Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
I'm kind of the odd man out there, seeing as I'm not a man. I'm also not a Turk, and I'm probably twice the age of the oldest kid there.
Yesterday I walked in and the guys were talking about what they think of women who do Muay Thai. I was pretty curious about this, since we'd never actually discussed this before.
One of the kids shook his head sorrowfully. "Women shouldn't do it," he said. "It's not good for them." (I am not sure, by the way, that it had dawned on him that I'm a woman. I suspect they conceive of me as a unique biological category and perhaps imagine I might reproduce by parthogenesis.)
"Why not?" I asked.
Embarrassed giggling from the guys. Finally he said, "It's not good. A beautiful girl, with her hair all nice, then she fights and it's all ... " He shook his head to convey the sad spectacle.
One of the guys I especially like--a very good fighter, by the way--looked a bit pained. I think he wanted to divorce himself from this sentiment in front of me, but didn't want to be seen to be too enthusiastic about sweaty chicks.
"Why do you do Muay Thai?" I asked the first guy.
He was confused by the question, or maybe by my Turkish. I tried again. "Do you do it because you enjoy it? For a sense of accomplishment?" Our teacher tried to explain. "You--why do you do it?"
"I do it to be better," he said helplessly.
"You like it," I said.
"Yes."
"Girls feel the same way, I think."
He thought about this. "But girls--they're better than men."
My teacher said something to him and he replied. I didn't understand--they spoke too quickly, didn't catch it. Everyone laughed. I looked at my teacher. He was laughing so hard he could barely speak, then he translated for me. "When he was in puberty, the girls all beat him up."
They got up to change. My teacher looked at me and rolled his eyes. "These Turkish boys. They're all like that. What will I do with them?"
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Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
My seven-year-old daughter is a high green belt in Tae Kwan Do. It amuses me no end.
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
I had a high blue belt in Tae Kwan Do in high school. I found sparring to be exhilarating.
May '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
Reminds me of Borat when he interviews a trio of feminists and asks them about "the womens having the smaller brains, yes?"
Edited on Jan 13, 2011 at 3:54pmAug '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
From minute 1 in Turkey, I thought: women must run this place, because (1) someone must run this place, and (2) it sure can't be the men.
I have actually met some effectual male Turks. They seemed...odd. They seemed...lonely.
May '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
My sister is in the Army, an officer, and a second degree black belt. I could still take her.
Sep '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
In my experience with martial arts, the world over, pre-pubescent boys do it for self confidence and there is nothing wrong with that but as one acquires a bit of skill it becomes and end in itself and its fun to get better. The idea of fighting, in some ways, is more on the mind of those who observe it and don't understand it. I fear a little bit that young women in the west will see female characters fighting and beating men on TV and in the movies and think they can do that when, in reality, nobody really fights that way, spinning back kicks and all that, but the girls will muddle through somehow.
May '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
Thank Heavens my black cloak strikes fear into the superstitious female mind. Read that somewhere, so it's bound to work.
Aug '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
It strikes something into the female mind. Not sure if fear is the right word for it...
Also, surely you meant to say that the female mind is suspicious, not superstitious.
Jan '11
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
You'd enjoy this story of Gulsum Tatar. She's kind of awesome, actually.
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
She's awesome. For fans of awesome hot ethnic-Turkish boxerettes, of whom I'm sure we have many on Ricochet, here's Derya Torun obliterating Tatiana Puchkova:
Dec '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
That fact that you are training in Muay Thai is the most awesome thing ever. Be interested in hearing more about your experiences with it. I have a sister, wife, and god-daughter I am trying to get interested in martial arts.
May '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
Good to see you back, AJ. Here I thought you were just Claire's offstage interlocutor lately.
May '10
Re: Notes From the Muay Thai Gym in Istanbul
There is nothing more appealing than natural sweaty females working out. Two of my favorite images are of Rubber Duckie, hair flying all over and dripping, in the nearby lake getting ready to water-ski, or out in the garden playing with weeds. Claire once posted a picture of herself painting her apartment, and that was, no offense, nicer (e.g., "real") than posed publicity shots.
I expect her to post video of herself tossing those guys around in the gym. We need evidence....