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I would like to address a few questions posed by the contributors to this thread. First, thanks for the lively discussion.
I have a complete curriculum, developed in conjunction with Khru Glenn Boodry (certified Class 7 Level 1 in September of 1994) which lays out the hours needed to attain certain rankings, what drills and or weapons needed, what wai kru needed. I have reported this to my seniors/sponsors/directors and there has been no reponse.
Myself and others who wish to remain unknown (deliberate obfuscation here) have approached Master Chai about the idea of piggy-backing, and his response was that it is up to whoever sets up the seminar, he just works as an instructor. He has told me repeatedly that everything he does is highly influenced by his exposure to Krabi-Krabong through his uncle, who was one of the most-respected Krabi-Krabong practitioners in Thailand. Just look at his form, very squared, feet shortened compared to most who kick more from a boxing positioin, and how he uses his elbows. I have heard him say at least 1000 times that the elbows come from the sword. No other muay Thai stylists protect their head when they elbow the way he teaches us to.
And as far as the 15 and 17 counts, Master Chai himself told me he had to do that to appease certain elements (the majority) of the TBA who needed to prove to themselves they knew muay Thai. Those of us who work/run the camp who are not affiliated with any other non-Thai organizations he told "don't worry about those things, just teach and learn the whole art. It is better. Just learn the basics and show your students the 15-count the day of the test and they will do fine." It is a moot point, because we were never shown anything with the 15-count on it, probably because the TBA does not do mailings, and most people who have those requirements got them through another organization. Isn't that interesting.
I personally feel there is nothing wrong with remaining a Basic Level Instructor. There is no shame. But there is shame claiming to be an Advanced Instructor when you yourself only know the 15 or 17 count, and have successfully taught it to 5 students. No one is demanding that you advance, you have to ask to be tested, just like the Basic Certification. Shouldn't the requirements be advanced also?
Earlier someone mentioned Muay Thai Boran (which I am authorized to teach as a form of Thai jujutsu) , Muay Kacheuk (which means to cut or to wrap depending on who you talk with, involving the use of the forearms and elbows more, lower stances and long ranges) and Ler Drit (pronounced Lerd Lit by the way, and some claim its origins date to the Japanese occupation of the 1940s. It looks like a combination of hard-style Karate and muay Thai). All those arts, the same as muay Thai, are subsystems of Krabi-Krabong, which is not just a weapon system, but a complete fighting system, having strategies akin to fire and movement and fire and motion, generalship (ring generalship is 60% of the scoring in a muay Thai fight), fighting as part of a group (1, 2, 3, 4, etc. number of people. This was addressed belatedly by another affiliated association only after 2 seniors were attacked on the street in LA and one was killed because they did not understand how to fight as a pair). Krabi-Krabong also includes knife-throwing, bow and arrows, firearms. If you truly seek to be an Advanced Instructor this is a great way to continue your growth.
My apologies if I seem a little pedantic, but I love Krabi-Krabong. It reached out and grabbed my old 'grunt heart.' It is the closest thing to total immersion combat I have experienced since I was chasing NVA around the hills of Laos. - Stephen M Wilson Class 8 Level 1 with honors (Grandmaster or Ajarn certification) and a proud Basic Level Instructor of muay Thai since June of 1986. LOLOLOL
I would like to address a few questions posed by the contributors to this thread. First, thanks for the lively discussion.
I have a complete curriculum, developed in conjunction with Khru Glenn Boodry (certified Class 7 Level 1 in September of 1994) which lays out the hours needed to attain certain rankings, what drills and or weapons needed, what wai kru needed. I have reported this to my seniors/sponsors/directors and there has been no reponse.
Myself and others who wish to remain unknown (deliberate obfuscation here) have approached Master Chai about the idea of piggy-backing, and his response was that it is up to whoever sets up the seminar, he just works as an instructor. He has told me repeatedly that everything he does is highly influenced by his exposure to Krabi-Krabong through his uncle, who was one of the most-respected Krabi-Krabong practitioners in Thailand. Just look at his form, very squared, feet shortened compared to most who kick more from a boxing positioin, and how he uses his elbows. I have heard him say at least 1000 times that the elbows come from the sword. No other muay Thai stylists protect their head when they elbow the way he teaches us to.
And as far as the 15 and 17 counts, Master Chai himself told me he had to do that to appease certain elements (the majority) of the TBA who needed to prove to themselves they knew muay Thai. Those of us who work/run the camp who are not affiliated with any other non-Thai organizations he told "don't worry about those things, just teach and learn the whole art. It is better. Just learn the basics and show your students the 15-count the day of the test and they will do fine." It is a moot point, because we were never shown anything with the 15-count on it, probably because the TBA does not do mailings, and most people who have those requirements got them through another organization. Isn't that interesting.
I personally feel there is nothing wrong with remaining a Basic Level Instructor. There is no shame. But there is shame claiming to be an Advanced Instructor when you yourself only know the 15 or 17 count, and have successfully taught it to 5 students. No one is demanding that you advance, you have to ask to be tested, just like the Basic Certification. Shouldn't the requirements be advanced also?
Earlier someone mentioned Muay Thai Boran (which I am authorized to teach as a form of Thai jujutsu) , Muay Kacheuk (which means to cut or to wrap depending on who you talk with, involving the use of the forearms and elbows more, lower stances and long ranges) and Ler Drit (pronounced Lerd Lit by the way, and some claim its origins date to the Japanese occupation of the 1940s. It looks like a combination of hard-style Karate and muay Thai). All those arts, the same as muay Thai, are subsystems of Krabi-Krabong, which is not just a weapon system, but a complete fighting system, having strategies akin to fire and movement and fire and motion, generalship (ring generalship is 60% of the scoring in a muay Thai fight), fighting as part of a group (1, 2, 3, 4, etc. number of people. This was addressed belatedly by another affiliated association only after 2 seniors were attacked on the street in LA and one was killed because they did not understand how to fight as a pair). Krabi-Krabong also includes knife-throwing, bow and arrows, firearms. If you truly seek to be an Advanced Instructor this is a great way to continue your growth.
My apologies if I seem a little pedantic, but I love Krabi-Krabong. It reached out and grabbed my old 'grunt heart.' It is the closest thing to total immersion combat I have experienced since I was chasing NVA around the hills of Laos. - Stephen M Wilson Class 8 Level 1 with honors (Grandmaster or Ajarn certification) and a proud Basic Level Instructor of muay Thai since June of 1986. LOLOLOL
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