#148 Anantasak Panyuthapum | Boxing, Elbows and The Feet (80 min)

Anantasak is the 1997 Fighter of the Year, making him the 18th FOTY awardee in the Muay Thai Library (see the whole collection at bottom). He was a Muay Maat with dangerous elbows and was nicknamed "Mr. Flying Axe Elbow." He was Omnoi Stadium Champion at 126 lb and winner of the Isuzu Cup in 1997, the same year he received the Fighter of the Year.

After his Muay Thai career he went on to an amateur boxing career, winning bronze, silver and two gold international medals in that time. He also became PABA champion in professional boxing before he retired and began coaching the Thai National Amateur Team. When we met him, he was at the National Boxing Academy in Saraburi that is headquarters to Thailand's amateur boxing and we talked a bit about one of his students, Petjeejaa (she was on the Thai boxing team for some years before coming back to Muay Thai and signing to ONE), and why Thailand's boxing in this age is behind where it was in the Golden Age, as well as why not as many Muay Thai fighters go on to have successful Boxing careers as they did in the Golden Age. This is such a much looked forward to session for the Library, many patrons have been asking for him because of his beautiful hands-heavy and elbow style. It's a very special session.

What to Look Out For:

1) Boxing and Elbows: Anantasak has been away from Muay Thai teaching and training for a long time, so we went with what he is most comfortable teaching now, which was boxing for Muay Thai and elbows. This is in no way a problem, as every fundamental element of his boxing carries over perfectly to Muay Thai, from his balance and footwork to methodology of practice.

2) Balance and Legs: everything comes from the legs. Everything. Relaxation in the body and refined rotation of the torso and hips is what drives each weapon, and power and movement all comes from the legs. Watching his shadow, even in small bursts, is really beautiful,

3) Bone vs Forearm on Elbows: the very first weapon we work on is the elbow. His elbows are very horizontal and he lands some against my hand; visibly there is no difference between the one that would cut and the one that would thud, but you can feel it against the hand. The difference is a tighter (not tension, but closer) collapse of the forearm against the bicep and rotation of the hip for the cutting elbow, whereas the on that thuds is a bit more of gap and more movement from the shoulder.

4) Stepping on Every Strike: this is important for a multitude of reasons. It keeps you balanced, it delivers power, and it allows you to control the sapce between you and your opponent. As Takrowlek said in his session, "whoever controls the distance controls the fight."

5) Slips and Uppercut: uppercut is a fantastic weapon for Muay Thai because most fighters are quite open up the middle. But it's a weapon that requires controlled twisting and power from the legs. We work on this in a focused way.

6) Importance of Shadowboxing: if you're new to the MTL, you'll be hearing this a lot. If you're a long-time watcher AND you employ shadowboxing as a major part of your training, you're going to know what this is about. Anantasak stresses the importance of looseness and speed in practicing shadow. If you're new and aren't comfortable shadowboxing, just forward, backward and side to side footwork at a loose, quick clip is enough to get going. If you're somewhere between beginner and intermediate, using the same movements over and over is fine, just make them fast and loose and more weapons will start to find their way in. And if you're advanced, shadowboxing should be your meditation. He says there's a place for power and that's the bag and maybe padwork, but speed and relaxation are the point in shadow and should be carried into the ring.

7) Ning: if you're new to the Library, this word is Thai and it means unaffected, unmoved, quiet. The point of greatest distinction in this session is when Anantasak starts holding pads for me, because you can see the ning he's asking for from me in him, as he's just waiting for each strike. You can see the lack of it in me, as I get motionless and dead on my feet between movements and then try to power my way through a strike instead of letting it erupt.

Other Sessions Referenced in my commentary, look them up to study deeper:

#45 Langsuan Panyutapum - Monster Muay Khao Training (66 min) watch it here

#104 Yodkhunpon Sittraipum 4 - The Art of Shadowboxing (64 min) watch it here

#64 Chatchai Sasakul 2 - Elements of Boxing (72 min) watch it here

Padejseuk Pitsanurachan - Old School Greatness (67 min) watch it here

#146 Wangchannoi Sor Palangchai #4 - Elite Timing & Impact and Shadowboxing (42 mins) watch it here

#133 Bangsaen Tor. Kotsan - Central Core, Boxing & Muay Thai (85 min) watch it here

#139 Chamuakpet Hapalang 3 - Vertical Attack, Control of Space (95 min) watch it here or podcast here 

Anantasak vs Jaoweha

Classic bio in Muay Siam

Omnoi and Isuzu Cup Champion

A few photos from the session:

If you enjoyed this session, you may like these are similar themes:

#104 Yodkhunpon Sittraipum 4 - The Art of Shadowboxing (64 min) watch it here

Some have said this is one of the favorite sessions in all the Library. It's very rare to get detailed instruction and advice on How to Shadowboxing, let alone from a great fighter fo the past. This is a FULL hour of how to shadowbox, learn with me as I learn from The Elbow Hunter of 100 Stitches Yodkhunpon, the greatest Elbow Fighter in Thai history.

#84 Yodkhunpon Special Intensive 3 - The Whole Elbow Style (70 min) watch it here

No other fighter in all of Thailand has developed so complete and pressuring a style based on the weapon of elbows. In this session the Elbow Hunter of 100 Stitches presents his whole galloping style, revealing how he opens up windows for his elbows, and uses those windows to then open up attack with other weapons.

#15 Yodkhunpon Sittraipum "The Elbow Hunter" 2 - Escapes  (48 min) watch it here

Part 2 of my session with one of the most feared elbow fighters of the Golden Age, Yodkhunpon Sitraipom, The Elbow Hunter of 100 Stitches. Lots of fine details in this one, escapes from clinch locks, turns and catches. Best is his floating, gentle style that also holds such violence.

#37 Kongtoranee Payakaroon - Power In The Hands (89 min) watch it here

5x Lumpinee Champion, 2x Fighter of the Year, Kongtoranee teaches the fundamental grounding of strikes that made him one of the most feared heavy-handed fighters in Thailand. Such economy of movement expresses the true beauty in his style, quite different than - but no less admirable - that of his young brother Samart.

#109 Chatchai Sasakul 3 - Developing Rhythm & Precision (1 hr, 46 min) watch it here

The best boxing coach in Thailand, former WBC World Champions Chatchai Sasakul, teaches the importance of rhythm and precision. Chatchai's instruction brings western boxing technique to Thailand's Muay Thai, as he was also a Golden Age stadium fighter.

#64 Chatchai Sasakul 2 - Elements of Boxing (72 min) watch it here

Chatchai is not only a former WBC world champion, he also is the recipient of Thailand's Coach of the Year. He is one of the great striking coaches in the world, and in this session he breaks down all the basics from the footwork on up. Nobody has a more beautiful and potent hands foundation. Watch and learn from a master.

#14 Chatchai Sasakul 1 - Perfecting Hands (106 min) watch it here

Former WBC world boxing champion at Flyweight, and winner of Best Coach of the Year in Thailand, Chatchai in this nearly 2 hours of video makes micro adjustment after micro adjustment, honing in pristine technique in the basic strikes of boxing, for use in Muay Thai. It's all about weight transfer.

#34 Samart Payakaroon - Balance, Balance, Balance! (81 min) watch it here

Atop the tower of Muay Thai legends probably stands Samart. 3x Fighter of the Year, 4x Lumpinee Champion and WBC World Boxing Champion, no fighter more brilliantly showed what femeu fighting could do. In this session he shows the foundations of how to build true balance, the ultimate key to his fighting style.

#115 Eagle Den Junlaphan 2 - Boxing Within Muay Thai (66 min) watch it here

WBC World Champion Den Junlaphan teaches boxing for Muay Thai, all the in-fighting and pocket postures and techniques that can make a more complete pressure fighter. This is his second session in the Library. Footwork, keeping your head in, developing continuity, all important for boxing, can translate to Muay Thai as well.

Be sure to check out the entire Fighter of the Year Collection