Classes are held in Stratford, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Teaching Muay Boran (old style boxing) and regular Thai Boxing. Classes are both for men and women. With emphasis on technique, pad training and keeping fit. If you just like a fun workout with pad training, then thats a great way of keeping fit.
Also Paul Whitrod regularly organises training trips to Buddhai sawan and Sasiprapa Muay Thai Camp in Bangkapi, Bangkok. Which is not far from the Krabi krabong school. As is jitty gym in Lad Prao both are a non-commercial Muay Thai Camp and they are very welcoming and accommodating.
Paul is currently building a good relationship with the camp over the last 5 years. Many people worry about their first time training in Thailand. Rest assured, both Muay Thai Gyms in Thailand have good reputation.
For years the art of Krabi Krabong was kept secret and was slowly dying out. But thanks to many of its practitioners like the legendary Grandmaster Ajarn Mesamana and his son 70 year old Ajarn Pramote Mesamana is being kept alive.
Ajarn Pramote studied this art at a young age from his father Ajarn Mesamana who passed away in 1998. Since then he carried the name Buddhai Sawan and has relocated at Bangkok area of Lad Prao.
Ajarn Pramote has now passed the art onto Paul Whitrod who has reached Gold Sash in the art of Krabi Krabong and with the blessing from Ajarn Promote openly teaches in the UK carrying the name Buddhai Sawan, teaching this fantastic and obscure Thai Martial art.
Krabi Krabong is the Thai art of swordmanship, you can now learn this rare art in Stratford, London.
Some insight of 1st Course Material
double swords (Daab) training, two man drills, wai kru, fighting drills, classical dances etc, must be completed before moving on to all other weapons.
Old string boxing is one of the vicious of all martial arts, two opponents wrap the hands in bound string, dip their hands in glue add some broken glass. You can easily see why its a vicious sport. In the west its been known or called Muay Boran which means old boxing, but the real name is Muay Thai Kad Chuia.
Thai Boxing has a history back in the medieval ages when wars were fought with bow and arrows, swords etc. In close fighting warriors used what ever weapons they had, ranging from fists, arms, legs, knee, and elbow to defeat their enemies. Thai boxing was included in the military training since the time of the great King Naresuan (1560 AD) or (2103 B.E) Buddhist Calculations. Thailand (or Sri Siam in former times) engaged in many wars with neighbouring Burma and King Naresuan,s battles were countless with the Burmese. Once his Burmese captors captured him. He was given a chance for his freedom by fighting with the Burmese best boxer. Knowing his own prowess for self-defence. He accepted the challenge In the fight for his freedom he vanquished all his opponents and gained his liberty. Upon his return to Siam he was hailed a hero and the Thai style of Boxing was raised to a national sport. (Muay Thai kad Chuia) Another story was another famous boxer whose name Nai Kanome Tome meaning Mr rice cake who Ko'd nine Burmese boxers. They entered the ring with fists bound in string hardened with glue and sharpened with glass. This became known as string boxing of Thailand.