Kathy Yap Huang musters her energy and aims a flying punch at the boxing bag. While most women take studio fitness classes or endurance training, she loves Muay Thai and group boxing at Flyweight Studio. She works out practically every day as a lifestyle, rather than out of vanity.

“I don’t work out just to get fit,” she says. “Exercise clears my mind. I never exercised to lose weight or get sexy. That is not my thing! I’ve always been athletic. I enjoy movement.”

Growing up in the United States, Huang played basketball at 10 years old, coached the junior varsity team, managed the men’s team and played on the college team as a guard. Hence, training six times a week was normal to her.

Aside from basketball, she played lacrosse and volleyball.

She balances her family life with husband, Rustan’s vice president Michael Tantoco Huang, and her two children, and her work in the Yap family business, with combat sports, spinning classes at Electric Studio and Barre 3 at The Spa, both in Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

Huang started Muay Thai and kick boxing at Philippine Army Gym under coach Tyrone Naticho.

“With Muay Thai, you clinch and strike with elbows and knees, while kickboxing uses a lot of close-range punches and kicks. I love it,” she says. Naticho, a national athlete and soldier, improved her form and strength.

Not for the delicate

“He’s a no-nonsense coach, paying attention to little things that matter. Like, if you twist your hips more, you get better momentum in your punch,” she says.

Huang warns that the sport is not for the fragile. The conditioning exercises include pad work, punching bag, shadow boxing and jumping rope for stamina.

“There’s no air-conditioning in the gym and you fight on your bare feet. I’m not afraid of a little dirt,” she says.

Although she has been encouraged to join competitions, Huang turns down the offer. “I’m 36 years old. That’s crazy to start a mixed martial arts career now,” she says.

The combat sports are alternated with group boxing. Unlike the army gym where she waits for her turn to be coached privately, Huang enjoys the community spirit of the boxing and spinning classes. At Flyweight, she improves her stamina with the high intensity interval training.

“One minute you’re punching the bag. Another minute, you hold the plank, then another minute is spent on the bag and another minute is for burpees,” she explains.

Because of her recurring neck spasm, Huang takes to spinning instead of jogging to improve blood circulation. “I can’t run,” she says. “The jarring motion aggravates my neck. I work with light weights in spinning classes. Spinning gets my cardio in without the high impact.”

The training filled with explosive movements is balanced with gentler workouts such as Barre 3, which combines basic yoga and Pilates movements to lengthen the muscles and improve flexibility.

Huang isn’t concerned about society’s ideals of the perfect body. “I may not be as thin as I was at 18 years old, but I’m my strongest self now,” she says. “As I get older, I plan my workout. It’s good to build the bone density so you don’t get osteoporosis.”

The workouts don’t last an hour each day. And Huang can still consume fast food such as burgers and soft drinks.

“I enjoy food,” she says. “I can’t wear those fitness watches that count calories. I do what makes me happy.”
—CONTRIBUTED

Special thanks to Flyweight Group Boxing Studio and Electric Studio, 8 Forbestown Center, BGC.