I used to Thai box when I was younger. I saw an ad on a bullitin board for "offensive street fighting techniques" and figured I'd give it a try. Definitely better than Tae Kwon Do/Karate/ Kung Fu, etc for self defense. Like they always say. A good offense is the best defense. The place I was training was pretty hardcore ( http://www.militarymuaythai.com/ ) and trained a lot of professional kickboxers. When we'd get in the ring to spar we'd have gloves but it was always full contact. I got pretty good but got the shit beat out of me a couple of times too. I never had that killer instinct and every now and then I'd get in the ring with someone who was just fucking nuts. You could see it in their eyes. Against someone, in the "real world" as Hank put it, who really pisses me off I go all out but just never seemed to be able to turn it on against some other guy in the gym. Oh well, smoke a bowl. Anyhow, that was 10 years ago. I'd love to start doing it again but I don't think I'd do too well against the younger guys.

The music they play at the Muay Thai fights is some crazy manic shit. The music can't be explained, you just have to hear it. I went to some fights when I was in Bangkok and it was one of the craziest experiences of my life. The music, everyone betting and waving money around, these 125lb guys thrashing each other, and to top it off, hundreds of fucking lizards running around upside down on the roof of the place. Definitely worth checking out if you ever have the chance.