What Can You Tell Me About The Thai Boxing Assoc. Of USA? in memphis

[Team Supremacy]

so i've been thinking recently of relocating to memphis from jacksonville, fl. Upon my research, and the help of my dad since he lives there, he came across the Thai Boxing Assoc. of USA. so i did a lil research about the founder, Ajarn Surachai "Chai" Sirisute, who supposedly was the one who brought our beloved muay thai to the united states. but anyway, my dad said while doing a quick search for muay thai schools there he came across this but i checked the website and it doesn't list any affiliates or schools there. so is there anything anyone can tell me about this?

also what's the muay thai/mma scene in memphis like?

thanks in advance

 

[dat1978]

so i've been thinking recently of relocating to memphis from jacksonville, fl. Upon my research, and the help of my dad since he lives there, he came across the Thai Boxing Assoc. of USA. so i did a lil research about the founder, Ajarn Surachai "Chai" Sirisute, who supposedly was the one who brought our beloved muay thai to the united states. but anyway, my dad said while doing a quick search for muay thai schools there he came across this but i checked the website and it doesn't list any affiliates or schools there. so is there anything anyone can tell me about this?

also what's the muay thai/mma scene in memphis like?

thanks in advance

unfortunately i don't know the situation of TBA schools in TN, but i will say that the TBA website is really behind on updating the list of affiliated schools and instructors. my school and instructor has been with the TBA and Master Chai for 20+ years, we currently have 5 instructors (including myself) that have tested in front of master Chai and we aren't listed. they redid the site recently and started the list over from scratch, but they haven't made it very far along.

 

[Team Supremacy]

unfortunately i don't know the situation of TBA schools in TN, but i will say that the TBA website is really behind on updating the list of affiliated schools and instructors. my school and instructor has been with the TBA and Master Chai for 20+ years, we currently have 5 instructors (including myself) that have tested in front of master Chai and we aren't listed. they redid the site recently and started the list over from scratch, but they haven't made it very far along.

ok. i def hope so, i'm dreaming of becoming a muay thai intructor so if there is a school there then that will be the for sure selling point in me moving. so how was the testing for your full intructorship? i read in an interview with Chai that after three years you can test for it. that is my goal, along with competing.

 

[dat1978]

ok. i def hope so, i'm dreaming of becoming a muay thai intructor so if there is a school there then that will be the for sure selling point in me moving. so how was the testing for your full intructorship? i read in an interview with Chai that after three years you can test for it. that is my goal, along with competing.

no, you have it a little confused. there are 4 levels of instructorship. in order it goes apprentice, associate, full, then senior. the senior level is reserved for people that are appointed by master chai and there are not that many in the world.

it takes approximately 3 years before you can test for the apprentice level. prior to that you have to test at the 1 and 2 year mark. the 1 and 2 tests are not in front of master chai, but can be done in front of your own instructor. then with your instructors approval you test with chai for apprenticeship. at apprentice level you are considered an instructor under the TBA and as such can run a school under the banner.

then between each of the next levels the time will vary. for instance, i am an apprentice level. took me 8 years due to injury and some layoff time from school and work. i would say total training time during those 8 years, however, was 4.5 years. i do not expect to get my associates for a while due to the fact that i'm also concentrating on grappling now. another instructor at our school has been there for the same time as me, 10 years total. he received his associates level about 3 years ago. so he got his apprentice at year 3, then it took another 3-4 for his associate. our main instructor has been with chai for 20+ years and he's still a full instructor, so you can see that the rank of senior instructor isn't just given away.

for the apprentice and associate you have to test. for full and senior i don't think you do, chai gives it to you as he sees fit i believe.

 

[Team Supremacy]

no, you have it a little confused. there are 4 levels of instructorship. in order it goes apprentice, associate, full, then senior. the senior level is reserved for people that are appointed by master chai and there are not that many in the world.

it takes approximately 3 years before you can test for the apprentice level. prior to that you have to test at the 1 and 2 year mark. the 1 and 2 tests are not in front of master chai, but can be done in front of your own instructor. then with your instructors approval you test with chai for apprenticeship. at apprentice level you are considered an instructor under the TBA and as such can run a school under the banner.

then between each of the next levels the time will vary. for instance, i am an apprentice level. took me 8 years due to injury and some layoff time from school and work. i would say total training time during those 8 years, however, was 4.5 years. i do not expect to get my associates for a while due to the fact that i'm also concentrating on grappling now. another instructor at our school has been there for the same time as me, 10 years total. he received his associates level about 3 years ago. so he got his apprentice at year 3, then it took another 3-4 for his associate. our main instructor has been with chai for 20+ years and he's still a full instructor, so you can see that the rank of senior instructor isn't just given away.

for the apprentice and associate you have to test. for full and senior i don't think you do, chai gives it to you as he sees fit i believe.

ok I appreciate the info. so say im training under their banner and receive my apprenticeship, would I be able to take a job at an mma school as an instructor? or would I be able to only teach at an affiliate school of the TBA?

 

[dat1978]

ok I appreciate the info. so say im training under their banner and receive my apprenticeship, would I be able to take a job at an mma school as an instructor? or would I be able to only teach at an affiliate school of the TBA?

as far as i know you can take a job teaching anywhere so long as you represent the TBA and acknowledge that's where your training is from. any students under you would then be tested in the same manner as you under the TBA rules.

 

[Team Supremacy]

as far as i know you can take a job teaching anywhere so long as you represent the TBA and acknowledge that's where your training is from. any students under you would then be tested in the same manner as you under the TBA rules.

oh ok good I appreciate the info man thanks.