Freestyle Muay Thai is more than a gym – it’s a community of friends working to support one another towards any goal, from losing weight to fighting. I am proud and honored to be a part of this amazing community that only continues to grow and strengthen. Out incredibly diverse members truly make FMT a fun and unique training experience. For this reason, we would like to celebrate the awesome members at FMT with a monthly member highlight.
Thanks for reading!
– Stephanie
Q: Why did you decide to start learning Muay Thai?
A: It was a split between self-defense and weight loss. I just moved to another city and wanted to know a little about hand-to-hand combat just in case I get into a situation where having those skills could mean saving my life. Also, I have started my weight loss journey not long before I moved, so I thought it would be a good idea to do it for exercise too. I was looking for something that I know could lead into a lifestyle change and not just a trend to join, leave a few months in, then start something new.
I logged on to one of my social media platforms and just basically asked what martial art was fun to learn and Muay Thai was one of the suggestions. Honestly, it was a random pick that worked out perfectly.
Q: How long have you been training?
A: I have been training for about a year and three months now.
Q: What are your goals for Muay Thai?
A: I would want to have a few amateur fights soon. Pro? Maybe? Long term goal would be for me to just continue training and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Q: What is your favorite part about training?
A: Seeing friends! My favorite part is seeing myself improve in multiple aspects such as punches, kicks, sparring techniques, and overall cardio condition.
Q: Why did you choose Freestyle Muay Thai?
A: Before I signed up at Freestyle Muay Thai, I took an introductory class from another Muay Thai gym that’s five minutes away from where I live. I was 90% sure I was signing up there but decided to try FMT out before making the decision. FMT’s intro class surprised me because I thought I already knew what to expect. However, it was completely different. Brian and everyone training that day made me feel welcome and comfortable, and I knew then that I wanted to train at FMT.
Q: Who is your favorite fighter and why?
A: I don’t have a favorite fighter because I wasn’t a fan of the sport until I decided to start training a year ago. I rarely watch fights, and when I do, it’s mostly just looking at the fighters’ technique and combos. My favorite fighter is Ognjen Topic because he is very technical. He is accurate with his hits and uses technique over strength. Being in a male-dominated gym, this is very important for me because my current strength is far less than other trainees at the gym. After a year of training, I have decided to use tactics rather than brute force to overcome opponents.
Q: When you’re not in the gym, where can we find you?
A: I have an equal balance between home, work, leisure, and training. Right now, I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be but the gym. Unfortunately, I can’t be there all day every day. I’m either at home sleeping to be able to train the next day, at work to be able to pay for the membership and awesome equipment and its accessories, or taking a vacation to give myself time to crave training and give my 110% again.
Q: If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
A: If I had a superpower, it would be the ability to heal. People don’t deserve to suffer from physical, mental, or psychological diseases. Also, it would allow me to recover from any injury I take from training and be perfectly fine the next day 😉
Q: How do you feel as you prepare for your first fight?
A: I’m very excited for my first fight, which makes preparing for it enjoyable. I like to push myself, both physically and mentally, to the limit. Knowing that I may have a fight soon also allows me to focus on increasing my fight IQ, which means knowing when to go offensive or defensive, reacting to opponent’s counters, and reading the opponent’s fighting style and body language.