Get fit with muay Thai: Darius Wong, Rough Gym

Darius Wong began covering his body in tattoos at 13 and took his first class in the Thai combat sport at 15. Now at the grand old age of 21, he's co-owner of Rough Gym.

Fact
The combo of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes has led to muay Thai being coined ‘the art of eight limbs’.

How he got started
‘My first training was so scary and tiring that I didn’t go back for two months, until a friend challenged me. That’s when I really fell in love with muay Thai. I’ve never done another sport that could make me sweat that much. When I went home every part of my body was aching, every single part.’

Why he loves it
‘It benefits every individual in different ways. For me, I [learned] to be a better person. It’s about friendship, it’s about respect, it’s about knowing myself more through this sport. I think that everyone will find a different answer.’

Who it’s for
‘Our oldest student is 66 years old – he’s just an old man who has passion for martial arts. Most of our students are actually expats who want to keep fit and lose weight. We have everyone here. We offer kids classes every Sunday and our youngest is seven. People can come in without any experience because we’ve trained those with no instinct for fighting – maybe they take a bit longer, but they still get there. I’d say you have to pack your bags, get your gear and let the trainers do the rest.’

Benefits
‘If you’re looking to lose weight and tone up, it’s a full body cardio, and you learn self-defence at the same time. It clears your mind of stress, it’s just you and that moment in training.’

Where to find him
Rough Gym, #02-04/05/06 Liang Court, 177 River Valley Rd (6837 0123, www.roughpma.com). Monthly (unlimited) $300; 20 sessions $560; personal training $120.