Everything we do in life requires some form of training. We learn things by doing, and by doing, we improve ourselves without consciously being aware of it. Think about your own experiences going through school, educating yourself with, not only Science and Math, but on how to interact with peers, manage your time, join school functions, and dealing with issues growing up. In a lot of ways, ‘life is mostly training’ because we are constantly learning as we go, learning from past mistakes, and taking on ever-evolving challenges. Any individual interested in acquiring a set of new skills, such as taking up a new sport, hobby, or job, must invest sufficient time in order to adapt and gain proficiency. Let’s take Muay Thai training as a specialized skill. A newbie is introduced to the basics, then advanced movements would soon follow. In the process, the student learns how to move his or her body as it relates to striking, blocking, and countering. It’s like learning how to dance with numerous routines to master. Initially, one has to do the curriculum in strict fashion, not to deviate from the standards in place. After proficiency is attained, one becomes self-aware and self-reliant, adapting to the immediate environment, gaining discipline, following appropriate behaviors, and no longer seeing Muay Thai as a tool, but as a lifestyle.

Training, in essence, is a non-stop exercise of both mind and body. And to understand Muay Thai in a spiritual sense, one’s actions and thought processes must be guided, regulated, and encouraged by responsible and knowledgeable teachers in order to transcend the physical and mental barriers of practiced skills. Nonetheless, it’s an endless process of absorbing the good, discarding the bad, and contributing to those in need. Whereas the Muay Thai we see on TV can be described as its most powerful and potent form, the unseen characteristics of it are what defines a great fighter, a mere enthusiast, and/or a responsible Martial Artist.