TEACH THUT TI LETHWEI
Thut Ti Lethwei Global, to achieve its mission of recognizing, honoring, and preserving the legacy of Thut Ti Lethwei, seeks to develop well-trained Thut Ti Lethwei students and teachers. For the individual who is interested in becoming a certified Thut Ti Lethwei teacher, we offer instructor certification through the Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor Preparation Program. The Instructor Preparation Program provides the guided training and experiences necessary to become a competent, high-quality Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor. It prepares the individual to offer an inclusive, cooperative, and adaptive approach to Thut Ti Lethwei. The Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor Preparation Program provides the training necessary to teach Lethwei as a combat sport, as fighting art, as a self-defense, and as a fitness enhancement.
The Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor Preparation Program offers four instructor levels, each designated by a different color Kha Zi. The Kha Zi is a small folded longyi (sarong) or simply a triangular piece of cloth that is traditionally worn around the fighter’s waist. It covers the area of the fighter’s body that is prohibited from being hit (the groin). The color of the Kha Zi may represent the fighter’s village or tribe, or it may be used to simply distinguish the fighters from each other. As an example, the fighter from red corner would tie a red “Kha Zi” while the fighter from the blue corner would tie a blue “Kha Zi” prior to their fight.
Certified Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructors may choose to use the Kha Zi to designate their Lethwei students grade levels, they may choose to use their existing method of rank identification, or they may choose to not have any external way of identifying student/instructor rank.
The Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor Preparation process begins at the Instructor Candidate (Chaungsarr Saya) Grade Level. There are currently two pathways for achieving the Instructor Preparation grade level.
INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION
STUDENT PATHWAY
This pathway is available to individuals who may be new to kickboxing and martial arts. For these individuals, Thut Ti Lethwei Global offers a structured student learning curriculum leading to the Instructor Candidate grade level. A student who has completed the Thut Ti Lethwei Student Grade Level 3 competencies and has an interest in teaching Lethwei may choose to continue their Lethwei journey and enter the Thut Ti Lethwei Instructor Certification Program as a Chaungsarr Saya or Instructor Candidate. The Instructor Candidate would then, under the guidance of a Certified Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor, complete the competencies required to achieve the Aasait Saya or Instructor Grade Level. For a more detailed explanation of the Student Grade Levels and the Student Pathway to Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor Certification, click LEARN above ON the top menu.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE PATHWAY
Thut Ti Lethwei Global acknowledges and honors the prior kickboxing and martial arts learning, teaching, coaching, and competitive experiences a person may have completed. With this in mind, Thut Ti Lethwei Global offers interested indivduals the opportunity for advanced placement into its Instructor Certification Program. This second pathway is available to those individuals who may be interested in teaching Thut Ti Lethwei and have the appropriate experiences training and teaching a kickboxing art.
The Advanced Placement Pathway reduces the time required to achieve Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor certification. Admission to and standing in the Advanced Placement program is based on an assessment of the individual’s prior kickboxing training and experiences. The basic requirement for acceptance to the Advanced Placement Pathway is a minimum of five years’ experience with training, teaching, coaching, and/or competing in a recognized kickboxing art. Examples of qualifying kickboxing styles include (but are not limited to) Muay Thai/Thai Boxing, STX Boxing, Inosanto Blend Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do, Savate, Bando Kickboxing, Sanda, and Inosanto Blend Panantukan.
Once this requirement has been met, a determination of the Thut Ti Lethwei Global competencies the individual must complete to achieve certification at the Aasait Saya level (Instructor Grade I) will be made. The assessment will be provided to the individual for their review and consideration. The individual may then make their decision on whether they wish to pursue Thut Ti Lethwei Global Instructor Certification.