The image you get when kickboxing is mentioned, is probably 2 swarthy men slugging it out in the ring. Surprise, surprise, but the majority of those who have signed up with Active Red are actually women, and they spend a lot of time not only in the ring but in the gym.

Professional gear such as boxing gloves, hand-held shields are all available at the studio for participants to hone their skills during trainings.

“Our programme is geared more towards women. 99% of our current members are females and they range from students to working adults to elderly. The oldest I’ve got so far is around 55,” explains Jason Lim, the business manager and senior trainer of Active Red.

To make the notion of kickboxing more appealing, Active Red promotes kickboxing as a sport rather than something competitive or violent. Classes are mainly split into 3 tiers – introductory for trials, structured group (Beginners/Intermediate/Advanced) and private 1-to-1 sessions. The training sessions are an hour long and hold about 10 students at a time. It also holds other programmes such as boot camps.

Other than offering learners the skills to defend themselves from attackers, kickboxing is believed to boost one’s self-esteem and self-discipline

Participants are guided throughout the 1-hour session from stretching and conditioning to kickboxing and cooling down.

“I’ve always thought that kickboxing was simply ‘punching air’ in a really packed studio. Their kickboxing is not; it’s the real thing. The instructors are helpful and patient, always ensuring that we pushed ourselves just hard enough to feel good,” stated Elaine Goh in her testimonial for Jason Lim inCozycot’s 100 Beauty Professionals Holy Grail Awards 2011.

Set up in 2008, the budding fitness organisation has done itself proud by being named Singapore’s representative for World Association of Kickboxing Organisation (WAKO).

Some of the plans ahead include exciting fitness-related seminars or workshops, providing fitness instructor certification, getting more state-of-art equipment.

Reminiscent of other combat sports like Muay Thai and Taekwondo, kickboxing provides a refreshing alternative for all. Being a much newer sport compared to other martial arts, it incorporated more tried and tested techniques.

“Kickboxing is about using what works and that can vary from person to person. It allows the individual to tailor movements to suit their own body type. Kickboxing conforms to the individual instead of making the individual conform to it,” according to from Martial Arts Incorporated.

Gone are the days when such sports are only popular among men. Many have joined Active Red’s female ranks; tell UrbanWire if you’d like to do the same!

Photographs by Avelyn Ng  

Active Red is at Atlas Chiropractic, Far East Shopping Centre, 545 Orchard Road, #05-11.

For more enquiries, please call +65 9092 1358 or email info@activered.sg.

You may also visit their website at http://www.activered.sg/ (Trial sessions are available for first-timers)