My Passion With Kate Stables

Kate Stables, a secretarial assistant at law firm Mills & Reeve in Leeds, talks about her love of Muay Thai boxing.
Kate Stables, right.Kate Stables, right.
Kate Stables, right.

Seven years ago I joined a friend at a gym in my home town of Pontefract. There we signed up to an exercise class, which happened to be Muay Thai boxing.

I didn’t know it then but Thai boxing is a form of martial arts where combatants use their fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet to attack their opponents.

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At just 16 years old, the prospect was both thrilling and daunting. And on that day, when I was first exposed to the fast-pumping, adrenaline-packed world of Muay Thai boxing, I became hooked.

Often confused with kickboxing, Muay Thai is fought in a boxing ring but has added elements such as allowing knee strikes, elbow strikes and clinching techniques (such as grabbing the head and neck).

It can appear brutal and probably isn’t for someone of a delicate disposition.

I’ve now been fighting professionally for three years and competing at this level requires serious commitment.

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I train more than 15 hours a week, going straight to the gym after work every day, as well as on Saturday mornings, which can seem a lot on top of my full-time job at Mills & Reeve.

However, competing at an international level, fighting world champions and travelling the globe is all the motivation I need.

From the gym in Pontefract, the sport has taken me to some far off destinations to compete.

I have twice visited Thailand, once spending two and a half months training at a traditional gym in Bangkok, and last year travelled to Australia where I fought the Australian (and world) champion.

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Earlier this year I fought for the International Super Flyweight Title against one of the best-known fighters in the sport and who has been the UK number one since before I even started fighting. In the end the bout went to a split decision and I lost on points.

However, for it to go so close against such an impressive opponent, I had to be proud.

Although I can see why not many guys, let alone the so-called ‘fairer sex’, would consider Thai boxing as a sport to take up, I’d highly recommend it to all.

In terms of fitness there aren’t many sports that will condition your body better and being a professionally trained fighter will do wonders for your confidence, which has been particularly constructive for me working in a busy law firm.

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I would like to see more young girls entering into martial arts generally.

The idea of ‘sports for men’ and ‘sports for women’ is a false dichotomy and my experience of Thai boxing is that of a wholly welcoming community of like-minded people who want to improve themselves both physically and mentally.