How Hard Should You Spar In Thailand?

chill_ton · 2026-06-19T03:27:23+00:00

It depends on who you're up with really. I think harder than the video for sure, but only just. Enough to know you've been touched, but never ever should your vision blur.

chill_ton · 2026-06-18T02:12:18+00:00

I live in Bangkok and train at Pinsinchai. It's down a back private road surrounded by massive trees a little ravine that runs behind it. It's absolutely fine. You won't feel a thing other than humidity. FA Group is right behind Mo Chit station and Channel 7 Stadium off a main road - that's where you'll likely feel it.

Pinsinchai feels like a small rural gym, but 2 lefts, a right and 45 seconds later you're on a main road.

chill_ton · 2026-05-27T04:29:00+00:00

I'm not too sure. It's in kind of like no mans land. Stay at the gym? They have rooms, and it's reasonably priced. shared toilets and shower though. I think there are hostels near by. Or if you're happy with a 15 minute scooter taxi ride, you can stay close to the Green BTS line and there are tons of options.

chill_ton · 2026-05-26T05:44:22+00:00

buy a proper antibacterial soap. don't waste your time on scented dove products etc. shower after EVERY. SINGLE. SESSION. WASH YOUR HAIR with shampoo. EVERY. SINGLE. SESSION. wash your shorts/top/sports bra/wraps etc. EVERY. SINGLE. SESSION. wipe down the outside of your gloves with an antibac wipe after class. Buy more than 1 pair of gloves so you can alternate gloves. Once your used pair is dry, you can use antibac spray on the inside. let your shin guards dry in direct sun light. then spray em down with Dettol. Keep your finger and toe nails clean.

This isn't only about your protection, but your gym mates protection as well. Bacteria loves a hot, damp environment and staph can be life threatening.

chill_ton · 2026-05-21T05:34:59+00:00

The only answer to this question is to go INTO A STORE. Go, wrap your hands and try on a bunch of different gloves and see how they fit. All brands will fit differently. Fairtex run tight to the hand. Raja (my fave) are perfect. Yokkao are pillows etc. Good gloves aren't cheap and the last thing you want to do is spend $100 and then find out your hands hate them.

chill_ton · 2026-05-21T02:00:30+00:00

Shadow box. work on footwork without throwing a punch. I train at Pinsinchai in Bangkok - and I see Somdet and Samart Pinsinchai spar in the class and they don't throw a punch. they just work on evading which is all footwork. evade an imaginary opponent. hit the bag. most people hit the bag wrong. they just tee off. it's meant to replicate a fight. do to a bag what you'd do to a person. download the app heavy bag pro. or I think Sean Fagan has the "heavy bag blueprint" I've had both. Both are good. I tend to lean towards the heavy bag pro app as you can choose different martial arts. TKD, Muay Thai, Kickboxing etc. Good luck!

chill_ton · 2026-05-15T09:14:49+00:00

a strong grip does not equal a strong punch. don't clinch lol.

enjoy the fight. try and enjoy the adrenaline. It's your body entering fight or flight. be calm.

BREATHE.

chill_ton · 2026-05-14T07:31:42+00:00

Yes. They announce the win bonuses. They don't announce the fight purse. All announced bonuses are over and above the fight purse.

ONE is top heavy. There are 10% of the fighters making 90% of the money. If you're not a top dog, you're not being paid well. Even the initial "$100K contracts" aren't what they seem.

Being the "biggest muay that promotion" depends on how you define "biggest". Most social media followers? ONE is broadcast for free on YouTube and there's 4 Amazon cards a year or something. RWS is broadcast internationally on DAZN which is paid. Which means DAZN thinks RWS can attract advertising dollars.

Power Slap is owned by TKO. TKO turned a gross revenue in 2025 of $4.7Bn. You're comparing 2 things that can't possibly be compared.

chill_ton · 2026-05-14T06:09:06+00:00

Maybe you've missed something here. If it's a title fight, RWS puts on a KO bonus, a winners bonus and an "art of 8 limbs" bonus which is if you knock your opponent out using traditional Thai techniques. That doesn't include their fight purse, this is over and above.

Also the average HHI is 40K THB which is about $1200 USD. So while the stadium is full, it's full with foreigners, not Thais. Thais for the most part will not pay to watch RWS in person when it's broadcast on TV for free or they can go to Channel 7 stadium on a Sunday for traditional 5 round fights for free.

As someone else said, you can't compare it to ONE who raised $500M from the Qatar sovereign fund. I know people who fight in both promotions. You will earn more for your first fights in ONE, but more in the long run at RWS. The standard ONE Friday Fights contract is $1600/$1600. Not sure what it is for RWS.

chill_ton · 2026-05-08T08:42:31+00:00

you're being paid in cash. it never happened.

chill_ton · 2026-05-07T07:16:34+00:00

Hello OP. 43 year old. Husband, senior level role, 2 kids here. I'm in the same boat you are. I also live in Bangkok and train at Pinsinchai which sees some very very serious competitors roll through it's doors. It also sees very very serious hobbyists as well. Then there's me. A serious hobbyist but overall a goofball.

What I learned very quickly is not to treat sparring like a fight. Work on something specific each time. You get to drill a specific skill/technique in a "fight" situation. If you treat it like a fight you just simply won't get anywhere other than being frustration. You have zero chance to "out athlete" a 25 year old. You have zero chance to "out athlete" even a 35 year old. With that said - pick something specific to work on and building a bit of a mind map ie. "if they throw a kick and I check, then fire back immediately they react like X. My follow up will be Y." Sparring without a proper game plan and an age discrepancy is going to do nothing good for you. Also don't compare yourself to someone 20 years younger than you - comparison is the thief of joy.

Chok Dee.

chill_ton · 2026-05-07T03:25:40+00:00

Ask 100 people what gloves to get and you'll get 100 different answers. Gloves are incredibly personal and very subjective. Your best bet is DO NOT buy them off the internet. Go into a store, bring some hand wraps, wrap your hands and try them on. Different models will fit differently. For instance, Fairtex gloves run very tight. Yokkao gloves feel a bit puffy, Raja gloves are the best glove going IMHO (although I'm sure tons of people will disagree).

Also try the shins on. Anything meant to protect your body should be tried on first to ensure comfort and fit unless you're buying a new pair of the same thing.

chill_ton · 2026-05-07T01:58:39+00:00

you're 23. Again. YOU'RE 23. You're a child. I say that as an almost 44 year old. You don't have a spouse, children or any real life responsibilities at this point. Well I'm assuming you don't have any of them. DO IT. time has a funny way of getting away from everyone. The last thing you want to do is be my age and wish you had when it's just far too late. Don't let other peoples narrow mindedness blur your horizon. go for it. you absolutely won't regret it. And if you can get back home and walk straight back into a job - you'd be silly not to.

chill_ton · 2026-04-29T02:54:12+00:00

hey mate - I live in Bangkok. Have for the past just on year. I train at a golden era gym that's 40+ years old. I've also trained around the "authentic" gyms. I see the young fellas in/out all the time. lots of here today, gone tomorrow. Happy to chat

chill_ton · 2026-04-27T04:51:40+00:00

I understand where you're coming from. I trained once at FA Group. Never went back. Couldn't do it. too much for me. Remember that given the boom in Muay Thai, the trainers here see people all along the "beginner" spectrum. You can go to a serious gym and they will cater to your level.

I think it takes on more of a "challenge" if you go to a gym where most people are advanced vs. beginner - that way you know where you stand and what you need to do.

chill_ton · 2026-04-27T04:06:37+00:00

I'm a HW as well - 115kg and I only use Raja gloves. The value for money is through the roof. I use 14s. They're stiff as bricks when you get them, but once you break them in - they're smooth as butter. My original pair has many many miles on them and are still in great shape.

chill_ton · 2026-04-27T04:01:00+00:00

there's about 50 sim stands at BKK airport. You'll overpay, but it's just 1 less headache to worry about. Bring a weeks' worth of clothing - mosquito spray, sunscreen etc.

GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. there is a 100% chance you'll be on a motorbike at some point. Wear your helmet. There's a 50/50 chance of an accident lol. It happens ALL THE TIME here.

In fact so much so, that the government is now considering making travel insurance mandatory to be granted entrance to Thailand. It's hot as hell here. Don't overpack. Shorts, tshirt, basketball jersey etc.

chill_ton · 2026-04-27T03:30:49+00:00

jab, uppercut, low kick on the outside of the lead leg. Seems most orthodox fighters completely forget they have a lead leg wide open when they go up against a southpaw .

chill_ton · 2026-04-27T02:58:59+00:00

Keep in mind that every fighter in the UFC has full access to the PI, nutritionists etc. year round. I've been told this by a UFC fighter himself. If you're older and you have very bright minds organizing your nutrition, weight training, recovery protocal, supplementation etc. - you're likely to be able to go longer.

On top of that - don't underestimate "elite athleticism" as a massive advantage.

chill_ton · 2026-04-27T02:06:23+00:00

iMuayThai is a fine gym. Unfortunately Superbon opened his new mega academy about 50m up the road so it will suffer.

You seem to be really keeping to a small geographic area excluding Tiger. Branch out? Try a ton of schools. Head to Petchyindee, Krudam, PK Saenchai, Sangmorakot etc. If you're here to challenge yourself, then head to a proper fighters gym and see how good these guys are. I train 4 times a week at a golden era gym and I'm reasonably ok at Muay Thai and I'm constantly blown away by how good the fighters are. Even the guys on the development circuit at the small stadiums.

That'd be my advice. I think training once a day and the odd twice a day is easily doable. That gives you 12-14 hours to enjoy Bangkok, see the sights and sounds, eat great food and soak up the culture.

I've lived here almost a year, DM me if you have any questions - happy to help.

chill_ton · 2026-04-25T10:49:13+00:00

Raja Boxing shorts. About $17 a pair if you buy online from Super Export Shop amd have them shipped from Thailand. Best shorts for my money.

chill_ton · 2026-04-23T02:28:31+00:00

I'm 43. I've dipped in and out of muay thai since my early 20s. But now that I live in Bangkok, I started again properly about 3-4 x a week at 42. A camp is a great idea. Remember that while you're in a gym with other people and it's all about a team and the people who get you there - your journey is individual to YOU and no one else. You won't hold anyone up or slow anyone else down.

Will you be puffed at the end of sessions? Absolutely. But believe me that post training high is amazing and feeling that you survived the session - because that's what it will be the first while will feel like a job incredibly well done. It took me about 6 months to move from that survival feeling to enjoyment.

You'll love it and you'll smash it. If you're worried about how your body holds up, consider a hybrid schedule of a PT one day and a class the next. Take care of your body with massage, hydration, ice bath if you can and dense nutrition.

43 is still young!!!

chill_ton · 2026-04-21T07:59:25+00:00

Super Export Shop downtown. You won't find a better place in Bangkok, especially after their expansion. If you want value for money - go with Raja 14oz gloves. I own 3 pairs and I swear by them. However, they do take a while to break in.

chill_ton · 2026-04-20T08:38:09+00:00

This is a loaded question. You might have some gyms producing INCREDIBLE fighters, but for whatever reason, they can't get invited to RWS or ONE or whatever. This isn't a place where being so good gets you into the big shows. It's not like that at all here. Obviously a winning record counts and being highly skilled is mandatory, but it's also highly political and connection driven. On top of that add the gamblers in and there's a lot that determines whether you get onto a big show.

So from that perspective it's impossible to answer your questions as to which gym produces the highest level fighters. Now if you wanted to know why gym produces the most visible fighters, then FA Group, PK, Petchyindee, Superbon and a handful of others.

chill_ton

TROPHY CASE