Wicker Camp (Established 1977)

Wicker Camp is one of the biggest and oldest Thai Boxing camps in the UK boasting the most champions of any gym in this country. Our fighters have a strong reputation here and abroad and have fought all over the world.

Wednesday, 20 June 2007

Most Popular Video - June 2007

Since April we've been posting clips from many of the Wicker Camp fighters on youtube. Below is our most popular clip so far with over 1000 views! As Helene recently wrote in a comment on the blog

"I believe Imran Khan is one of the most underated fighters in this country and doesn't get the recognition he truly deserves. Imran is in my opinion one of the best fighters in the world without a doubt. to fight like him would be a aspiration and to train with him is an inspiration, imran khan is simply poetry in motion"

Tuesday, 12 June 2007

We Never Give In

"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday"

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Friday, 8 June 2007

Paul Timmins - Golden Shin

Mick on Paul Timmins: "He's an amazing fighter with awesome speed and power. Paul is one of our Instructors at Wicker Camp, he's been training with us for years but doesn't get as much time to fight (unfortunately)."



(Paul's fight from the 2006 Octagon Show)

Ring Name : Golden Shin

Name : Paul Timmins

Date of Birth : 11/04/1978

Weight : 58-59 Kg

Nationality : British

Any Regrets : Not starting Thai-Boxing sooner.

Toughest Fight : Is always the battle with yourself. I found my 1st fight very hard, I was so tired at the end of it. Thankfully I won it on points.

Training Likes : Pushing through the tiredness – that’s a buzz for me. Seeing yourself improve. Surviving sparring with Imran, Christian, Daniel and Lee !

Training Dislikes : When I’m not feeling up to it and can’t push through the tiredness. Oh and getting injured so I can’t train.

Ambitions : To be a Champion, train in Thailand (soon).

What inspired you to start training in Muay Thai : I’ve tried other Martial Arts, and wanted something tougher. I saw tapes of the pro fighters in Thailand – yeah, they inspired me.

Have you trained in Thailand : No not yet

What is your current training schedule ? : I train with Mick 4 days a week,and come to the public classes when I can.

Who has been your biggest influence and why ? : Mick Mullaney of course.

What advice can you give to new Muay Thai students : You don’t have to be a tough guy to do Thai-Boxing. You can take it to any level you want, you don’t have to fight. Anybody thinking of trying it – give it a go, choose a good Teacher and you won’t be disappointed.



By the way, credit is due to the Wicker Camp cameraman Craig Beachell who films the Wicker Camp shows and prepares the DVDs. Without him much of the footage on this blog wouldn't exist! The quality is reduced for the blog/youtube to make online streaming easy. The original high quality DVDs are available from the club.

Tuesday, 5 June 2007

Those who can, do - those who can't, teach

........”I agree with my dear friend that a good fighter will not necessarily make a good teacher. But I also think that we have to examine our limiting beliefs – stereotypes of individuals in our sport, that if they are a good fighter, then it is almost taken for granted that they cannot be a good teacher as well. We even have this ridiculous phrase – Those who can do, those who can’t teach. I find this phrase misinformed and mildly offensive, and I am sure other teachers of MuayThai do as well.

I fervently believe that you cannot teach MuayThai well if you haven’t fought using MuayThai skills. The primal experience of having to survive a full contact physical encounter with another human being using only MuayThai, leads to a deeper understanding of how and when to use those skills (N.B. hard sparring is not the same experience.). Look at Ronnie Green, Pele Nathan, Richard Smith, Oliver Harrison, to name a few in the UK ( please don’t be offended if I haven’t mentioned you or your Instructor – there are many, many more great people out there ), all excellent teachers AND fighters. They couldn’t pass on that level of knowledge if they hadn’t gained it the hard way.

Learning to communicate fighting skills is the job of the Camp’s Master. I personally have found this a most difficult task in the past. To transpose all the combat skills a fighter possesses, into knowledge they can access, understand AND communicate to others. Sometimes fighters use their skills but don’t really understand what they are doing. They act on instinct using their knowledge in a natural, impulsive way ( the way it should be applied ). The intuitive way we do things is very difficult to identify and takes experience.

Now, I suspect that we can learn almost anything – if we want to. (But of course, not everyone wants to teach.) I don’t hold with the premise that the skills of a good fighter differ from the skills of a good teacher. I think a good teacher must use knowledge developed from years of training and fighting, to help students accomplish a learning experience that will enable them to develop their own skills. ( in this sense a teacher cannot fully instruct a student from beginning to end as the fight experience is the ultimate learning outcome.) My Wife Trix doesn’t totally agree with me here, and I hope she will make her contribution to this topic (?)

I personally would not allow a student to teach others how to fight if he/she had never had that experience themselves. It makes no sense in this very dangerous sport to permit anyone without that vital, tested knowledge to instruct others in how to do it. My students/fighters go through a rigorous period of learning “how to teach” with me before I allow them to take any class at Wicker Camp”........
Mick.

Beyond the Possibility of Defeat

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

- The Art of War (Sun Tzu)

Monday, 4 June 2007

Lee Chesters - Defeater of Champions








Name : Lee Chesters

Date of Birth : 02/12/1973

Weight : 65-67 Kg

Nationality : British

Years Training : 12 Years

Fight Record : Wins …17…… Losses …5…… Draws…1……

Titles Held : North-West Area, British, Commonwealth, European, World Champion.

Any Regrets : I think I switched off after I won the WMC World Title, which was a mistake. Just didn’t have the same drive for a while after that, But you can’t hold on to regrets, it’ll just screw your head up.

Toughest Fight : Mick took me to Budapest where I fought the Hungarian MuayThai Champ Suveges Slizard at 67kg ( although he weighed in at 73kg!!!) Knocked him down in the 1st round, his eyes were gone, but when the Referee helped him up, I knew I’d lost this one. I hit him with Knees to head, elbows, the works, but lost on points.

Training Likes : I love padwork.

Training Dislikes : Dieting

Ambitions : In MuayThai I want to fight at Ratchadamnern Stadium. Outside of Thai-Boxing, my greatest ambition is to be a good Dad to my son Ryan, who is a fantastic 12 yr old.

What inspired you to start training in Muay Thai : I was a professional Footballer for many years, but always loved Martial Arts. I remember watching the film Kickboxer and wanting to do Thai-Boxing. I found Mick’s Club in the Yellow Pages and that was it.

Have you trained in Thailand : Yes, many times and fought in Thailand too !

What is your current training schedule ? : Same as the others, 5 days a week, twice a day when I can. Always with Mick.

Who has been your biggest influence and why ? : Mick Mullaney and my Mom and Dad.

What advice can you give to new Muay Thai students : Don’t get too serious too soon, or you will burn out. Enjoy your training and it will come to you.

Friday, 1 June 2007

cutting edge DVD now available

The fantastic DVD of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THAI-BOXING from the Octagon, Sheffield is now available. It is a brilliant, "broadcast quality" DVD featuring nearly all of Wicker Camp's top fighters.

8 full on action bouts including Christian Di Paolo's elbow stoppage against the Belarussian, Daniel Hudson's knee to the head KO against Attila Nagy from Hungary, Mehdi's unbelievable head kick KO against Gaz Cooper from Manchester, Thomas's stoppage of the very tough Lithuanian and many more !!!

Order you copy now, price only £10, from Wicker Camp, Unit 14 Clarence Works, Effingham Road, Sheffield. S4 7YS. South Yorkshire. ( please make cheques payable to M.W.Mullaney ).

ALSO -Last years DVD of World Championship Thai-Boxing at the Octagon, is still available to buy. This disc features 11 quality bouts, including many KO's and is now selling at the knockdown price of only £5 !!!

YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.