Some athletes are able to return to full activity after minimally invasive surgeries while others may require physical therapy and months to recover. For Carlsbad Kickboxing Club’s Joey Siplyak, the latter is true.

Joey busted his knee doing bag work nearly a year ago, and after knee surgery, he took a year off from training muay thai at CKC. During his time off from the gym, he did train a bit in boxing, but he still has a way to go to get back into ready shape.

Joey learned firsthand that the mental and physical setback is no joke, and a full comeback requires preparation, positivity, dedication and planning. He is now ready to put in the work. When you have passion for a sport, it is easier to focus on the training needed, and Joey definitely has that passion.

“When I prepare for a fight, it is very easy for me to put everything else on the side and focus on training,” he once said. “I just know I want to be a Muay Thai world champion, and I am willing to put the work in to get there without a second thought…Muay Thai is my life and I want to work every day to be the best fighter I can be.”

What helps is that he is back in the gym he is meant to be in. “This is my home. Like family, I needed my family and needed that regular regimen,” he explains. “It helps to have that consistency with people expecting to see you and expecting you to train…having that accountability really helps.”

But he still has a way to go. “I just have to get back into shape, get that cardio up, but I am here for it and ready to put in the work.”

We look forward to what is ahead for Siplyak in the new year and we know that skies are the limit for the young fighter once he puts his mind to it.