May 2022 Internal Newsletter

ASCO FEATURE

Bernard Leon is the Global Product Manager for Load Banks. He’s also an avid Muay Thai practitioner or a nak muay . Bernard started his martial arts journey when he was seven years old and earned a brown belt. He lost interest but he eventually reignited his love for martial arts when he was in college. In 2014, he discovered Muay Thai and has been training ever since.

What is Muay Thai? My hobby is Muay Thai which translates to “Thai Boxing”. It is the national sport of Thailand and is a martial art with roots originating from military use dating as far back as the 13th century during the Sukhothai dynasty. It is the “Art of 8 limbs” because a practitioner will use 8 points of contact namely, punches, elbows, knees and kicks. This is different from other common stand-up combat sports such as boxing (2 points - fists) and karate (4 points - fists and feet). What I like about it: Muay Thai has a lot of benefits, a few that I find myself advocating for are: • It builds confidence • Enhances mental strength • Self-defense • Strong camaraderie among fellow practitioners Challenges: • Time commitment • Physically taxing – injuries such as broken toes and ribs can happen!

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