Get to Know...Rich Cadden

Rich Cadden is a two time world champion in Muay Thai, and now an author, trainer and coach. His average week could be touring the world for public speaking appearances, training elite athletes in a range of martial arts, writing inspirational books and articles or...modelling for us!

He's one of the newest additions to the MD team and we took this chance to get to know him a little better.

What does an average day look like for Rich Cadden?

On a Monday and Wednesday, I'm up at 4.45am to take my son swimming. He's an elite level swimmer at YCBC York City Baths Club. While he is in the pool, I will go for a run, CPD with podcasts, update social media. And then back for the school run with my youngest or straight to the gym for personal training sessions.

Mid morning I take care of a few local mental health groups for fitness, therapy, life guidance before grabbing lunch at around 1pm. School pick up around 2.45pm.

I then start teaching around 5pm at Chokdee until 9pm. And then I'm home for around 9.30pm and in bed for 10/10.30pm.

On a Tuesday and Thursday, I start at 5.30am. Personal training from 6am until around 2pm. Then classes from 6-9pm in a variety of martial arts; Muay Thai, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, MMA and Wrestling. 

They say to master any skill it takes 10,000 hours of meaningful practice. Over the past 14yrs of coaching at Chokdee Academy, I have accrued over 30,000 hours  of coaching.

At MD, we spend so much time thinking about not only what our customers will look like, but how the clothes will make them feel. What do clothes do for you and your mindset, and how much has this played into your wardrobe choices in the past?

I joked the other week about only owning fight-wear/gym gear and suits. When I'm not working in the trenches teaching and coaching from grassroots to elite, I like to dress smart.

A good suit commands a certain respect. I feel that a suit makes a statement on professionalism and people tend to take you a bit more seriously. Certainly more than my gym gear....but then I try and let my coaching do the talking.

Does fashion play a part in your life and within your career?

Not so much now. In my younger days, I didn't drink but spent my money on expensive clothes. Dolce and Gabbana, Armani, Jean Paul Gautier. I like nice clothes. Look good, smell good, feel good.

I still try to do this but it's harder when working hard in the gym!

As a 2 x world champion in Muay Thai, you’re obviously fiercely motivated and driven for success. Do you think this is something engrained in you?

I think this is the old nature vs nurture debate. I work hard and play hard, and I think when you get evidence of effort leading to results, you are more willing to work.
Through the meditative act of writing this and being present, I see that this could be a vicious circle. Hmmmm...I may need to look at this from a balance perspective!

As a side note, my year-5 teacher said on my school report that I have a tendency to rest on my laurels! I didn't know what that meant at the time, but when explained to me, I obviously took it to heart...

Your calmness before you fight is quite hard to fathom. Do you have a top tip in how you keep centred in such a high pressure environment, that our readers could apply to their own lives?

My calmness is seated in confidence. Knowing that I've outworked, out-trained, out-sparred, out-ran, out-lifted, out-recovered, out-slept my opponents. I am obsessed. People talk about balance, but to be elite you can't afford yourself that luxury....This was just my attitude to fighting.

Since retiring from competition, I specialise in human performance. This includes hypnotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, NLP, Neuroscience, biology, as well as diet and nutrition, and obviously all the physical fitness elements.

Learning how to regulate blood pressure, heart rate and stress can be done by stimulating the phrenic nerve. This is where physiology leads the psychology, so you can calm yourself through breath work. This is a self regulation tool...as long as you've done the actual work and properly prepared.

I have a whole host of other techniques that I help clients with on a weekly basis. So if you are interested in taking your performance to 'World Class' levels, please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn or Instagram.

We have to ask…did you enjoy the experience of shooting with MD? And, will you be back to model for us again?

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the shoot with MD and I'd love to work together in the future. Let's get our diaries together. Thank you very much 😊

And with that, you'll spot Rich taking on his debut runway performance for MD during York Fashion Week. The Menswear Runway will take place at Hooting Owl Distillery on 11th May 2025. Visit YFW's site to book your ticket.