Jan-feb 2017

February 2017

Mel Chan: THE FIGHT THAT MATTERS THE MOST

PLUS+ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

THE MUAY THAI FIGHTERS

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EDITION

any longer

Strength training is for everyone!

BRUNEI

Don’t let injuries stop you

Is Muay Thai for you?

Be Bold.

Be Different.

Be Daring.

Plus+ Magazine wants you.

If you have competed in any international sports competitions or any sports events outside of Brunei, we are reaching out to you. Your achievements matter. Join us to share and inspire!

Email us your achievements and details to Editorial@PlusBrunei.com.

February 2017

+Content

VALENTINE

HEW:

“THE VALUES OF 28 A TRUE FIGHTER” +Fitness 6 Reasons to Focus on Strength Training First 10 Building up Muscles like An Athlete 14 Benefits of Muay Thai 16 Common Muay Thai Injuries & Remedies 40 No Energy to Exercise?

Here’s How You Can Start!

22

IZZUDIN IRFAN:

“A FIGHTER IN EVERY WAY” 2 PLUS February 2017

MEL CHAN:

“THE HARDEST FIGHT”

34

+Life Inspired 20 Muah Thai 22 Izzudin Irfan: “A FIGHTER IN EVERY WAY” 28 Valentine Hew: “THE VALUES OF A TRUE FIGHTER” 34 Mel Chan: “THE HARDEST FIGHT”

6 10

40 14 PLUS 3

February 2017

+Publisher Info

Dear readers, I

t’s the start of a new year and as usual, another year filled with promise and opportunities to improve ourselves. It seems fitting, therefore, to bring some light to Muay Thai — a sport that most people would be unlikely to try. We highlight the many benefits of Muay Thai and also the common injuries you may encounter while practicing the sport, as well as preventative measures and how to heal them.

Being the start of the new year, it is also more likely than not that our minds are telling us that we should be jumping back on the fitness bandwagon but our bodies are just telling us “NO!” — never fear, Plus+ is on hand to offer some tips to get you out of that rut. This issue also includes simple and delicious suggestions for pre- and postworkout snacks and useful tips and tricks to keep your workout regime going even while on holidays. So you will be hard-pressed to find a good excuse not to be on your way to a fitter, better you!

This month we had the pleasure of sitting down with three players

in the Muay Thai scene. Izzudin Irfan is an impressive young man whose recent start in the sport has nevertheless secured a few gold medals for our nation. Valentine Hew does not look like your average fighter, but she shares her accomplishments and mature perspective on the sport and offers valuable advice to others looking to try their hand in fighting. Last but not least, Mel Chan tells us all about her daily challenges and triumphs while dealing with an injury known as sciatica, her determination and resilience is truly inspiring.

From everyone at the Plus+ Team, we would like to wish all our readers Happy New Year.

Don’t forget you can follow us for the latest updates @PlusBrunei on Facebook and Instagram, where we post behind the scenes pics and sneak peeks of upcoming features.

Many thanks and happy reading, The Plus Team

+Publisher Nexploit Services

+Photographer Azree

+Editor-At-Large Plus Team

+Featuring Valentine Hew Izzudin Irfan Mel Chan

+Talent Editor Elizabeth Sim Liyana Sidek +Proof Reader Monica Lim +Marketing and Digital Content Nursadiqin Misir +Graphic Designer Anna Thien Oleh Melnyk John M. Rey

Ministry of Health (Brunei Darussalam) Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (Brunei Darussalam) Health Promotion Centre (Brunei Darussalam) Fitness Zone Royal Brunei Airlines Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd

+Publisher information Nexploit Services Lot 4169, Kg Serambangun, Tutong TA 2541 Brunei Darussalam

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Email it to  plusbrunei@gmail.com

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Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of Nexploit Services. Where option is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of the publisher or Plus.

All information in Plus is checked and verified to the best of the publisher’s ability, however the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistake or omission enclosed in the publication.

4 PLUS February 2017

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6 PLUS February 2017

Fitness+

REASONS TO

FOCUS ON STRENGTH TRAINING FIRST PLUS 7

February 2017

+Fitness

T

here has been a long-standing debate as to whether one should focus on cardiovascular or strength training first. The answer?

It depends.

Naturally, both training types have their benefits. To build a lean and fit body, one should juggle both cardio and strength as they focus on different parts of the body and derive different results that, when combined, are ideal for our overall fitness and health.

Having said that, everyone clearly has his or her own formula to success when it comes to workouts. There is no one-sizefits-all regime in the fitness world.

There’s no one answer to whether you should hit the treadmill or weights first.

So why the need for an article to emphasize on the need to train your strength prior to focusing on cardio?

Let us break it down for you.

To build stamina to do further workouts, to push your body further to achieve the fitness goals you

8 PLUS February 2017

want, you need to work on resistance training and strength first.

Strength training involves the use of weights — dumbbells, kettlebells, chest press machines, leg curl machines and the likes. It is often intense, done in prompt segments.

The weights, repetition of the same movement and the rest periods in between help the body to burn glucose and carbohydrates for the required bursts of energy, which in turn will hasten the process whereby you can gain muscle mass and bone strength.

In the event that you do engage in cardio first, your muscles are bound to get fatigued faster and you won’t have the strength to carry on lifting. In order words, if you focus on strength training first, you’re getting the heavier stuff out of the way. This will result in your complete workout being more effective as you will gain the power to do more reps.

It is recommended that even if you want to excel at running or train for a marathon, incorporating strength training into your routine will be beneficial. Start with strength

training at the beginning of your workout while your body is still fresh and end with a cardio session. The same theory applies for someone who wants to lose weight — go for a jog in the morning but ensure to keep at least one gym session in a day for weights.

At the end of the day, though, you would still need to balance both strength and cardio once you get a hang of your workout regime. Switch between your lifts, HIIT, and try low-intensity regimes like yoga or a spin class on your “off days”.

If you’re adverse to one kind of training but know that it’s necessary, get it out of the way first, and then reward yourself with your preferred workout towards the end. This will give you the mental boost you need to continue working out to achieve those goals you want. To keep it simple: do what you love most to encourage yourself to work out and reap the benefits of doing so.

Having said all that, the key here is to keep your body moving. Any exercise is better than none.

+Fitness

BUILDING UP

MUSCLES LIKE AN ATHLETE

T

here is always that want to look just as perfect as the people you watch on the sports channel during the weekends. Athletes always seem to have your dream body and you crave for those six packs and buffed up muscles in all the right places. The truth is, there is no magic remedy or formula that you can drink and turn into a buff athlete in one day. It requires a whole lot of passion and commitment to follow through. The only reason those people running around on your television screens look so perfect is because they work out a lot. And if you want to have their body, you need to work out like they do as well.

Firstly, no football player ever got those muscles by just running in parks or going on the treadmill for hours. Besides cardio workouts, they also follow thorough fitness routines and go through multiple series of exercises every day to get those muscles.

They also go through inner core strengthening modules, which help them be strong and not only appear buff.

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Fitness+

PLUS 11

February 2017

+Fitness

MUSCLE BUILDING PROCESS To increase the size of muscles in our body, we need to work them out to their fullest capacity. Our body already has muscles, but they don’t appear as big because of the workload our physique is accustomed to.

When the workload is increased, signals are sent to our brain to create more muscle tissues in those working out areas so that we have more energy and strength to adjust to the workload, and hence the need to have an intense workout. This is also why people going to the gym often look more buff than someone who doesn’t.

THE ROAD TO WORKING OUT To drive your muscles to their fullest potential there are a number of workout sessions you can follow, all of them have specific training routines that move the muscles to the desired positions, which helps them grow more tissue and eventually grow bigger. However, all of those routines have a cardio routine and

12 PLUS February 2017

a strengthening routine involved to help balance the proportion of muscle building as well as keep up the level of strength. All the exercises have a balanced amount of recovery time to help oxygen reach the muscles and prevent sudden unconsciousness and accidents.

Increased load of heavy weights and harder intensity of workouts will help gain maximum strength.

However, these heavy workouts are like sprints since the duration will be short but frequent for the body to get used to it. You will be able to find different muscle building programs online to suit your preferences and you can even consult a professional trainer to help guide you. Here is a small example of what a routine may look like:

WORK OUT ROUTINE Firstly, the strength workout has a few muscle pumping and fast paced exercises that have a minute of recovery time each. Try to do five repetitions of each exercise. Start off with 5 sets of power cleans to wake up your muscles, and then move on to squats to push your muscles a

bit further. After five sets of squats, jump forward to do five to seven sets of bench presses. Once done with the free hand exercises, move on to weights. Continue with five sets of dumbbell lifts and overhead passes, again five sets each. After the one minute recovery time, move on to burpees with a 30 second recovery time in between each set to prevent any accidents. Finally, use the core — plank for about a minute and then end with crunches to improve resistance.

After the strength workout comes cardio. It is best to do cardio outdoors rather than a treadmill. Do a 30 second sprint over a distance of 150 meters and then give yourself a resting period of three minutes. Gradually increase the amount of distance moved but keep in mind that the distance should be moved in 30 seconds. Repeat 5 times. After the sprint, do the stairs for the same amount of time; preferably up the stairs within 30 seconds and walk down slow. Similarly, the number of stairs can be gradually increased.

Between each stair run, there should be a resting period of 10 seconds.

Repeat this 8 to 10 times.

+Fitness

BENEFITS OF MUAY THAI 14 PLUS February 2017

Fitness+

M

uay Thai, an age-old combat sport typically fought in Thailand, has been gaining popularity in the contemporary health and sporting world.

While some enjoy the sport by watching competitions and supporting their favourite athletes, others have taken a more hands-on approach by participating in the sport.

If you’re one of those who is looking to pick up Muay Thai as a sport for various reasons, then congratulations, you’re in for a great experience ahead.

On the other hand, if you’re still hesitating, then know that there are a lot of benefits involved in Muay Thai. Like most contact fighting sports or martial arts, the conditioning and techniques of Muay Thai focus on personal development and self-defense, which in turn are beneficial for one’s fitness and strength.

Here’s a little more insight into the benefits attached to fighting Muay Thai:

BETTER PHYSIQUE AND FITNESS Looking to shed those extra pounds? Visiting a foreign land and planning to brush up on self-defense? Interested in participating in more combat competitions?

Muay Thai can help you with all of the above.

In Muay Thai, you are expected to make use of all parts of your body to fight well. During training, expect to work your head, neck, arms, core, waist, hips and legs.

The combination of mandatory warm-ups and basic offensive and defensive techniques will help you lose unwanted weight from your body, build a better physique for yourself, and keep all your body parts in constant

movement — giving you better fitness overall.

With continued practice, your body will begin to tone itself to match up to the demand of the sport, eventually resulting in increased cardiovascular performance.

BOOST MENTAL TOUGHNESS Whether it be self-discipline, self-confidence, or generally better focus and determination, Muay Thai is the one martial art that can help you achieve all of them, even as a newbie.

It also makes for a great outlet to release your stress. Imagine having a bad day at work and then attending Muay Thai training — wouldn’t kicking and punching something help you alleviate your frustrations?

Of course it would! On top of that, releasing your bad energies will help you focus on self-development better, and you end up becoming a more positive and happy person thanks to all the work you’ve done for yourself.

Muay Thai training may even condition you to be more productive by looking for better techniques that can boost your performance. You can also look forward to building camaraderie with fellow Muay Thai hobbyists or participants by sharing your physical and spiritual goals, too.

As with any other sport, Muay Thai also comes with its risks. If you’re new to Muay Thai, ensure that you have a good instructor to guide you through the relevant steps to avoid injuries of any kind.

Whether you’re in it for fun, to lose weight, or for serious competition, remember to stay safe and give your body enough nutrients and warm-up to stay physically and mentally fit and healthy always.

PLUS 15

February 2017

+Fitness

16 PLUS February 2017

Fitness+

COMMON MUAY THAI INJURIES & REMEDIES PLUS 17

February 2017

+Fitness

Y

ou’ve seen the professional Muay Thai fights on television. You might have even heard oohs and aahs live if you’re ever caught a match in person.

If that’s what stopping you from practicing Muay Thai, we’re here to tell you that you should bury your worries. After all, if not done correctly, any sport can cause injuries.

The key here is to take preventive measures, and if that fails, to find the cure to your issues immediately.

Listed below are some of the common injuries associated with Muay Thai and how you can cure them.

SPRAINS Not wrapping your hands properly, bad punching techniques — these all lead to sprained wrists. Imagine landing a punch on your heavy bag with full force but at the wrong angle — yep, we’re sure just reading that made you flinch. Always give sprained wrists time to heal. For future reference, learning how to protect your hands well and the right way of throwing punches will alleviate the pain.

Another common part of the body that often gets sprained during Muay Thai is the ankle and foot,

18 PLUS February 2017

which can happen for various reasons — running, sparring, or other leg exercises. Invest in a good ankle guard and learn to time your kicks better to avoid getting hit by your opponent. As with typical ankle or foot injuries, use the RICE technique to recover best (rest, ice, compression, elevation).

BRUISES Getting punched by your opponent is bound to leave bruises — especially on the ribs, where you’re probably going to get attacked the most.

Shins are another place where you can expect a lot of bruising.

Naturally, the prevention technique for this would be to not get punched. Learning defensive moves and conditioning your shins over time will help reduce the bruising factor, and if that doesn’t help then take a break and let the bruises heal before you jump back in the ring.

BLISTERS Muay Thai is a martial art that is often taught barefoot. Expect to get blisters on your feet from friction on the carpet or floor mat, especially

while pivoting or twisting your foot to dodge or throw strikes.

Like any typical injury, allow the blister to rest, and do not pick on it at any cost. One of the biggest issues with blisters is the possibility of getting an infection so avoid tearing your blister open. If it does burst, wash it well and rub anti-bacterial ointment on it before covering it with a bandage. If it does get infected, visit a doctor immediately.

STRAINS Clinch sessions will often result in strained necks, and there usually isn’t any way around it (telling your opponent to go easy might work for hobby sessions, but not if you’re planning to become a professional).

In this case, pay special attention to warm-up sessions. Relax your neck muscles and do some stretching to avoid further damage caused if your neck gets locked.

Now that you know what you need to look out for, let’s hope that when you enter the Muay Thai field, you are well-equipped with how to better handle yourself. Have fun while you’re at it, warm-up well and stay healthy.

Enjoy Muay Thai!

+Life inspired

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Life inspired+

MUAY THAI PLUS 21

February 2017

+Life inspired

22 PLUS February 2017

Life inspired+

IZZUDIN IRFAN:

“A FIGHTER IN EVERY WAY”

D

o you know what dedication and hard work can do? It can do wonders! In Izzudin’s case, it has gained him multiple chances to step in a ring and fight, and bag home gold medals. At only 21 years old, he is living the dream of a young boy who wants to grow up and fight competitively. He is a firefighter by day and a Muay Thai fighter by night.

He went from sitting in front of the television watching UFC fighters to fighting in a ring himself. In 2012, Izzudin started training Karate but his heart told him he wanted something else. In 2015, he discovered

Muay Thai and that was the start of his opportunities and victories. He fell in love with the force of every movement trained in Muay Thai. The powerful hooks, elbows, knees and leg kicks felt somehow different from other kinds of martial arts.

There is nothing that can seem to knock him down, not even losing in a fight. After his first loss in a fight, he rose back up and trained harder. He was determined not to be the same guy who lost. With his mind set and the determination of steel, he went back to fight and brought home the gold medal he deserved.

PLUS 23

February 2017

+Life inspired

How do you juggle between your day job and training?

I work in shifts. I work for 4 days and then get 4 days off. So it’s not so bad and those days are enough for me to train.

What does your normal training day look like?

I normally train during my days off. I train in the morning, afternoon and night.

Sometimes during my work days, I squeeze in training in the morning and at night, depending on my work shifts.

Do you live by the mantra “Eat. Sleep. Train. Repeat.”?

I train as much as I can but I also like to enjoy life. Prior to a competition, however, I am strict with my training schedule.

How do you pick yourself back up on bad days?

Most of my bad days happen during sparring. I always tell myself to keep training and never give up. I always try to keep pushing forward.

After a bad sparring session, I watch my video and analyze any mistakes I’ve made.

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Life inspired+ What mindset do you get into before a competition?

Before a competition, I usually get super nervous. Before a fight, I always ask myself why I ever signed up for this. But as soon as I step into the ring and throw my first punch, the nerves always calm down. It’s the adrenaline that helps.

What drives you during your training?

I watch UFC fighters and I aspire to be like them! I’ve always wanted to compete internationally in kickboxing. I watch all these champions and observe their work ethics. They never give up and they never stop chasing their dreams. I want to be the first Bruneian to go off and fight in an international competition and win a gold medal. That aspiration and goal in mind has always been my drive to keep training hard. I am still very young and I think this is an opportunity to do something for my country.

What was your biggest lesson taught by Muay Thai?

Muay Thai has taught me commitment. Commitment to difficult training days and again, to not give up.

What advice would you give to people who are just starting out?

For people just starting out with Muay Thai, don’t rush in too fast.

Start slow and start practicing your technique. That will help in the long run and you’ll avoid more mistakes that way.

What would like to see improve in Brunei in terms of Muay Thai?

It would be good to have fights hosted in Brunei with prizes being offered to the winners. The prizes are what motivates people to compete, fight and do their best in their training. It is an incentive for them to train hard and this can be applied to all other aspects in their daily lives.

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February 2017

+Life inspired

FEATURING: Izzudin Irfan ARTICLE BY: Liyana Sidek PHOTOGRAPHER: Asree

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+Life inspired

VALENTINE

HEW:

“THE VALUES OF A TRUE FIGHTER” 28 PLUS February 2017

Life inspired+

I

f you ever cross paths with Valentine, you would never guess that she fights during her free time. Cheerful and down-to-earth, she sat down and told us stories about her first experience competing in a fight.

Valentine Hew started Muay Thai in 2014 when she was looking to improve on self-defense. After trying different kinds of sports and just abandoning them afterwards, she finally found one that somehow caught her interest and she has never looked back since. At only 24 years old, she has competed in fights, and has learnt and experienced many things as a fighter. Forget about all the preconceived notions you have about a fighter! Valentine has strong core values of respect, humility and sportsmanship. All these values she has learnt through Muay Thai and continues to practice it in her daily life. If you think a sport you love doesn’t shape you, she’s here to prove you wrong!

PLUS 29

February 2017

+Life inspired What drove you to compete in a fight?

of training cannot possibly be squeezed into 3 minutes.

You always want to be better than what you already are. This applies to anything at all. During training, I acknowledge what I have already achieved and learnt such as some new moves or techniques. Then I ask myself “So what’s next?”. When I heard that there was going to be a competition, I thought that it would be something new and I wanted to get that new experience. I have always thought that competing in fights was only for people who were really good and I have always just watched them on TV! Now that I had the chance to try it, why not?

What is an average day of training for you?

How did you feel before your first fight?

For my first fight, I was quite scared. It was my first time and I didn’t know what to do! My coach told me what and how to train but these were things that we already did everyday. As the day of the fight inched close, I got very nervous. During that time, no one I knew had ever joined a fight before so I didn’t know whom to approach for guidance.

I was quite clueless up until the actual fight. I took one punch to the face and I came to realize “okay, this is a fight”.

What do you usually do to chase away the nerves?

For everyone, it’s different. I’m that person who walks and looks around. I always walk around just to see what is going on. I usually watch the few fights before mine just to predict what might happen in my own fight. That is also the time when I start to plan, just to keep myself busy so I won’t have time to feel nervous!

What mindset do you get into before a competition?

I always tell myself to just do whatever I learned and trained for. Of course you won’t get to make use of absolutely everything you learn during training and apply it in the ring because you only get 3 minutes in one round. That one whole month

30 PLUS February 2017

When there’s a fight coming up, we train on Mondays to Wednesdays, then Fridays to Sundays. Before going for a fight, I need to lose weight. So diet plays a role here too! My training starts early. I go for a jog for an hour, I’ll skip with my jump rope for about 15 minutes and then move on to the basic warm up we always do. After warm up, the real training starts. The training depends on what needs to be worked on for the day. For example, we’ll do more punches or more kicking. That usually happens for 2 hours straight and then right after will be conditioning. That is our normal routine.

What do you tell yourself on bad days?

I always remind myself that this is what I want to do and I chose this, so I have to get through a bad day no matter what. I remind myself that it is just another bad day and it won’t be a bad day every day. I usually sleep it off and I’ll feel much better the next day.

What was the biggest lesson taught by Muay Thai?

I learnt respect. In the Muay Thai industry, respect is something we really focus on. When our opponent falls during a fight, we do not attack them. That is a sign of respect. A fight should always be started fair and square. If you were the one on the ground, you wouldn’t want your opponent to attack you.

What do you love about Muay Thai?

I feel that Muay Thai has given me a lot of opportunities. One of them being meeting new people. Even your opponents! Sure, during a fight you might feel like you want to kill your opponent but after the fight, you make friends with them! It has a lot to do with sportsmanship. Another thing I like about Muay Thai is,

Life inspired+ I get to sweat. A lot! It’s definitely a sport where every body part is involved.

What advice would you give to people who are just starting out?

Be humble. Be friendly. Be respectful. It’s not about showing how tough and strong you are.

Try and learn as much as you can during training.

What was your most memorable achievement?

I still think the biggest achievement yet is getting to make a lot of new friends. From the moment I joined Muay Thai, I have become

a much more active and friendlier person. Before this, I have always just kept to myself and I was never really keen on getting myself involved with other things or people. Nowadays, I find myself getting along easier with others. Muay Thai has shaped me in every way.

Physically and mentally.

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February 2017

+Life inspired

FEATURING: Valentine Hew ARTICLE BY: Liyana Sidek PHOTOGRAPHER: Asree

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+Life inspired

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Life inspired+

MEL CHAN: “THE HARDEST FIGHT” T

he worst thing that could happen to a fighter is to be told that they have an injury. Mel Chan faced back problems back in 2014 known as Sciatica. The pain runs down from the lower back all the way down to the legs where the sciatic nerve is located. She describes it as sharp pain just radiating from her back down to her legs.

There are nights when sleeping is just about impossible. What would you do if you had to live with an injury that restricted your movements? Would you be discouraged?

Demotivated? Frustrated? Mel felt all of them, just like any other human being, but she still fought through.

The interest in Muay Thai was sparked back in 2015 and she has begun serious training ever since. Despite her back injury, Mel has never let it stop her from her daily training. Days when she couldn’t kick, she would punch. She worked with what she had and she kept fighting through it. Her punches got better and it is now her strongest point in Muay Thai. As much as pushing through Is important to her, coming down with an injury has served as a life lesson to her. She has learnt that the only way through an injury is to listen to your body. There is a huge difference between carefully pushing through and just simply being careless.

Mel is hoping to compete in her first fight very soon. With the amount of practice and determination she has put in, not even Sciatica can get in her way!

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February 2017

+Life inspired What made you fall in love with the sport?

It’s almost random. I’ve always liked martial arts. One of the biggest things I like is the workout. The way we train is quite intense. We do a lot of strength and conditioning, cardio work and then there’s the techniques. Another big reason is, the community has become a big group of friends who comes to the gym to train together. It could also the vibe that we have.

It’s like working. When you have a really nice boss and you have really great colleagues, even if your pay isn’t so great, you’ll still be happy working there! Who you surround yourself with and who you train with affects a lot! I train with my friends and that’s one of the things that has always kept me going. You also get stronger.

You see and feel your body changing. You see the program working. The biggest motivation is seeing progress. You just keep going because you know you’re getting better.

What does an average training day for you look like?

I start at around 4pm. I do some strength and conditioning, then I get warmed up. At 5pm, I go for a jog for about an hour. At 6pm, the class starts and that’s when we start training. We do weights and circuits with everyone else. The second hour is usually the more fun stuff! That’s when you get to put your gloves on and get more technical.

What do you tell yourself during bad days?

When I was working, I didn’t have the time to tell myself anything. I just kept going because I felt like I was still on a learning curve. I was still learning and I just wanted to keep getting better. When you’re working, you don’t get to think that much. You start your day early in the morning to go to work. By the time you finish work around 4 or 5pm, you come straight to the gym so you don’t have time to think about a lot of things. I believe that you always need someone to push you or it gets really tough. For instance, just a few minutes ago, I was doing some pad work and I was so exhausted. It came to the point where I was resting on all fours, the sweat was dripping and I felt like I wanted to cry. I felt like my body was going to collapse. If it weren’t for my friends telling me to get back at it and pushing me, I would’ve just stopped.

We will all have days where we will feel like we can’t do anything. Having people who motivate you really helps a lot.

What have you learnt from your injury?

When I first started Muay Thai back in 2015, I used to try and push myself too much. I wanted to get better so I pushed myself during training. During training, you don’t feel any pain because you’re in the mood and you’ve

36 PLUS February 2017

got the adrenaline. But when I got home, I started limping and feeling the pain in my leg.

After months of experiencing that, I realized that you have to go easy on yourself and listen to your body. At the end of the day, you don’t want to push your body too much or you might break yourself. One day, it’s going to cost you something bigger in the long run. Nowadays, I listen to my body more. When my body and my legs say no, I listen to them and not push it.

How do you think people should be taking care of their body more?

If you happen to have an injury, whatever it is, you should get it checked out. You must get it taken care of properly. Some people just tend to disregard injuries. You might be fine for now but twenty or thirty years down the road, you might start feeling some pain. You’ll start to wish that you did something about it twenty years ago but by then, it will be too late.

Now I sound like an old person talking, telling people to take care of themselves because they might regret it when they get older but I know how it feels and it is something no one should experience.

What was your biggest lesson learnt from Muay Thai?

I learnt patience and discipline. I think that with any martial arts, they try to make you train your discipline and patience. When you’re fighting and you feel like you haven’t performed your best, you end up being frustrated with yourself and you might throw a tantrum. I’ve been there. I’ve had moments when I felt useless. I felt like I was struggling to get better. There are times when it does get emotional. After some time, I learnt to be patient with myself. I learnt to keep my emotions in check. Of course, you can never stop yourself from getting upset but you will also learn to be more logical and start analyzing what you did wrong and just learn from there. Identify the problem and try to work on it.

What advice would you give people who are just starting out?

I always see people getting so excited. They just want to start kicking and punching without knowing the proper techniques. I always tell them not to exert too much power when you haven’t gotten the proper techniques or positioning. A common injury is the wrist. This happens when they use too much power on the wrist but the wrist isn’t properly positioned.

That’s when they end up spraining it. I’ve had my fair share of wrist sprains. If you injure your wrist, you’re out of the game for 2–3 weeks and that’s very frustrating! We’re here to have fun and learn new things. Don’t hurt yourself.

It’s never worth it.

Life inspired+

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February 2017

+Life inspired

FEATURING: Mel Chan ARTICLE BY: Liyana Sidek PHOTOGRAPHER: Asree

38 PLUS February 2017

+Fitness

NO ENERGY TO EXERCISE? HERE’S HOW YOU CAN START!

40 PLUS February 2017

Fitness+

H

ave you been finding it difficult to even get started on your workout?

Entered the gym only to find yourself already drained of energy before jumping on the treadmill?

Is your body too tired to even concentrate on some simple yoga movements?

Then it’s not exercise you need first, it’s motivation.

Finding motivation when you’re already exhausted is difficult. Your brain might tell you that you need to shed those pounds to fit into that dress for the next family occasion, but your body is refusing to move.

How do you get up and move, in that case?

FIND YOUR REASON FOR EXERCISING. Is there a particular reason why you want to start exercising? Need to lose weight? Combat sleep issues?

Lower your cholesterol?

Remind yourself of your reason constantly. Even if that doesn’t get you up and moving all the time, you need to maintain focus on what it is you want to achieve through exercise. Make it a habit to tell yourself that there is a bigger reason to why you need to work out versus becoming a couch potato.

IDENTIFY WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND YOU. What is your daily routine like?

What are you eating? How are you spending your evenings after work?

Are you constantly slugged down with office work? Is your environment very negative? Do you need a partner to motivate you to do anything?

A lot of factors can be a cause for less energy throughout the day. See if you are a victim to any of the following factors we’ve identified for you, and if you are, try and avoid and alter them today so you get back into your fitness regime at the soonest.

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February 2017

+Fitness

Reasons why you lack energy or motivation to stay fit: ¬¬ Dehydration ¬¬ Sugar/fat-filled breakfast ¬¬ Too much coffee ¬¬ Lack of magnesium

or activity. If you’ve been playing badminton all the while, when your heart is set on hiking, make that change. There might even be a significant difference in the way your brain and body reacts to exercise depending on if it’s indoors or outdoors.

necessary by listening to your body’s responses and combining different approaches to see what’s best.

STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH.

WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU?

While you’re at it, figure out when your energy level is at its peak. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you feel better after exercising in the morning or after work? Do you feel more motivated with friends or would you rather workout alone?

Don’t forget your reason to exercise.

Stay focused on that while ensuring that you partake in a healthy way of living that will see your energy levels soar instead of decline. Eat healthily, get enough rest, and avoid stressful environments to the best of your ability.

Try out different workout regimes.

Often, the lack of motivation arises from the dislike of a certain sport

Once you know what suits you most, start slowly. Adjust and fine-tune your workout wherever

Don’t make time to be a couch potato — make time to get up and go!

¬¬ Not enough sleep ¬¬ Excessive stress

44 PLUS February 2017

M A K E YO U R S E L F P RO U D

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