Running head: PASSIONATE FIGHTERS 1

Passionate Fighters

Thanh Dinh

Arizona State University

PASSIONATE FIGHTERS 2

Abstract

This narrative essay is dedicated to inform the readers about the Muay Thai community,

more specifically Dan’s Gym located in Gilbert and the fighters there. The goal of this essay was

to inform readers on the fighters’ source of motivation along with the benefits that comes with

practicing the martial art. The essay discusses the origin of the martial arts along with how the

community in America has adopted it and merge it with their own ideals. This essay will also

deal with some misconceptions about the martial art, fixing some misunderstands that had

accumulated due to the stereotypes people had from other martial arts.

Keywords:​ fighters, train, community, respectful, healthy

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Passionate Fighters

Uniformed shouts were heard as the door to the gym was opened and I was greeted with

an intense atmosphere from the members as they repeated their drills. Despite the humble

location and chaotic setup, there was a strange harmony inside the gym as I observed from the

different groups practicing their drills. A there weren’t many members in the gym, I thought of

how it was such a shame not so many people practice or know of Muay Thai. Muay Thai offers

something that common sports do not and that is the chance to fight with others on a one to one

basis. Introduced to America exactly 50 years go from Thailand by a man named Ajarn Chai,

Muay Thai has adapted itself since 1948 to some of the American values yet retained the core

concepts from the original (Gilmore, 2018). It is very strenuous and physically demanding,

requiring its practitioners to train crazily to hone their techniques and stamina. Like other sports,

when you train to a certain level you feel joy at your accomplishments and confidence in your

ability, a good way to build character strengths and discipline, something that is generally

lacking from my current generation as our technology continues to develop rapidly along with a

lack of fitness. As I continue to narrate this essay, I hope that the one reading this essay will

come to understand the beauty of Muay Thai and its beneficial effects physically, socially, and

mentally for its practitioners.

The gym itself wasn’t located in a grand location and was instead placed in the middle of

an old parking lot in Mesa. Along the drive I noticed that the buildings in the area was antique

and gave off a feeling of the late 90’s. It wasn’t just the building along but the streets and objects

all around gave off the old and antique atmosphere to the area. This along with the how the gym

looked on the outside gave a general idea of how unpopular the martial art was. And yet, as I
PASSIONATE FIGHTERS 4

looked into the glassed front I saw a small space packed with people of all ages warming up and

fooling around. Dan’s Gym is owned by Danny Brandt, co-founder and a retired professional

Muay Thai fighter with a score of 7 wins-1 loss. Brandt retired due to his back injuries

accumulated from the intense training and carrying heavy loads as a construction worker and is

now working as the head coach of Dan’s Gym. I chose to come that day towards the end of the

kids’ class and prepare myself. As I was sitting down I immediately noticed I could already see

young adults and teens warming up as they prepare for their own lessons. This showed me a

glimpse of their dedication towards the martial art along with their perseverance for training so

late into the night, since Dan’s Gym closes at 9:00 pm.

Actually, when I opened the door into Dan’s Gym I was immediately overwhelmed by

the sudden increase in volume as everyone was sparring and yelling. The intense atmosphere

rushed my blood into my head and their passionate smiles as they practiced brought me back to

the days when I developed an interest in martial arts. With this I was able to observe how Muay

Thai brought its practitioners together as a community, allowing them to happily spar with one

another knowing that the other person will always be respectful and courteous. Tierra Brandt,

Danny’s daughter a member of the USA Muay Thai team who went to Thailand and fought for

the gold medal in the internationals, stated “Other teams? We don’t necessarily look at each

other as rivals...We are always respectful of each other” (Personal Communications, 15 Oct.

2018). In Muay Thai, camaraderie not only exists within one’s gym but also between other gyms,

something that is now rarely ever seen in any other sports.

Furthermore, Muay Thai trains its practitioners physically and mentally. As a full-contact

sports, it requires the fighters to have good sense of control over their bodies in order to execute
PASSIONATE FIGHTERS 5

many of its techniques along with a monstrous stamina to keep the fight going. This would

require the fighters to train their body daily to have each movement well memorized into their

muscles and the energy to stay relaxed and deadly. Many studies have shown that most students

of this generation have decreasing hours in physical activities, some even have none (O'Loughlin

and Tarasuk, 2003 pp. 27). This would allow for children to become more healthy and

disciplined, decreasing their chances of getting a coronary heart disease. Picking up May Thai

would also decrease their probability of contracting unhealthy mental conditions and

psychological issues as they grow up (O'Loughlin and Tarasuk, 2003 pp. 28). According to Loco

Dice who is a DJ of HYTE, claimed that picking up Muay Thai has allowed him to throw away

the drugs and bad mentality that he developed over the years as a popular artist (Moore, 2018 pp.

44-45). Muay Thai not only trains the body but also the mind, distilling a disciplined thinking

and skillset into the practitioner’s mind, letting him/her relax and have control over actions that

may otherwise be lethal.

Finally, the one thing that I want to discuss is how close-knitted this diverse family is.

People of different backgrounds all come together to practice the martial art that they are

passionate about, and they do so harmoniously without the conflicts that can be observed in

sports like football. Muay Thai provides a unique environment where not only your “teammates”

are cheering for you but also the people who you would be fighting against. With such beneficial

results from merely observing these people, I sincerely hope that more will come to embrace the

teachings that Muay Thai embraces and improve not only on a physical level but also a spiritual

level. For many of these fighters, Muay Thai is no longer just some martial arts to practice but

their way of life, and this way of life is an admirable one that I hope can be spread everywhere.
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References

Gilmore, K. (2018). Ajarn Chai: Fifty Years of Service. ​Muay Thai Mondays.​ Retrieved from

https://muay-thai-guy.com/fifty-years-of-service.html

Moore, R. (2018, 03). LOCO DICE ON MUAY THAI BOXING. Mix Mag, , 44-45. Retrieved

from

http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.

edu/docview/2036284239?accountid=4485

O'Loughlin, J., & Tarasuk, J. (2003). Smoking, Physical Activity, and Diet in North American

Youth: Where Are We At? Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne De

Sante'e Publique, 94(1), 27-30. Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/stable/41993597