"WE want war, we love war!" roared from the radio around the aerobics-gym-turned-Muay-Thai studio on Wednesday 7th October.
The lyrical line absorbed disputants into fight night training at the Carrefour Bristol City Centre Gym, none more so than UWE student, Harpreet Kalkat.
By 7:30 pm, Kalkat and co had entered the studio. With the sponged squares of flooring pieced together, the Muay Thai Training group formed to start the warm-up.
Running to start, fighters were ordered to race raising their knees as high as they could, and their feet prattled on the floor like pattering rain on a conservatory window.
"Push ups!" ordered the coach. Yes Sir. 15 Sir. All in full. Kalkat cut the cats from the dogs in this exercise, swiftly manoeuvring himself through the motions of push up, jump up then start up again with minimum furore.
Now play time was over and the punching commenced. "It’s about effective striking", explained the trainer. "Just rock back (compose yourself) and push forwards (into the punch)".
Suddenly the temperature rose. In fact the flames on the coach’s shorts emulated the mood as abiding blows cauterized competitor’s arms as though they were smouldering irons burning through their flesh. Trojan MMA Fighters Club shirts here, crouching tigers ready to pounce with a punch there, animal-like aggression abound.
Kicking is also essential in the Muay Thai forte. Some kicked softly, others trod softly upon the turf this evening, yet Kalkat ripped up the carpet and calcitrated callously.
Before any of Kalkat’s cohort’s’ bones were broken, the curtain closed on the sweat-odoured scene.
Yet Kalkat can still be heard training with vigour behind the scenes as he prepares for a year-long Odyssey of American Football and MMA. Just pray for his opponents.
