This was a couple of years ago now — my first trip to Thailand, and my final session before leaving.

I trained with Ajarn Wat, Nattawat Johphromma, at LookSuan Muay Thai Camp in Bangkok.

Walking into the gym, it was immediately clear this wasn’t a tourist spot. Old mats. Torn bags. Nothing polished. Nothing staged. Just a place that had seen years of work. A proper Muay Thai gym in every sense of the word.

At one end of the gym were two rings. One uncovered. One draped in tarps. Rain leaked through the roof as training went on underneath it. No one paid it much attention.

From that end of the gym, I could hear his voice — encouragement carried across the space between rounds. When he finished the session before mine, he smiled, said hello, welcomed me in, and told me to warm up.

Ten minutes of skipping. A bit of shadow boxing. Then he wrapped my hands.

That part still stands out.

This is Muay Thai royalty. Over four hundred fights. Someone people travel across the world to train with. And there I was, standing in front of him while he wrapped my hands, like I was about to step into the ring at Rajadamnern.

I shadowboxed while he watched. Calm. Relaxed. Smoking. Scrolling on his phone. Occasionally glancing up. When he was ready, we started.

No pads at first. Just gloves.

Movement. Distance. Positioning. Small adjustments. Everything effortless for him. Everything revealing for me. There was nothing rushed. No need to explain much. He showed, and you felt the difference immediately.

Then we moved to pad work.

No belly pad.

“Power,” he shouted, asking for a body shot.

I hit him with everything I had.

“Why no power?” he said.

I laughed and tried again.

Nothing moved him. No flinch. No reaction. Like hitting a wall that didn’t acknowledge you were there.

We finished the rounds, did some light sparring, and that was it. No long conversation. No ceremony. I took a quick photo and headed on my way.

It was one of those sessions that stays with you, not because of how hard it was, but because of who it was with — and how normal it all felt to him.

That session had been on my list long before I ever booked a flight.

I’m glad it lived up to it.