New To The Library? Our 10 Best Don't Miss Sessions (1 hr, 7 mins)

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This post is mostly for everyone new to the Muay Thai Library and this Patreon. One of the most difficult things when you join in support is that the Muay Thai Library is HUGE. It's at the time of this writing over 120 hours of commentary video. So Kevin and I sat down and made an intro video talking about what the Library is, how best to watch it to get the most out of it, and we also picked our 10 Best Don't Miss sessions for everyone, talking about why they are so special. If you are new to the Library - or even if you aren't! - these are the sessions we just loved. 

If you are experienced in the Library you might find our choices interesting, the things we love in these sessions, or discover that there was a session you may have missed!

A little navigation context for new comers first. On the home page is a tag list which organizes many of the Library posts into subjects they contain. There is a The Basics tag, a Clinch tag, a Muay Femeu tag, a Legends Only tag, an Elbows tag and so forth. 

looks like this:

The best place to start though is probably the Table of Contents which lists all the videos in the Library, with brief descriptions. This is a single page from which you can browse it all. 

But, without further ado, this is Kevin's an my Top 10 Don't Miss Session list (video above). As with everything we do on patron, the discussion (video above) is long and thorough in the Muay Thai Bones podcast style. That's just the way we do things here. Take a deep dive into the unmissable content in the Library. 

Sylvie's Top 5 Library Sessions - Don't Miss

#90 Arjan Surat 2 - His Old School Tough & Defensive Style (94 min) watch it here

A legend of Bangkok and coach of the Thai National Team, Arjan Surat has a toughened, defense oriented, forward style. In this session he builds it from the ground up, starting with his old school arm swing on the kick (no swing, instead using it to simultaneously block), emphasizing balance and solid framing. Watch and learn!

#104 Yodkhunpon Sittraipum - 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.

#64 Chatchai Sasakul - 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.

#76 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 4 - How to Fight Tall (69 min) watch it here

There several sessions with the King of Knees in the Muay Thai Library, this is the fourth, but this is the first one where he gets the chance to teach a tall, long fighter like he was. If you are a tall fighter this is the session you don't want to miss. He is arguably the GOAT, an in this session he unfolds his entire fighting system of knee fighting pressure and distance control.

#108 Jampatong Na Nontachai - The Master of the Head Kick (63 min) watch it here 

This very rare capture is of the Golden Age Master of the Headkick Jampatong. He had a lethal headkick oriented style and he teaches just how he made his kick land so often. He beat the legend Samart Payakaroon 2x. But it is very more special in that he hadn't been in a gym in 30 years. His brother Gulapkaw brought him into the gym and we are able to have a one of a kind documentation of his muay.

Kevin's Top 5 Library Sessions - Don't Miss

#81 Chamuakpet Hapalang 2 - Muay Khao Internal Attacks (65 min) watch it here

One of the all time greats gives his 2nd session of the Library. 9x Lumpinee and Rajadamnern champion, 1985 Fighter of the Year, a man who took belts from both Samart and his brother Kongtoranee, his Muay Thai has been lauded as one of the best that have ever been. In this session he teaches his rising KO out knee, straight up the center, his philosophy of grips, pulls and elbows in the clinch, and just in punching range. Not to be missed.

#74 Samson Isaan 2 - Muay Khao & Western Boxing Excellence (59 min) watch it here

In 1991 there was no fighter more of a force than Samson Isaan, who took Fighter of the Year then. His relentless style combining Muay Maat punching aggression with Knee Fighting pressure and clinch made him a wrecking ball. In this session discover what made this little fighter so impossible to handle.

#103 Metprik Silachai - Lost Techniques of Old School Muay Maat Lowkick Pressure (81 min) watch it here

Wow what a session. Arjan Metprik was not only a great fighter of the Silver Age of Muay Thai, he created the relentless fighting style of 2001 Fighter of the Year Thongchai Tor. Silachai. It's just an amazing lowkick, knee and Muay Maat style full of pressure and toughness. See how he trains his fighters in this Old School Khorat gym.

#73  Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn 2 - Overcoming Distance (61 min) watch it here

The incredible Namsaknoi was one of the rare fighters who melded sheer physical power with femeu touch. In this session you learn how he exploited and explored angles, owned the edge, in a way that left him the king of Lumpinee at his weight in his day.

for a little more in-depth on the Namsaknoi session, we had filmed this discussion just after we filmed with Namsaknoi, a fresh take on how awesome it was:

#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.

So that's our 10! If you have a session that you absolute love that is a MUST Top 10, leave a comment below to let new patrons know why they really don't want to miss it. 

Another way to dive into the highest quality of the Muay Thai Library is to just watch the 15 Fighters of the Year we've so far documented. These are the teachings of the winners of the most prestigious award in Thailand, across the decades:

The 15 Fighters of the Year in the Library:

Yodwicha  (2012): #10 The Clinch Techniques of Yodwicha - Session 2 (34 min) watch it here and #4 Yodwicha - Clinch and Muay Khao (Knee) Specialist (35 min) - watch it here and

Singdam  (2002):  #22 Singdam Kiatmoo9 - Making the Basics Beautiful (71 min) watch it here

Namsaknoi (1996):  #65 Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn - Sharking The Angles (67 min) watch it here  and  #73  Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn 2 - Overcoming Distance (61 min) watch it here

Wangchannoi (1993):  #93 Wangchannoi Palangchai - Deadly Step Counter Fighting (70 min) - watch it here  and #95 Wangchannoi Sor. Palangchai #2 - The Secret Powers of a Cool Heart (77 min) watch it here

Jaroensap (1992): #91 Jaroensap Kiatbanchong - Silky Power (63 min) watch it here

Samson (1991):  #41  Samson Isaan - The Art of Dern Fighting (64 min) watch it here  and   Samson Isaan 2 - Muay Khao & Western Boxing Excellence (59 min) watch it here

Kaensak (1989, 1990):  #24 Kaensak Sor. Ploenjit - Explosive Defense (55 min) watch it here

Samart (1981, 1983, 1988):  #34 Samart Payakaroon - Balance, Balance, Balance! (81 min) watch it here

Langsuan (1987):  #45 Langsuan Panyutapum - Monster Muay Khao Training (66 min) watch it here

Chamuakphet (1985):  #49 Chamuakpet Hapalang - Devastating Knee in Combination (66 min) watch it here  #81  Chamuakpet Hapalang 2 - Muay Khao Internal Attacks (65 min) watch it here

Kongtoranee (1978, 1984):  #37 Kongtoranee Payakaroon - Power In The Hands (89 min) watch it here

Dieselnoi (1982):  #48 Dieselnoi Chor. Thanasukarn - Jam Session (80 min) watch it here  AND  #30 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 2 - Muay Khao Craft  (42 min) watch it here  AND  #3 Dieselnoi  Chor Thanasukarn  - The King of Knees (54 min) - watch it here #76 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 4 - How to Fight Tall (69 min) watch it here

Padejseuk (1979): Padejseuk Pitsanurachan - Old School Greatness (67 min) watch it here

Pudpadnoi (1975) - Pudpadnoi Worawut - The Basics from the Legend (72 min) watch it here

Sirimongkol (1972):  #54 The Late Sirimongkol and Lertrit Master General Tunwakom (81 min) watch it here

If you liked our conversation style in this video, you'd probably really enjoy our Muay Thai Bones podcast that takes the deep dive into all things Muay Thai. As a patron you get access to the audio subscription to the podcast and all the reading notes. We like to call it The Most In Depth Muay Thai podcast in the Universe. You can browse all the MTB podcasts as a patron here, or just watch the the videos on YouTube for everyone.

All The Muay Thai Bones Podcasts are here <<< audio and notes for patrons

Watch them on YouTube here:

If you have questions or thoughts on the Muay Thai Library there is a forum you can start a thread on or contribute to here on the Muay Thai Roundtable: Muay Thai Library Conversations