Head Muay Thai Instructor for San Diego based MMA gym “The Arena”, will be featured in StrikeandSubmit.com’s upcoming online video tutorials as the Muay Thai video instructor. Asked to star in this series due to his long-standing recognition in San Diego as a true Muay Thai master, Kru Mark demonstrated numerous techniques on camera for the upcoming video series including his trademark elbow and knee techniques.
Kru Mark, whose formal name is Boungnaphonh Makthepharaks, is a Master Muay Thai Instructor with 50 years of Muay Thai experience. He started his Muay Thai training in 1959 at the age of 6 under his father, 4-star General Bounpone Makthepharaks, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Laotian army. Kru Mark’s style of Muay Thai has been passed down from father to son for five generations. His fighting system, called DETH KO SIN, draws from ancient Muay Thai combat techniques that were used in hand to hand fighting during battle.
Kru Mark has a fascinating history. Like his father, Kru Mark also served in the military, operating with the U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam, until his capture in the spring of 1975 by communists. After being held for six months in a POW camp, Kru Mark escaped and then emigrated to the U.S. Since then, he has spent the past 30 plus years competing (he was a Muay Thai World Champion), teaching, and coaching.
