Please note that all our of news and blogs are now posted directly on our website: yorkmuaythai.com !!
Thank you for staying updated in the happening world of YMT :)
Friday, August 31, 2018
Saturday, January 6, 2018
PCP's Movie Pick of the Month for January: Breaking the Ice (2014)
As some of you probably already know, the 2018 Winter Olympics is starting next month. The best Olympic stories, in my opinion, are the underdog stories. We all know Michael Phelps is going to win a ton of Gold medals, it's just a question of how many. I'd rather hear about Mo Farah, the runner from the U.K. who fell during the 10,000 metre race, only to get up and win a gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, or Eric Moussambani, the swimmer from Equatorial Guinea who won his first heat at the Sydney Olympics in 200, despite never seeing an Olympic sized swimming pool because the other competitors were disqualified for starting early. However, it was the first attempt of the Jamaican Bobsled team, who qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary that defied the most expectations.
Breaking the Ice (2014)
"Anyone can accomplish incredible dreams and if they dare to dream extraordinarily, and have the equal desire to go after them." - Devon Harris.
Breaking the Ice is a short documentary that tells the true story of the first Jamaican Olympic Bobsled team’s journey to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. This story caught the world by storm and was made into a blockbuster hit movie Cool Runnings a few years later. This movie became massively successful worldwide. While Cool Runnings was highly factionalized and problematically whitewashed for Western consumption (that is to say softened, “easier to understand” accents, lots of stereotypical jokes about Caribbean folks in the cold, and cartoonish characters with funny names), Breaking the Ice tells the true version of the story and is, in my opinion, actually more interesting to watch. It follows the initial efforts to create a Jamaican Bobsled team by an American businessman, the recruiting of a military helicopter pilot Dudley Stokes, and three sprinters, Devon Harris, Michael White, and Freddy Powell, and their trials and tribulations through the bureaucracy that almost prevented them from competing. In the end they displayed serious athletic talent, impressed the Bobsledding establishment, and won over fans around the world with their underdog spirit. They did crash during their final run, and as a result did not medal, but they gained the respect of fellow competitors and showed that they were not as out of their depth in the sport as initially believed.
The parallel between this film and YMT is the theme of defied expectations. The Jamaicans were not your typical Boblsled team. The Jamaicans fought to get accepted in the Bobsled world. They were consistently underestimated and not taken seriously by the establishment, but persevered and were eventually accepted as legitimate competitors. In 1994, they returned to the Olympics and although they didn’t medal, they placed higher than both Teams USA and Russia. It’s a true story of competitors who “didn’t belong” gaining the respect of their peers through hard work and determination. YMT’s story has similar themes on a different scale. We are not your typical Muay Thai competitors. We have our roots in York University’s Muay Thai program, founded by Kru Jenypher in 2006. We were a small class in the basement of York U's gym with no heavy bags and very little equipment, that anybody with a student card could sign up for and as a result we were seriously underestimated. The Muay Thai community did not think that a group of nerdy university students with a female Kru could create strong competitors, or any sort of force to be reckoned with. They were wrong. We slowly developed and eventually outgrew our space. We moved to our current location in 2010, but the old reputation stuck. But we took ourselves seriously and dug in hard. Flash forward to today and everybody in Ontario knows that if they have an opponent from York Muay Thai standing across from them, they’re going to have a rough night. We won 3 gold medals at this years Nationals, 2 at provincials. We sent a competitor to IFMA. The Wall of Champions is running out of space.
Not bad for a bunch of nerdy university students.
Breaking the Ice can be viewed online at: http://www.sportsonearth.com/video/v31365693/the-true-story-of-the-1988-jamaican-bobsled-team
Breaking the Ice (2014)
"Anyone can accomplish incredible dreams and if they dare to dream extraordinarily, and have the equal desire to go after them." - Devon Harris.
Breaking the Ice is a short documentary that tells the true story of the first Jamaican Olympic Bobsled team’s journey to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. This story caught the world by storm and was made into a blockbuster hit movie Cool Runnings a few years later. This movie became massively successful worldwide. While Cool Runnings was highly factionalized and problematically whitewashed for Western consumption (that is to say softened, “easier to understand” accents, lots of stereotypical jokes about Caribbean folks in the cold, and cartoonish characters with funny names), Breaking the Ice tells the true version of the story and is, in my opinion, actually more interesting to watch. It follows the initial efforts to create a Jamaican Bobsled team by an American businessman, the recruiting of a military helicopter pilot Dudley Stokes, and three sprinters, Devon Harris, Michael White, and Freddy Powell, and their trials and tribulations through the bureaucracy that almost prevented them from competing. In the end they displayed serious athletic talent, impressed the Bobsledding establishment, and won over fans around the world with their underdog spirit. They did crash during their final run, and as a result did not medal, but they gained the respect of fellow competitors and showed that they were not as out of their depth in the sport as initially believed.
The parallel between this film and YMT is the theme of defied expectations. The Jamaicans were not your typical Boblsled team. The Jamaicans fought to get accepted in the Bobsled world. They were consistently underestimated and not taken seriously by the establishment, but persevered and were eventually accepted as legitimate competitors. In 1994, they returned to the Olympics and although they didn’t medal, they placed higher than both Teams USA and Russia. It’s a true story of competitors who “didn’t belong” gaining the respect of their peers through hard work and determination. YMT’s story has similar themes on a different scale. We are not your typical Muay Thai competitors. We have our roots in York University’s Muay Thai program, founded by Kru Jenypher in 2006. We were a small class in the basement of York U's gym with no heavy bags and very little equipment, that anybody with a student card could sign up for and as a result we were seriously underestimated. The Muay Thai community did not think that a group of nerdy university students with a female Kru could create strong competitors, or any sort of force to be reckoned with. They were wrong. We slowly developed and eventually outgrew our space. We moved to our current location in 2010, but the old reputation stuck. But we took ourselves seriously and dug in hard. Flash forward to today and everybody in Ontario knows that if they have an opponent from York Muay Thai standing across from them, they’re going to have a rough night. We won 3 gold medals at this years Nationals, 2 at provincials. We sent a competitor to IFMA. The Wall of Champions is running out of space.
Not bad for a bunch of nerdy university students.
Breaking the Ice can be viewed online at: http://www.sportsonearth.com/video/v31365693/the-true-story-of-the-1988-jamaican-bobsled-team
Friday, January 5, 2018
NEW Blog on Our Website!
From now on, all our news and blogs will be posted directly on our website: yorkmuaythai.com !!
Thank you for staying updated in the happening world of YMT :)
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Holiday Promo: 3 Months for $199!!!
Our holiday gift to you!! Don't miss out on this limited offer for 3 months training at ONLY $199!!
Available to both new and existing students!
2017 York Muay Thai Awards
Here are your awards for 2017! The annual YMT awards are all very carefully considered, and every year it seems we out do ourselves with the amount of work put in for each!
Here are your recipients of the year:
Junior student: Martin
Most improved junior: Lusi
Senior student: Fritz
Most improved senior: Rafa
Instructor: PC Eugenia
Fighter: Carmen
Dedication: Norman and Michael P
Embodiment of a martial artist: Angela
Heart of YMT: Michelle
Best Nick Name: Heather "Big Heat"
Most improved junior: Lusi
Senior student: Fritz
Most improved senior: Rafa
Instructor: PC Eugenia
Fighter: Carmen
Dedication: Norman and Michael P
Embodiment of a martial artist: Angela
Heart of YMT: Michelle
Best Nick Name: Heather "Big Heat"
Great job everyone!!! A huge congrats from all of the staff and instructors at York Muay Thai!
Children's 2017 Awards:
Fighter: Vincent
Dedication: Dean
Most improved senior: Jaydan
Junior: Matthew
Most improved junior: Juaqex
Senior: Jaiden
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Sunday, November 26, 2017
YMT Christmas Party on Dec 10! RSVP on Facebook or with Kru Jen!
- Sunday, December 10 at 6 PM - 9 PM
Our Annual Holiday Party is upon us!
Don't miss authentic Thai food served during our presentation. This event is always a wonderful event celebrating the year and taking time out to socialize and appreciate one another.
FRIENDS/FAMILY/KIDS ARE ALL WELCOME BUT PLEASE INDICATE THE # OF GUESTS ON THE WALL OF EVENT or SPEAK TO KRU JEN.
$40 cash by Dec 6th!!
FOOD ALL INCLUDED IN PRICE (TAX AND TIP INCLUDED)
FOOD ALL INCLUDED IN PRICE (TAX AND TIP INCLUDED)
APPETIZER
Fresh Rolls, Fried Rolls, Mango salad.
MAIN COURSE:
Basil Chicken
Curry Beef
Pad Thai
Rice
DESSERT:
Fried Banana
Green Tea Ice Cream
DRINKS:
Pop
** Coffee/tea/alcohol EXTRA**
AWARDS
Junior Student of the Year
Senior Student of the Year
Fighter of the Year
Most Improved Junior Student of the Year
Most Improved Senior Student of the Year
Instructor of the Year
Best Nickname of the Year
HOLIDAY TREE GIFT GIVEAWAY!
We give away lots of gear and fun stuff! If your number gets chosen you get to choose a door from the Holiday Tree and win a prize! WOOOT!
This year was HUGE for us on the competitive seen as we had such a strong fight team and so many great results.
Check out our Annual Highlight Reel made by Poo Choi Patrick and Kru Cam!
Curry Beef
Pad Thai
Rice
DESSERT:
Fried Banana
Green Tea Ice Cream
DRINKS:
Pop
** Coffee/tea/alcohol EXTRA**
AWARDS
Junior Student of the Year
Senior Student of the Year
Fighter of the Year
Most Improved Junior Student of the Year
Most Improved Senior Student of the Year
Instructor of the Year
Best Nickname of the Year
HOLIDAY TREE GIFT GIVEAWAY!
We give away lots of gear and fun stuff! If your number gets chosen you get to choose a door from the Holiday Tree and win a prize! WOOOT!
This year was HUGE for us on the competitive seen as we had such a strong fight team and so many great results.
Check out our Annual Highlight Reel made by Poo Choi Patrick and Kru Cam!
2-0 for the YMTeam! Good job Vincent and Rafa!
Big night at Muaystache #pushkickcancer ! Thank you to @backforwardkick for having us. Vincent won a unanimous decision, and Rafa grinded out a win by split decision. Lots to work on for the new year, but now a well deserved break for these two warriors. You won't recognize them in 2018!!
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Rafa and Vincent fighting on Muaystache, November 25th!!
Come support this #Movember charity event next Saturday November 25!! Both Rafa and Vincent will be fighting on this show for the cause! This is gonna be one of the biggest shows of the year! Tickets at YMT :)
@wychwoodbarnsto @backforwardkick
#yorkmuaythai #ymt #ymteam #muaythai #muaythaiontario #muaythaicanada #toronto #Torontofitness #torontolife #torontomartialarts #torontomuaythai
Sunday, November 12, 2017
4 Gold and 1 Bronze at Nationals for the YMTeam!!
Great job YMT! Praveen, Byran, Vincent and Carmen won gold in their divisions today at the #mtcnationals2017 !! Another shout out to Fritz for smashing through a close fight and getting bronze (he had to move up to a division 20lbs heavier to find an opponent). Huge thanks to all the team and coaches for helping get these guys ready!
#yorkmuaythai #ymt #ymteam #muaythai #muaythaiontario #muaythaicanada #toronto #Torontofitness #torontolife #torontomartialarts #torontomuaythai
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Congrats Rafa!
Great job by Rafa, who moved up in weight to fight a strong opponent from a tough team. Rafa won a unanimous decision, giving it his all in the ring. Keep going little (not so little) buddy!
Thank you to Tri City Fighting Series for having us!!
Halloween Party Fun!
Great time at our Halloween party! We had a kids party from 6pm- 8pm with games, carving and costume contests! Then we had our adult party into the wee hours... lots of fun and congrats to PC Patrick + Shalini (Shatrick?), for winning the costume contest again!!
Here is a picture from our kids party:
Congrats Carmen!
Great fight for Carmen at the Black Pearl Promotions event! Came out using a good sense of timing and technique!!
Monday, October 9, 2017
YMT at PumpkinFest Downsview Park 2017
Great weekend at PumpkinFest at Downsview Park!! We got to hold pads and meet a lot of new people. Some highlights were Mickey Mouse and David Acer of "Mystery Hunters" fame! People also got the chance to win 3 FREE months of training, as well as 50% off 6 month memberships :)
Click on the images to enlarge!
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