Q&A with WHL’s Amanda Khouv

What got you interested in fitness?

Although I had reluctantly dabbled in the odd after-school activity as a kid, I was never into sports at school and was definitely not a lover of PE. It was only when I was at uni that I began to really enjoy fitness. I started taking Muay Thai, boxing and MMA classes at a local gym for fun and got hooked. It was definitely my introduction to working out.

Congrats again on completing your first Tough Mudder this year! What was the most challenging part of the event?

Everyone always talks about training to get through the obstacles when it comes to Tough Mudder, but no one talks much about the running. Being super hilly, slippery and long, this was by far the hardest part. It’s almost a half marathon – much of which is up incredibly steep hills and if you’re unlucky, it’ll be muddy, too. Add to this a load of obstacles and there’s nothing easy about it.

Would you ever do it again?

There is a simple answer to this, and that answer is ‘no’.

What is your favourite healthy meal to cook?

I absolutely love eggs and since recently becoming a vegetarian , I’ve had to rely on them even more. Frittatas are a great way to get your vegetable fix, too – just chuck in as many different kinds as you’ve got lying around. I usually cook mine with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and kale.

And what is your number one cheeky cheat treat?

I treat myself to so many treats that they’re not really seen as cheeky. I suppose alcohol is seen as cheeky, so I do like to indulge in a really nice ale or a Bloody Mary every now and then.

You’re really into Muay Thai, how did you first discover the sport and what is it about it that you enjoy?

I’ve always been really into combat sports as a spectator and I used to visit Thailand a lot as a kid, so it’s something I’ve always been exposed to. When I went to uni, I used to pass a Muay Thai gym in town quite a lot, and one day went in just to have a look around. I found myself signing up and trying a class that night. I loved it immediately. It allowed me to release all of my aggression in a healthy way and was the first kind of exercise I’d ever tried that I enjoyed from start to end. Before that, I never knew I could like working out – sometimes it just takes finding the kind of exercise you’re most compatible with.

How often do you train for Muay Thai?

Back when I was taking it really seriously I trained almost every day, as well as teaching it and supplementing with strength and conditioning workouts. These days things are more hectic so I train without the pressure – I just go whenever my schedule allows for it, although I do miss it.

What other sort of workout do you enjoy the most?

Much like Muay Thai, I love workouts that have you breaking through the wall every time. Low intensity or slow and steady exercise doesn’t interest me, and I despise anything where the movements are predictable and repetitive. My priority when exercising is being strong, so my goals are always focused around getting stronger. This includes heavy weights to perform big, compounds lifts.

What is your favourite feel-good workout tune?

It’s funny, I must be the only person I know who doesn’t find music motivating. I don’t work out with music on ever. Hearing the sound of myself being out of breath is probably the most encouraging thing ever – although I wouldn’t quite call it ‘feel-good’. Sometimes if I’m on a recovery run or cycle, I’ll listen to an audiobook.

Who is your fitness inspiration?

UFC bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey might be an obvious choice for me, but I couldn’t even sum up in one paragraph how much she’s achieved. Aside from being the first female champion in the UFC, she’s also an Olympic world medalist in Judo. But really it’s her mentality and attitude that I find most inspiring. She competes with herself in the gym everyday and that’s why she’s so successful. A lot of people focus on other people’s achievements too much but using herself as her own benchmark is something that’s really worked for her. Everything she does in the gym is to make herself better at what she does. I don’t know many people who have this kind of discipline.