Tba Oregon Camp

[JIMI]

I have a question and i dont want to come off bitter but why is ajarn chai's camps invite only? i have heard that some think that its a question of sincerity but if someone wants to come and lay down the money then isnt that sincere enough. im just curious because i would love more than anything to go to that camp next year. i feel that i would walk away with so much from it but, i dont like the idea of having to kiss up or pay dues to someone i dont know that is affiliated with chai just to get a invite. why should i do that when i could go to fairtex or janjira or many other choices that dont require being a member so to speak? i dunno maybe im wrong but please feel free to correct me and share your thoughts. again i dont want to disrespect or start shit of any kind but i do feel that my question is valid.

[Brian]

Hey Jimi,

Here's my unofficial, uninformed, humble and personal two cents. First, you're not the first person I've heard express dissappointment at the fact that the Oregon Thai Camp is by invitation only.

You know, I dreamed about being able to attend the camp for three years before I ever got the chance. Once I was able to attend, the wait made the experience all the more sweet.

I think one big reason that Ajarn keeps the camp by invitation only is to help contol the number of campers in attendance. The camp takes an incredible amount of organization and logistics, and this places a considerable amount of strain on Ajarn, his family and the volunteers that work so hard to keep the camp such an enjoyable and high quality experience.

I hear that each year, Ajarn actually loses money on the camp. He says that it's not about making a dollar. For him the camp is about family... his family, the TBA. And you can see it in the way the camp is run. Ajarn spares no expense for each camp... from the hard worker and good form awards, to the gourmet food to the shuttle service to and from the airport to the accomodations, Ajarn provides only the very best for his students.

I am affiliated with Ajarn Chai through Khuen Khru Will Bernales, and you work out with me... Do you feel like you have to kiss up to me? Do you feel like you don't know who I am? Everything I am as a Thai Boxer I owe to Khuen Khru Will Bernales, Ajarn Surachai and the TBA. Brandon too has his ties and loyalties to Khru Bernales.

It's not about the money and that's just it. That's another reason why Oregon Thai camp is such a cool experience. It's not just a bunch of yahoos with a fist full of dollars to spend or a bunch of tough guys who just want to show how good they think they are. The overwhelming majority of people at Thai Camp are the most humble and respectful people I have ever had the good fortune of meeting. And this I believe has to do in large part witht the fact that most of these people are hand picked by Ajarn Chai and his instructors.

To give you an example, Khuen Khru Mike Lee, Scott (sorry, forgot your last name buddy), and Jeff Jones all go out of their way to make sure Khru Bernales and I get to and from the airport, and this year they drove us back and forth each day from camp to a nearby hotel. These guys didn't know me from Adam and yet they treat me like a brother.

In 2001 Khuen Khru Greg Nelson took the time to joke around with me, answer my onslaught of questions, and show me some of the most wicked prumb stuff I've ever seen (or rather felt in this case). This is a world class instructor... trainer of world class fighters, and still he took the time to listen to some dumb nobody's concerns about fighting and life and give me sincere advice and council.

Khuen Khru Leonard Trigg spent a whole afternoon talking to me about his upcoming boxing videos and encyclopedias and even offered to let me send him tapes of my training for him to critique and offer suggestions on.

Sensei Paulson litterally gave me the shirt off his back... er well the pants off his butt. I didn't have any long pants and it was freezing during our morning runs so Sensei Paulson again not knowing me from Jack gave me his sweats to run in. Ask Brandon... he has them now... I gave them to him as a token of deep appreciation for his help in preparing me for my fights.

The list goes on and on...

I think that the invitational aspect of camp is not so much about keeping people out as it is about providing an incredible expeince for those that get in. And by the way, Ajarn turns away just as many of his own students as he does non members. I heard him say this year that he didn't let some of the older camp veterans come this year so that the newer students could have a chance to experience the camp.

On the flip side of the coin, you ask why you should pay dues and put time in for someone you don't know just to get into camp. By the same logic, why should Ajarn Chai let someone he doesn't know get in and learn things that he and his instructors, had to bleed and sweat for. Things that they had to go to the canvas to learn.

You know, to this day, there are things that I've seen taught in the TBA that are completely unique... And I'm not saying that I've been everywhere or done everything or that I'm even qualified to say anything at all. But I am fairly ambitious about my training and learning and I do everything in my power to seek out as much knowledge and technical ability as I can find.

Would you give someone a technique or a piece of your experience that you felt was fairly exclusive, rare and unique to some punk who came by and waved a couple bucks in front of your face? Some guy who might go and take credit for your hard earned information, someone who might go and train a rival camp with your training methods and your ideas.

If you were to become an instructor under Brandon someday and then one day a Muay Thai Institute Instructor came by wanting to attend your classes, seminars, etc., would you feel comfortable sharing your information just to make a buck?

You ask

why should i do that when i could go to fairtex or janjira or many other choices that dont require being a member so to speak

It seems to me that you already know the answer. You want to go to the Oregon Camp. That's why. I've never been to Vut's camp or Fairtex or any of those things... and maybe I should, just to get a good perspective. But the truth is, I just don't have any desire to. Oregon Thai Camp, Ajarn Chai, Khru Bernales and the TBA leave me wanting for nothing. I respect those other camps and trainers and I'm sure they have much to offer but as the old saying goes, "why go out to eat when you've got the best cook at home (or something to that effect)"

I don't see anything wrong with paying dues and learning discipline and respect. I think you're a lot closer to attending camp that you might think. Stick with your training and remember about the discipline and respect. You train with the right people as it is and it's simply a matter of time and establishing your loyalty.

Talk to Brandon and Khru Bernales and let them know your intentions. They'll set you on the right track and let you know what you'll have to do. I know Khru and I were looking for a couple of people to take this year but unfortunatley I didn't know you wanted to go.

Hope this sheds some light on the subject... at least from my worthless perspective. I just have so much respect for these people (Ajarn, Khru, and the TBA and all its instructors) that I can't help but get a little defensive about them.

Take Care and give me a call,

[JIMI]

WOW , brian that reply was awesome. i think i definately understand a lot better now why things are the way they are. I am sorry if i implied that i didnt know you, when i wrote that i for sure didnt mean you or your school in any way. i will have to write you a personal message about the person that i am a little bummed out on. but thank you so much for that reply. me and brandon have been hashing this subject out for a while, and even though he doesnt agree with me i think he was also curious as to the replies i would get from this question. thanks for everything brian. see you soon. check your PM box k. jimi

[terry]

Okay, as one of the founders of the Oregon Camp, I've got to speak up on this one. Although I was not able to attend the camp this year Ajarn Chai told me that they turned away nearly 150 people, many of whom I'm sure were good and deserving students. The short answer of why we need to turn people away is that the TBA Oregon Camp was designed by and for TBA instructors with specific invites to a few senior students--if space allows. Since the second year of the camp we have been in the position of turning people away. Although unfortunate, there are two reasons for this:

1. The size of the facility won't accomodate more. Basically, there are only so many toilets, showers, bunks, places to hang heavy bags and pots to cook with in a given facility.

2. Ajarn Chai wanted to limit the numbers somewhat because of the warmth and family-feeling he felt during the first three camps. When it gets too big you tend to loose that.

Indeed it is a very enjoyable camp. Although not the most expensive camp out there, it actually is profitable, but only because there is a lot of volunteer labor that includes people from the various TBA schools in the Northwest as well as Ajarn Chai's own family. Many of these people each put in 40 to 50 hours of labor setting up, shopping, preparing meals, cleaning up or packing up, and we couldn't do it without them.

No one should feel slighted or that they need to 'kiss up' if they are not able to attend this camp. We have been considering ways to accomodate more, and the strategy has centered around having another camp, perhaps just after or just before, the Instructor camp. So far, we have been limited by the amount of volunteer labor we have for such an event. Many of us are physically worn out by one camp, let alone two. Actually, it doesn't have to be in Oregon either. We just selected Oregon because Ajarn Chai could get a lot of volunteer help between Mike Walrath's school, Ken & Annette Koenig, Steve Wilson, Chris Clarke's school, myself and later Ray Guin's school.

As far as the other camps you mentioned, I'm familiar with the out-of-town program set up at Fairtex. I would also recommend this program, in particular because it runs year round. Khun Krus Bonkerd, Enn, Jongsanan, Alex, etc. are all excellent teachers and very nice people. They will make you feel at home and work you until you drop and then cook you dinner. They'll even clean up the floor after you throw up. True, the teaching style differs from Ajarn Chai but, well, nobody ever said Muay Thai was a monolithic, standardized system--cause it aint. Both experiences are good. Both camps are good. Dunno about the third one you mentioned tho...

Terry