LEEDS Muay Thai society have an exciting weekend coming up.  

On Saturday 5 December, a number of fighters from the University of Leeds are fighting in the Art of War 2015, hosted by the University of Nottingham. Some members have been fighting for years and have plenty of bouting experience, while others have only just started this year. Joining Leeds and Nottingham in the ring are Nottingham Trent University, the University of Warwick and Muay Thai 8, a local club. The event will see the universities and clubs take each other on in over 20 fights, taking place in a ring in a bar. Though an annual event, this is Leeds’ debut appearance.

But what is Muay Thai? Otherwise known as Thai Boxing, its origins can be traced to Thailand in the 16th century and it is different from other martial arts as it includes the ability to strike someone with the elbow, knee and shin as well as kicking and punching. It is known as the ‘art of eight limbs’, as a fighter can strike eight different points of contact on an opponent’s body. The popularity of the sport is rapidly increasing in this country.

Abuga Aroni, the Leeds Muay Thai kit and sponsorship secretary spoke about the society’s preparation for the event. ‘We’ve been training three times a week for months now and it’s honestly been a lot of great fun. It’s been an experience in helping each other improve and also finding weaknesses within ourselves. We are going to go there and have fun, that’s the most important thing for us. We all purely love this sport and it’s given us so much.’

Hopefully this weekend they will do just that and also do the University of Leeds proud. If Muay Thai sounds like the sport for you, Leeds University Muay Thai Society is open to all abilities, whether you are there for fun, fitness or competition. They train on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and encourage anyone to come along. More details can be found on the LUU website.

Nancy Gillen