by: Ron Keegan
The significance of your posture goes far beyond daily life. Your posture can alter, how you play your favorite sports. Actually, most sports need various types of posture in order to successful attain, the goal of winning the game. The sport of golf is not different, if you have bad posture within your golf game, than this will have a negative effect on your golf swing.
One of the best golf swing tips that anyone can receive is how to perfect, their posture to improve their golf game. The power, emphasise and accuracy of your golf swing lays within your posture, however, if your posture does not meet proper guidelines, than your overall game will be affected.
Now that you realize the importance of posture in your golf game, how can you attain the ideal posture? More importantly, what is the ideal golf posture? While many people feel that good golfing posture is simply lowering their chin to view the golf ball, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Never has there been a golfing technique that has the ability to be interpreted in such a wide variety of ways. While some feel that keeping your body drastically relaxed and unrestricted will give you perfect golfing posture, other believe that a rigid stance and stiff upper body movement is the ideal posture. However, both of these beliefs are half true and half false.
The optimal golfing posture is notably easy to find, all it takes is an noticing of how your body is positioned. To set your body up for good posture, you must remember three key elements. The first is always keeping your back straight. This will allow you to keenly include all of your core muscles that are found in your torso.
Never allow your back to sag, or hunch over. This will actually weaken your golf swing, and throw your accuracy completely off. Next, always make sure that you bend your upper body at the hips. How you can achieve this is by sticking out your backside as if you are going to be sitting in a chair and then bend slightly forward. Make sure that you don’t arch your back, always keeping a strong and aligned spine. After performing this, allow your arms to hang down in front of you.
Always make sure that you evenly distribute your weight throughout your legs. Keep your knees bent, but allow them to be flexible enough to give your legs a spring to them. It is common for this posture to feel awkward at first; however, desired posture always feels more intense than it really is. Although, if you are feeling any pain in your lower back, make sure that your quadriceps are absorbing all of your body’s weight. Keep your feet extremely steadfast, and your shoulders and arms unconstrained and in a natural state.
Golf swing tips are a dime a dozen, however, here comes a tip that many people aren’t aware of, and that is what do you do with your head? Never allow your head to stay focused on the ground the entire time. This will wreck your golf game, and cause you to have horrible shots. Instead, always let your head follow the ball. Whenever the ball leaves the ground so should your head. Your head is habituated to your body, thus allow it to be as free as your arms, legs, hips and feet. It’s okay for your head to move with the golf ball, actually, it’s recommended.
Sabtu, 23 Agustus 2008
Snooker Tables
by: Steve Porter
Snooker is one of the great games, relaxing, requiring some skill but not too strenuous. Having a snooker room in your home is something to aspire to, at least for men. However you do need a large room for the 12-foot full-blown version. The good news is you can get smaller tables too, starting at 7 foot. They still have the same slate bed and leather pockets so they last forever and still have that classic wood frame. The 7 foot and 8 foot versions only have 10 reds on the table so the table doesn't get overcrowded with balls, but apart from that its almost as good as the real thing.
If you are thinking of buying a snooker table, first check the room size required. As a general rule of thumb, add 10 feet to each dimension to find out what room size you need. The 12-foot table for example requires a room size of 22 feet by 16 feet to allow for a clean cue action all around the table. The cues are normally 57 inches in length. So for a 7-foot table you need a room of 17 feet by 10 foot 6 inches. (A snooker table is always twice as long as it is wide)
When it comes to which one to buy, bear in mind that the actual playing surface is virtually the same on all snooker tables. The legs and the type of wood used determines the price of your table. The tables can be made either in solid wood like mahogany or ash or made from boxwood covered in a veneer. The tables made from the solid wood are stained to give it the colour you want whilst the veneered type have the correct colour of veneer applied and are less expensive. Also the leg design is also a factor in the cost. A complicated design is more difficult to make and so more expensive.
The larger tables have 8 legs and the smaller tables have 4 legs and the medium size tables have 6 legs. The weight of a big 12-foot table is almost 1 ton and generally the weight of a snooker table is the equivalent weight of 2 men per leg. So a 4-leg table is half a ton up to the full ton for an 8 leg table.
Most of the weight of a snooker table is in the slate of course. The thickness of the slate is usually 1 inch up to 1-¾ inches for the tournament tables. The smaller tables usually have a single piece of slate for tables up to 8 feet. Those pieces of slate are very heavy and would need 3 guys to lift it, and the bigger tables have their slate cut into 3 or 5 pieces so the slate can be lifted and then assembled at the customers house. This is why snooker tables should be professionally installed.
When the snooker table is put together, the frame is assembled first and that has large wooden cross members to put the slate on. The slate is the put onto the frame and if the slate is in separate pieces they are aligned to provide a perfectly flat surface so the gap between the individual pieces is virtually non-existent. The cloth is then stretched over the slate and stapled to the frame to keep the cloth taught. The cushions which already have the rubber and cloth prepared, are then bolted to the frame. The pockets are made from metal and leather are screwed into the side rails last of all.
So if you are thinking of buying a snooker table, first determine what size table will fit in your room and then decide what colour wood would be best in your room from light coloured ash to the dark mahogany. The weight of the table is spread between lots of legs and a standard floor type is usually quite sufficient. Then think of what it would be like to have your own snooker table, the look and feel of it, and enjoy.
Snooker is one of the great games, relaxing, requiring some skill but not too strenuous. Having a snooker room in your home is something to aspire to, at least for men. However you do need a large room for the 12-foot full-blown version. The good news is you can get smaller tables too, starting at 7 foot. They still have the same slate bed and leather pockets so they last forever and still have that classic wood frame. The 7 foot and 8 foot versions only have 10 reds on the table so the table doesn't get overcrowded with balls, but apart from that its almost as good as the real thing.
If you are thinking of buying a snooker table, first check the room size required. As a general rule of thumb, add 10 feet to each dimension to find out what room size you need. The 12-foot table for example requires a room size of 22 feet by 16 feet to allow for a clean cue action all around the table. The cues are normally 57 inches in length. So for a 7-foot table you need a room of 17 feet by 10 foot 6 inches. (A snooker table is always twice as long as it is wide)
When it comes to which one to buy, bear in mind that the actual playing surface is virtually the same on all snooker tables. The legs and the type of wood used determines the price of your table. The tables can be made either in solid wood like mahogany or ash or made from boxwood covered in a veneer. The tables made from the solid wood are stained to give it the colour you want whilst the veneered type have the correct colour of veneer applied and are less expensive. Also the leg design is also a factor in the cost. A complicated design is more difficult to make and so more expensive.
The larger tables have 8 legs and the smaller tables have 4 legs and the medium size tables have 6 legs. The weight of a big 12-foot table is almost 1 ton and generally the weight of a snooker table is the equivalent weight of 2 men per leg. So a 4-leg table is half a ton up to the full ton for an 8 leg table.
Most of the weight of a snooker table is in the slate of course. The thickness of the slate is usually 1 inch up to 1-¾ inches for the tournament tables. The smaller tables usually have a single piece of slate for tables up to 8 feet. Those pieces of slate are very heavy and would need 3 guys to lift it, and the bigger tables have their slate cut into 3 or 5 pieces so the slate can be lifted and then assembled at the customers house. This is why snooker tables should be professionally installed.
When the snooker table is put together, the frame is assembled first and that has large wooden cross members to put the slate on. The slate is the put onto the frame and if the slate is in separate pieces they are aligned to provide a perfectly flat surface so the gap between the individual pieces is virtually non-existent. The cloth is then stretched over the slate and stapled to the frame to keep the cloth taught. The cushions which already have the rubber and cloth prepared, are then bolted to the frame. The pockets are made from metal and leather are screwed into the side rails last of all.
So if you are thinking of buying a snooker table, first determine what size table will fit in your room and then decide what colour wood would be best in your room from light coloured ash to the dark mahogany. The weight of the table is spread between lots of legs and a standard floor type is usually quite sufficient. Then think of what it would be like to have your own snooker table, the look and feel of it, and enjoy.
Equestrian Sports – For The Love Of Competition
by: Tane Moores
As a species human beings enjoy competition in all its forms whether it be a simple kick around in the park or taking part in a major event, either as part of a team or as an individual. Equestrian Sports fulfil this desire to compete ion every level, either as part of a team or as individual. You can represent yourself, your club or at the very highest level, your Country.
Riding demonstrate the harmony between Rider and Horse in a way that nothing else does. Men and women can both take part on level playing field which is rare in any sporting event. The speed and dexterity with which they and their mounts flash around the course can be quite astounding to a novice. This is the result of many months of training and developing the relationship between the pairing. Before this can be developed you first have to choose the horse you want to ride.
The size of the horse has to be one of the first criteria – what good is it to have a horse that can run like the wind and jump a mile if your feet dangle on the floor or you are too heavy for him. Next comes temperament, you need a horse that you can work with, they have personalities just like people and sometimes personalities clash. If you find that you rub each other up the wrong way it will show in the competition and you will always be fighting to control your mount. That can be disastrous in Dressage for example, where you need to work as one. The precise movements are almost a ballet and any disharmony would be like the orchestra playing out of tune.
In any Equestrian Sport the condition of the horse plays a major part, he needs to be healthy and happy, well fed, watered and groomed so that he is comfortable and ready for the excitement of the competition – after all you want to win a Rosette don’t you?
There are many competitions in the world of Equestrian Sports but there are some that stand head and shoulders above the rest – the Burleigh Horse Trials in the UK where the best three day eventers compete. The National Horse Show in America covers many fields of equestrian endeavor and is held in Palm Beach under the auspices of the National Show Horse Association of America who focus the competitions on good horsemanship.
One of the most popular events in the calendar is the Horse of the Year Show at Olympia, London, which is held in December each year. A huge party atmosphere prevails throughout the show which specializes in Show Jumping but with lots of other competitions thrown in as well. I have many happy memories of competing there, it was like the beginning of Christmas. The ultimate competition is of course, the Olympic Games where Equestrian Sports are one of the oldest categories.
Any competitive rider will love taking part in their chosen branch of Equestrian Sport and so will their horse providing an exciting show for spectators, the buzz is tremendous and if you win…
As a species human beings enjoy competition in all its forms whether it be a simple kick around in the park or taking part in a major event, either as part of a team or as an individual. Equestrian Sports fulfil this desire to compete ion every level, either as part of a team or as individual. You can represent yourself, your club or at the very highest level, your Country.
Riding demonstrate the harmony between Rider and Horse in a way that nothing else does. Men and women can both take part on level playing field which is rare in any sporting event. The speed and dexterity with which they and their mounts flash around the course can be quite astounding to a novice. This is the result of many months of training and developing the relationship between the pairing. Before this can be developed you first have to choose the horse you want to ride.
The size of the horse has to be one of the first criteria – what good is it to have a horse that can run like the wind and jump a mile if your feet dangle on the floor or you are too heavy for him. Next comes temperament, you need a horse that you can work with, they have personalities just like people and sometimes personalities clash. If you find that you rub each other up the wrong way it will show in the competition and you will always be fighting to control your mount. That can be disastrous in Dressage for example, where you need to work as one. The precise movements are almost a ballet and any disharmony would be like the orchestra playing out of tune.
In any Equestrian Sport the condition of the horse plays a major part, he needs to be healthy and happy, well fed, watered and groomed so that he is comfortable and ready for the excitement of the competition – after all you want to win a Rosette don’t you?
There are many competitions in the world of Equestrian Sports but there are some that stand head and shoulders above the rest – the Burleigh Horse Trials in the UK where the best three day eventers compete. The National Horse Show in America covers many fields of equestrian endeavor and is held in Palm Beach under the auspices of the National Show Horse Association of America who focus the competitions on good horsemanship.
One of the most popular events in the calendar is the Horse of the Year Show at Olympia, London, which is held in December each year. A huge party atmosphere prevails throughout the show which specializes in Show Jumping but with lots of other competitions thrown in as well. I have many happy memories of competing there, it was like the beginning of Christmas. The ultimate competition is of course, the Olympic Games where Equestrian Sports are one of the oldest categories.
Any competitive rider will love taking part in their chosen branch of Equestrian Sport and so will their horse providing an exciting show for spectators, the buzz is tremendous and if you win…
The New Avenue for Hockey Tickets to Know it You Must Read On
by: Timothy Symonds
Folks, here is the biggest game of ice hockey that will make your day and you are still thinking if the hockey tickets will be obtainable. Or else, it may have happened many times that you wanted to grab hockey tickets for the matches of your favourite teams and couldn’t quite manage to do that, be it for the National Hockey League, the country’s biggest game or for the club level games. All curses to long lines, crazy fans, bulky orders, poor management, etc.
And here is the good news! Well, getting Hockey tickets is no more a dilemma now. You don’t need to stand in long snake lines to get them and neither do you need to wait out in the blistering heat. This is the good news coming in for everybody who desires hockey tickets especially when their favourite teams are out on the sports ground. Wow! Hockey tickets are after all gettable!
Well Ice hockey is the hot favourite sport in Canada and the nearby regions. Ice hockey tournaments are not just a sporting time but a time when every player and fan strives hard to make their team win. There is an immense unity amongst people and the visitors are always on the edge of their seats supporting their team and promoting the game. But for all this to happen, you need some hockey tickets right? Well, where are you getting them from?
Let’s break out the good news. Hockey tickets are being offered by several official and registered legal websites for fans. You don’t need to go to the search engines if you have heard this; you still need to know how to get these hockey tickets. For those wondering if this is legal, yes it is! But the most consolidating factor here can be the commitment of the website to the customers. These websites have a good consumer support and service cell.
This is done in a simple manner. The customer needs to look into these websites for advance notifications of the arriving tickets. You can keep an eye on the various offers from time to time. Apart from hockey tickets you may find tickets for various other games. You can book them in advance based on your interests and make an advance payment to the website on the basis of their rules, regulations and methodology. It is necessary to find the authenticity of the website. After this is done the website will offer you the tickets based on your order. You may order a number of tickets in case a group is going together. If the website offers a limit to the number of tickets an individual can purchase the person accompanying you may be required to place a separate order for the tickets.
In case you are a resident of another country you can still order the tickets. The stamp charge and the shipping charge will be added to the whole package but your hockey tickets will reach you safely. That’s what really matters, isn’t it. Wish you a happy game ahead. Good luck for your team!
Folks, here is the biggest game of ice hockey that will make your day and you are still thinking if the hockey tickets will be obtainable. Or else, it may have happened many times that you wanted to grab hockey tickets for the matches of your favourite teams and couldn’t quite manage to do that, be it for the National Hockey League, the country’s biggest game or for the club level games. All curses to long lines, crazy fans, bulky orders, poor management, etc.
And here is the good news! Well, getting Hockey tickets is no more a dilemma now. You don’t need to stand in long snake lines to get them and neither do you need to wait out in the blistering heat. This is the good news coming in for everybody who desires hockey tickets especially when their favourite teams are out on the sports ground. Wow! Hockey tickets are after all gettable!
Well Ice hockey is the hot favourite sport in Canada and the nearby regions. Ice hockey tournaments are not just a sporting time but a time when every player and fan strives hard to make their team win. There is an immense unity amongst people and the visitors are always on the edge of their seats supporting their team and promoting the game. But for all this to happen, you need some hockey tickets right? Well, where are you getting them from?
Let’s break out the good news. Hockey tickets are being offered by several official and registered legal websites for fans. You don’t need to go to the search engines if you have heard this; you still need to know how to get these hockey tickets. For those wondering if this is legal, yes it is! But the most consolidating factor here can be the commitment of the website to the customers. These websites have a good consumer support and service cell.
This is done in a simple manner. The customer needs to look into these websites for advance notifications of the arriving tickets. You can keep an eye on the various offers from time to time. Apart from hockey tickets you may find tickets for various other games. You can book them in advance based on your interests and make an advance payment to the website on the basis of their rules, regulations and methodology. It is necessary to find the authenticity of the website. After this is done the website will offer you the tickets based on your order. You may order a number of tickets in case a group is going together. If the website offers a limit to the number of tickets an individual can purchase the person accompanying you may be required to place a separate order for the tickets.
In case you are a resident of another country you can still order the tickets. The stamp charge and the shipping charge will be added to the whole package but your hockey tickets will reach you safely. That’s what really matters, isn’t it. Wish you a happy game ahead. Good luck for your team!
Sityodtong Muay Thai Legacy
by: Sityodtong LA
Kru Yodtong Senanan's place in Muay Thai history is legendary. That's why just two Muay Thai academies in the United States qualify as recognized affiliates of the Thailand camp that bears his name.
The significance of Muay Thai's Kru Yodtong Senanan's recent U.S. visit may have been lost to those unfamiliar with his celebrated contributions to the ancient art. But for students and trainers devoted to the art and sport of Muay Thai, his presence was treated with the kind of reverence usually reserved for dignitaries of international distinction.
So important is Kru Yodtong's role in preserving the history culture that the Kingdom of Thailand recognized him as a "Superior Teacher of Muay Thai." With the proclamation issued directly from the Royal Family, Yodtong's place of honor as a master, teacher and conservator of the sport will be forever documented in the annals of Thai history.
On a recent U.S. trip, Kru Yodtong accompanied Yodsanan 3k Battery, a WBA super featherweight world boxing champion and just one of many titleholders from Yodtong's namesake camp - Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp.
Along with producing number of skilled Muay Thai champions, the camp also turns out an equally impressive number of Western-style boxing champs, all of whom are students of the master himself, Kru Yodtong Senanan.
Muay Thai Master
Born 68 years ago as Erawan Sriwaralak, Yodtong's study of Muay Thai began at a distance, as the sport was then considered too dangerous for boys under the age of 15. Still, from the time he was four, Erawan observed and studied until he was old enough to begin formal training. That training began in earnest at Detrprasit Muay Thai camp when Yodtong was 14. His natural proclivity for the art became evident early on. Fighting under the moniker "Erawan Detrprasit" to honor his camp, he had his first bout just one year later. At 17, Yodtong moved to the Senanan Muay Thai camp and competed for six years before becoming a trainer to a string of Muay Thai champions. Though there are many camps throughout Thailand that specialize in any number of techniques, the heralded success of the champions hailing from the Sityodtong Payakaroon Camp comes down to teaching refined basics.
"Sityodtong is best known for our comprehensive instruction in all basic Muay Thai techniques," Yodtong said, adding that his camp is especially known for teaching the proper techniques for the use of elbows, kicks and knees. The age restriction placed on young fighters back when Yodtong was a boy have since been removed, allowing training to begin much earlier.
In fact, many of the young fighters at Yodtong's camp are orphans, some even juvenile delinquents. Not only are they trained in the fighting arts, they are also given food and shelter and attend school as well, allowing Yodtong to train the whole person. In addition to his rigorous training regimen, Yodtong offers sage advice to young fighters: "Be a good student, become a good teacher and stay away from a path of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. To be a good person is the most important thing."
Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp is located near the resort town of Pattaya Beach, about a 90-minute drive from Bangkok. In operation for over four decades, the camp has turned out a long list of champions that include Daotong Sityodtong, Gongtalanee Payakaroon, Samart Payakaroon, Yoddamrung, Khaosai Galaxy and a host of others.
The Payakaroon brothers are the two most-celebrated champions from Sityodtong. In fact, it was the Payakaroon name and reputation that literally put Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp on the map, thus the Camp name, Sityodtong Payakaroon. To be a stadium champion is an incredible feat. When you consider that Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand, becoming a stadium champion can be likened to winning the Super Bowl, the World Series, being NBA champs or winning the Boston Marathon. As a result, it's easy to see how an icon like Samart Payakaroon, a four-time Lumpinee Stadium champion plus a WBC champion and his older brother Gongtalanee Payakaroon, a five-time Lumpinee Stadium champion, are held in the highest regard.
To appreciate the significance of Muay Thai and Kru Yodtong's place of prominence in bring the fighting skill to its current level of notoriety, you must first appreciate Thai culture and history. Yodtong sums up the unique entwining of Muay Thai and Thai culture this way: "As anyone familiar in Muay Thai will tell you, one can benefit from improved health, develop a sense a personal safety while also enjoying the pleasures of out culture."
Heart of the People, Sport of Kings
There are two schools of thoughts about how Muay Thai became a national sport of Thailand. Some say that during the time of the Burmese invasions of Siam (Thailand), warriors indigenous to the land fought off their would-be invaders using their bodies as weapons, thus the legend of the most-famous and revered Thai boxes, Nai Khanom Tom.
In the 1700s during the fall of the ancient capital, Burmese soldiers captured and imprisoned many Thai citizens. Among the imprisoned populace were Thai boxers. However, the King of Burma granted Nai Khanom Yom his freedom and the freedom of the other Thai boxers after he defeated nine Burmese boxers. Not only did Nai Khanom Tom destroy his capturer's elite warriors in a spectacular fight to the finish, he also defeated a boxing instructor from a neighboring city.
The other school of thought holds that Muay Thai developed as Thai people moved from China. Whether indigenous or introduced by immigrants, all agree that while much of the history of Thailand - and hence the origins of Muay Thai - were destroyed during the Burmese invasions, the emergence of Thailand and the national sport of Muay Thai go hand in hand.
The effectiveness and popularity of Muay Thai as a combat skill was further reinforced during the reign of King Naresuan, who required all Thai soldiers to train in the fighting art. Later, Phra Chao Seua, "The Tiger King," also played a role in the development of Muay Thai as the national sport of Thailand, through his support of prizefights and the creation of early 18th-century training camps. In the 2,000 years that have transpired since the earliest known occurrence of Muay Thai, the popularity of the close-combat art has exploded beyond Thailand's borders, making Muay Thai an internationally recognized sport.
Two Schools, One Name
As the art of Muay Thai is interweaved in the Culture of the Thai people, so too are the champions of the Sityodtong camp steeped in traditions of the camp founder's fighting techniques. As the sport continues to gain in popularity among Westerners, Muay Thai gyms in the United States are increasing in numbers. However, of the many gyms that can be found throughout the country, Yodtong has bestowed only two with the distinct honor of being recognized as affiliates of his legendary camp: Sityodtong USA-Boston and Sityodtong USA-Los Angeles. As Yodtong explains, "The name Sityodtong refers to students of Kru (teacher) Yodtong, my family name. Yod in Thai means above all else and tong means flag (i.e., a flag that flies above all)." Fighters from Sityodtong USA in Boston and Los Angeles represent a long line of champions who collectively are a force with which to be reckoned.
Sityodtong USA-Boston is the East Coast affiliate of Sityodtong Thailand. Owner and operator Mark DellaGrotte lived and trained at Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp. A current Muay Thai champion, Yod Mark's fight record includes a second-round KO at the famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok. He was also ranked tenth at Rajadamnern. Yod Mark's trainer is Kru Toy, Kru Yodtong's son. Kru Toy is also the manager of Sityodtong Thailand, and has traveled to several countries to promote and preserve his father's teachings in the art and sport of Muay Thai.
DellaGrotte's martial arts training includes Jeet Kune Do Concepts, Kali, Silat and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. "Kru Yod Mark" has been personally appointed by Kru Yodtong to teach and promote Muay Thai around the world. His school, located in the Somerville area of Boston, has been in operation for seven years and has turned out a number of champions.
The other school in the United States that has the honor of being recognized as an affiliate of his Thailand camp is Sityodtong USA-Los Angeles (Sityodtong LA). The school is owned and operated by Walter "Sleeper" Michalowski and his wife, world-renowned martial artist, June Castro-Michalowski. Walter, a former Junior Middleweight Muay Thai champion, also trains and has fought for Kru Gongtalanee Payakaroon representing Sityodtong Thailand.
Michalowski's training began as a young boy in the sport of boxing. He also trained in traditional martial arts and later in the Jeet Kune Do Concepts under Sifu Richard Bustillo. In fact, Michalowski met his first Muay Thai trainer, Nanfa Serchadeco, an Olympic silver medalist in Boxing and Rajadamnern Stadium champion, while training at the well-known IMB Academy (International Martial Arts and Boxing) in Torrance, California.
Michalowski's impressive list of accomplishments includes a kickboxing title and six Muay Thai belts. At his last professional fight he was featured on Thai television as the Main Event at the newly built Pattaya Stadium in Thailand. Michalowski ended the fight with an exciting first-round knockout over a formidable opponent, Phothong Sor Preapan.
Thanks to his mastery of the art and respect for the Thai culture, when he and his wife opened their Pasadena location (Pro Training, Inc.) in September 2003, Michalowski, a certified senior instructor in Muay Thai, was approached by Kru Yodtong and was asked to be the U.S. West Coast affiliate. The facility was officially anointed the West Coast affiliate of the Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp.
Not only have DellaGrotte and Michalowski honed their craft at the namesake bearing Kru Yodtong's name, both men understand that the art of Muay Thai is one with the Thai culture. To separate one from the other is to denigrate the art. Both Michalowski and DellaGrotte speak Thai, which comes in handy for the regular trips they make to Thailand with their students. And, by earning the honor of becoming affiliates and conservators of Muay Thai in their own right, both continue a lasting relationship with master trainer, Kru Yodtong. Most important is the humility and respect that every level of student from both camps have for the Muay Thai master whose traditions and techniques are taught under the banner of Sityodtong USA.
Kru Yodtong Senanan's place in Muay Thai history is legendary. That's why just two Muay Thai academies in the United States qualify as recognized affiliates of the Thailand camp that bears his name.
The significance of Muay Thai's Kru Yodtong Senanan's recent U.S. visit may have been lost to those unfamiliar with his celebrated contributions to the ancient art. But for students and trainers devoted to the art and sport of Muay Thai, his presence was treated with the kind of reverence usually reserved for dignitaries of international distinction.
So important is Kru Yodtong's role in preserving the history culture that the Kingdom of Thailand recognized him as a "Superior Teacher of Muay Thai." With the proclamation issued directly from the Royal Family, Yodtong's place of honor as a master, teacher and conservator of the sport will be forever documented in the annals of Thai history.
On a recent U.S. trip, Kru Yodtong accompanied Yodsanan 3k Battery, a WBA super featherweight world boxing champion and just one of many titleholders from Yodtong's namesake camp - Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp.
Along with producing number of skilled Muay Thai champions, the camp also turns out an equally impressive number of Western-style boxing champs, all of whom are students of the master himself, Kru Yodtong Senanan.
Muay Thai Master
Born 68 years ago as Erawan Sriwaralak, Yodtong's study of Muay Thai began at a distance, as the sport was then considered too dangerous for boys under the age of 15. Still, from the time he was four, Erawan observed and studied until he was old enough to begin formal training. That training began in earnest at Detrprasit Muay Thai camp when Yodtong was 14. His natural proclivity for the art became evident early on. Fighting under the moniker "Erawan Detrprasit" to honor his camp, he had his first bout just one year later. At 17, Yodtong moved to the Senanan Muay Thai camp and competed for six years before becoming a trainer to a string of Muay Thai champions. Though there are many camps throughout Thailand that specialize in any number of techniques, the heralded success of the champions hailing from the Sityodtong Payakaroon Camp comes down to teaching refined basics.
"Sityodtong is best known for our comprehensive instruction in all basic Muay Thai techniques," Yodtong said, adding that his camp is especially known for teaching the proper techniques for the use of elbows, kicks and knees. The age restriction placed on young fighters back when Yodtong was a boy have since been removed, allowing training to begin much earlier.
In fact, many of the young fighters at Yodtong's camp are orphans, some even juvenile delinquents. Not only are they trained in the fighting arts, they are also given food and shelter and attend school as well, allowing Yodtong to train the whole person. In addition to his rigorous training regimen, Yodtong offers sage advice to young fighters: "Be a good student, become a good teacher and stay away from a path of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. To be a good person is the most important thing."
Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp is located near the resort town of Pattaya Beach, about a 90-minute drive from Bangkok. In operation for over four decades, the camp has turned out a long list of champions that include Daotong Sityodtong, Gongtalanee Payakaroon, Samart Payakaroon, Yoddamrung, Khaosai Galaxy and a host of others.
The Payakaroon brothers are the two most-celebrated champions from Sityodtong. In fact, it was the Payakaroon name and reputation that literally put Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp on the map, thus the Camp name, Sityodtong Payakaroon. To be a stadium champion is an incredible feat. When you consider that Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand, becoming a stadium champion can be likened to winning the Super Bowl, the World Series, being NBA champs or winning the Boston Marathon. As a result, it's easy to see how an icon like Samart Payakaroon, a four-time Lumpinee Stadium champion plus a WBC champion and his older brother Gongtalanee Payakaroon, a five-time Lumpinee Stadium champion, are held in the highest regard.
To appreciate the significance of Muay Thai and Kru Yodtong's place of prominence in bring the fighting skill to its current level of notoriety, you must first appreciate Thai culture and history. Yodtong sums up the unique entwining of Muay Thai and Thai culture this way: "As anyone familiar in Muay Thai will tell you, one can benefit from improved health, develop a sense a personal safety while also enjoying the pleasures of out culture."
Heart of the People, Sport of Kings
There are two schools of thoughts about how Muay Thai became a national sport of Thailand. Some say that during the time of the Burmese invasions of Siam (Thailand), warriors indigenous to the land fought off their would-be invaders using their bodies as weapons, thus the legend of the most-famous and revered Thai boxes, Nai Khanom Tom.
In the 1700s during the fall of the ancient capital, Burmese soldiers captured and imprisoned many Thai citizens. Among the imprisoned populace were Thai boxers. However, the King of Burma granted Nai Khanom Yom his freedom and the freedom of the other Thai boxers after he defeated nine Burmese boxers. Not only did Nai Khanom Tom destroy his capturer's elite warriors in a spectacular fight to the finish, he also defeated a boxing instructor from a neighboring city.
The other school of thought holds that Muay Thai developed as Thai people moved from China. Whether indigenous or introduced by immigrants, all agree that while much of the history of Thailand - and hence the origins of Muay Thai - were destroyed during the Burmese invasions, the emergence of Thailand and the national sport of Muay Thai go hand in hand.
The effectiveness and popularity of Muay Thai as a combat skill was further reinforced during the reign of King Naresuan, who required all Thai soldiers to train in the fighting art. Later, Phra Chao Seua, "The Tiger King," also played a role in the development of Muay Thai as the national sport of Thailand, through his support of prizefights and the creation of early 18th-century training camps. In the 2,000 years that have transpired since the earliest known occurrence of Muay Thai, the popularity of the close-combat art has exploded beyond Thailand's borders, making Muay Thai an internationally recognized sport.
Two Schools, One Name
As the art of Muay Thai is interweaved in the Culture of the Thai people, so too are the champions of the Sityodtong camp steeped in traditions of the camp founder's fighting techniques. As the sport continues to gain in popularity among Westerners, Muay Thai gyms in the United States are increasing in numbers. However, of the many gyms that can be found throughout the country, Yodtong has bestowed only two with the distinct honor of being recognized as affiliates of his legendary camp: Sityodtong USA-Boston and Sityodtong USA-Los Angeles. As Yodtong explains, "The name Sityodtong refers to students of Kru (teacher) Yodtong, my family name. Yod in Thai means above all else and tong means flag (i.e., a flag that flies above all)." Fighters from Sityodtong USA in Boston and Los Angeles represent a long line of champions who collectively are a force with which to be reckoned.
Sityodtong USA-Boston is the East Coast affiliate of Sityodtong Thailand. Owner and operator Mark DellaGrotte lived and trained at Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp. A current Muay Thai champion, Yod Mark's fight record includes a second-round KO at the famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok. He was also ranked tenth at Rajadamnern. Yod Mark's trainer is Kru Toy, Kru Yodtong's son. Kru Toy is also the manager of Sityodtong Thailand, and has traveled to several countries to promote and preserve his father's teachings in the art and sport of Muay Thai.
DellaGrotte's martial arts training includes Jeet Kune Do Concepts, Kali, Silat and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. "Kru Yod Mark" has been personally appointed by Kru Yodtong to teach and promote Muay Thai around the world. His school, located in the Somerville area of Boston, has been in operation for seven years and has turned out a number of champions.
The other school in the United States that has the honor of being recognized as an affiliate of his Thailand camp is Sityodtong USA-Los Angeles (Sityodtong LA). The school is owned and operated by Walter "Sleeper" Michalowski and his wife, world-renowned martial artist, June Castro-Michalowski. Walter, a former Junior Middleweight Muay Thai champion, also trains and has fought for Kru Gongtalanee Payakaroon representing Sityodtong Thailand.
Michalowski's training began as a young boy in the sport of boxing. He also trained in traditional martial arts and later in the Jeet Kune Do Concepts under Sifu Richard Bustillo. In fact, Michalowski met his first Muay Thai trainer, Nanfa Serchadeco, an Olympic silver medalist in Boxing and Rajadamnern Stadium champion, while training at the well-known IMB Academy (International Martial Arts and Boxing) in Torrance, California.
Michalowski's impressive list of accomplishments includes a kickboxing title and six Muay Thai belts. At his last professional fight he was featured on Thai television as the Main Event at the newly built Pattaya Stadium in Thailand. Michalowski ended the fight with an exciting first-round knockout over a formidable opponent, Phothong Sor Preapan.
Thanks to his mastery of the art and respect for the Thai culture, when he and his wife opened their Pasadena location (Pro Training, Inc.) in September 2003, Michalowski, a certified senior instructor in Muay Thai, was approached by Kru Yodtong and was asked to be the U.S. West Coast affiliate. The facility was officially anointed the West Coast affiliate of the Sityodtong Muay Thai Training Camp.
Not only have DellaGrotte and Michalowski honed their craft at the namesake bearing Kru Yodtong's name, both men understand that the art of Muay Thai is one with the Thai culture. To separate one from the other is to denigrate the art. Both Michalowski and DellaGrotte speak Thai, which comes in handy for the regular trips they make to Thailand with their students. And, by earning the honor of becoming affiliates and conservators of Muay Thai in their own right, both continue a lasting relationship with master trainer, Kru Yodtong. Most important is the humility and respect that every level of student from both camps have for the Muay Thai master whose traditions and techniques are taught under the banner of Sityodtong USA.
Night Trekking
by: Dev Sri
During night trekking you can enjoy the nocturnal beauty of the wildlife.
Trekking has remained men's passion from the day he took his first step on the earth. He always ventured out of home and his natural surroundings to explore something new, a world that was unknown to him. It is astonishing to learn that the human race migrated from one continent to another when there were no means of communication, no helping hands, and most of them who left their home could never return back.
Night Trekking in Kerala
Are you interested in experiencing a fun, exciting, and memorable Kerala night trekking adventure? If you are, you are definitely not alone. The landscape and wild life of Kerala is often referred as one the best in the world for trekking excursions.
During night trekking at the forests of Kerala you will be provided with guards for your safety and all you need is an open mind and sharp ear to face the upcoming unknown phenomena from inside the jungle.
Tiger reserve portions of Kerala is famous for night trekking. Periyar night trekking is mind blowing. Ardent nature lovers have always been wooed by the magnificent beauty of nature. Trekking is just not an adventure sport; it is an act of getting close to nature with emphasis on forest exploration and experiencing the wilderness by night. Periyar, Munnar, Chinnar forest and a lot of other places in Kerala is well fit for night trekking.
While on night trekking at Kerala the night time, near the river side enjoying the melody of the streaming water and bathing in the moon light is a life time experience.
The persons involving in the night trekking develop and sharpen their power of observation to sense the unseen animals and birds during dark nights. The night trek around Periyar takes you through thick tropical rain forests and grasslands and offers opportunities to see elephant, gaur bison, deer, Nilgiri Tahrs and many species of birds and rare butterflies, as well as the rare and endangered Lion Tailed Macaques.
A qualified naturalist or specialist guide may accompany you if needed. The trek also gives you an aerial view of the famed Sabari Mala temple, one of the holiest shrines of Hinduism which is visited by millions of devotees in December each year.
For night trekkers of Kerala wildlife sanctuaries, the forest department also provides armed guards. Camping is done when tourists are on a Tiger Trail programme. In this, usually, five guides and two forest officials accompany tourists in order to guide them and also to prevent them from getting lost in the forest area.
During night trekking you can enjoy the nocturnal beauty of the wildlife.
Trekking has remained men's passion from the day he took his first step on the earth. He always ventured out of home and his natural surroundings to explore something new, a world that was unknown to him. It is astonishing to learn that the human race migrated from one continent to another when there were no means of communication, no helping hands, and most of them who left their home could never return back.
Night Trekking in Kerala
Are you interested in experiencing a fun, exciting, and memorable Kerala night trekking adventure? If you are, you are definitely not alone. The landscape and wild life of Kerala is often referred as one the best in the world for trekking excursions.
During night trekking at the forests of Kerala you will be provided with guards for your safety and all you need is an open mind and sharp ear to face the upcoming unknown phenomena from inside the jungle.
Tiger reserve portions of Kerala is famous for night trekking. Periyar night trekking is mind blowing. Ardent nature lovers have always been wooed by the magnificent beauty of nature. Trekking is just not an adventure sport; it is an act of getting close to nature with emphasis on forest exploration and experiencing the wilderness by night. Periyar, Munnar, Chinnar forest and a lot of other places in Kerala is well fit for night trekking.
While on night trekking at Kerala the night time, near the river side enjoying the melody of the streaming water and bathing in the moon light is a life time experience.
The persons involving in the night trekking develop and sharpen their power of observation to sense the unseen animals and birds during dark nights. The night trek around Periyar takes you through thick tropical rain forests and grasslands and offers opportunities to see elephant, gaur bison, deer, Nilgiri Tahrs and many species of birds and rare butterflies, as well as the rare and endangered Lion Tailed Macaques.
A qualified naturalist or specialist guide may accompany you if needed. The trek also gives you an aerial view of the famed Sabari Mala temple, one of the holiest shrines of Hinduism which is visited by millions of devotees in December each year.
For night trekkers of Kerala wildlife sanctuaries, the forest department also provides armed guards. Camping is done when tourists are on a Tiger Trail programme. In this, usually, five guides and two forest officials accompany tourists in order to guide them and also to prevent them from getting lost in the forest area.
The Funs & Thrills of Mountaineering
by: Dev Sri
Mountaineering, otherwise known as Alpinism, is the sport, profession, or recreation of Climbing or going up mountains. It is a more challenging form of hiking; where one have to trek on higher altitudes. Although the toughest, this outdoor activity is also the most fulfilling.
There are many reasons why enthusiasts engage in mountain climbing. This sport challenges an individual’s capabilities and skills; plus it is also a great way to be one with nature. Mountaineers also find Climbing as a form of relaxation and exercise. But the most common purpose of people who go on Mountaineering even when the activity can be strenuous and dangerous is the reward of having a view of the rare and wonderful sights they will savor when they reach the summit.
Mountaineering is the ultimate challenge, the trial by fire, for the spirit, the mind and the body. In trying to reach the pinnacle, one can discover the essence of one's being. Kerala has some of the finest locations in the world to thoroughly enjoying the thrills and joys of mountaineering.
Standing on the summit is only part of the total enjoyment and satisfaction that one achieves from mountaineering - and more so in the Kerala regions.
Mountaineering as a sport has history as old as the history of the evolution of human race. The adventure started when the need was felt for people who could climb difficult heights to meet people across the border for different purposes and now that difficulty is not the part of our life. Even if the nature to take risks and getting pleasure in conquering something totally unknown and unexplored still fascinates mountaineers all over.
Mountaineering in Kerala
Kerala offers a number of adventurous tourist destinations. The choice of adventure sports in Kerala is the best choice and you have a wide variety of options like camping, canoeing, kayaking, mountaineering, mountain biking, parasailing, rafting, trekking and wildlife safaris. Kerala provides mountaineering training in different destinations.
If you're fired up by the spirit of adventure, let the sparks in your heart fly in Kerala, a land blessed with lofty mist-clad peaks, crystal glaciers, rolling meadows, jagged rock faces, verdant valleys, meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, dense forests, and hospitable people, blessed with a rich culture - a land perfect for mountaineering, trekking, and rock climbing. People seeking mountaineering in India will catch the entertainment at Kerala.
Mountaineering, otherwise known as Alpinism, is the sport, profession, or recreation of Climbing or going up mountains. It is a more challenging form of hiking; where one have to trek on higher altitudes. Although the toughest, this outdoor activity is also the most fulfilling.
There are many reasons why enthusiasts engage in mountain climbing. This sport challenges an individual’s capabilities and skills; plus it is also a great way to be one with nature. Mountaineers also find Climbing as a form of relaxation and exercise. But the most common purpose of people who go on Mountaineering even when the activity can be strenuous and dangerous is the reward of having a view of the rare and wonderful sights they will savor when they reach the summit.
Mountaineering is the ultimate challenge, the trial by fire, for the spirit, the mind and the body. In trying to reach the pinnacle, one can discover the essence of one's being. Kerala has some of the finest locations in the world to thoroughly enjoying the thrills and joys of mountaineering.
Standing on the summit is only part of the total enjoyment and satisfaction that one achieves from mountaineering - and more so in the Kerala regions.
Mountaineering as a sport has history as old as the history of the evolution of human race. The adventure started when the need was felt for people who could climb difficult heights to meet people across the border for different purposes and now that difficulty is not the part of our life. Even if the nature to take risks and getting pleasure in conquering something totally unknown and unexplored still fascinates mountaineers all over.
Mountaineering in Kerala
Kerala offers a number of adventurous tourist destinations. The choice of adventure sports in Kerala is the best choice and you have a wide variety of options like camping, canoeing, kayaking, mountaineering, mountain biking, parasailing, rafting, trekking and wildlife safaris. Kerala provides mountaineering training in different destinations.
If you're fired up by the spirit of adventure, let the sparks in your heart fly in Kerala, a land blessed with lofty mist-clad peaks, crystal glaciers, rolling meadows, jagged rock faces, verdant valleys, meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, dense forests, and hospitable people, blessed with a rich culture - a land perfect for mountaineering, trekking, and rock climbing. People seeking mountaineering in India will catch the entertainment at Kerala.
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