Seek Death
It’s really simple. It’s not this suicidal idea of you actually want to physically die. It’s seeking metaphorical death, it's seeking the death of your limitations, it’s seeking the death of your limited self, and the death of your limiting beliefs. It’s the idea of pushing yourself through the uncomfortable, and getting to the point where you don’t feel physically or mentally capable of doing more than you are doing. And then to “seek death” means you push yourself past that point and in doing that you discover that what you thought was your limit was really just a stepping stone and you discover new capabilities within yourself. And the idea is that you do that not once, but you do that for your entire life. You keep doing that and you keep pushing and you keep growing.
Meet Our Instructors
Mark "ShaH" Evans
Mark "ShaH" Evans
Mark "ShaH" Evans
Owner of The BLAST, Mark "ShaH" Evans has been boxing for over 20 years and a student of Muay Thai at The BLAST for 10 years. His hard work, determination, and training led him to return to the ring after suffering a severe injury that almost kept him from walking. ShaH is the Phase 1 Instructor and Head Boxing, MMA, and Muay Thai coach!
Herma Hoda
Mark "ShaH" Evans
Mark "ShaH" Evans
Lead Instructor, Herma Hoda has been training Muay Thai at The BLAST since 2010 and received his black sash in August 2015. He spent the next 6 months training with another black sash candidate and then competed in the Thai Boxing Association-Sanctioning Authority's annual tournament in 2016. Herma has been a phase 2 instructor since 2016. His other martial arts credentials include earning a blue belt in Judo in 1997. Outside of the gym, he works in the biomedical engineering field.
Taylor Ball
Mark "ShaH" Evans
Kiarra Evans
Introduction coming soon!
Kiarra Evans
Kiarra Evans
Kiarra Evans
Introduction Coming Soon
Abby Lex
Kiarra Evans
Abby Lex
Abby Lex started her Muay Thai journey in 2017 while living in Thailand. When she moved to Madison in 2019, The BLAST was the first Muay Thai gym she visited and it’s been a huge part of her life ever since. She currently has a fight record of 2-1 and is excited to use that experience to serve as one of the gym’s assistant coaches while continuing to learn and improve her own martial arts practice.
Meet the Founder
Michael D. Vaughn
The BLAST (Body Life Achievement Sports Training) was created by Michael D. Vaughn in 2005. Mike started martial arts at age 6, and earned his first black belt in Taekwondo at age of 12. In 1999 he opened his first martial arts school. His insatiable thirst for fighting knowledge led him to discover Muay Thai and eventually become a student of the World Famous Master Toddy! He went on to become a Master Toddy certified Kru (Master Teacher), a professional MMA Fighter, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, and a Coach of numerous TBA, MMA and BJJ champions.
When Mike decided to leave The Blast to pursue his passion of training retrievers for hunting waterfowl, he passed his knowledge of Martial Arts down to head instructor, Herma Hoda, Kiarra Evans, Taylor Ball and Owner Mark "ShaH'' Evans