From New York to Chiang Mai thanks to Muay Thai

One of the first things Sylvie Von Duuglas-Ittu learned when she moved to Thailand was taking a long nap after training is probably not a good idea. Too much sleeping means no eating means weight loss. And at 47 kg, that’s not so smart, the American fighter says.

MuayThai 2.0

If you follow women’s Muay Thai online, you might have come across one of Von Duuglas-Ittu’s YouTube videos or maybe you follow her on Facebook. Part of a new generation of fighters, Von Duuglas-Ittu says her online work is as much part of her career as what she does in the ring.

‘What I’m doing now is such an opportunity, I wanted to share it with as many people as possible and give to other women in the world,’ she says, speaking from her apartment in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

Her YouYube channel has been viewed more than one million times and her Facebook page reached 1,000 likes this week. So while many mainstream sports publications are still working out that women fight, the internet is showing the way.

Von Duuglas-Ittu started her adventure in Thailand through her website 8 Limbs Us, gathering sponsorship and attention with the eye-catching design. But what really caught my attention is that she and her husband have moved to Thailand for ‘at least’ a year.

A Year to Fight

Many fighters save up to spend four or maybe six weeks training but the commitment involved in throwing away jobs and homes smacks of something else. Dedication and maybe a little madness.

She says they went on a shorter trip first from their New York base, but just knew they had to go back again. Seven months into the adventure, she has no regrets.

“I lived about 60 miles outside of the city, so I would commute about an hour to get to training. I was training maybe four hours a week instead of seven hours a day,” she says.

Her first trainer at home was Master K, a former Thai fighter who lives in New York. But even with his training, she had a lot to learn when she arrived in Thailand.

“He trains very detailed things that help you learn, no-body can tell you how to do the kick with your hip but he explains how you use your hip for power.

“But he wasn’t making me do heavy repetitions on the bag, he doesn’t hold pads so it was actually incredibly different from Thai training here,’ she says.

Von Duuglas-Ittu’s husband works online and at the moment she focuses just on training, a luxury she says.

“The training out here feels good, it’s not ‘I’m going to go to training now’; it’s a way of life. It’s what you do.”

  

A Stitch in Time

But just in case you’re thinking Von Duuglas-Ittu is just a key-board warrior, her most recent fight earned her seven stitches. She wrote on her blog: “As my adrenaline wore off the pain of the stitches became more pronounced, but you just sit through it. 

“There’s no help in making noise or wincing about it – “take the fight out of your face,” as it goes.”

And yes, she’s uploaded a video of the stitches going in ringside, watch it here on her page. 

One of the most exciting things about women’s fighting in Thailand now is how many women are on the circuit. Von Duuglas-Ittu has had four fights already this month - ten years ago that would have taken months to build up. Her fight record is now 15-5-2.

“A lot of the girls I fight now are doing MuayThai as part of their school-work, it’s on their sports or PE work. They have soccer and MuayThai,” she says.

And when I asked if the couple are really going home at the end of the year, she just laughed. Make of that what you will. 

I'll be posting more from this interview next week, but in the meantime pop over to 8 Limbs Us for some great posts from Von Duuuglas-Ittu herself. 

Wordless Wednesday

Sylvie von Duuglas -Ittu is an American fighter training MuayThai in Thailand - come back tomorrow for her interview.

Other Wordless Wednesday bloggers hanging out here.

Wordless Wednesday

Popularity of Self Defence classes for women growing in Ireland PIC Ces the Day

  Wordless Wednesday is a group of bloggers who give words a rest once a week - click here for more pics

Armageddon Muay Thai fight night in Dublin

PICTURE: thanks to Ces the Day

Tonight is the night. If you're in Dublin, you need to be at the Red Cow Convention Centre for the Armageddon Fights!

Along with some fab men's fights including an Irish and European title we have Ferial 'Felix' Ameeroedien and Kelly Creegan taking on opponents from Holland and Wales.

Listen below for some thoughts on how the night will go:


This was made for Dublin radio station NearFm for the Sports Local Live programme.

Armageddon Muay Thai fight night in Dublin

PICTURE: thanks to Ces the Day

Tonight is the night. If you're in Dublin, you need to be at the Red Cow Convention Centre for the Armageddon Fights!

Along with some fab men's fights including an Irish and European title we have Ferial 'Felix' Ameeroedien and Kelly Creegan taking on opponents from Holland and Wales.

Listen below for some thoughts on how the night will go:


This was made for Dublin radio station NearFm for the Sports Local Live programme.

Armageddon Muay Thai fight night in Dublin

PICTURE: thanks to Ces the Day

Tonight is the night. If you're in Dublin, you need to be at the Red Cow Convention Centre for the Armageddon Fights!

Along with some fab men's fights including an Irish and European title we have Ferial 'Felix' Ameeroedien and Kelly Creegan taking on opponents from Holland and Wales.

Listen below for some thoughts on how the night will go:


This was made for Dublin radio station NearFm for the Sports Local Live programme.

San shou, no messing allowed for Laura O'Neill

The first time Irishwoman Laura O Neill fought in Chinese Kickboxing wasn’t just her first fight, it was the first time anyone from her gym had fought. Coming from a pure martial arts background into the sport also known as San Shou wasn't easy but she’s happy she stuck with it. 

Laura O' Neill in action. PICTURE: Ces the Day

The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.

“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.

O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew. 

Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.

Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.

She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.

O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.

“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.

That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.

Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing

Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.

Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.

She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.

They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.

Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.

Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.

Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”

Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”

Laura O' Neill and myself, focused interview! PICTURE: Ces the Day

Being the only woman

In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.

“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.

But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.

“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.

Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.

Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?

O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.

“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.

Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.

This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.

For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association.       And for more great fighting shots -  Ces the Day Photography

This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter. 

San shou, no messing allowed for Laura O'Neill

The first time Irishwoman Laura O Neill fought in Chinese Kickboxing wasn’t just her first fight, it was the first time anyone from her gym had fought. Coming from a pure martial arts background into the sport also known as San Shou wasn't easy but she’s happy she stuck with it. 

Laura O' Neill in action. PICTURE: Ces the Day

The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.

“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.

O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew. 

Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.

Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.

She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.

O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.

“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.

That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.

Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing

Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.

Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.

She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.

They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.

Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.

Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.

Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”

Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”

Laura O' Neill and myself, focused interview! PICTURE: Ces the Day

Being the only woman

In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.

“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.

But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.

“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.

Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.

Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?

O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.

“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.

Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.

This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.

For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association.       And for more great fighting shots -  Ces the Day Photography

This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter. 

San shou, no messing allowed for Laura O'Neill

The first time Irishwoman Laura O Neill fought in Chinese Kickboxing wasn’t just her first fight, it was the first time anyone from her gym had fought. Coming from a pure martial arts background into the sport also known as San Shou wasn't easy but she’s happy she stuck with it. 

Laura O' Neill in action. PICTURE: Ces the Day

The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.

“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.

O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew. 

Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.

Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.

She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.

O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.

“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.

That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.

Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing

Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.

Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.

She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.

They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.

Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.

Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.

Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”

Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”

Laura O' Neill and myself, focused interview! PICTURE: Ces the Day

Being the only woman

In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.

“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.

But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.

“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.

Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.

Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?

O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.

“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.

Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.

This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.

For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association.       And for more great fighting shots -  Ces the Day Photography

This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter. 

Taxonomy of boxer Christina Cruz

This is quite simply brilliant. Simple but brilliant. Have a great weekend everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

Aisling Daly, Ireland (pink hair) vs Rosie Sexton, UK  Thanks to Ce's the Day Photography.

Other Wordless Wednesday bloggers hanging out here.

First woman on International Kickboxer cover

It's all happening for women's boxing - and looks like the love is spreading. You might have read interviews here with Australian MuayThai fighter Caley Reece - a favourite fighter on this blog. 

I heard from Reece this week that the next edition of Aussie magazine International Kickboxer features her on the front cover. First time ever that this mag - best-selling martial arts magazine in Australia and New Zealand - has put a woman on the front. 

I started my journalism career with this magazine, my first-ever published story was an interview with pioneering promoter Lucy Tui. So I'm doubly excited to see a woman finally on the cover.  

Last interview with Reece on the blog is here.

Caley Reece vs Magdalena Rak in Bangkok

Wednesday: Update from Caley: Thanks to everyone for their messages!! Had a great fight against Magdalena Rak from Poland and won on points. Was good to fight a westerner again.!Thanks to Sinbi Taewoong , Daz, Ben Needle, Robyn Marinkovich Needle, Steve Morris and Pinky BuaChompoo and to Stephan Fox and WMC for bringing over for such a great historical event! Now for EPIC..... 10 DAYS! What?? Really no more choc milk???? xx

Some very exciting sports news out of Thailand this month - a tiny step closer to having MuayThai in the Olympics. This has been a long time coming, and I mean a long time. I started working with IFMA in Bangkok in 2001 and it was already a historic process back then. There is so little space on the Olympic card* that you just don't know what could happen but for now, it's all good.

And tonight one of the best female fighters in the world Australia Caley Reece takes on Polish champion Magdalena Rak in a celebration of this journey. Umm, some boys are fighting too. Here's Caley training earlier this week down in Sinbi Gym in Phuket, Thailand.





*Will have a great interview with Pam Boteler from WomenCAN International on this topic later in the week

Funding for women in martial arts

This piece ran in the March issue of Irish Fighter.


Irish Fighter Women in Martial Arts ngriffin

Wordless Wednesday

Before ...

After ...

Photos of Elaine McElligott by Cestheday Photography

Wordless Wednesday blogging with photos once a week

Blog karma for Women's Day

I'm always a little ambivalent about Women's Day - strange I know but it just seems strange that we need to have a day to mark the existence of half of the world's population but there you go - suppose you could say that about this blog too!

On the sporting side of things, one of my favourite Irish sites is hosting a week-long celebration:

Action81 - a week of columns including tennis and MMA, always worth a read! 

Any others we should look out for?

Gloves for girls in the boxing gym

My story on some of the female fighters training at Dublin's Bridgestone Gym ran in "Irish Fighter". 

Female Muaythai fighters in Ireland "Irish Fighter" w niamhgriffin

Coming soon to a blog near you

A quiet blogging week due to a hectic off-line time, apologies to everyone who has popped in for a look.But there are some exciting interviews coming soon to a blog near you ...

Starting with interviews with the Irish rugby team - fingers crossed for a win tonight against Italy so they'll be in a good mood for talking - and Irish MMA fighter Aisling Day, as well as English windsurfer Amy Carter and the boxers behind American gym Striking Beauties. I'll be uploading some interviews I did for 'Irish Fighter' magazine as soon as the March issue hits the stands: South African fighter Ferial Ameeroedien - based in Dublin - and her stablemates Kelly Creegan and Frenchwoman Cecile Chemin.

These interviews and a few more including some print articles on funding for women's sport in Ireland will be trickling through in the next few weeks. Tomorrow night I'm taking part in a radio-panel discussing women's sports so if I can get a recording of that will upload it, should be interesting.

In the meantime have a great weekend, and enjoy this inspiring piece on women in sport from the International Olympic Committee!

Wordless Wednesday

There's healthy eating and then there's a boxer's reality 

Wordless Wednesday blogging with photos once a week!

Wordless Wednesday

Des is fund-raising feet first ... here

Wordless Wednesday is a group of bloggers who give words a rest once a week. And today the WW page is blacked out to protest the SOPA and PIPA internet laws being debated in the US.