Tauranga women revel in demanding discipline of Muay Thai

Tauranga Muay Thai fighters, left to right, Jessica Cox, Miriam Tio and Melissa Dykes. Photo/Andrew Warner

The highly disciplined martial art of Muay Thai is proving an unlikely choice for women of all ages to take up.

The physical demanding discipline is known as "the art of eight limbs" because of the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins.

It is not for the faint-hearted but at Tauranga's Martial Arts Academy three women at different aspects of the experience range are benefiting from the sport.

Miriam "Hummingbird" Tio, 38, Melissa Dykes, 39, and Jessica Cox, 16, took time out from an intense training session to talk to Bay of Plenty Times.

Tio took up Muay Thai 13 years to change her lifestyle away from drugs and has never looked back, with a world bronze medal and national title to her name.

"Muay Thai is quite raw and at training you are always pushing yourself to set new limits and break them. I love competing and now I help train others as well," she said.

"I had retired but when I moved down to Tauranga I met Melissa and she really inspired me to get back in the ring. The sport helps you grow as a person and gain a new perspective on life."

Dykes is relatively new to the sport. She too loves the challenge of physically pushing herself to keep improving.

"Í have been doing it for two years and when I started it was more for fitness. I was pretty unfit, nearly 10 kilos heavier doing the typical mum at home drinking wine every night. I came here and started training with some really cool people.

"I went into my first competition and kind of just got the bug. I have tried lots of other sports but this is interesting and never gets boring. Every time you come, even if you are doing the same thing you either do it better or you do it differently."

For teenager Cox the demands of the sport are what she loves most.

"I like how mentally and physically demanding it is and how uncomfortable it is. I am not doing the normal routine of a teenager. I don't have time to spend all day in bed or get on the [alcohol] every weekend.

"It has changed me in more ways than any other sport has and that is what I like about it. It is never easy no matter how much experience you have."

The women are under the guidance of highly ranked head trainer Ryan Clement.

"I guess it can be intimidating when they first come here but once they start to learn the skills they find it is a sport for all people. They are all doing well," he said.

Co-founder of the Martial Arts Academy Christine Young says Muay Thai, like any other martial art, is about building confidence slowly, step by step.

"Lots of women think it is too rough but when you really get into it, it is about yourself and about being stronger both physically and finding that inner strength that all women have," she said.

"Through physical training we are once again able to reveal that."