I’ve been training Muay Thai at Diesel for seven months now. That’s seven months of combos one to ten, fourteen point defence, light leg, horns, the Seksan drill, and everything else that Head Coach, Arnas, incorporates into his system. Coach will be the first to say that there’s no secret to what he teaches – you can find all of the drills and combos on the whiteboard – but it takes a certain type of character to bring those ideas to life, especially when faced with a class of fresh-faced novices:
“When I had finished fighting and started coaching at the old Diesel, I was still quite young. I didn’t really know much about how to coach, I had an idea how to do it, but it was like pads, sparring, clinch; everything sort of freestyle,” Coach recalls, “I’ve had experience in powerlifting, that gave me knowledge about programming and what programming is. I’ve done a nutrition course, which opened my eyes with regards to how you teach. If you want to teach someone something, first you have to teach them some sort of skill, and then you teach them how to apply that skill to a real life situation.”
Utilising tools and tricks from these respective fields, combining them with his knowledge of the art and constant studying of elite fighters, Coach Arnas has developed the system you see today, the effectiveness of which can be measured by the impressive performances – and recent victories – of the Diesel competition team.
Decision-Making
Coach Arnas’ system draws heavily on the traditional Muay Femur fighting style. There’s a focus on footwork, good movement, solid defence and agility, “Not agility as in you can do the step ladder very well, or you can juggle on one foot, but fight agility,” he explains, “You can move in any direction you want, in any stance, and can strike from any position.”
We are taught to fight smarter, utilise distance and refrain from engaging in 50:50 situations if we can help it. Drills and exercises are structured in such a way that we are encouraged to draw upon the skills and knowledge we’ve gained to make decisions for ourselves, in the same way Coach shaped his own approach to coaching:
“With my system, I’m trying to make fighters make decisions on a daily basis in the gym. The more good decisions you make in the ring, the more likely you are to win the fight. I think the main thing that separates elite fighters from non-elite fighters is decision-making.”
It’s easy to make the right decision when you haven’t got somebody trying to take your head off, but once fear and excitement creep in, our judgement can become clouded. At moments like this, even those who’ve soaked up the most knowledge in the gym can draw a blank and shell up. Coach aims to prepare fighters for this by maintaining a fight environment in the gym at all times, “That’s why we drill how we fight, we set the timer for three minutes, we’re not going to talk and we’re not going to break the round,” he says.
Beginner’s Mind
The Muay Thai classes at Diesel are of mixed ability, which enables students to learn from each other, and assist with the progression of their fellow classmates. For those taking up a martial art for the first time, the prospect of being the new person in the gym can prove extremely daunting. Coach Arnas has some advice for those on the first chapter of their Muay Thai story:
“If I had to say one thing, I’d say beginner’s mind. Not having the ego that you know everything, you know how to fight. Have a beginner’s mind: be open to any approach to training, be willing to try stuff out.”
There will always be someone better and more experienced than you; you can’t expect to walk into a gym for the first time and know everything. Listen, be humble, and don’t consider your own lack of knowledge or ability as a weakness:
“We have a saying here, “You’re not special.” If I can do it, you can do it. If Superbon can do it, you can do it as well, but there’s time and training that you need to sacrifice to get where you want to be.”
The Diesel Fight Team
Although Coach’s competing days may be over, he isn’t the sort of person who can just holler directions from the sidelines, “Instead of sitting at the back of the room with a big whip, lead by example,” he claims. It’s a very wise way of saying he likes to punch his students, and he’s earned that right. Acknowledging the opportunity he’s been given to teach what he loves, he proclaims that the relationship between coach and fighter is symbiotic:
“I am responsible for looking after my fighters, not putting them in bad situations where they get hurt. These guys are ready to put in three hours, four hours a day. They’re willing to give me that time, and I have to be sure that I make it worth it for them. I have to make sure they can go back to those jobs without injury. Obviously shit can happen, but I have to be confident that they’re capable of defending themselves.”
This level of commitment to his fighters is universal, regardless of their level or experience. You are not special: it’s not an insult, it’s a statement of equality. Iron sharpens iron, and each fighter brings something to the table that the rest can benefit from. Whether you’re preparing for an A-class fight or your debut novice bout, the groundwork is the same:
“It doesn’t matter if you’re training for an interclub or an N-class fight, or any non-elite level fight, I still want to prepare you as if you’re preparing for a WBC belt. I want Diesel to grow. I want to have a solid team that bounces off each other, making each other better. With that, the wins and the belts will come. First and foremost, I want a team that will turn up and are ready to work.”
To wrap up, the future of Diesel’s Muay Thai team looks prosperous. We have the coach, we have the talent, but without the support of the gym, the fights will prove hard to come by:
“I would like all Diesel members to come and support the fighters. That means buying tickets, going to the shows and supporting them live. A big part of Muay Thai is having to sell tickets, without it fighters won’t get the opportunities.”
Lily Poda and Cameron Little will be representing Diesel Gym at Liam Harrison’s Hitman Fight League at Indigo at The O2 on Saturday 15th April. You can buy tickets HERE.
