Our youngest and fiercest Chopper member... meet Tilly

What do you do outside of training?  I am currently in high school, just started year ten. Other than school and Muay Thai I play AFL for magpies and go to the gym. I have a passion for music, RNB and Rap are my favourites.

Describe the top 5 priorities in your life in rank order and explain why
1. My Mum - because she means the world to me. She sacrifices a lot and is always so happy and kind. I know everyone says it but she is the best Mum and person in the world.
2. Training – I absolutely love all my different trainings, I train every day, it’s a massive part of my life. It makes me feel great and its addictive, that’s why it’s my number two.
3. Being healthy – not just physically but being mentally healthy is very important for me. Dedicating time to remain happy, positive and all-round feeling healthy is a need for me.
4. Friends – I absolutely love them all, they help me get through school with a laugh. They make life fun.
5. School – It’s not my favourite thing but PE class is sick as. I guess studies will have to get me somewhere someday.

Do you have a motto you live your life by?  “Go Hard or Go Home!”. When I apply myself to something, I will always try my hardest, or I will choose something else to apply myself to If I cannot feel I can be 100%. I live for people who work hard, who are committed and are really passionate so I try to do the same.

What would be your ultimate achievement?  It has been a dream of mine for a long time to compete in Muay Thai. As for my long-term ultimate achievement, it is simply to stay both mentally and physically happy and healthy. I want to be able to help as many people in need as I can and hopefully make some great contributions to the world.

Which class do you like the best techniques or heavy bag and why?  My favourite class at the moment is heavy bag. I love working out hard and fast, keeping my heart pumping and activating my muscles. I love doing the combinations and seeing how I can better my stance, punches, kicks and speed. It’s also really fun putting everything I learn from the Techniques Classes into effect and smashing out drills on the bag.

Favourite fighter and why?  I am obsessed with the UFC and the fighter who ignited my passion for combat sports was Ronda Rousey. She absolutely dominated MMA and gained respect from guys and girls by being a badass. Other female fighters I love are Cris “Cyborg”, Holly Holm, Cody “No Love” Gabrandt and Conor McGregor.

What do you enjoy about Muay Thai?  I believe Muay Thai is a stunning art. It is legendary to watch, let alone learn. I love that it is somewhat difficult and intricate, it requires dedication and hard work. I enjoy it because it is different, I get to use my body in a way I don’t in other sports. It is very physical which I find fun. Muay Thai has everything, beauty, technique, roughness. I love to be challenged and pushed and Muay Thai does that. Plus, I adore the people I train with, it’s a great environment.

Globe trotting Chopper student... meet Alexis

What do you do outside of training?  I am a French industrial design student and apart from Muay thai training I love practicing every kind of sport, spend some time in Paris (where I live) and discover new things especially the cinema world.

What has been the greatest adventure of your life?  Was being in Australia! I consider myself lucky, being on the other side of the globe, learning what I love and also while discovering a new culture, making new friends. What more could I expect?!

Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?  One motto that has helped in the past and will continue to help me is "We learn by defeat, we stand up and keep going!"

Where do you draw your inspiration from and why?  I draw my inspiration from Roger Federer. Everything he does is right, everything in his life is under his control. His career couldn't be greater and I truely believe he is also a good person.

What do you enjoy about Muay Thai?  Muay Thai is a complete sport, where I can feel my whole body activate and I can measure my will. I like to push my body to go beyond its limits because it is the only way to truely know myself. With Muay Thai I can do all those things and furthermore I get to learn a new skill.

What is rewarding to you about training?  How does this affect your life and work?: Because Muay Thai training gives you a nice body condition you always feel good in life, not tired. After I day of work nothing is better than a training to empty your minde about you day. Muay Thai would be the light in a very dark day!

What is rewarding to you about training?  How does this affect your life and work?  I feel Muay Thai training gives your body perfect conditioning. After a hard day of work nothing is better than going to training to clear your mind. Muay Thai would be the light in the darkest day!

Packing a punch in style... meet Frank

What do you do outside of training?  I study English at ANU and work part time at a suit store in the city, Ministry Menswear and other than that I'm patting my dog.

What was the best advice you were ever given?  My Nonna who is nearly 90 years old and super sassy once told me "never do anything yourself dear if you can get someone else to do it for you." I'm not sure if that's the best or worst advice you could give but it pretty much sums up her sass-queen attitude.

If money were no object where in the world would you live and why?  I'd probably live in Italy, mostly for the food, also because my mother's family is from there and they have a great way of living. Everyone goes home to nap and eat lunch between 12pm and 3pm everyday, which suits me fine.

What is one thing you're good at? (Apart from Muay Thai)  I'm a bit of a karaoke king on Tuesday nights. There's a fine art to picking a good karaoke song and I got it down pat.

What is rewarding to you about training? How does this effect your life and work?  Firstly, because it's probably the best physical exercise I've ever done. There's a real balance between strength and cardio so it kills two birds with one stone. Secondly, because it's a great stress reliever! I found since I started I can sleep better at night and I can focus much better at uni. There's nothing better than after a bad day, kicking the shit out of something.

At training what is your biggest challenge and what do you do to manage it?  Probably remembering all the techniques when doing combos. It's a lot harder than it looks remembering where your feet are, when to pivot, making sure you're throwing your punches right, keeping your guard up. When it all clicks in,  you can actually feel when you're doing it right. Thankfully, I have my trusty sparring partner and bro Dom Dingo Shanahan there to encourage and remind me.

What was it like for you when you saw your first Muay Thai show?  I'd seen a lot of boxing previously but my first live Muay Thai fight was watching our coach Gaz Rees win his world title. It was incredible watching Gaz fight. You could see him doing everything he teaches us in class so well it was inspiring and made we want to train harder. Whereas, before I'd mostly done Muay Thai for the exercise and fun, after watching his fight it made me focus more and take training more seriously.

Super fly guy... meet Tom

What do you do outside of training?  Outside of training the vast majority of my time is either spent at the gym or walking my two chihuahuas.

If you could choose one super power, what would it be and why?  The ability to fly so I wouldn't have to worry about traffic.

Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?  Live for the little wins

If you were prime minister what would you change?  Stronger environmental policies.

What kept you going in the first weeks of training?  I throughly enjoyed each session, it wasn't like other physical activities that seemed more like a chore.

What do you enjoy about Muay Thai?  How much exercises I get out of it and that I always feel as if I've accomplished something after each session.

Why did you start Muay Thai?  Because a friend of mine suggested it and I wanted to learn a new skill.

Chopper's resident Wonder Woman... Meet Ida

What do you do outside of training?  I am a solicitor at Elringtons Lawyers. My weekdays are spent in court for appearances, conferencing clients, meeting barristers, drafting court documents and formulating case strategies with the litigation partner. Given my previous experience as a physiotherapist, I have a keen interest in medical negligence matters, although my practice spans from all personal injury work to commercial litigation and estates. Apart from work, I try to spend at least one day of my weekend wheel-throwing at the Canberra Potters Society.

What is one key event that changed your life in a positive or negative way?  My parents deciding to migrate to Australia. I was born in Malaysia and moving was such a positive impact on my life, whether it is access to education, broadening my perspective on world issues, the different cultures I encounter, the people I have come to call friends and the place I feel at home.

Where do you draw your inspiration from and why?  I think that the older I get, the more I surround myself with people who continue to encourage me to discover and achieve my goals. From my family and friends, to the amazing team at work and training. Every person with a passion and purpose plays a role in driving me to be a better version of myself.

TV show you secretly enjoy?  Very embarrassing but I recently started watching it with my housemates… Descendents of the Sun (Korean series).

What advice can you give to new students joining up who have never trained?  1. Attend class as regularly as possible because learning any new skill is best reinforced with practice. 2. Listen to Gaz and his tips to get the basics right so that you can continue to build your technical skills on a solid platform. 3. Don’t be intimidated to ask questions and partner up with different people because you can pick up something new every session to improve your training.

Describe the people who train with you?  The people who train at Chopper are passionate about the sport and push themselves to the limit during training. Above all they are generous with sharing their experiences and approachable so that I can work on improving at Muay Thai in a fun environment. Even though it is hard work, I think it is the team that carries me through the sessions… probably with too much laughter if you ask Gaz.

Explain the feeling you get after class?  So much of the work day is about completing tasks for others, and after completing a class I feel like I have spent a small portion of the day achieving a personal goal in working hard and improving myself. I think of training as a reward and dedicating some time in the day to my own wellbeing.

Unstoppable CEO, kicking her way from state to state... Meet Lauren

What do you do outside of training?  I am the National Chief Executive Officer of an organisation called LG Professionals Australia. We work with local governments both in Australia and around the world including providing technical assistance to local level governments in South East Asia and the Pacific. I am incredibly lucky because I get to travel a lot for my work to countries such as NZ, US, PNG, Solomon Islands, Indonesia and East Timor. I am currently also completing my Juris Doctor degree. Outside of this, and training, you will likely find me somewhere on a plane between Melbourne and Canberra… or taking a nap!

Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?  The motto I live by most is… ‘never doubt your instincts’. 

What is a surprising fact about you?  When I was 17 I represented Australia at the World Sports Aerobics and Fitness Championships in Ghent, Belgium. After that I qualified for four, and competed in two, World championships before I retired. My highest ranking was 4th. 

What can’t you stand and why?  Mornings... there is not enough coffee in the world to make me a morning person.

How has Muay Thai helped you in life?  I think Muay Thai has many benefits including for your health, fitness and confidence. As someone with a fairly high stress job I cannot speak more highly of how Muay Thai has helped me with de-stressing, and the all important work/life balance. Chopper Muay Thai is also a really great community that I get to be a part of when I am in Canberra. 

What is your favourite Muay Thai move or combo?  Anything to do with kicks or knees.

Why did you start doing Muay Thai?  I absolutely love martial arts and for the past 4 years I have be training Wushu and Tai Chi in Melbourne. When work decided that, starting 2016, I will be dividing my time between Melbourne and Canberra my main concern was - "where am I going to train!?" (because priorities!). In my first week in Canberra I tried both Gaz and Somchai’s classes as part of the UCFit schedule and I have been hooked ever since.