motivating one another in and out of the ring. The more experienced fighters never fail to share their knowledge with me and are exceptionally generous when it comes to that.

I wouldn’t have been what I am today, if not for all of them.

T.T: Other than Phuket, where else in Thailand have you been to? And which location is your favourite place?

N.C: I have been to Bangkok and Hat Yai as well. I would say that Phuket is still my favorite place in Thailand, probably due to the peaceful and relaxed environment making it perfect for any occasion. Bangkok is nice for shopping.

T.T: What are some of your hobbies and what do you like to do in your free time?

N.C: Muay Thai! I do most sports like badminton, swimming, jogging, but Muay Thai by far is still my favorite. I love to learn about different languages and will always try to use whatever little free time I have, to do some self study and revision. I like shopping, karaoke and movies too.

T.T: Some fun questions before we go! Choose one. Dogs or Cats?

N.C: Dogs. Cats are mysterious and evil!

T.T: Your worst habit?

N.C: Tendency of leaving my stuff around and forgetting where I left it!

T.T: Favourite Colour?

N.C: Black and white.

T.T: Last movie you watched?

N.C: Ip Man 2. Superb movie, loving Donnie Yen.

T.T: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

N.C: Married with kids, a normal white collar leading a normal life.

T.T: Thank you for taking the time out to have a chat Nicole!

N.C: No problem it was fun!

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Look out for more of Nicole in the near future!