Instructors

Kru Leo
Kru Leo, started his martial arts training at the age of 14 with the more traditional Japanese and popular Chinese martial arts of the early 80′s.

Later, looking for a little more full contact sparring and realism, he switched to western boxing and trained under the late Lucien Bleau, former Canadian Olympic Boxing Technical Advisor, at the Little Burgundy Boxing Gym.

His introduction to Muay Thai was “love at first sight” and it came at age 20, after attending a rare seminar in Montreal by Muay Thai legend, Pud Pad Noy (Golden Leg) Woraoot, 5 times professional Muay Thai champion of Thailand.

From that day on, he tried to read and learn as much as possible about Muay Thai from anyone eager to teach, but…in the 80′s there were few if any, fully qualified Muay Thai instructors in Quebec. “Most people were teaching kickboxing with Thai Boxing shorts!”

It was then that he heard of Kru “Peter” (Kambalay Sisomphou), a tough, experienced, ex-Muay Thai champion from East Thailand, with more than 200 fights to his credit, and at the time, just recently arrived in Montreal. He quickly became one of Kru Peter’s closest friends and students.

While attending University Kru Leo trained on and off under his new teacher, privately and at various gyms in Montreal, as Kru Peter kept moving from location to location, gym to gym, frustrated with the way things were going regarding the development of Muay Thai in Quebec.

In the early 90′s Kru Leo moved west to Vancouver in order to work and continue his studies but was soon joined by Kru Peter a few weeks later. Together, both teacher and student started giving Muay Thai lessons at a local dance school building in the downtown Vancouver area.

In the late 90′s Kru Leo saw his dream of traveling to Asia come true! In December of 96 and with the blessing of Kru Peter, he moved first to Japan, to work and study. There for the next 5 years Kru Leo flew from Japan to Thailand (just 5 hours away) to train at various Muay Thai camps, the most famous of which being Nong Kee Pahuyuth in Buriram Province, considered at the time to be one of the top 3 Muay Thai camps in all Thailand.

A few amateur and semi-pro Muay Thai fights later “for the ring experience and for the fun.. !” were both literally “pain and enlightenment” for Kru Leo realized that true, authentic Muay Thai was much, much more than met the eye! First one should start young, if one hopes to reach a high level just like the Thais! Secondly, it was not enough just to be in top shape and to know how to deliver a few powerful kicks, knees or elbows for a few rounds. There was a lot more there, something much more powerful yet beautiful, that most foreigners in Thailand and around the world failed to see, or never even had the chance to learn!

Because of his age (at the time in his 30′s) not to mention a few injuries along the way, it was right then and there that he made up his mind to concentrate on really learning this amazing fighting art and sport more deeply, in order to eventually, someday at least be able to teach it properly.

It was finally in March 2001, at Rang Sit Stadium in Bangkok under the tutelage of Ajaan Chalee Khuntaree, that he trained for and obtained his official World Muaythai Council, Level-3 Instructors License!

On his return to Canada, in 2002, Kru Leo started teaching Muay Thai on a voluntary basis at various local community organizations, one of which being Sun Youth (Jeunesse au Soleil), where he taught for about 1 year, 2-3 times per week.

In April of 2004, Daosawan Muay Thai Club opened its doors with a few of those students. It’s main objective: to teach authentic Muay Thai in all its aspects, skills and traditions, for fitness, self-defense or competition, young and old, male or female…just like in Thailand.

Back again in Thailand, in August of 2008, Kru Leo trained with, was recognized and given the rank level of Khan 12 (red & yellow Monkon) by the World Kru Muaythai Association, under the supervision of Kru Suphan Chabairam and Ajaan Chinawut Sirisompam (Master Woody) , Deputy Director General of the M.C.C.T., (Muaythai Conservation Center of Thailand).

 

 

 

To this day Kru Leo considers himself a student of Muay Thai and continues to attend Muay Thai Instructor training seminars and to travel to Thailand whenever possible!

He sincerely hopes, inspite of all the politics, divisions and missunderstandings which have slowed the  growth of authentic Muaythai in Canada, that the little knowledge he possesses and passion for Muay Thai (and all things Thai in general) will in some way contribute to the true understanding, appreciation and finally to the growth and development of this ancient and noble sport in Quebec.

Kru Leo has a B.A. from the University of Montreal with a minor in East-Asian Studies.

He is fluent in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese,…and a little Thai.

When he is not teaching, training eating and breathing Muay Thai…he is usually a nice guy!