By Laura Dal Farra
I think it’s about time I write this down as I’ve seen enough people do some cracked things at the gyms I’ve trained at. I’ve seen it not only affect the quality of the training they received, I’ve also witnessed it, at times; affect the general mood of a gym. I’m not going to front and say I know every code of etiquette, nor will I suggest every gym is the same, nor am I your mother and feel the right to tell you what to do. What I’m looking to do is open a dialogue here, not a bitch session – we all need to help each other out. Whether you agree with this or not, this is the best I currently have to offer. Please excuse some of the language; my intent is to be concise, not dogmatic.
Feel free to add to, dispute and/or make adjustments to the following list:
1. Expect people not to speak English. Getting pissed off at them if they can’t generally won’t work in your favour. If you can’t handle it, try a more Foreigner friendly gym. Or pick up some Thai/bring a phrasebook with you. Lonely Planet publishes a decent one.
2. You might want to keep your attitude in check when you walk in the door. Most gyms are not only where the Thai nak muays train, it is also where they live. You want someone coming into your home and walking around screwfacing you? Screwfacing your little brother?
3. I think we should respect the Foreigners that are already there. We’re all in this together. I didn’t say you had to like them, or even speak to them, but yeah, I don’t think it’s a wise choice to walk into a gym and start copping attitude towards the other Foreigners. For a variety of reasons. One bringing us back to point numero two. You don’t know who’s who. Plus, who needs your negativity?
4. No one at the gym is your servant. No matter how much you pay. So keeping that in mind, you might want to clean up after yourself. There was a crew that came in that left garbage all over the place after every session…?
5. If you see beds in the vicinity, I wouldn’t use them to house your gym equipment, sweaty shorts, or anything for that matter. They’re beds. People sleep there….you’re not going to make friends leaving your nastiness on their sheets.
6. Wai before entering the ring. From my experience, it’s not necessarily expected from the Foreigners, but I think it’s a pretty good habit to form. If you’re confused, just follow the lead from the Thais.
7. Ladies, I suggest asking if you’re allowed in the ring if it’s not obvious. It sucks by our standards, but it’s a reality. Thailand is all over the place on this one. At some gyms we’re allowed in the ring, some we’re not and others have a ring specifically for women.
8. Ladies II. Wear a bra. Did I really have to write that? Really?
9. Ladies III. If you go in like you’re the party, expect to be the party. A lot of these guys aren’t around a lot of women. A lot of them have girlfriends and wives in other parts of the country they see periodically. If your mission is to use the guys like cattle….enjoy it….I guess…. ? I suspect you’ll have plenty of opportunity. However, please note, it can bring a lot of drama to your life and to the gym.
10. I’ll reiterate something Clifton Brown recently reminded me of – as outsiders, we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to learn this art from the Thais. Humility is a virtue.
11. Don’t be anybody’s bitch. Unless of course you enjoy it because from my experience, there’s plenty of potential for it to happen. I’ve seen people continually pay for people’s phonecards, lend people money they never get back, buy people crazy things. If you think it’ll gain you respect or a way in to someone’s heart, I don’t know, I haven’t seen it happen. It’s okay to say no. Even if it’s your trainer. There’s a difference between helping people out and being exploited. Be aware and make the choice. It’s yours.
12. Enjoy yourself. I think a lot of us come in on a mission to gain the most out of our training in the least amount of time. This is great, until it works against us. I know I’ve been guilty of this one. I’ve been too linear and tried to power through my training when I should have been more relaxed knowing that in time, it will come. I get a lot more out of my time and my trainer works better with me when I maintain the pace, but take pleasure in the present. Stressing about what I can’t do only messes with what I can do. I’ve been told over and over again by the krus I’ve been blessed with in this country to aim for daily improvement and not perfection. Type A personalities generally don’t fly well in gyms over here. And yeah, it’s a lot more fun for everyone involved.
13. Respect goes a long way.
Who’s got number 14?
July 3, 2009 at 7:27 am
I’ll add a few I learned from personal experience.
1. Don’t be too loud in a quiet place. This was a big no-no I learned the hard way.
2. No feet on anything but the ground. Even if you’re at a strip joint. Apparently, your feet are dirtier than the things that go on in Pat Pong…
3. Don’t expect food you order to be correct or brought to you in a timely manner. You gotta be patient.
4. Tip everyone that helps you in anyway. If you’re at a camp that will mix your protein shake for you, tip them everytime even if they don’t charge.
5. Learn as much Thai before during and after your trip, it will make things much easier.
6. Don’t be that American asshole that all the Thai’s want to knee spar to see who can throw you the most times. Just train.
7. Hide your money, phone cards, shoes, and food. It’s a poverty stricken country first, then it’s the land of smiles second. No matter how nice the locals are, they are poor and you aren’t.
8. Bring your own lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Big C market sucks.
9. Don’t kill yourself the first week you get there, you will crap out and the second week will be miserable. It happens to every falang and they burn out.
10. Don’t get married…
July 3, 2009 at 9:29 am
Don’t get married! hahahah this is true… ladies they are trainers, not souvenirs.
July 3, 2009 at 11:28 am
number 6, about the wai…
nice to get into the habbit of doing it the the bag before and after you use it,
your trainner before and after he holds pads for you, the guy you clinch with before and after… its nice to do :D
oh, becareful putting gloves and shoes on, best to give them a whack and check there aint anything living in there like a scorpion, spider or centipede… ive seen it!
when you go for a run please wear a shirt!!! quite annoying even for me to see ferang running round working on their tans… its very disrespectful!
dont swear or get angry in the ring or round the trainers either, its not nice.
and when your trainer tells you something its nice to say krap instead of ok all the time, the trainer will appreciate it.
July 3, 2009 at 11:49 am
hahaha! A few years ago, there was much drama incited when ladies were getting “souvenirs” from the trainers………don’t want to go too much into it but damn, there was a lot of drama as a result.
Don’t get married! That’s hilarious! Speaking from experience huh? Just kidding.
Doing the wai, not just in the gym goes a long way from my experience. I remember one of the trainers was educating me on how to do it properly, when and what occasion…….good memories.
July 3, 2009 at 11:59 am
By the way, Nop, thanks for all your work. Your website is great! Thank you.
July 3, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Thanks for the tips! I really appreciate this post.
July 3, 2009 at 6:19 pm
most important:
IF YOU SMELL LIKE SHIT, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND TAKE EXTRA MEASURES FOR YOUR STANK ASS
July 3, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Yeah staying as clean as possible is a good one.
Thai people shower like 5 times a day during the summer, and they dont even sweat !
July 3, 2009 at 7:24 pm
damn i hate those plastic tube jump ropes…. im getting flashbacks of them shits hitting my toes.
July 3, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Thought of a few more.
Bring your own cheap sandals for the showers. You will get a planters wart on your foot and not be able to walk.
Don’t touch the bugs. They say the centipedes can kill you, don’t know if it’s true.
Don’t swim in the river, you aren’t Thai and it’s the easiest way to get eczema on your entire body.
If you’re like me and can’t get a sweat started easily, lotion up before you train. It will also help against heat rash.
July 4, 2009 at 3:02 am
Cleanliness is key. Make sure you cover any cuts or scraps on your body, clip your nails on hands and feet, bath and deoorderize, and if you have a skin infection, don’t do clinch work.
Also, if the gym has mats, don’t walk on the mats with your shoes or sandals.
Make sure you put any gear back where you found it, or in it’s proper place.
I had thought of a couple more previously but forgot them now. If I can remember I’ll add them later.
Great post.
Dan
July 4, 2009 at 3:05 am
If you are there to train, then train. If you are there to party, then party. Pick one and be serious about it.
July 4, 2009 at 8:08 am
some of the original list (and supplemental items) are common sense (at least you would think so, but we all know you can’t count on anyone having that anymore), but some of them are really something i hadn’t thought about, and are great food for thought, as i am heading there (for the first time) for a month in October. big thanks to Laura, and to everyone else who is contributing new tips as well :)
p.s. some great tips as well, Nathan.
??????????!
July 4, 2009 at 8:09 am
crap, the Thai didn’t show up. well i was just saying thanks :)
July 5, 2009 at 12:53 am
Sounds like everyone here agrees the catch all rule is not to be a dick and use common sense. But as LDF noted common sense just isn’t that common.
July 5, 2009 at 6:42 am
truth. what a world it would be if common sense really were common, eh? ahhh dare to dream.
July 5, 2009 at 7:48 am
Nice article, Laura. Just to add a few more:
Never hang your shorts (especially if they been used) anywhere that is higher than people’s heads. Same goes for shoes. It is very disprepectful.
Also, never spar with unecessary agression. I remember a Japanese guy who came in to our gym (Ingram gym) and was sparring with Bernung Sakhomsin (now at Tiger Muay Thai). The Japanese was overly agressive and ended up with a bloody nose that looked very broken to me…
The Thais spar everyday but keep it mostly mellow because they don’t want to injure themselves in training. However, they will go hard on you if you think you need to show off your strength…
July 5, 2009 at 8:00 am
This is a great post. Thanks Laura and Nathan.
I will be sure not to get married=)
July 6, 2009 at 4:24 am
the no street shoes on the mats is something I wish more people here in the US followed. Shoes on a mat is a great way to create/spread staph.
I also like the don’t go crazy during sparring suggestion. Overt agression definitely fights against the relaxed dispassionate nature of good MT technique. It reminds me of a great saying my first teacher once told me “If you can do it once slow you can do it a thousand times fast.”
July 6, 2009 at 5:18 am
i totally agree with djmattyd…i just recovered from a 2 week staph/impetigo infection on my face from the dirty ring floor (faceplanted from a trip). some people in the adjacent boxing class use their nasty athletic shoes in the ring.
July 6, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Wow, I thought no shoes on the mat was a given. I take for granted the etiquette practiced at our gym that I assume it is like that everywhere.
July 6, 2009 at 5:31 pm
+1 on washing your stank ass!! I hate when I smell stanky ass people, especially knee sparring! Makes me want to bathe in rubbing alcohol!
July 6, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Oh, and I agree with the buying stuff for people or giving away your money. Its ok to buy stuff for your trainers/friends and treat them for food and such, but I wouldn’t buy stuff for them everyday unless you are going to the local karaoke and buying a bottle of Chivas Regal!
July 6, 2009 at 7:32 pm
One thing that really bugs me….and one that should be common sense, again,
after you train, please shower before you sit down to eat.
I remember on a few occasions eating at the camp and a farang would walk straight from the ring in his wet, sweaty shorts, wrap a towel around his waist, sit down next to us and then start reaching across the table for food. I quickly loose my appetite after some shit like that. I guess they sometimes do this cuz they’re afraid if they go shower, they’ll miss all the food.
July 9, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Just based on what I’ve seen….skipping a meal wouldn’t hurt some of them.
July 10, 2009 at 4:01 pm
BYO toilet paper, especially if you’re not staying at the gym.
July 10, 2009 at 7:00 pm
haha fat americans