Lakhin Wasantasit - Boxing & Muay Thai Organized Destruction (76 min)

Because there is a lot of English spoken in this session I've also posted a commentary-free version of the session with just straight audio from the session: watch that here, so you can hear much more directly what Lakhin is saying. There will also be a podcast version posted soon. In cases like this, with proficient English spoken by the Kru, more versions aid in study.

Lakhin Wasantasit

This session is quite special in a number of ways. Firstly, I'm a huge fan of Lakhin, even from the very few videos that are available of his fights on YouTube, but also by the way he's talked about by other Legends. (I posted photos from this session on the Preserve the Legacy page and Burklerk - one of the winningest fighters of all time - immediately commented how heavy Lakhin's hands are and that he himself had been KO'd by them!) He was scary and respected. He fought Samson Isaan 3x the year after Samson won Fighter of the Year (1991), with a 1:2 result. But everyone remembers the win - losing to Samson was just "normal.". Giving Samson a count and beating him, extraordinary. Lakhin also had an undefeated Western Boxing career, with several PABA title defenses. He was Rajadamnern Champion at 118 lbs. Secondly, what is great about this session is that his student from Australia, Josh, contacted me and actually flew Lakhin up from Koh Phang-Nga to Bangkok just to film with me - it's beautiful that others in the community are recognizing the importance of the project, and are working to make sure their krus are included. And last but not least, Lakhin talks a lot about his style, which is actually quite wonderful. Because it means he understands what he was doing to his opponents at an emotional and psychological level. Technique is beautiful, it's important, it's what makes the pieces go; but the fighter is the Ghost in the Machine. Lakhin taught me how to understand - and how to feed - that Ghost. He calls it "confidence." Which is a good enough word for it. But I think it's a lot like a superpower in that it's not only his own confidence, but how he affects (and eats away at) the confidence of his opponent in the ring. That's supernatural stuff.

Lakhin was called "Mini Mike Tyson," and there are moments when it's really obvious why. He has heavy hands, he has some of that signature tick-tock movement, and his hooks will put the fear of God in you - all that is Tyson-esque. But he's also got an energy about him that only those who ever shared the ring with Tyson ever really felt. I felt it standing in front of Lakhin - or trying to, anyway - and I'm going to try my best to steal it. It's not just heavy punches, it's his intention to hurt. He doesn't care for point-fighting (punchers can't care too much about points, as their tool doesn't score very highly in Thailand), but he knows how to hurt you, how to make you stop breathing, to get into your head and plant seeds of doubt and fear exactly where you thought your strengths were. He does all this through proximity, the punches are secondary. It's the distance that kills you.

Some things to look out for:

1) His Stance: he has a wide stance, which gets wider as he gets closer, typical of boxing footwork. But his back foot is a "racer foot," up on the block so the heel is in the air and the ball of the foot plants on the ground. He says that back foot springs, the front foot steps. He covers crazy distance like this and pivots very quickly.

2) His Shoulders: I don't know quite how he does this, but he doesn't twist his torso much; he doesn't pull his shoulders forward and back much; but he brings his torso with him over his very powerful legs and creates a spring/release whip that allows him to generate incredible power in very, very tight spaces.

3) Leg Power: he tells me a bunch of times how important running is for strong legs, which gives you power, speed, and lightness in your footwork. But his balance is really the impressive part. His weight is NEVER too far in any direction, so he's really hard to move even with a good shove. 

4) Confidence: Lakhin says this a lot, and he's very serious. The thing that makes anything and everything of what he does work is his confidence in his abilities. That's technical abilities, ability to take someone's best shot and hurt them more, to take their heart, to scare them... all of it. He says he had to train it, but never answers how, because that's actually a silly question. You train it in everything you do, at every moment, and it's unique to you. He said never go in with a plan, never go in thinking "they're good at this," or "I'm good at that." Go in and see what they do, then make them not like doing it anymore. They like to knee, hurt them when they knee and they'll stop. They like to kick, make them get up a few times and they'll be tired of kicking. But be sure you can do that.

5) Step on EVERYTHING: in the last bit we're hitting the bag and Lakhin makes fun of me a lot for not stepping on my punches. People talk about how "small" Mike Tyson is, because he's small for a heavyweight, but Lakhin is actually small - like, for a person on the planet. He's pretty close to my size, and I'm small. But he packs a heavy, knockout power in everything he does. Because he brings all of himself with every strike. That's from that racer foot and taking a big step with his front foot. His weight transfer is invisible as he does this, at least from the POV of his opponent, so it's incredibly smooth and consistent. He shows me how to use the bag both for timing (swinging it and hitting it as it closes in) and how to constantly pressure in, even when there's nowhere to go (a bag is tethered, it's not going anywhere, but you can still push it and never back off of it in an incredible way; you'll see.)

You can watch my commentary version (at top) or the original audio track version of the session here. I recommend both of them.

the full version with original audio

You can also listen to (and watch!) Kevin and my immediate takes from just after filming with Lakhin, some of the bigger idea lessons we saw in his instruction, check that out here: Muay Thai Bones - Library Coffee Edition: Lakhin.

Lakhin - Library Coffee, watch it here! 

Note: with all the enthusiastic support we've been able to improve the quality of the documentation, step by step. We upgraded our camera, some time ago, but now with a better lens and a gimbal have made additional major improvements. We not only want to improve your experience of watching the Library, but also do our best for videos that may matter as documentation in history preserving the moments we get to spend with these krus. Thank you! Always improving.

Photos from the session 

you can follow and support Kevin's Muay Thai photography on instagram, and buy high quality prints here: muaynoir.com 

you can train with Lakhin at his gym on Ko Yao Noi island: KYN Muay Thai 

 TIP BOX: if you are inspired by what you see and want to show added appreciation you can send gratuity directly to Lakhin, who is a taxi driver and would love the acknowledgement I'm very sure. Just message $5 or more via PayPal to the address sylvie@8limbs.us, please in the "add a note" section specify "for Lakhin". I will transfer the funds.KRU FUND: additionally,  now 10% net of all Patreon pledges go into my Kru Fund, and is directed back to the Krus and ex-fighters who have helped make this documentary Library possible: http://8limbs.us/muay-thai-thailand/starting-the-kru-fund

Watch My Interview with Josh 

Hear from Josh in this interview, on why he wanted his kru Lakhin in the Muay Thai Library, and what is so special about training with him: watch here 

Muay Thai and Boxing - browse Muay Maat fighters here 

These are other sessions in the LIbrary which bring Muay Thai and Boxing together: 

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

#71 Napapol Giatsakchokchai - Powerful Boxing For Muay Thai (81 min) watch it here Nothing is a better match than world class boxing added to fundamentally sound Muay Thai. Napadol was one of the best western boxers in all of Thailand, a WBC champion, and he teaches a gorgeous, powerful boxer's technique that is easily married to Muay Thai. 

#69 Sagat Petchyindee 3 - Muay Maat Tigers & Snakes (67 min) watch it here Sagat details his ferocious, hands-heavy style in this session, teaching perfect balance and very aggressive spacing. The secrets to his power, how everything flows out of his core and his organized stance are on full display. Nobody like him.

#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. 

#60 Sagat Petchindee Session 2 - All the Strikes Tuned and Dangerous (101 min) watch it here One of the great, legendary names of Thailand, Sagat Petchyindee the inspiration for the Street Fighter character, goes through his entire striking philosophy with lots of technical correction and fine tuning. See the secret to his creation of smooth, efficient, explosive power, and witness the amazing man himself.

#43  Kongsamut Sor. Thanikul - Muay Mat Style (74 min) watch it hereThis Lumpinee champion is perhaps most notable for when he lost a fight for the 102 lb Lumpinee belt, against famed Samart. Samart winning his first belt of many. Kongsamut has a beautiful Muay Mat (punchers) style that he mixes with low kicks, very differently than the Pornsanae style. He fights in close, and is constantly twisting, hitting high and low. Any Muay Thai puncher would benefit from the principles in his style.  

#41  Samson Isaan - The Art of Dern Fighting (64 min) watch it here To "dern" in Thai is to "walk", which means basically to just come forward no matter what, to create a relentlessness. Voted Fighter of the Year in 1991, Samson Isaan was one of the great Dern Fighters of the Golden Age, and in this session he shows his forward pulsing techniques which are meant to just overwhelm his opponent. Also a great session for pressure Southpaw fighters. 

#38 Sagat Petchyindee (part 2) - Maximum Damage (61 min) watch it here Such an anticipated session, part 2 of Sagat Petchyindee, the inspiration of the Sagat Street Fighter character. It's hard to believe, but he's even better in real life. In this session his continues to teach his "stay in your frame" method of bringing maximum efficiency and damage to striking. 

#35 Yodsanan Sityodtong - Southpaw Tactics & Power (86 min) watch it here One of the biggest Knock Out artists Thailand has ever produced (46 KOs in 57 boxing wins), PABA and WBA World Champion Yodsanan teaches both the secrets to his devastating hook and a slick Muay Thai style from the left side.

#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. 

#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.  

#28 Jaroenthong Kiatbanchong - Femeu Muay Thai Hands (50 min) watch it here Super slick, 3x Lumpinee Champion Jaroenthong is considered one of the Yodmuay of the Golden Age, often pictured with Samart and Somrak as killers from that day. In this session he teaches how he marries great boxing hands with femeu footwork. 

#26 Sagat Petchyindee - Explosive Power (57 min) watch it here One of the great fighters in the history of Thailand, and the inspiration of the "Street Fighter" video game character, Sagat is like no other. Here he teaches how power has to come out of the ribs, and your frame, taking the shortest distance to your target, making sure your feet are constantly "organized".

#18 Kru Wihok Skarbowsky Gym - Old School Flex (49 min) watch it here Kru Wihok is an old school femeu style trainer out of the Skarbowsky Gym in Bangkok (Jocky Gym). He's a former all-Asia boxing champion and teaches a brilliant flexing style that hearkens back to a Muay Thai before the Golden Age. 

#14 Chatchai Sasakul - 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.

Bonus Session 5: Chatchai Sasakul Southpaw Hands | 52 min - watch it here Chatchai's stance and striking system is not only ideal for boxing - he was  the WBC Flyweight World Champion in 1997 - it instills a basic weight transfer balance that can dramatically improve your Muay Thai. Watch it being installed on me for the first time from the Southpaw stance.