#128 Samingnoom Sitboontam - Femeu Timing & Dominance (1 hr, 43 min) (Patreon)

At the time of filming, Samingnoom (or Arjan Pat) was 63 years old. He's still very fit, very active, was in the process of building his own house and gym on land that he'd bought in his home province of Buriram. He cut his teeth in Isaan festival fights and the big stadium in Roi Et before moving down to Bangkok at the age of 19. He is considered a pillar in the Femeu style of the early Golden Age and held the 115 lb and 130 lb Rajadamnern Stadium titles, within only a year or two of each other, which is a massive change in weight in a very short time. He went on to have a successful Western Boxing career, winning Gold in the Thailand Games, fighting in the King's Cup, and representing his country in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, S. Korea.

After many decades of teaching Muay Thai in Bangkok and abroad (Turkey and Finland), Samingnoom ultimately decided to simplify and move back to Buriram. On his little plot of land he has banana, coconut, and durian trees, as well as trenches where he can raise fish. It's a very self-sufficient and sustainable operation, but almost as big as his little cinder-block house is the boxing ring and gym that he built right beside it and has been instructing neighbors and local kids. Some of whom make a wonderful appearance in this session, allowing you to really witness the truth of the phrase, "Muay Thai as a way of life."

Thank you to Samingnoom's student Harri who lead us to Samingnoom and has helped in bringing him forward to the world.

What To Look Out For: 

1) Dodgeback: this is a technique that I've seen is much more standard with Silver and Golden Age fighters; you don't see it much today. But it's a slick way to stay within a close range without getting kicked, without blocking, and without losing ground. The back foot is the secret to the whole operation and, while the upper body does "Matrix" back, that's not where the movement really is. 

2) Leg Interruptions: teeping and kicking legs is another way to stay close without getting hit or necessarily having to block. The secret is similar to "the best defense is a good offense," but the offense is really just being annoying and interrupting your opponent, forcing them to reset all the time.  

3) Specifics of the Leg Kicks: Samingnoom uses a process of multiple leg kicks and teeps to basically trip up and tangle the opponent. They're not powerful at all, but they do have a force to them. Part of that is the straightness of his kicking leg, part of that is that he "pedal pushes" with the foot rather than stomping or punching with the ball of it, and part of it is that he always hits one leg and then the other, or stops one leg and then throws a body or head kick, etc.

4) Head Kicks: Samingnoom's headkicks remind me of Jampatong's masterfull kicks, in that they just kind of float up and knock the person out with no effort. Part of this is flexibility, but part of it is how Samingnoom sets up for the headkick, which often is getting the opponent to dodge something else or straight-lock their own leg, which brings the head down and makes dodging out of the way a far-cry from available.

5) Don't Touch the Rope!: as a Femeu fighter, getting near and scooting around by the ropes is definitely part of Samingnoom's tactics. But he makes a huge point about not touching them. Consider the ropes an electrified fence and just never touch them. For Samingnoom, touching the ropes cuts off your actual available movement and you get caught by your opponent. Gliding near or sliding along them is fine, because you still have a bit of space to be evasive. But never - EVER - touch them.

6) How To Punish on the Rope: and this is the inverse, teaching what to do when the opponent makes the mistake of getting in contact with the ropes. My favorite move was something I've never seen before, which was a straight leg teep into the leg closest to the rope, essentially kicking it right under the rope.

Other Sessions Referenced:

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

#34 Samart Payakaroon - Balance, Balance, Balance! (81 min) watch it here

#2 Joe Hongthong - Developing Muay Khao Style (87 min) - watch it here

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

#47 Silapathai Jockygym - Master of Teep Distance (64 min) watch it here

#58 Jitti Jitti Gym - Close Range Dynamics (61 min) watch it here

#88 Samransak Muangsurin - Muay Maat Legend Keys to Powerful Hands (61 min) watch it here

#11 Karuhat Sor. Supawan 2 - Float and Shock (82 min) watch it here

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

Samingnoom's All Time Top 5 Muay Thai Fighters:

Samingnoom's All Time Top 5 Greatest Yodmuay, above

Samingnoom Sitboontham (red) vs Rerngsak Petchyindee (blue) - Dec 24th, 1982

Full video of Samingnoom vs Rungsak (1982), above

The 2022 Show Fight Between Legends Samingnoom and Samransak

- watching show fights from legends can be really instructive as you can see a kind of x-ray into their peak Muay Thai, the bones of what it was can come out, shown by age. 

Samransak vs Samingnoom, 2022  video, above

study Samransak in the Muay Thai Library here: 

#88 Samransak Muangsurin - Muay Maat Legend Keys to Powerful Hands (61 min) watch it here

Samingnoom (left) with Samart (right) ahead of their fight.

Samingnoom kicking while Samart dodges back.

Yodnaksu magazine cover advertising an upcoming bout between Samingnoom and Nokweed Davy.

Magazine cover advertising an upcoming event, featuring the two co-main events in 1981 - Jock and Samingnoom on the far right side.

Ahead of Samart vs Samingnoom, the two heads of their respective gyms shake hands with promoter OneSongchai at the center in the back.

Samingnoom in 1981

Samingnoom with one of his Rajadamnern titles (115 lb and 130 lb).

Samingnoom behind the head of his gym.

Samingnoom at center with two more fighters from the gym.

Samingnoom (red) vs Singpatoom (blue) with promoter Klaew Tanikul.

Samingnoom with one of his Rajadanmnern titles.

Samingnoom receiving his 115 lb Rajadanmern title, after beating Tong Petchyindee.

Samingnoom on the cover of Champ Magazine.

Some of Kevin's photos from the session, see his entire photo essay on Samingnoom here: Samingnoom's Rural Home of Muay Thai