Ever fancied giving Thai boxing a go? Helene Garnett, a Thai boxing Champion tells us how she trains for her fights, and what it takes to be a top fighter.

FF: How did you get into boxing?
HG: I got into thai boxing in 2001, a friend and I were interested in getting fit and wanted to do something different. She'd trained at Wicker camp before and told me how good it was. I went down more to support her than anything but after the first session was hooked and the rest they say is history.
 
FF: How does the Thai boxing you do vary from the boxing we all know?
HG: Thai boxing is the national sport of thailand and was devised by the Thai's to fight the chinese, it is the science of 8 limps, 2 fists, 2 elbows, 2 knees and 2 shins, all these can be used as weapons in a fight. Thai boxing is steeped in tradition and before each fight we close off the ring and do a dance called the Ram Mauy which is part of the thai religion Buddhism. It's very beautiful and each camp as it's own version of this. Wicker camp only specialises in thai boxing and all our fighters do this beforehand. We are one of the oldest Thai boxing gyms in the country and Mick (my coach) has been teaching since 1977.

FF: How do you keep your body so ripped?
HG: I have a very good diet and I work very hard at what I do. I do lots of cardio and mix this with weights 3 times a week. I don't lift heavy weights but do it more for muscle endurance and this works really well for me. I think genetics have a part to play in it but I think a good diet and hard work is the key. Diet contributes to 80% of your training and whatever you put in you'll get out. You can either be a ferrarri or a ford fiesta.

FF: How has your diet varied since you started boxing?
HG: My diet has changed massively since I started training. I eat better now than I have ever done in my life. I tend to eat alot of fruit and veg, rice, potatoes and pasta, cottage cheese, eggs, nuts, food that I know works for me and will give me the results I need. I think dieting for a fight is about trial and error, somethings work, somethings don't. I tend to eat well consistantly. I don't eat junk food
or anything prosessed. I do enjoy chocolate but doesn't everyone and I love breakfast cereal. Everything in moderation is the key. I think supplements do help and have someone who helps me out with this. I think the more natural the supplement the better the result, if it sounds to good to be true, then 9 time out of 10 it is.

FF: Are men scared of you?
HG: I don't know about men being scared of me. I think they definately respect me. I have a great relationship with the lads in my gym and work as hard as any of them. They respect me cos they know how hard it is to train for a fight and to get in there and other men respect me because they haven't got the balls to get in there and do it themselves.
 
FF: How do you get into shape before a fight?
HG: A training regime is usually a 12-8 week block depending on how fit you already are or how much weight you have to lose. I usually stay relatively fit through out and am usually 3-4 kilo above my weight so it's easy for me to dropdown when I need to. Training for a fight usually consists of padwork, bagwork, fitness drills, sparring and running. Each week we step up our training regime so were less likely to pick up any injuries or burn out.
 
FF: Whats your training regime like?
HG: We have one of the hardest training regimes in the country. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning I do 10 rounds of bagwork with a minute exercise in between (press ups or sit ups, ect, focusing on speed) every other round is a drill for 3 minutes (kicking with 1 leg, punches, knees again focusing on consistancy and speed)
every Monday and Wednesday night, I attend the fighters class which u can only attend if your a fighter or instructor, these classes are extremely hard and are by invitation only. I do 5 rounds of skipping with a heavy rope, each one of these rounds consist of doubles (You jump once but the rope spins twice) 5 rounds of intense pad work then either sparring or drills to finish, I then run 6-7 miles.

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning (depending on work) I do either kicking or punching drills or a certain techquice that my arjarn thinks will benefit me or will work against my opponent, I then do an hour weights focusing on 2 muscle groups and my abs. Every tuesday and thursday night I run 4 mile then do 10 rounds of bagwork with 1 minute exercises in between.
Friday night I do 10 rounds of sparring then run 6-7 miles.
Saturday I do my legs and tri-ceps and run 6-7 mile in the evening.
Sunday I rest.
 
FF: How do you mentally prepare yourself for a fight?
HG: Mick (my coach) is a great teacher and for each one of his fighters he knows exactly what does and doesn't work for us. He tells us straight and we respect him for that. if he believes in me and tells me I can beat this girl then it's up to me to put in the hard work and find the self belief to do so. He has a lot of experience and once told me to visualise myself in the ring fighting and then winning, then to imagine i'm watching myself in the crowd fighting and winning. I do this when I run and as strange as it sounds it does help. I'm usually quite chatty before hand through nervous and tend not to sit still for long periods but to how some people are, I cope quite well with nerves. I just think either if i'm nervous or not, i'm here to fight
 
FF: Have you always been interested in keeping in shape?
HG: I have yes. I was always very active as a child and was in all the school teams. I played football for many years but never took it to the level I have with thai boxing. I played football like I Thai boxed in the beginning, hit hard and see what happens. I can safely say i'm a much better Thai boxer than a footballer.

FF: Whats your tip for a top abs?
HG: I think genetics play a big part in havin good abs. Some people can be lean else where but always smooth on their stomach. I think theres a big myth around having a six pack and that people think u get one by doing 1000's of sit ups a day. Diet and hard work is the key and with training I do we tend to use our core muscles alot. I do my abs twice a week and treat them like I would any other muscle. I do 100 sit ups, 100 crunches, 100 side crunches (each side for my odliques) and 100 hyper extentions or leg raises. Each movement is controlled and do to exhaustion.
 
HG: I would like to thank my family and friends for all their love and support and my arjarn Mick Mullany for making me the fighter I am today and to jamie at body-building.uk.com for his help.
You can catch up with Helen in her blog in our next issue. She is fighting Natalie fuz who is the American top fighter at Helens weight of 66-67kilo in New York on the 4th of December.  
For information about wicker camp or lessons please log on to our website www.wickercamp.com