Skater/Filmer Brendan Gardoll lost 30kg training Muay Thai for 6 months, here’s why...
Words and Interview by Shannon Farrugia
Photos by Cameron Markin and Bree Gardoll.
Rob Pace launches while Brendan demonstrates the one-foot-drag, half-crouch filmer Tango. Belrose NSW.
Photo: Markin
Footage captured by a “skateboarder who films” seems to hit differently to that of “a filmer who skates.” Not to say one is necessarily better than the other, but the nuances matter. A well-filmed part can make or break a skater’s profile, career, sponsorship deals…you get the idea. In any case, a skateboarding filmer chooses to participate in a selfless, time consuming dark art that mostly benefits someone else. Respect.
Skater/filmer Brendan Gardoll decided to put himself first for once and lost 30kg in six months training Muay Thai. Not because he felt the need to be scrap-ready, but because he felt like shit, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Making change in life is hard, especially behavioural change. Brendan has done that, so consider this your inspirational, skateboarding-meets-mental health revival-meets-weight-loss meme interview. You’re welcome.
Did you get fat because you started filming skateboarding, or did you start filming skateboarding because you got fat?
I could blame filming for it but that would be a pathetic deflection. I really blame myself for poor lifestyle choices and becoming pretty sedentary. That combined with some bad experiences in skateboarding/life lead to a decline in my mental health. It’s on me. It’s been a massive journey in mental health and personal development.
The transformation is real. Left: Brendan on his honeymoon, 2025. Right: Brendan the warrior, Maneema Muay Thai Gym, Sydney, 2026.
Photos: Bree Gardoll.
Where are you from and how did you get into skateboarding?
I’m from Western Sydney. When I was 5 years old I had a teenage neighbour who would wax all the curbs on our street and do ride on grinds. I started joining him and he would bring me along to Vert-X on the weekends. That same year THPS came out…game over!
Early influences?
As a filmer and skateboarder growing up, it was all So-Cal skate and music culture. Zero videos and anything music and handrail heavy. As a human - my father. Both are still true, although I haven’t watched a skate video in many years haha!
Give me a life update. What’s been happening in your personal life over the last couple of years?
Working to fund my travels. Playing a lot of drums. Got married! Picking my battles filming skating. Trying to be a more present person.
Ollie to frontside wall ride on the garage door, Glebe, NSW.
Photo: Markin.
I know you’ve had a longstanding friendship with pro skater Rob Pace. How did that come about?
I met Rob through Riely Walker when I was about 15. Riely was a park kid, I was a park kid. He knew another park kid and invited that park kid to the park (Rob), and now we are family. In my experience, filming skating, a lot of people come and go. While it may feel genuine, you will be treated as just a filmer by most, and few will stick around after their project is finished. Rob’s case is different. He was my friend, before we started filming seriously. I only have time for those people - my friends. Especially now I’m over 30.
Spending time behind the lens and behind the scenes, how would you personally sum-up the skate industry overall?
My critical analysis would be that it is great when it’s reciprocal (ie. what I’m still doing with Rob). But outside of that (at least in oz) I’ve found that the juice is hardly worth the squeeze, and the opportunities are few and far between. From my perspective and experience, it is rife with nepotism and egos. There’s a whole lot of merit given for perceived value vs the actual output. Being the person I am, I found it very hard to break into, without being expected to compromise my personal values or feeling pressure to take on a new identity. However, I’ve done fine in it, with one foot out. Skateboarding and filming rules when you’re doing it for personal enjoyment instead of gain.
Frontside wallride, Glebe, NSW.
Photo: Markin
How long have you been doing Muay Thai?
I have been a secret fan and observer for years but I’ve been training for 6 months now. It feels good to set yourself free into a world you once deemed as a “guilty pleasure”.
Aside from getting fit AF, what has it taught you about yourself?
Cliche answer - humility and discipline. It’s taught me how to always appraise my abilities in a downward direction. No matter how confident I am in them I will always get my ass absolutely handed to me and that is how I learn.
How many kilos have you lost since you started?
30kg last time I checked. That was my goal which I’m stoked about! Probably more now but I try not to hop on the scale often as I get a little obsessive.
“Show up for your friends, but most importantly, show up for yourself”
Do you plan on having amateur fight? Or even turning pro?
I do. My window might be closed for the latter, but I’m definitely approaching this stage of my life with methodical determination. If I didn’t want to take a fight I wouldn’t be pushing myself as hard as I am right now.
Prepping for his first Muay Thai fight with coach Kru Pick, Maneema Muay Thai Gym, Sydney, NSW.
Photo: Kru Pick (via mirror selfie).
Knees or elbows?
TEEPS!
Hypothetically, which pro skater would you like to get in the ring for a few rounds? Why?
No comment, you would know why if it happened.
Rumour has it that you got into Muay Thai so you could back-up the No Manuals shit-talking. True or false?
This is absolutely true! If anyone wants to scrap please send me a message.
Brendan, Mt Sinabung, Sumatra, West Indonesia.
Photo: Bree Gardoll
What advice would you give to someone who feels like shit and miserable?
Diversify your hobbies and get into something new. I was at the lowest mental state of my life when my entire sense of happiness and fulfilment came from skateboarding and/or someone else’s success. It was all I had. Show up for your friends but most importantly show up for yourself. Be present and have small goals to keep you going every day.
Shoutouts?
My incredibly supportive wife Bree. Rob, Samske, Larkins, Aggy and Currie. Maneema Muay Thai, steak, eggs, and Heavy Metal music.
