Aggressive Confidence:
Discovering Your Inner Strength Through Muay Thai
By Anthony Yuan – Instructor at Mastermind Muay Thai Academy
Copyright 2016 by Anthony Yuan
All rights reserved internationally. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the
publisher and copyright owner.
Published by Mastermind Muay Thai LLC, 112 S Union Street Suite 200, Kennett Square, PA 19348
This book is not a substitute for professional instruction and supervision, and no one should attempt any techniques without proper
personal instruction from trained instructors.
Contents
Chapter 1 Muay Thai for Self-Defense 1
Chapter 2 How Muay Thai Can Transform Your Body and Mind 3
Chapter 3 Start with the Body 8
Chapter 4 Master the Body, Motivate the Mind 11
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Chapter 1 – Muay Thai for Self-Defense
Watching a school bully pick on the weakest kid in school……watching violence take place at a
political rally….standing next to a belligerent guy at the bar who’s had a little too much to drink
Every Animal, Every Human has an Instinct for Survival
When our lives and well-being are physically threatened, our instincts turn on…a fear that causes
that ‘fight or flight’feeling… it’s unlike fear that most of us experience day to day….’Did our boss like
the work we did?’…’Will that attractive guy or gal over there like me?’ ‘Will I get hit with another
overtime shift again?’.No…it’s a deep rooted instinct that every animal and every human has to
keep us alive.
Faced with someone that threatens to hurt you or someone you love…all other concerns…. about
the stock market…global warming…relationship drama…. all worries about anything else just
disappear. All your mind can think about is getting to safety.
People…Like Animals….Can Smell Fear
To the untrained person….in such a situation…the chest tightens..the heart pounds…palms
sweaty…and the mind locked in indecision of what to do….
Predators, both human and animal…smell fear. They can see that indecision in the eyes. And so
learning to defend yourself is as much about physical skills as it is about understanding what your
capable of in the situation…and then being decisive in your action to either fight or finding a
strategic way to escape. It’s about learning to control the emotion of fear in these situations...and
this starts with educating the mind in basic combat.
Muay Thai as a Way of Keeping Your ‘Weapons’ Sharp
Muay Thai is a vicious style of self-defense…one that matches the viciousness of real
combat..either in the ring or on the street. If you’re unfamiliar with Muay Thai, I’d recommend you
take a few minutes to search it on Youtube and see how vicious and effective it is in combat.
The power of the techniques comes from their design….Unlike most martial arts, Muay Thai
techniques are delivered utilizing the weight of the entire body to generate force…So a 100 lbs.
person can learn to throw all 100 lbs. behind any punch, kick, knee or elbow strike…making them a
deadly weapon.
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Yet beyond that…there’s a more important benefit that training Muay Thai delivers… By developing
the body into a weapon, the confidence of the mind inevitably develops alongside it.
The art of Muay Thai is an art of self-defense…Thai soldiers used it to defend their nation from
attack on the battlefield in hand to hand combat.** And so the art was refined and honed through
what worked.
Training was intense to transform a fighters body and mind to match the viciousness of combat.
And while you may never have to engage in full-on hand to hand combat, training yourself at this
level of intensity is a way to make you strong….both physically and mentally for the challenges of
daily life. Whether that’s taking on greater challenges at your work place…or having to defend
yourself or someone you love.
** Muay Boran was the original form of the art which was used on the battlefields for unarmed combat. In the 1930’s, after an
international fight where a fighter from Cambodia died, new rules were instilled to protect fighters in ring combat, called Muay Thai**
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Chapter 2 – Self-Defense of the Mind and the Body
Deeper Reasons for Training Muay Thai
Most people who have seen Muay Thai…think of it as one of the most brutal, vicious, and intense
martial arts.
I remember stepping into a Muay Thai gym for the first time…after watching a documentary on
Muay Thai. With that image in my head, it was pretty intimidating….but I was too intrigued by it to
walk away.
And so I always ask new students…”Why are you interested in learning Muay Thai?”
I usually get some form of a generic answer….”I’m trying to get back in shape and I’m not motivated
to go to the gym” “I’ve always wanted to learn self-defense skills” “It just looked like a cool thing to
do”
After training for a while, they’ll share their deeper reasons for getting started.
…Men and women that have recently gets divorced and feel shaken in their confidence…teenagers
who have low self-esteem from being picked on at school.…or the 9-5er that is needing a change
and a challenge….
Most people don’t start training Muay Thai without some deeper reasons.
Rarely do I ever get students who come in and from day one can seriously tell me they have the
intention of actually fighting..
The truth is…you can start to feel more confident with your physical abilities and your ability to
defend yourself in general just by taking up some explosive physical activities…CrossFit is one
example…Yoga is another…
Even just taking to the field and sprinting 40 yards will give your body that rush of blood and create
that sense of power in your body.
What drew me toward Muay Thai was how comprehensive it was…how it shaped the body as well
as the mind. It was a way of sharpening my physical strength, speed, balance…my eyes to get
used to seeing strikes coming at me…and calmed my emotions to act under pressure.
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The increased skills in Muay Thai was something I could FEEL in my body…not a trinket or belt that
someone gave me. And through that FEELING of Confidence, I learned self-defense but also
expanded my thoughts of what I was capable of in ALL areas of my life.
And so…Muay Thai is a way of honing the body into a weapon…and through that…strengthening
the mind and emotions of the person who practices it.It became a way for me to defend myself both
physically and mentally. I call these areas the 4 layers of defense.
4 Layers of Defense.
1. Physical
2. Emotional
3. Mental
4. Spiritual
1st Layers – Physical Defense –
On the most superficial level, Muay Thai is about developing self-defense skills to protect yourself
and those you love from physical assault. Even in a completely non-threatening situation…an
untrained person has subconscious anxiety about being vulnerable.
What a lot of untrained people fail to realize is that developing self-defense skills through training
something such as Muay Thai develops not just the skills to defend yourself…but an aura of
confidence that others can sense…not just predators and criminals…but everyone.
Going for a job interview….asking an attractive stranger for their number…asking your boss for a
job promotion
The Human Body is Fragile.
The Human body is filled with vulnerable spots, many areas which if struck, can leave a person
completely unconscious. . The human body is also capable of generating tremendous amounts of
powerthrough using the weight of their body correctly. In Muay Thai we learn to exploit
weaknesses of the human body and transform our arms and legs into fast moving weapons.
The techniques of Muay Thai follow the same principle for all of the techniques…it’s like learning to
ride a bike, then learning to do tricks with that bike.
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Many of my students are surprised at the amount of power they can generate with their body using
Muay Thai techniques even after the 1st day of training. ..and instantly, they believe that they are
physically capable of more than they once thought.
2nd Layer- Emotional Defense –
Muay Thai as an Outlet for Aggression
Emotional pain is just as painful and at times even more painful than physical pain. Unresolved
hurts from the past can leave us feeling powerless and inconfident about ourselves our entire life.
Muay Thai is a place for us to step outside of ourselves…outside of our daily life…where we learn
to smash through limiting beliefs about ourselves and through negative events in the past. The act
of letting that aggression out on the pads or the heavy bag is therapeutic…dare I
say…CATHARTIC!
Muay Thai develops your ability to Act inspite of Negative Emotions
From my experiences in Muay Thai…in training…sparring…and in competition…I’ve experienced a
ton of pain both physical and emotional….and learned to act in spite of it…
Facing a trained opponent, trapped inside the four corners of a ring…with hundreds of spectators
looking to see blood for their weekend entertainment…It taught me how to act in the face of my own
fear.
You don’t need to go to the level of competition to develop this sort of emotional strength…it can
come from placing yourself in challenging situation outside of your daily life and acting in spite of
it..because you know you’ll come out stronger on the other side.
The Muay Thai Community is About Self-Respect and Respect for Others
And unlike the stigma of most MMA gyms, the culture of Muay Thai emphasizes respect…self-
respect…and respect for others. Everyone in the community is looking to grow and develop their
mind and body and through this a camaraderie for those along that journey with them.
Muay Thai fighters in Thailand treat these techniques with a respect for their power and their
potential to do serious damage to another person.
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I’ve travelled all across Thailand to various gyms…and this culture of respect and camaraderie
among fighters runs throughout the community.
In my own gym, I’ve done my best to pass on this respect and camaraderie among all of my
students…many of whom become friends through helping one another develop in more ways than
just Muay Thai….and this support group…is a catalyst for the personal transformation of all of my
students.
3rd Layer- Mental Defense –
With the time we have left outside of our normal day job, school….in our spare time…most are so
overwhelmed….with so much on their mind…they hardly have enough mental capacity to do
something which would develop themselves…physically…mentally. The stress of daily life is literally
killing us.According to health professionals has a direct link many of the chronic diseases we face in
this country. And so, we all desparately need a way to destress that’s sustainable and renews our
sense of purpose and focus.
Our Number 1 Weapon in Muay Thai and Life..is our ability to Focus the
Mind
Our focus….our mind’s ability to focus on one thing at a time….is our greatest weapon…as
humans…Through our busy lives….we lose that ability….not being able to turn off thinking about
work when we have a few minutes to unwind with our lover or children…
I can remember my time as a corporate worker….working a high paying job…pumping out results
for the company in return for my salary. I would carry stress from my job home to my wife…the last
thing I wanted to do was converse and be that person she loved to be around…full of energy and
passion.
Training Muay Thai is an outlet for Stress and Aggression…to Channel that
Energy to Produce Positive Physical and Mental Strength
Through Muay Thai, I found an outlet for that stress…it became a form of active meditation…a way
to focus the mind on one thing…my own training. I let that pent up stress and aggression I bottled
up from my corporate day job…Through my daily training, my body felt relaxed…my mind cleared
of the worries of the day after intense singular focus...and from that…a clarity of mind.
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Our mind’s focus is like can be like a laser beam....or a light bulb…a light bulb can shine light in
every direction…not enough to make much of an impact….focus a laser beam on one thing….and
you can cut through diamonds.
4th Layer – Spiritual Defense –
Among the most powerful forces of us as humans…is our ability to envision and create…to envision
a future we want…and to work towards that. Most of us are just trying to get through the day, just
trying to get by.
Muay Thai is about taking control over the Person You Become
We give to others….not connected to our deeper reasons why.
Beyond that, as we look back upon our lives and where we envisioned for ourselves…does it bring
a sense of joy and excitement? Or boredom?
Muay Thai is both an art and a science…the science is the techniques and the skills of self-
defense…The art is how we apply it to ourselves…a way of personal transformation…physically
and mentally. Through challenge and the physical training of Muay Thai, we develop…we transform
and become a better, stronger version of ourself…and with that a feeling of control over our destiny.
Hopefully by now, I hope you start to see that training Muay Thai is not all about getting ready to get
in the ring for a fight. You don’t have to want to be the next champion to gain the tremendous
personal benefits from training. (although if you do want to compete, as my student, I’ll be on your
side all the way)
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Chapter 3 – Personal Transformation Happens in the Body, Not the Mind
The fastest way to change how we feel is through our body. If we want to feel powerful and
confident…we need to DO powerful and confident…The techniques learned in Muay Thai are
POWERFUL movements meant to shake us out of our daily routine of moving passively.
Think about it…you can read all of the books you want about health and nutrition…or read about
training and Muay Thai…but we all know the POWER comes from getting off our butts and doing
the damn thing!….and we do it with our body….whatever it is.from learning a language…to public
speaking….to learning Muay Thai.
There are three areas which directly affect how we feel and the actions we take.
1. Our State
2. Our Beliefs
3. Our Identity.
Our state is how We Feel in the Moment
. And it’s directly affected through our body. Positive states of mind include passion, drive,
determination…and negative states of mind include fearfulness, depression, and boredom.
When we move our bodies explosively….blood pumping into the muscles and away from our head,
that rush of endorphins, our body’s natural pain killers…we feel our bodies…we feel connected to
our…we feel alive and confident…
Most People Spend their Day all in their Head…and Can’t Snap Out of It
Through our habitual states…how we feel day to day in our body….we literally train ourselves how
to feel. Boredom, lack of passion are states of mind. Stuck in our heads all day, we lose touch with
our body....and tiredness, boredom ensue. This can become the standard for how we experience
life.
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For me…Muay Thai was a temple to allow a side of me that was unexpressed…An aggressive,
confident side of myself which had no outlet in my daily life.
Through using our body explosively… …we feel powerful…sometimes even invincible….and it’s
these positive states of mind that start to shape our mind and challenge our limiting beliefs about
how life is supposed to be.
And so, by developing positive states of mind, we can start to change beliefs (what we feel certain
about). In particular, beliefs about who we are and what we’re capable of.
Through Experiencing the Power in Your Body…Your Mind Shatters Limiting
Beliefs about What You’re Capable of
I can remember seeing the Muay Thai kick for the firs time and being in awe of how a human body
could be trained to generate so much power and speed.
After being taught the Muay Thai kick myself and feeling the crack of the pads as I hit it…I can
remember looking down at my hands and feet…pausing in shock of what I had just done…My mind
was in disbelief….and it was in that instant I realized that I was capable of more than I thought.
MUAY THAI is a way of discovering the power that exists inside of You
Through time…the feelings I got from training Muay Thai became a metaphor for who I was…the
powerful states of mind after each session, the power I felt in my body….forced me to change
beliefs about what I was capable of.
One of the first things I show students of mine is how to deliver Muay Thai techniques with power.
Why?
Because most people come in with so many limiting beliefs about themselves…what they’re
capable of…that my first job as their teacher is to snap thoselimiting belief by showing them the
power that exists inside of them.
IDENTITY – Who We Are In the World
Our Identity, the image we have of ourself, controls our Actions, Thoughts,
and Feelings
Identity The image you have of yourself…when you’re by yourself and when you’re with others
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Through time…as we consistently experience these powerful states of mind…old limiting beliefs are
replaced with ones of power and possibilities.
And it’s from there…this cumulative effect of smashing through old beliefs and replacing them with
new ones… when changes in identity happen…
With a New Identity, what was once difficult, becomes a Standard for Life
As this new person…we have stronger boundaries for what we will and will not accept from
ourselves and from others.
As this new person, we may start to make more empowering diet habits because of our new found
self-respect…we may speak out more courageously at work…we may make it an absolute must to
exercise consistently… because we view ourselves as a weapon that needs sharpening…instead of
the average Joe who lives according to the status quo.
I can see it in all of my students…walking into a Muay Thai gym the first day….nervous…fearful…
And through training these explosive movements in Muay Thai…Over time, I’ll see when that shift in
identity happens…they’re walking in with a strut of humble yet aggressive confidence. An
aggressive confidence they take with them inside the gym and through their lives.
And it all started from Day 1…when they started changing the way they used their body in training.
The beauty of it? They didn’t even have to think about it…It just happened through the training.
Embody the change you want first…and the Result will follow
So many people struggle to make change in their lives…with their diets…with trying to be more
confident at work…with trying to be more cheerful and likeable to the opposite sex…because they
start with the mind…
Embody the change you want first…and the action will follow. Use will power to force yourself to
change…and that will power runs out….
Muay Thai has taught me on a visceral level…that all change we want for our life starts through
changing the way we use our body….we use it to affect our mind and emotions….and through that
change we can shape the life and people around us for the better.
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Chapter 4 – Master your Body, Motivate Your Mind
I’ve had encountered many students through my time as an instructor….and do you know how
many of them come to me from day one telling me they are here to find a fight? Zero.
In fact…most people that show up are people who know next to nothing about Muay Thai…but
have some challenge in their life they’re trying to overcome…whether it’s getting back to being in
shape and feeling healthy….gaining confidence after a painful breakup…the death of a
spouse…something has shaken their confidence and their happiness about the conditions of their
life.
After a few months of training….that’s usually when I start to hear questions like… “When do you
think I’ll be ready to compete?” Yes fighting is one option that some of my students decide to move
towards.
Some other changes I’ve seen from training are
1. A father who teaches his son to defend himself with Muay Thai
2. A overweight person who lost 40 lbs. and starts promoting the healthy lifestyle to others
3. A teenager who learns to stand up for himself and no longer gets bullied
Imagine that…people making powerful changes all from sharpening their body and mind through
Muay Thai… …this is not just the development of physical skills to defend oneself…but a complete
change in limiting beliefs in the mind and an identity transformation.
For me…before finding Muay Thai…I was young man..trying to find my masculinity as a 23 year old
boy…sure I was legally an ‘adult man’…had a degree in biomedical engineering…with a well paying
job that allowed me to take care of myself…but that sense of
insecurity…physically…mentally..emotionally..had guided me to discover my development and
personal transformation through Muay Thai.
What drew me to Muay Thai was the raw intensity, the power, and challenge it took to become
good at it. I could read all the books on training, but Muay Thai delivered progress I could feel in my
body, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Through training, I developed motivation to eat healthier…training became my method of physical
fitness and mental sharpness…these were no longer things I had to push myself to do..but I was
pulled to take care of these areas of my life….because of the self-respect and self-image of myself
as a human weapon that needed to be sharpened.
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After training students and seeing the profound effect I’ve seen this journey have on students of
mine…from the very first day….to months in…what keeps me going as an instructor…beyond
anything….the words of praise and thanks from my students for a great class…watching them
develop and seeing them experiencing the emotions of passion and determination as they train…
More than that….is the light in their eyes after they discover what they’re capable of. I know that
when I look into their eyes…and I see that glow of aliveness…I know they’ve transformed…
….I know that their life will never be the same again…and they’ll leave here…. Having forever
become physically…mentally …and emotionally.
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About the Author: Anthony Yuan is a professional Muay Thai Instructor. He operates his Muay Thai Academy,
MASTERMIND MUAY THAI, in Kennett Square PA 19348.
Final Note: For those of you who took value from this book, my deepest gratitude is from having been able to
add value to your life. It’s my life’s mission to benefit as many people’s lives physically, mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually through teaching them the beautiful art of Muay Thai.
If you’re in the Kennett Square, PA area and would love to get started:
I offer an 1 hour FREE 1-on-1 Lesson for people interested in the art. Sign up for your free lesson today at
www.mastermindmuaythai.com.
For those of you outside of Kennett Square, PA
I offer additional resources all related to Muay Thai at my blog and Youtube channel, including tutorials and
technique breakdowns and all things related to Muay Thai!
Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpU8bD3Ro4lVlvdW7YwMLkQ
Blog: http://mastermindmuaythai.com/MuayThaiKickboxing/blog/
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