One of the things we are focusing on
here at Team Quest Thailand in Chiang Mai is producing talent from
the ground up. When we began to make plans to open the gym here in
Chiang Mai we discussed all of our options on the direction we wanted
to go for the gym. One of the big questions was, “Do we want to
bring in some really high level fighters or do we want to focus on a
higher level coaching staff that will produce new talent?”
At the end of the day, gyms are
remembered for what fighters they produced, not who is training at
the gym. A good example is Chute Boxe will forever be remembered as a
gym that produced the likes of Wanderlei Silva and Maurico “Shogun”
Rua. Greg Jackson's camp is a gym that is known for taking talent and
just being there to support them. In other words, we feel that
producing talent is what actually contributes to the MMA and Muay
Thai community.
Team Quest has built a track record for
producing home grown talent. To name just a few, Dan Henderson, Randy
Couture, Chael Sonnen, and Matt Lindland. I could literally probably
go on for a page of just names that Team Quest produced. This is
the stuff that people respect at the end of the day. At Team Quest
Thailand we are choosing to build our fighters in the same
traditional system as the original Team Quest has and that is through
a lot of hard work and dedication.
So I guess what I am ultimately trying
to say is that we are working hard on bringing up the new generation
of Muay Thai and MMA fighters here in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Results
aren't instant but they are coming with time. Although we have had
amazing success in our first year with fighters like HongTongLek
winning the Thailand championship belt at Lumpinee Stadium that is
actually not why we brought him in. We brought in HongTongLek because
of his ability to teach and translate techniques to students and new
fighters in the most efficient way.
If you are a young fighter and think
you have what it takes to train with one of the biggest international
Muay Thai and MMA brands in the world. Contact Joel @ tqmma DOT com
to inquire about fighting professional opportunities. Visit our
website at www.tqmmathailand.com for more information about our Thailand MMA and Chiang Mai
Muay Thai training camp.
Our goal is to constantly be improving
Team Quest Thailand. So now that our classes are up and running we
have decided to turn more of our focus into things that can help
students even more. Basically we have sat down with our budget and
decided what is the most important area's of the gym we can improve
for students to have the best over all experience at the gym.
First addition: The CAGE
We have installed a MMA cage in our MMA
and grappling area so that students can train in the most realistic
training environment possible. Students are able to practice
techniques utilizing the cage to help improve aspects of their game.
Our cage stands about 6' tall and is reenforced with steel so that
students can train in the safest environment possible.
Second addition: A full set of KETTLE
BELLS
We have been focusing on putting
together our strength and conditioning program. With the help from
Matt Lindland and the people from Team Quest Portland, Oregon, we
have incorporated their world famous “Fit Quest” combat sports
specific workouts. What sort of functional workout would be complete
with out a complete set of Kettle bells. We went all out and
purchased 6 sets of kettle bells ranging from 4 kilos to 24 kilos.
Third addition: Wall Mats
Team Quest Thailand has installed wall
mats in our MMA and grapping area. The mats are 2 inches in thickness
and very durable. They are designed for taking a lot of impact while
keeping students as safe as possible. The covering of the mats is
genuine leather. This helps absorb sweat and gives the perfect amount
of traction.
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check back soon for Team Quest Thailand up coming events.
For those of you who have been
following our blog, you know that Jamie “The Official” Stamp
(current Australian Pro Evolution Champion) has been training with
Team Quest Thailand for the last few months. He was meant to fight
2-3 times over the past few months but unfortunately has been plagued
with injuries this trip. I actually felt really bad for him because I
could see the frustration in his eyes. All he wanted to do was train.
Jamie was dealing with a lot of things
that were out of his control. Anything from being sick to typical
injuries. But Jamie is pretty head strong so he worked through them
the best that he could. He was still training hard but he had to
totally tweek his training.
This actually brings me to a thought.
Every athlete I have ever known encounters injuries or something that
prevents them from training properly. This includes people who come
to train in Thailand. Far to many times do I see someone get some
small nagging injuries, say a hurt hand and then just completely stop
training until it's healed. But this happens to every athlete. The
athletes that find a way to work through it or do what they can are
the ones who end up progressing. The question you need to ask
yourself if this happens to you is “What CAN I do”.
Personally I have really bad tendinitis
in my right hip. I have learned to train around my injury though. I
usually can't kick with my right leg because the inflammation gets to
much and I start limping really bad. So what I have done is used it
as an opportunity to get better as a south paw. So over the last few
years since this injury manifested I have got really good with my
left kick. Because I took advantage of the opportunity I can now
switch up my stance pretty easily.
I just find it frustrating when
students or athletes use injuries as an excuse to completely stop
training. This is why I really respect Jamie “The Official” Stamp
because he literally did everything he could possibly do given his
circumstances. Jamie was pretty determined, but the problem is that
he was going home in two weeks. So he said “Screw it, get me the
hardest fight you can get me and make it in a week.” He was
determined to fight a Thai before he went home because even though he
has 23 fights he had never fought a Thai.
So we actually didn't know who Jamie
“The Official” Stamp was fighting until we got to the stadium.
This is when Kru Joe came over with his eyes wide and said “Jamie,
I know your opponent. He is good and big.” Remember, Kru Joe's
opinion of what is good is basically someone who has a lumpinee belt
or something equivalent. I seen a bit of fear on Jamie's face but
that's a good thing because he fights better when he is the underdog.
Jamie "The Official" Stamp with Kru Joe.
Jamie's opponent was Fah Song Sang
Chiang Mai Pa Who Yoot, a tough fighter from the isarn region who has
fought a lot on the Bangkok circuit. But Jamie asked for a tough
fight so that is exactly what he got.
I am not going to lie. Jamie was
getting battered, and I mean battered for the first 3 rounds. His
fitness was obviously a factor since he didn't get to train properly,
he didn't have any sorta bounce to his step and his timing was off.
He took probably 3 of the most brutal kicks to his ribs I have ever
seen in my life. It also didn't help that in the start of the 2nd
round his opponent landed a flying down elbow on the top of Jamie's
head splitting him wide open. He was bleeding like a faucet. Jamie's
cut ended up being about an inch long and was really wide.
After the 3rd round Jamie
came back to sit and the ref came over to stop the fight. We started
screaming at the ref in Thai that he still wanted to fight. Jamie was
on the border of wanting to stop the fight. Kru Joe looked Jamie
straight in the face and screamed at him “ALL YOU HAVE LEFT IS
HEART AND YOUR HANDS, I NEED YOU TO USE THEM. GIVE ME ONE MORE
ROUND.” So Jamie stood up and was ready to go, we still had to
convince the ref not to stop it.
The 4th round started and
here is what happened.
It was one of the best comeback's I
have ever seen. You can see that the crowd was going nuts. When he
knocked him down the first time we thought he was finished and we
were so excited we jumped into the ring to early. I looked over and
realized that the ref was only giving a count. So we scrambled back
out of the ring and waited the extra few seconds for Jamie to finish
him. It was an amazing show of heart.
Jamie will be heading back to Australia
this coming Thursday. It was great to have him out. He will be coming
back next April to train with Team Quest Thailand for 3 months. I
truly can't wait because he is amazing to have at our gym.
Team Quest Thailand has some big fights
coming up. First up is HongTongLek Chor. Farpleansee who will be
fighting in Team Quest Thailand's first international fight in
Switzerland October 20th against a tough french fighter
named Amine Kacem. Amine fights out of Fabio Pinca's gym in France so
you know he is going to be game for a fight.
After this, Adrien “Kaew” Team
Quest Thailand will be fighting in the Muay Thai Marathon November
1st in Korat, Thailand. This is a huge opportunity for
Adrien because this tournament is set up for him. To win this
tournament you need fitness because you might fight 3 fights of 9
rounds total in one day. Fitness is Adrien's secret weapon, he never
gets tired.
For upcoming news and updates check
back here with Team Quest Thailand soon.
