It was the end of a punishing physical workout for Canungra Muay Thai members (from left) Jesse Jones, Ben Read and Lachlan McGrotty but you wouldn’t know it.
They barely raised a sweat as they went through a series of uphill sprints in preparation for their coming competition bouts at the Aggression Thai Boxing event to be held at Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane on August 12.
It will be the second professional and amateur Muay Thai competition at the tavern this year.
For Jesse, 19, it will be his 25th fight, while Ben, 36, and Lochy, 17, will be making their debut as Muay Thai competitors.
In addition to the challenge of competition fighting, Ben has been motivated by a strong desire to dramatically improve his general fitness. His dedication and consistent hard training have seen his weight plummet 16kg in eight weeks.
A good indicator of Ben’s fitness progress was his win in the recent Live Fit Gym challenge in Canungra.
“But I am not satisfied with this. I want to be even fitter, and I need to drop another 10kg by August 12 to meet my fighting weight of 86kg,” he said.
All three fighters have been training under the watchful eye of gym owner David Torrens whose Canungra hardware shop has been a staunch supporter of Canungra Muay Thai. Other sponsors include Aquis, ESA, Fenwick Farm and Imperial Supplements.
For the uninitiated, Muay Thai is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking, along with various clinching techniques. It is characterised by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins.
Today it is the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand. It was developed several hundred years ago as a form of close combat that utilises the entire body as a weapon.
Muay Thai is now considered one of the most popular combat sports in Australia. Many people have taken up the sport as a form of fitness or to compete in professional and amateur bouts.
Tickets for the Mansfield Tavern event are available through eventbrite.com – purchasers can use referral code ‘Jesse Jones’.
