What does one ask themselves when looking for a gym? Is it close to me? Is it expensive? Are the classes and instructors “good”? Does it have a nice shower and lots of bathrooms? Sometimes you gotta ask yourself if it’s a gym that you’re looking for or a spa? Fuck that. I say: “I want a gym thats going to help me become more than I ever could be on my own.”
Today I dropped in to train at Team Victory Muay Thai in Inglewood, CA with Kru Rod McKiver. Man, I’ve been harboring this notion for close to 6 months now since I started seeing Kru Rod out at the fights always prepping and cornering fighters; and my visit today wasn’t short on fun, challenge, learning and laughing!
The gym wasn’t overly crowded today and the community of #8Limbs enthusiasts that showed up for the Monday morning class included one of my favorite LA-based pro fighters Jermaine Soto.
I was fortunate enough to get in some combos, pad work and light sparring with Soto who is in full preparation for his upcoming appearance on the Glory 37 fight card to be held here in Los Angeles on Jan 20, 2017. Yes, we will be there in full force making noise for Jermaine Soto, Mike Lemaire and Zoila Frausto! It’s such a great fight season right now as we blast into the new year!
CXF had an incredible night of mixed martial arts fights this past weekend with #TeamVictory bad girl Madison McElhaney winning over Bryanna Fissori in an absolute grappling and striking clinic! #WCKMuayThai has a packed card entitled Ultimate Conquest taking place in San Diego on Jan 7, 2017 featuring Super Landon Simmons, Joe GoGo, Travis Clay and multiple title bouts including Ana Flores and Selina Flores competing for the IAMTF Women’s Atomweight belt. Which leads right into Glory 37 on Jan 20 in downtown LA. Shit my holiday season is made already! 🙂
If you’re training muay thai seriously and you live anywhere in or around Los Angeles or Orange County then you’re likely already familiar with the Team Victory name and Kru Rod. If you’re not familiar, it’s really worth it to familiarize yourself. Look em up on facebook or follow them on Instagram and make arrangements to visit the gym and glove up. Check your ego at the door and get ready to fall into the flow of authentic muay thai training.
If you love muay thai but don’t have any plans on fighting, that’s absolutely NO reason not to experience the sensation of training as though you’re fighting next month! It’s not about training harder harder harder…it’s about training better better better!
The techniques that Kru Rod teaches are creative, effective and versatile; and he’s paying enough attention to each person in the room that he’ll tweak your execution in order to compliment your unique self. It’s those little details that I got today not only from the coach but from the students alike that I really cherish. But please, don’t let me forget to communicate how fun this place is. If you’re not having fun training muay thai then please stop and recheck everything because that’s what this journey is reallly all about. These fools are really having fun and really fucking good too. it’s another reason that I love muay thai so much; never have I felt so relaxed and carefree in a room full of straight killers! LOL!