I recently talked to Laurien Zurhake of Off the Zone for the Rise to Thrive Podcast.
Off the Zone provides trauma-informed martial arts coaching programs, which help instructors provide safer, more inclusive training. They’ve recently launched a podcast, in which Laurien talks to martial arts athletes and coaches about dismantling toxic industry norms and creating healthier training environments.
In the second episode, ‘Acknowledging and Solving Problems with Emma Thomas’, we discussed toxic gym culture, grooming, and other issues I’ve been addressing in the Muay Thai community. I recommended the Muay Thai Roundtable forum for those who aren’t sure if they’re in a healthy training environment, and shared a quote from Lifting Heavy Things, a book I’ve been reading on addressing trauma through lifting. I also talked about a new project I’m working on.
Listen below, on Spotify, or on Apple Podcasts.
Under The Ropes 