Janine & Nick Brent : reporters
I’m Andrea, researcher in Sport Science and Physical Education.
I started doing sport when I was a child and, with passion and determination, I
cultivated my skills on Athletic Training, Traditional Martial Arts, Yoga and Thai Massage.
During my journey I’ve been practicing and deepened combat disciplines such
as Kick Boxing, Wing Chun, Tai Chi Chuan and Western Boxing.
Anyway, the discipline that really changed my life perspective is the Ancient
Muay Thai or Muay Thai Boran, the reason why I decided to move and live in Asia for several years.
When the main topic is “Martial Arts”, many people expect to hear stories about
tournaments, championships, street fighting, old monks flying in the mountains,
etc. In this case, I’m so sorry because I’m not a good marketer and neither a storyteller…
On this Earth, everyone knows what Success or Failure means for him.
I’m here just to share my direct experience as a man, student and teacher,
totally lived according to the “Real Meaning of Martial Arts”: Fight For Life.
I’m not telling there is no practical approach! Every good martial artist deals
properly with fighting, but the purpose is completely different.
Why and when should we fight? What are you fighting for? Who and where is
your real enemy, except from inner visions?
Man has a long story: war, death, deception, violence, sacrifice and the dream
of peace… but he's still fighting, isn’t it?
Nowadays, for example, we have so many high technologies and professionals
in the whole world, but many people, at the new millennium, are still suffering
because they don’t have houses, food, medicines and clothes.
So, we have more Warriors in everyday life than in rings/cages, do you agree?
This is a very important concept to understand if we want to enter Martial Art according to its origins.
From this point of view, Martial Arts are a perfect means to achieve a peaceful dimension and to offer a better life for people, extremely far from the “personal glory”.
This is the “Muay” I strictly practiced and seriously learned in Thailand.
Muay Thai Boran was born in the battlefield, not in the gyms.
It was to preserve and protect thai population, not to offend, not as a career or other business forms.
Muay Thai Boran comes from the ancient thai fencing when thai people gave their life to defend the King and their families.
The technique was set to finish the enemy as soon as possible and continue the battle. Long marches, no food, no rest, blood everywhere, no fans “football style”.
So, talking about Muay Boran we still have a lot of confusion, especially in the west.
First of all, for its different goals, body setting and technique, Muay Boran is deeply different from the modern sport called Muay Thai. So, we should be able to understand what we are discussing.
Muay Boran is just a general term that covers different styles developed in different places, according to the traditions and the specific needs of several historical periods.
It’s very difficult to know exactly the origins of Muay, anyway, looking back the thai history, we can identify 5 main styles:
· Muay Korat (Siam Kingdom)
· Muay Lopburi (Siam Kingdom)
· Muay Pranakorn (Siam Kingdom)
· Muay Chaiya (Siam Kingdom)
· Muay Jerng (Lanna Kingdom)
Each style has a specific way to prepare the
student to face a full fighting.
I personally studied and learned Muay Jerng with
Kru Nick (Baan Sala Jerng) and Muay Chaiya under the branch of Kru Preang.
I was engaged into a hard path to understand how thai people consider body, mind and spirit as one, without any kind of speculation.
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What I’ve done and I’m carrying on is very far from
the business we have today for Muay Boran: uniforms, belts, certificates, pre-set techniques, acting as in a theatre, become teacher in few days/weeks/months, gadgets, events, etc.
Muay is definitely another story.It’s a particular initiation that involves many aspects of one’s psycho physical and behavioral lifestyle. The learning process takes a long time and it marks a non-return point towards self-awareness, making you a Warrior who fights to preserve the humans right.
My thai masters gave me the opportunity to “go in”
and the best greetings for them is to present Muay as it is, respecting the old way.
During the years I spent in southeast Asia, Thailand
welcomed me as a son, as a part of its family.In thanks of this I could enjoy the western and the
eastern culture as two hands joined together in a
prayer.
Martial Art is not merely Fighting..
Martial Art is every Breathe..
It's the Way you express Yourself..
It's the Way you interact with the World..
It's the Way to Purify your Mind.. like "White Flowers"..
Now we are the same thing, like Father and Son, like
Brothers, we are a family.
A line has been created, so now we are linked
together.
Old Teacher's Spirit protect us, as my Kru taught to
me I am going to teach to you, and you will teach to your students.(Initiatic Mantra)
To know more about my personal experience and
activities you are invited to visit my website www.muaymovement.com
Home - Muay Movement®
Muay Movement condivide Basi e Fondamentali per
Restare in Forma e Imparare a Combattere. Offre
una formazione individuale e di gruppo, rispettando
bisogni ed esigenze personali.
www.muaymovement.com
Thank you very much for reading. I wish you all the
best.
Dr. Manfredi Andrea – Sport Science & Physical
Education . He lives in Italy .
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