First and Foremost-  Hope everyone is healthy and safe. Thank you once again to all friends and members of TBI for your valuable contributions, donations and for keeping your accounts active to support the gym.  Your support has been immense and has kept the gym going since our closing.

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I know things are pretty tumultuous at the moment and at the risk of sounding insensitive I’m a bit apprehensive on giving an update but I have been inundated with messages recently in regards to CA gyms reopening.

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Now, I’m ready to train when y’all are ready to train.  Some might even say that y’all HAVE BEEN ready.  (Nudge nudge wink wink.)

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What I have been thinking is introducing a ‘Phased’ Part time opening of the gym starting on Monday, June 15th with a (hopefully) full schedule of classes for both Adults, Teens and Kids on Monday July 6th.

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Class sizes will be limited to 14 people, business as usual, clean gym as usual but now with a 15 minute buffer time between classes to allow for cleaning, disinfection and airing out the space.  

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Class Schedule starting on Monday June 15th will be as follows:  

Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 

5:30 PM-6:30 PM First Class

6:45 PM-7:45 PM Second Class

Limit of 14 people per class.  Class times and day subject to change.  

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The Scheduling part and controlling class sizes:  

You must pick a training schedule.  What days and times will work for you.  Obviously at the moment there will only be part time training but once we fully open up you must stick to the training schedule you choose.

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Pricing:  

I unfortunately have to raise rates and suspend the contracts for the time being.  I hope you all understand.  Contracts will eventually be brought back but for the time being all memberships will be on Month by Month* basis.  

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During this part time phase, Prior gym credit will be used to pay for your membership at the ‘Part-Time’ price of ‘$149’ per month.  Once we have a full schedule, pricing will be either $149 per month for ‘Part-Time’ (3 times a week) Training and $199 for ‘Unlimited’ Training. All prior membership credit can be used for when you decide to return, whether in June, or July, or however long it takes you to be ready to come back. 🙂

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Kids and Teens training will remain the same price of $99 for twice a week.

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We will start with adult classes.  We won’t be accepting new members yet and  teens and kids you guys have to wait til July, I’m very sorry.  This also means those teens that train with adults.

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Parents, please reach out to me when you think it’s acceptable for the kids and teens to come in- would love to hear from you.  If we get enough response we may open up kid’s classes sooner.

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That’s basically it.  Still trying to figure out the proposed full time schedule and how comfortable everyone will be with the situation and when to introduce more ‘contact’ friendly classes (AKA SPARRING).

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Yet again, this is all subject to change and would love to hear from you.  Please message me or e-mail me if you are interested in training and consider the scheduled times that you would sign up to.  Remember availability is limited.

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Thank you all once again for your support and patience. Look forward to spending time with all of you.

With Much Love,

Coach Vik

The post TBI re-opening! appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

We covered straight punch defense by replacing the target and using a forearm block. 

We can use this same technique to defend against hooks and uppercuts.

In addition to replacing the target, we can REMOVE the target instead with THE LEAN.

Why is this important?

✔️.  Learning to lean acts as an introduction to head movement.

✔️.  Can be used to defend almost all strikes from the waist up.

Techniques covered:

⚡️.  Right Forearm Block – Left Hook and Uppercut.

⚡️.  Left Forearm Block – Right Hook and Uppercut.

⚡️.  Lean.

⚡️.  Lean Variation.

Homework:

Practice these four combinations back to back for a total of a 3 min round.  📈

Combo 1:  Jab – Right Forearm Block Their Left Hook- Left Hook Counter

Combo 2:  Jab – Right Forearm Block Their Left Uppercut- Left Hook Counter

Combo 3:  Jab – Left Forearm Block Their Right Hook- Right Cross Counter

Combo 4:  Jab – Left Forearm Block Their Right Uppercut- Right Cross Counter

Combo 5:  Jab – Cross – Lean – Right Cross Counter

Common Mistakes:

✖️.  Never reach out to BLOCK a strike!

✖️.  Never Lean back more than once.

💡.  Try exhaling tight little breaths when defending against strikes using your forearms to reminder to not hold you breath.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Beginners Hook and Uppercut Defense: Forearm Block and The Lean appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Your opponent’s teeps can be incredibly frustrating. They often disrupt your offensive rhythm and prevent you from closing the distance.

We’ll cover one method of push kick defense called ‘Parrying’.

Why is this important?

✔️.  Prevent your opponent from keeping you away and maintaining their range

✔️.  A successful parry will misalign your opponent’s position and give you a perpendicular angle

✔️.   Will get you familiar with ‘Catching’ grips as a way alternative to parrying.

We also cover how to tell the difference between a push kick and round kick.

Techniques covered:

⚡️.  Right Inside Parry – Left Push kick

⚡️.  Left Outside Parry – Left Push kick

⚡️.  Left Inside Parry – Right Push kick

⚡️.  Right Outside Parry – Right Push kick

Homework:

Practice these four combinations back to back for a total of a 3 min round.  📈

Combo 1:  Jab – Right Inside Parry [the Left Push kick] – Left Hook

Combo 2:  Jab – Left Outside Parry [the Left Push kick] – Left Hook

Combo 3:  Jab – Left Inside Parry [the Right Push kick] – Right Cross

Combo 4:  Jab – Outside Parry [the Right Push kick] – Right Cross

Common Mistakes:

✖️.  Always follow through with your parry, treat it like a strike!

💡.  You can also implement evasive footwork with your parry to lower the risk of getting struck.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Share.  Like.  Subscribe.

Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Beginner’s Push Kick Defense: How to Parry appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Why is this important?

✔️.  Defense keeps you safe and healthy.  Think ‘Training Longevity’.

✔️.  Training strong defense teaches you how to recognize when you’re vulnerable and how to protect yourself against those vulnerabilities. 

My philosophy for defense follows what I call:  The Hierarchy of Defense.

Best to Worst: 

1.  Evasion

2.  Blocking,

3. Taking a hit to give a hit.     

But when I teach it, best way to train defense reflexes is learning how to parry and deflect punches.  

It’s a matter of learning to get comfortable in mostly uncomfortable situations, to remain calm, gain control and not panic when getting hit.

Techniques covered:

⚡️.  Parry the Jab

⚡️.  Parry the Cross

⚡️.  Block the Jab

⚡️.  Block the Cross.

⚡️.  Rear Kick/Knee attacking front of their body 

Homework:

There are four different combinations for you to implement into your shadow boxing routine.  As important it is to train offense, it’s equally important to train defense and countering techniques.  📈

Combo 1: Jab – Block – Jab

Combo 2: Jab – Parry – Jab

Combo 3: 1-2 – Block – Cross

Combo 4: 1-2 – Parry –  Cross 

Common Mistakes:

✖️.  Don’t reach for punches, whether you’re parrying or shelling. 

✖️.  When you create space, you create opportunity for your opponent to hurt you.

💡.  Visualize the strikes coming at you, focus on the timing of the defense.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Share.  Like.  

Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Introduction to Punch Defense: How to Defend Against Straight Punches appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Muay Thai Footwork Combination Drills:  Let’s put that fancy footwork to use.

Techniques covered:

⚡️.  Circle Footwork: Alternating Left and Right, Switching on Your Own.

⚡️.  Step Forwards/Backwards /Left /Right +Combo.  (’t-Squared’ Footwork)

⚡️.  Forwards and Backwards Straight Punch Coordination.

⚡️.  Pivot to Cross, Side Step to Cross Hook.

⚡️.  Circle Footwork While Punching.

⚡️.  Two Paces Gallop to Rear Knee. Evasive Step to Rear Knee.

Homework:

Do each technique for 30 seconds and cycle through all 6 for a full 3-min round.  📈

💡.  Always remember to be light on your feet (don’t drag your feet) and focus on fluid, smooth technique.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Drills for Learning How to Always Be in the Position to Punch, Evade & Counter Attack appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Muay Thai Circle Strafing with your Punches.

This is a fun, flashy way of punching while you’re moving.

Why is this important?

✔️.  This is a more advanced method of striking and moving at the same time. 

✔️.  We’re not changing position based-off an angle, rather moving in a circular manner while striking. 

✔️.  An alternative to pivot and side stepping. 

✔️.  Attack while changing directions.

Techniques covered:

⚡️. Semi-circle (strafing) to your left while punching.

AND

⚡️.  Semi-circle (strafing) to your right while punching.

Homework:

Take a whole 3-min round to practice this movement.  Start circling left as you’re attacking and then strafe back to center. Circle right as you’re attacking then strafe back to center. When you get the hang of it, you’ll want to incorporate both movements into the drill, attacking the entire time.  📈

Common Mistakes:

✖️.  Don’t cross your legs. 

✖️.  Don’t switch your stance. 

✖️.  Don’t narrow your stance.

💡.  Stay light on your feet and always remember to keep your opposite hand up and chin down while striking.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Share.  Like. 

Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Advance to a Superior Position While Punching at the SAME TIME appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Muay Thai Circle Strafing with your Punches.

This is a fun, flashy way of punching while you’re moving.

Why is this important?

✔️.  This is a more advanced method of striking and moving at the same time. 

✔️.  We’re not changing position based-off an angle, rather moving in a circular manner while striking. 

✔️.  An alternative to pivot and side stepping. 

✔️.  Attack while changing directions.

Techniques covered:

⚡️. Semi-circle (strafing) to your left while punching.

AND

⚡️.  Semi-circle (strafing) to your right while punching.

Homework:

Take a whole 3-min round to practice this movement.  Start circling left as you’re attacking and then strafe back to center. Circle right as you’re attacking then strafe back to center. When you get the hang of it, you’ll want to incorporate both movements into the drill, attacking the entire time.  📈

Common Mistakes:

✖️.  Don’t cross your legs. 

✖️.  Don’t switch your stance. 

✖️.  Don’t narrow your stance.

💡.  Stay light on your feet and always remember to keep your opposite hand up and chin down while striking.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Share.  Like. 

Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Advance to a Superior Position While Punching at the SAME TIME appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Muay Thai Kicks and Knees using Pivot Footwork

Why is this important?

✔️.  Great alternative when striking from perpendicular angle.

✔️.  Used when your opponent is using a tight high guard

✔️.  Here are your kicking counters off the Pivot and the Side Step

Techniques covered:

⚡️.  Rear Kick/Knee attacking front of their body 

AND

⚡️.  Side Step Right: Switch Kick / Knee attacking front of their body.

Homework:

To incorporate this into your shadow-boxing, practice visualizing an opponent taking a step towards you and you cutting the angle with either the pivot or the side step, finishing with your kick or knee.  📈

Common Mistakes:

✖️.  legs plie-ing or crossing. (Think ballet)

💡 As always, after you strike, remember to return back to your fight stance. 

Thanks for watching!  🤘✨

The post Out Maneuver Your Opponents and Counter With Deadly Knee Strikes appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

A continuation of our footwork series:  This video dealing with gaining a perpendicular angle to your opponent and using either a straight cross or a rear uppercut elbow to *hopefully* hurt or finish your opponent.

Techniques covered:

Pivot to Rear Cross / Rear Elbow

Side Step to Rear Cross / Rear Elbow

Homework:

To incorporate this into your shadow-boxing, practice visualizing an opponent taking a step towards you and you cutting the angle with either the pivot or side step, finishing with the cross or rear elbow.

Common Mistakes:

legs plie-ing (think ballet) or crossing over each other.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Share.  Like. 

Thank you for watching!

The post Develop Matrix-Esque Footwork With Muay Thai Boxing Counters appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.

Hit  an opponent without getting hit. Today, we’re going over the evasive step, and kick to counter.

Attacking backwards isn’t limited to just using punches but you can also kick or knee from an evasive step*

(*evasive step meaning one or several steps moving backwards)

If you have been following the footwork series, then you must be a bit familiar with what we call the evasive step. 

Step. Slide. 

Now we just add a knee or kick to that evasive step.

Step. Slide. Use Back Leg as a Spring. Rear Knee.

Can also be done with switch techniques.

Step. Slide. Switch Knee Counter.

Drill these two techniques 5 times each, repeating for a full 3 minute round. If you have the space, continue to move back with each strike, otherwise, you can still work this footwork in place.

You can grant the illusion of timidness and give your opponent a false sense of confidence by moving backwards.  

This is a great way to bait an opponent to walk into your attacks. 😉

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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Thank you for watching!

The post Punish as Pressuring Opponent With This Evasive Footwork to Knee Counter Attack appeared first on Thai Boxing Institute | Muay Thai West Los Angeles | Venice.