Golden Gloves Thai-Kickboxing Centre

23/04/2026

This pic made me laugh, then made me think.
One of the hardest tasks in combat sports must be "the comeback". The guys that used to train, and remember how good the they used to be, have a really tough task in restarting after a long layoff.

Muay Thai is still fairly new in the UK really, but more and more these days I am coaching 20 year olds who previously trained when they were 10, or 40 year olds who trained (and fought) when they were 20!

Both need a specific approach and need to be aware of pitfalls that aren't an issue for new starters.

If that sounds like you then get in touch and we can talk more.
Rob

How have you been?

16/04/2026

Fantastic breakdown and detailed explanation here!

10/04/2026

You watched a highlight reel last night and now you're trying to throw spinning elbows in sparring. Stop.

You're copying what fighters do without understanding why they do it.

That spinning elbow you saw in a highlight? The fighter who threw it spent the first two rounds backing his opponent into a corner, cutting off the ring, and making them shell up. By round 3 they were so worried about his forward pressure that they stopped looking for the elbow. The technique didn't work because it was flashy. It worked because of everything that came before it.

You skipped all of that. You just saw the highlight and tried to copy the finish.

This is why your techniques don't work in sparring even though they look clean on the bag. On the bag there's no context. No opponent reading you. No timing. No setup. You're practising the answer without understanding the question.

Here's what to do instead.

When you watch a fight, don't watch the knockout. Rewind 30 seconds. Watch what happened before it. What did the fighter throw to set it up? Where were their feet? Where were their opponent's feet? What reaction were they trying to create? That's where the real lesson is. The finish is just the result. The setup is the skill.

When you want to add a new technique, don't start by throwing it. Start by understanding when it works. What range does it need? What does your opponent have to be doing for it to land? What happens if you miss? If you can't answer those questions, you're not ready to throw it.

And pick one thing at a time. Don't watch 10 videos and try 10 new techniques this week. Pick one. Understand the setup. Drill the setup. Then drill the technique. Then try it in sparring with a partner who knows you're working on it. That's how you actually add weapons to your game.

That's exactly what nicomuaythai. com is built on. Breaking down the why behind every technique. Not just showing you what to throw. Showing you when to throw it, what to look for, and what your opponent needs to be doing for it to work.

300+ tutorials from beginner to competition level. 7 days free, link in the comments.

09/04/2026

12/03/2026

It is good to hear someone at the top saying this!

Has there ever been a moment where you almost walked away from training completely? I want to hear it.

Because almost everyone in this sport has had that moment. And nobody talks about it.

You know the one. Where the progress feels invisible. Where you're putting in the sessions but nothing is clicking. Where everyone around you seems to be improving faster and you're quietly wondering if you're the exception.

That feeling is lying to you.

Progress in Muay Thai is never linear. There are stretches where everything lands and your confidence is through the roof. Then stretches where the exact same training feels like you're going backwards. Same gym, same effort - completely different feeling.

The difference between the people who make it and the people who don't has nothing to do with talent. It has everything to do with what they do during the invisible stretches. The ones who make it just keep showing up. Not because they can see the finish line. Because showing up is the only thing they can control.

And then one day, without warning, it clicks. The technique that wouldn't land for months suddenly lands clean. And you realise the invisible stretch was building something you just couldn't see yet.

That moment is waiting for you on the other side of not quitting.

Tell me in the comments - what was the moment you almost stopped, and what made you come back. Someone reading this right now needs to see your answer.

P.S. One of the biggest reasons people almost quit is losing structure. My platform keeps you moving forward level by level so the invisible stretches don't last as long. 7 days free, link in the comments.

26/02/2026

Great content as always by Jeff Chan. Going to be working on this over the next few sessions.

0:00 - Start0:26 - A Step - Jab - High Kick3:51 - A Step - Feint - A Step & Hook - Cross - High Kick5:49 - A Step for Boxing6:40 - A Step Feint - Level Chang...

16/01/2026

Another video from the kids class!
This is 'one touch sparring', a sparring drill that develops timing, confidence and an ability to attack, defend and counter attack.
This is my favourite way to introduce sparring to new starters but it isn't just a beginners drill, this is a key drill at Golden gloves for all ages and levels of experience.

09/01/2026

A fantastic first kids session last night.

This is freestyle padwork - the pad holder decides how to hold the pads, and the striker has to recognise the hold and throw the correct strike.
Brilliant work from all of them!

08/01/2026

I think we will be working on this tonight!

04/01/2026

We are getting near the end of the Christmas break now, and some of you might be noticing some odd symptoms-

Random urge to shadowbox in the kitchen

Watching Rocky and Van Damme movies you have seen a dozen times before

Daydreaming about the sweet technique you are going to land on your sparring partner.

Don't worry this is all normal and just means it is time to get back to the gym!

We restart Monday the 5th at 7pm. Looking forward to seeing everyone back!

20/10/2025