Thom Harinck Godfather of Muay Thai Kickboxing in the West

I always thought kickboxing was a sport of violence and bad behavior. These fascinating and highly enjoyable memoirs of Thom Harink prove otherwise. This Dutch kickboxing coach introduced Muay Thai to the West and founded his own Chakuriki style which follows strict rules. Students are not allowed to fight outside of the ring and treat each other and their opponent with respect. I very much liked reading the stories of the MMA fights and especially about the special bond of friendship between Harinck and his students. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to fans of kickboxing, muay thai and the history of sports in general.

I would highly recommend this riveting read about one of the champions and pioneers of Muay Thai in Holland. If you are a martial artist or a person seeking motivation and inspiration, this book would be highly recommended!

This is one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. This book really took me back in time when Thom Harinck made his way to the top of the fighters world. It truly opened my eyes and gave me an inside look of the crazy life of Thom Harinck. Thats why I can recommend this book to everyone, because even as a woman who is not that much into fighting, it was an amazing experience and the pictures at the end of the book are beautiful. 5/5 stars!!

Openhartig boek van pionier Thom Harinck,osu!

Het is een prettig leesbare biografie, waar de gang goed in zit. Veel korte memoires over beroemde sporters en verslagen van belangrijke gevechten, waar Harinck bij betrokken was als coach. Ook geeft het een goed beeld van de vechtsporten ten opzichte van andere sporten en de ontwikkeling in de tijd. Ik vond het stuk over bad boy Badr Hari het leukst. Die Harinck is een taaie ondernemende Amsterdammer, die geen blad voor de mond neemt.