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After spending all weekend swinging bells in King of Prussia you’d think I’d be too wrecked to do much of anything. Ironically, I’ve had a ton of energy the past few days. Working with the athletes and trainers at the #sfg1 cert has put me in a much better headspace than I’ve been in this summer. The fact that I feel strong enough to hold for @nealsantos’s knees is evidence of that. Special guest appearance of the exceptionally strong Coach @cpeteraf pulling Coach Yohannes @havoktrainingsystems_365 behind her. #strongfirst #8limbsacademy #muaythai #power #knee #viii #westphilly #confidenceisdangerous #strengthhasagreaterpurpose

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Hard at work next to my biggest inspiration in the gym @jeninepilla. Thanks for the boomerang @kate_viii_. Soon we’ll all be working side by side again! #8limbsfamily #niceankleguards #saturdays #wehavealotofflags (at 8 Limbs Muay Thai Academy)

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“We might not win em all but, if you’re fighting someone from 8 Limbs you’ve got a hard fight in front of you.” — @charliecottone_viii It’s crazy to watch our team get bigger and bigger. This might look insane to you but we took a similar sized team to the TBA tournament this year and had a lot of success. We were organized, took care of one another, had @cpeteraf ‘s trademark spreadsheet to guide us. It’s gonna be wild but we’re gonna get it done just like always. Now for #honestyhour — as exciting as it is to have a bigger stable of fighters to work with I have to grapple harder with feelings of selfishness. You can get away with it more if you have a smaller team I think. I try to act right but sometimes the brat creeps out of me anyways. Part of being a martial artist is having the discipline to reign that in. The other part is remembering that the practice is bigger than you and actually it’s bigger than the sport itself. I think the best way I’ve found to reconcile my occasional bothersome “fee-wings” is to frame it like this: transformation is the point. The more people who come up through the gym and get to have the life changing experience of stepping into the ring the better. #8limbsacademy #muaythai #viii #wetbutts #USMTOEAST #oi #nospiritualsurrender #chucksmyfriend (at 8 Limbs Muay Thai Academy)

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What a treat to watch two of my coaches get to know one another. To joke around and connect. I tried to get a candid here but they caught on. Jarrett brought a team of fighters from my home town of Richmond, Virginia to get some training and sparring in with the @8limbsacademy team this weekend. When I started training at @richmond_bjj_academy in 2007 I was actually afraid of the man on the left. I was brand new to Muay Thai, only trained on Tuesdays, and Thursdays and only went if @aiden.studio carpooled with me. Took me a while to get brave enough to go by myself. Jarett Church was the capital “H” capital “C” Head Muay Thai Coach. I don’t know when things started to shift for me exactly, but I had already fallen deeply in love with Muay Thai by the time Jarrett asked me when I was gonna fight. I’m sure he wouldn’t remember this small moment but I protested with the usual “I’m not ready...blah blah blah.” He said “we’ll MAKE you ready,” and then told me not to be chicken! Don’t worry, it was in a sweet, teasing way. A way that conveyed how much he disagreed with my assessment. It was the perfect push — challenging me while cluing me in to the fact that he believed in me. I registered for my first fight shortly after that. When I got to Philly five years ago and linked up with Charlie and Kate I started to realize that I could be training and fighting at a much higher pace. With Charlie as my coach I’ve been able to accomplish and grow exponentially more than I ever expected. He’s pushed me hard over the years, sometimes to the point where I forget that I actually like Chuck. But he always cranks the hardcore jams, cracks jokes, yells loud and keeps me going. I would not trade this for the world. Thanks guys for selflessly sharing your knowledge and your emotional energy with me over the years. For literally being in my corner. I throughly enjoyed this collision of worlds. #yescoach #bondsoffriendship #muaythai #8limbsacademy #viii #richmondbjjacademy #saturdaytraining #oi (at 8 Limbs Muay Thai Academy)

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Hung some things on an otherwise plain, boring, white bedroom wall this afternoon. @priqueer said it feels calming. Spiritual, even. We both love being surrounded by beautiful things, and we picked these four kind of on a whim that now feels like providence. The plaid sash was given to me by a dear friend, @absitmonchai. Even though I only see her once a year I feel so connected to her. We share a love of music, a silliness and even though she’s much too young to be my mom, they share a birthday and have such similar energy. The medal was awarded to @priqueer after their most recent fight at USMTO West. They went through an insane trial to make it into the ring that weekend. Including but not limited to cutting weight twice and fighting on the last day of a long weekend after riding the collective emotional roller coaster of the team of seven. With every excuse to crumple, they had their best performance yet and came home hungry to learn and develop within the sport. The mongkol was hand made by one of my favorite fighters and ALL-TIME favorite sparring partners @thepnimitsitmonchai_jun. The first time I wore it into the ring I won by leg kick TKO. I want to do my best to honor its energy and its maker every time I put it on. It all seems perfectly appropriate that these items hang next to a spider plant. These suckers refuse to stop growing no matter what happens to them. These things do more than just bring a splash of color into the room. They ground me. Looking forward to the days that I start and finish beside them. (at West Philly Baby)

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‘Don’t Think Just See Don’t Know Just Flow.’ My Coach @charliecottone_viii is a man of few words when he holds pads for me. “Just throw and I’ll get the pads there.” Developing this kind of flow without verbal prompts is just infinitely challenging to me. I can see my gears grinding in little moments in this clip that is only from our warm up. You can’t just turn your brain off and smash all cave-person style (historically my preferred method of training and fighting), but you can’t get too caught up in thinking and wind up stalling out. I oscillate (hard) between these two states before I find that balanced state of flow. And once I strike that balance it is so dang hard to maintain it. For me, guided meditation (I love the headspace app), focused breathing and maintaining a sense of humor about the whole thing help immensely. I’m interested in what other folks do or practice to be able to enter that state of flow. #muaythai #8limbsacademy #infinitejest #chucksmyfriend #speakingofjustinbieberitistimeforahaircut (at 8 Limbs Muay Thai Academy)

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Like the feeling at the top of a roller coaster. Once the bell rings and you touch gloves all the nerves go away and you are truly free. There is no feeling like it and that's why I'm chasing it. Even if they close my normal weight bracket! I made it to the lowest weight I'll have ever competed at thanks to the guidance of @plantpoweredwarrior. Also the loving support of @priqueer with whom I share many meals. Also also the weight cut whip-cracker aka Christina "the bath isn't hot enough yet" Peteraf. @cpeteraf Headed to USMTO East this morning with the world's best team @charliecottone_viii @kate_viii_ @m.o.crows @kimoroberts @jeninepilla @das_kuddelmuddel @desquire710 @tofuquinoa @caseyviz @adammccann5 footage by the visionary sentimental bear @tguns1. Last but not least miss you @omositmonchai !!!❤️❤️❤️ #usmtoeast #usmuaythaiopen #8limbsacademy #plantpoweredwarrior #sitmonchai #มวยไทย #noihaventslepthowdidyouguess (at West Philly Baby)

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Starting the week off RIGHT with the 10am Monday Foundations class. #VIII #มวยไทย #eatspace (at 8 Limbs Muay Thai Academy)

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There is thunder in our hearts. (at Queensborough Community College Robert F. Kennedy Gym)

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Shout out to my trainer the one and only @charliecottone_viii !!! It's Nai Khanom Tom Day or Muay Thai day (at least if you're on EST). Thank you to all the wonderful teachers (coaches, trainers, teammates, opponents) who've nurtured my practice and development as a fighter. There are too many to name! 🙏 (at 8 Limbs Muay Thai Academy)

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Uuhhhh more donut/Muay Thai related content. We now have #vegandonuts and delicious coffee right around the corner. #badnews #viii #dottiesdonuts #chucksmyfriend ☕️🍩🐷 (at Dottie's Donuts)

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A tier 1 @chhayaphiladelphia regular who is also an @8limbsacademy student brought me the most excellent homecoming present today! Thank you, Chris! 🍩👊 #viii (at Chhaya)

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🇹🇭✌️✈️💔 (at Sitmonchai Gym)

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Victory hardstyle from Thursday. Gonna miss these fools. #sitmonchaifamily (at Sitmonchai Gym)

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Pad-holding is an art form and @jimmemaster makes you feel like a rock star. (at Sitmonchai Gym)

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Two of my favorites working their boxing. (at Sitmonchai Gym)

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"Al toque, perro." (at Asiatique The Riverfront (เอเชียทีค เดอะ ริเวอร์ฟร้อนท์))