Julio Punch

Sport is full of examples of individuals who have changed the course of how a sport has developed. In Muay Thai kickboxing, Thom Harwinck is one of those individuals. Not only has he had a major influence on his sport, but actually developed a whole new Chakuriki style in this martial art that he has taken around the world. There are strong parallels between what Thom did to develop Muay Thai fighting and the Gracie family's development of modern Brazilian Jujitsu in the last century. His expertise as a coach and mentor of some 36 champions that have come from his stable is without question. Julio Punch, also a martial arts enthusiast, has cooperated well with Thom to produce a biography which will likely become a classic in martial arts literature. It covers much of the history and development of martial arts in Holland and Muay Thai in particular. Thom's evolution over the years to become the first Chakuriki sensei is described in detail along with brief histories of his champions and their major contests. These provide the reader with a good understanding of the camaraderie within his tight-knit group of fighters and the personal relationships he built up with them. The inclusion of a collection of Thom's personal photos will be of interest to kickboxing enthusiasts. As a researcher in sport psychology, I'm particularly interested in Thom's tremendous self-discipline, mental toughness and resilience, qualities that he engenders in his students as part of the Chakuriki style. What fascinates me is how the kickboxing and Chakuriki style ethos allows fighters to engage in brutal, legal physical violence in the ring, yet prevents them from using their fighting skills in other everyday life contexts (with the exception of self-defence). They must be deferential to fight officials and, even during the most intense fights, they must remain respectful to their opponents. These are qualities that contrast sharply with the attitude and behaviour of athletes in some other sports.