Four Members of the Parkes branch of Kumiai-Ryu Martial Arts System (KRMAS) will join 17 other Kumiai-Ryu members from across Australia for a 12 day Training Tour in Muay Thai or Thai Kickboxing as it is known here.
For Tony Gatt this will be his fourth trip to Thailand, for Tralee Cunningham it will be her second, while Carl Redenbach and Natalie Caruana are first timers
The training will take place at the world famous Sityodtong-Payakaroon-Paisrithong Thai Boxing Camp based 15 km north of Pattaya City.
The team consists of both trainers and fighters who were put through an exhaustive selection and training process to make the squad.
This year’s trip also includes an accreditation process for Instructors to become a certified Pad Holder trained in Thailand by the Thais.
This is a rare qualification that is not handed out lightly.
‘The purpose of the trip is to gain valuable fighting experience and knowledge therefore ensuring we have top quality people teaching Muay Thai kickboxing in our schools across Australia,’ Kumiai-Ryu Chief Instructor and accredited Muay Thai Trainer Kru Kevin Blundell said.
‘This is a fantastic opportunity for these people to experience first hand the most devastating of all the fighting arts - Muay Thai.
‘ This will be the 20th Year Kumiai-Ryu has travelled to Thailand to learn this ancient Art.
‘Over the years we have brought to Australia the worlds leaders in the various aspects of Martial Arts or have gone to their place of residence to learn.
‘Obviously not everyone who trains in martial arts is going to be a full contact fighter, let alone fight under full Muay Thai rules.
‘For example, we only have three per cent of our total membership of over 1,200 current financial members from across Australia who participates in Muay Thai, kickboxing or bare knuckle full contact Karate fighting.’
The self-defence aspect of training is what attracts most people. Therefore this trip is of enormous benefit to Kumiai-Ryu Martial Arts System as we concentrate primarily on realistic effective self-defence and fitness.
While in Thailand, Carl and Natalie will participate in an Australia versus Thailand competition for novice level competitors.
This will be an invaluable experience as they will be performing against the Thais in their own country.
If people are interested in realistic and effective family orientated Martial Arts they can contact David Schulze on 0428 626 050, email schulze4@bigpond.net.au or go to www.krmas.com.au for more information.