#132 Matee Jedeepitak - The Keys To Femeu Timing & Distance (1 hr, 6 min) (Patreon)

Matee was Lumpinee Champion at 126 lb, a very competitive weight class, and fought against some of the biggest names of the Golden Age. His alias was "Dragon Leg," and his style was as a standout Southpaw Femeu kicker. For two decades Matee has been teaching in the US, passing his style along to students with the essential triad of: timing, distance, and basics. These three form the triangle of the traditional Muay Thai style and are not easy to teach or learn, so this session in the Library is just incredible for the preservation of the art. As Matee is both a legendary fighter when the sport was at its height, but also has been perfecting his own reflection on the art and how to communicate these very important elements, this session is an amalgam of both knowledge and the knowledge of teaching itself. The Library is filled with examples of these three things, but in Matee they become crystal clear, including paths for how to build them. I learned so much working with him, and right away had things I wanted to incorporate in my own work as a fighter. One of the most beautiful things about the Muay Thai Library is that we are not just documenting the Muay of great fighters and krus, but very often this Muay represents their own decades-long reflection on it, a deepening of the sense of what their Muay Thai really is. Matee has become a master at teaching one of the most esteemed fighting styles of his era. More than once he got goosebumps when we got to a very important beautiful point in sharing, with the feeling that it was communicated. The session is filled with small details that can make huge differences, from beginning student to advanced fighter.

Note, we're putting up two version: Because Matee speaks English the session had audio challenges. I kept speaking Thai to him in the session because I've found that people think differently in different languages, and I wanted to bring his more Thai concepts out, but most of the session is in English. So we created two copies of this session. My usual commentary version is here. I translate the Thai when we speak it, but I also offer my interpretation of what he's teaching, and my experience in learning it. In this version we kept the natural audio track lower so the commentary track doesn't clash so much. But, we also burned a natural audio version without my commentary, just to make sure all that he is saying is fully audible too. You can find that natural audio version here.

Things to Look Out For In This Session

Timing: he uses a footwork exercise, which he says is his standard warmup for all his students (as well as himself) to find one's own timing. It looks much like bouncing on a tire or skipping rope, but can add punches to land at the same time as the feet.

Skip Back/Walk Back: this is ideal for counter striking. Matee clarifies that the word "skip" is a much considered word choice, not the same as a jump or a slide. The skip allows for speed, as well as being able to make a quick adjustment and create more space or pivot if needed.

Momentum: this is mainly weight and balance and is necessary for understanding how to maintain distance while moving forward or backward.

Countering > Blocking: Matee prefers a counter to a block (not in every case), which he expresses as being a difference between an opponent's timing (blocking) or "my timing" (countering).

Not Rotating the Shoulders: if you keep your shoulders still and rotate only the torso for power, the feet can switch stance and you can change direction and get out of the way without giving away your intentions. You have invisibility, as well as being able to change what you're doing quickly (rotating shoulders slows you down and over-commits you to one side over the other).

Trampoline Floor: Matee has the same "springboard" floor that Karuhat has, in terms of a foot tapping down and springing up with incredible speed to land counter strikes against an advancing opponent.

Other Sessions I Referenced in my commentary:

#27 Karuhat Sor. Supawan 4 - Tension & Kicking Dynamics (104 min) watch it here

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

#49 Chamuakpet Hapalang - Devastating Knee in Combination (66 min)

#131 Panomtuanlek Hapalang - The Secret of Tidal Knees (100 min) watch it here

Bonus Session 9: Yodkhupon Sittraipum - Lethal Smoothness (73 min) watch it here

#12 Andy Thomson - Mad Scientist of Muay Thai  (56 min) watch it here

Matee Picks His 5 Greatest Muay Thai Fighters of All Time:

we ask legends and other great fighters who they think are the best Muay Thai fighters of all time. These were Matee's choices. You can see an entire playlist of legends and fighters choosing their 5 best here.

Photos from Matee's Career

after defeating Hanseuk

On the cover for an upcoming bout with Namkabuan

Matee in a graduation gown

Kevin's Photographs from the session:

You can find all of Kevin's photographs from the session here. From photographs you can find aspects of the session that you may have missed.

If you enjoyed this session, these are other sessions in the Library you have also enjoy on similar themes and fighting styles:

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

Singdam provides perhaps the best progression through the basics I've yet filmed, the blueprint of his beautiful, effective style. This instruction is bottomless. Even after 5 years in Thailand there is a ton for me in this very close examination of powerful technique essentials.

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

One of the great femeu fighters of the Golden Age unlocks the secret of his teep oriented dominance which made him one of the most difficult fighters to face in his day. The lessons here are precious as he unfolds the details of how to use the teep and tempo to always put the fight where you want it.

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

Almost a documentary film on its own, we go to the hand-built cinderblock home of early Golden Age legend Samingnoom, where he has retreated from International teaching, and Bangkok gyms. His ring surrounded by farmland, is where he teaches an extremely femeu style that has nearly vanished from Muay Thai. This is traveling back in time, into Muay Thai history in more than one way, and its beautiful.

#118 Phettho Sitjaopho - Muay Femeu Excellence (70 min) watch it here

Much loved Kru F of Sitjaopho Gym in Hua Hin has beautiful Muay Femeu technique. Learn his secrets to very manageable muay, featuring balance, supreme defense, the development of feeling and naturalness. Learn with me as I learn from him.

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

The 1992 Fighter of the Year Jaroensap had an elegant Muay Thai that was full of hidden power. He shares his unique teeping style, how he employed parries and switches and elbows to control the space in an elite Muay Femeu fighter.

#40 Gen Hongthonglek - Muay Femeu Tactics & Mindset (70 min) watch it here

The Muay Femeu (artful fighting) style is more than just a set of techniques, it's also a mindset and strategy of how to score, and how to score big. The warfare is not just in terms of damage, but of psychology, displaying dominance through skill and timing. Gen in this hour outlines how he likes to fight, and how he pulls off the biggest scores at the right time.

#57 Boonlai Sor. Thanikul - Kicking Excellence (66 min) watch it here

One of the most asked for sessions by patrons, and it took well over a year to find and arrange filming with Boonlai. A legendary fighter of the Golden Age who beat some of the greatest fighters of his day (Karuhat, Namkabuan, Langsuan, etc), with such a beautiful kicking attack. Learn the secrets of his head kick, along with some beautiful slow-motion capture.