Having been recognised by the service as an official martial art earlier this year, the set-up invited one of the country’s leading female fighters, Dani Butler, to put personnel through their paces in a two-hour session aimed at learning the basics of the discipline.
“We are trying to attract as many people as we can and thought ‘let’s get more women involved’,” said army coach SSgt Sam Cooney (RAPTC), who trains alongside Butler at the Allstyles gym in Camberley.
“People think this is male dominated but it is not – Dani is testament to that.
“Her technique is flawless, and she is here to help them with the basics of punches, kicks and elbows.
“She is a great technician of the sport.”
Butler, a WBC British champion at bantamweight, was impressed by the talent on show and said she was open to returning in the future to further help with the army’s development.
“They worked hard all the way through,” she told SoldierSport at the end of the session.
“It was a surprise to see how well they have done. They got what we were trying to teach really quickly, which meant we could progress to more advanced stuff.
“That is probably down to the discipline they have as soldiers, and I saw a lot of potential out there today.
“I love working with other women. They don’t always have confidence in things like this so it is nice to be able to help out and show we can do anything we put our minds to.”
The seminar was part of a wider three-day programme for men and women that attracted more than 45 personnel.
Other guest instructors included Richard and Lisa Smith, founders of one of the leading Muay Thai gyms in the country, and coach and ring announcer Kyle Greaves.
It followed on from the first team selection day in May, when a seven-strong squad was named for the army’s competitive debut on July 12.
Further auditions follow in October, when personnel will be vying for a place on the UK Armed Forces team. “It is like a snowball,” Cooney added. “It is getting bigger and bigger, with more people joining and asking questions about how they can do this at their units.”
For more information follow @britisharmymuaythai on Instagram or visit the British Army Muay Thai page on Defence Connect.
