Bang Muay Thai Seminar

Every year, Duane Ludwig, founder of Bang Muay Thai, hosts an exceptional kickboxing seminar in Denver, inviting members from all affiliate gyms to participate. This event attracts martial artists from across the country, eager to learn from a phenomenal lineup of world-class instructors. I had the privilege of attending the seminar in June 2024, and it was an incredible experience. With around 150 participants in attendance, the energy and excitement were palpable as everyone gathered to train with this year’s impressive roster of instructors: TJ Dillashaw, Trevor Wittman, Cory Sandhagen, Nick Hemmers, and, of course, Duane Ludwig himself. One of the standout aspects of the seminar was the diversity in coaching styles and unique perspectives each instructor brought to the table.

Trevor Wittman kicked things off with two essential boxing concepts: feinting and footwork. He introduced a double jab drill, where the first jab is a feint designed to both sell the move and set up the second jab for maximum effectiveness. He emphasized the importance of making the feint realistic while maintaining the ability to fire off the second jab quickly. On the footwork front, Trevor demonstrated techniques to synchronize the lower and upper body, ensuring they work together seamlessly. A key takeaway was learning to move the rear foot first on certain strikes and feints, enabling explosive forward movement and extending your striking range.

Cory Sandhagen, who had started training with Trevor not long before the seminar, shared valuable insights on creating small angles to gain a tactical edge. His philosophy focused on constantly shifting angles to force opponents into reactive adjustments. By consistently changing angles, you can disrupt your opponent's rhythm, forcing them into mistakes or creating openings. Even if they manage to keep up, they’re always a step behind, giving you an advantage. This strategy of gradual, relentless adjustments can eventually overwhelm an opponent or expose opportunities to capitalize on their hesitation.

Next up was Nick Hemmers, who introduced concepts from his Dutch kickboxing roots. His approach emphasized relentless forward pressure, with every strike delivered at full power and speed. This style aims to overwhelm opponents, keeping them on the back foot and under constant threat. Nick’s philosophy of combining aggressive pressure with precise, powerful strikes showcased the fundamentals of traditional Dutch kickboxing.

To close out the seminar, Duane Ludwig and TJ Dillashaw shared core principles from the Bang Muay Thai system. The highlight was a signature combination frequently used by TJ during his career. Drawing on his wrestling background, TJ demonstrated how to fake a takedown to open up opportunities for striking. This tactic allowed him to close the distance, get into the pocket, and then angle out with a roll to transition into kicking range. It was a perfect example of integrating feints, angles, and versatility in combat.

Overall, this seminar was a fantastic experience, packed with high-level instruction and a supportive community of martial artists. I highly recommend this event to anyone able to attend, especially those training within the Bang Muay Thai system. It’s an opportunity to learn from some of the best in the game and elevate your skills to a whole new level.