Making the decision to contact Grand Master Sken and complete my ‘MTQ Level 2’ is one of the best decisions i’ve ever made.
I can remember walking the past sign which read ‘Thai Boxing’ and thinking ‘what on earth is that?’. This was around 27 years ago at a central location in Exeter and at the time i was 19 and considering taking up a martial art to improve my fitness, and learn something new. I’d always been interested in Martial arts and practiced Judo as a child, however i was never very strong at it and i never really gained any confidence.
I made the decision to turn up to Chai Yen Gym at one of the training evenings and take part, i was thoroughly impressed by what i found, it wasn’t Karate, it wasn’t boxing, it was something brand new (to me), and instantly grabbed my attention. At first my attendance wasn’t great, i trained for a while but struggled to find the money to attend (i had other priorities at the time which involved going out) then had quite a bit of time off until eventually i made the decision to return and to commit myself properly.
The club offered a grading system and i really bought into the progression, i felt i was improving quickly and the instructor and other students were great people and good to train with. 7 years down the line after my third bout, Kru Chris made the decision to close the club to follow a new career path. I was sad at the time but I was now confident and highly motivated enough to keep training so I joined kru greg at Skorpians gym (having just fought one of his fighters, Dean) to continue my training. The training was very different but reinforced what i had already learned and taught me plenty of new things. i really enjoyed training there, and again the teacher and students were great (Muay Thai seems to attract the right people), but after 13 years there was an issue with the venue which forced the club to close.
At the time i was very focussed on my Army reserve career with 6 Rifles, i hadn’t competed for a number of years, and although i still wanted to train, my motivation had taken a hit and i didn’t fancy the prospect of starting somewhere new. I did however continue to train i Muay Thai, on occasion and by myself. I often contemplated ‘what could have been?’. I did all my student grades back with my first club then i chose to compete, i loved the progression and i really wanted to be an instructor, but that boat had sailed long ago and i wasn’t on it, or at least thats what i thought for a number of years.
In 2024 i started to train in Thai Boxing a bit more often, the barracks i work at has a great gym including an area dedicated to boxing so i began to hit the bags a bit more regularly and started invited others in to join me; this provided me with training partners, something i had sorely missed, and opportunity to share my knowledge. I quickly remembered i had a fair amount of knowledge to share, what a waist, nearly 20 years learning a martial art if i didn’t persevere to pass this knowledge on, what was the point in having it?. This motivated me to do some research on line to find if ‘I’ could actually become an instructor, i was confident i knew enough, and i knew i could teach having many years experience in multiple environments doing just that.
A quick Google search ‘become a Muay Thai instructor’ and i was immediately presented with ‘Master Sken Academy’. I knew that name, i remembered watching a DVD of Master Sken in my early years of training which another keen student had leant to me. I was also aware he was of the 3 Grand Masters who introduced Muay Thai to the UK. I didn’t waist any time, i filled out the form for a free consultation and was excited to quickly receive a reply from Arjarn (Master) Kay Hampson who arranged my appointment with GM Sken. I wasn’t sure what to expect at this point , was there a way for me to gain my qualification? would i have to go back through all my grades? I met with GM Sken online and after a conversation and some demonstration (from me) i was over the moon to receive GM Sken’s blessing to undertake the qualification. I had to pinch myself a few times, i really thought i left it too late but if felt great to be accepted and for someone else to see the potential in me.
It quickly became evident how much knowledge and experience GM Sken has to pass on, and how much more I could learn from him; It’s incredibly refreshing to be a student again. The course (MTQ Level 2) really highlighted my weaknesses, and showed me my strengths. Not only was i physically training and being pushed for ’10/10′ in my delivery, i was learning to think more, to consider the bigger picture and this was really being focused on and directed throughout my training. A great example is GM Sken’s 3 D’s (1. Discipline. 2. Dedication. 3. Determination). I needed to aim for the highest level, be the best i can be and do not become complacent, and not give up.
As i start my career now as a Muay Thai Kru (Instructor) I am able to look back on my decisions and be proud of my choices, Did i leave it too long? possibly longer than i should have, does that matter? No. Im here now, i didn’t miss the boat and i’m pursuing my dreams.
In Grand Master Sken I have found a great mentor and teacher, and also a friend. I look forward to many more years of training and feel proud I can pass on his teachings to others.
“The only thing worse than starting something and failing… is not starting something.” — Seth Godin.