A KruFit member since 2015, Isis St. James is currently training for her second National Muay Thai Tournament in June. Here she shares her “wai” (pronounced “why”) for training Muay Thai at KruFit:
“I have always had an interest in martial arts, and have consistently looked up to brave and strong female characters in books. During my sophomore year of high school I decided that there really was no reason I couldn’t be just as badass as the characters I idolized and set out to look for a good fit for me when it came to martial arts.
I sought something more practical than karate, more broad than boxing, and came across Muay Thai which was conveniently taught at a gym not far from my residence. That’s how, one April evening in 2015, an awkward teenage girl wearing clearly new athletic attire and pants unfortunately pulled up like Steve Urkel, strolled into Sparta gym (now KruFit). I was very nervous, expecting to be surrounded by guys with macho-attitudes and to spend the rest of the night uncomfortably regretting my choice.
My thought process was that even if it was a terrible experience I could at least say that I tried to pursue an interest and never had to return there ever again, so I went to a trial Muay Thai class regardless.
It was undoubtedly the greatest decision I have ever made.
The art of Muay Thai, as I’ve been taught by Jamie Bradley, has made a profound impact in essentially all areas of my life.
It has helped me get into shape- and for the record, prior to joining her program, the extent of my exercise was limited to gym class, playing around outside, and intramural volleyball… so I had never actually been “in shape” by any legitimate means.
It drastically improved both my physical and mental health by promoting enjoyable fitness with a welcoming community component.
It has done wonders for my confidence- I see how strong and resilient I can be in the gym multiple times a week, so I know not to question my capabilities without giving real effort. The people I have met and continued to get to know throughout the years have had an extensive impact as well.
I have followed Jamie throughout the years from teaching at Sparta and in other gyms, to when she opened her own gym, KruFit, and am glad to say that many of the same people from my first class in 2015 are still in class with me today, nearly 8 years later. My teammates, new and old, continue to inspire me and encourage me to be better in all areas of my life.
If you’re like me and can’t continuously drag yourself to a traditional gym to improvise a workout, perhaps it is high time for you to try something new. Maybe you need a class aspect to give you a routine and group accountability. Maybe you need to try new and specific sport avenues in general. But if there isn’t a part of you that enjoys how you exercise or the results you get, you’ll always find an excuse and not a way to make it work sustainably. If you never try, you’ll never know.
If you want to give Muay Thai a chance, KruFit always offers a free trial class. If you find out it’s not for you, at least you pushed yourself outside of your comfort zone which is a feat on its own; but you may find that our gym and this martial art is exactly what you’ve been looking for all along.”
Ready to join us for your own free trial class? Contact us today!