Indra Gunawan was born in Mataram, and went to high school in Bandung, West Java. His decision to start training in martial arts was made for practical reasons, but it made a huge difference in his life, and in his career. He spoke with My Lombok about what his involvement in Muay Thai has meant to him

When did you first become interested in martial arts?

I love martial arts – Karate, Judo, and Tarung Derajat – an Indonesian form of full contact martial art created by Haji Achmad Dradjat in Bandung, West Java. And Muay Thai, of course.

I first got into fighting when I was 14 years old. When I was growing up, life was quite hard, and I started training in martial arts because when you are on the streets you need a way to protect yourself. You have to be able to fight because there is no one else who will fight and protect you but yourself.

I did kickboxing in West Java and Jakarta for 12 years before training in Muay Thai.

Can you explain exactly what Muay Thai is?

It is an old, and traditional, combat sport from Thailand. It is a complete set of techniques for stand-up fighting. With Muay Thai you are trained in everything; you learn to use your fists, elbows, shins and knees, and learn styles of kicking and punching.

Is there a particular philosophy behind the practice of Muay Thai?

Basically, you train so you can win.

Is it particularly challenging?

Yes, it is very hard but it is so good. When you compete a lot, which I did, you must challenge yourself to become the best. You need a big heart to train, to focus and to become a champion.

Tell us about your involvement

After I finished fighting competitively I became a Muay Thai Coach for Nusa Tengara Barat (NTB) and have been the coach for 7 years. I trained with Mr Kent – a famous Martial Arts and Muay Thai Coach in Thailand.

After I moved back to Lombok, because I was an athlete and a fighter, the police asked me to join. So I became a policeman in 2000.

Have you been inspired or influenced by anyone in particular?

Yes by Bruce Lee – He is a Famous Martial Arts actor and everyone loves Bruce Lee especially when we were growing up.

Do you find Muay Thai useful in your police work?

Yes, because Muay Thai makes you feel confident. It prepares you for everything that can happen to you. It makes you ready for any situation. My job here is as an internal policeman and I don’t have a lot to do with the ‘bad boys’, so I have never had to use Muay Thai while working in the police force.

Tell us about your role as a trainer.

After I finished fighting competitively, in 2007, I wanted to train the athletes for the IFMA – the Indonesian Federal Muay Thai Association.

I was the first person to train Muay Thai in NTB and I set up a new organization in Lombok.

I am the head Coach for the Muay Thai Team in NTB. The athletes train 6 days a week, and there are 2 sessions a day, each lasting for 2 hours. In the morning session they do physical training, and then they work on technique in the afternoon. We get a lot of support from the government – the Governor, the Mayor and the Vice-Mayor all support us here in NTB.

I have been training the athletes for 5 to 6 years now. There are 6 fighters who I train personally, but there are 18 fighters in the NTB team.

Any success stories, memorable experiences?

Yes. In July, my fighter, Ardian, fought in the World Championships in Thailand, and won the bronze medal. He fought against UIA, Kazakhstan and Belgium.

We now have 4 world champions and many national champions.

Tell us more about your gym, and the process of setting it up.

Being a personal trainer is my hobby, and my wife is also an athlete, so we decided to open a gym. Why would we not do what we love?

We support and train the people around us because we love to see people become healthy and slim after being overweight.  We also help a lot of athletes here to train and to become champions.

There are lots of benefits for people who come to our classes. First of all, I teach them to become healthy. After they become healthy and reach their target they enjoy it and focus more. Then, depending on what their target is, we work together either to become healthier, to train as fighters, or focus on becoming a champion fighter.

What drives people’s interest in Muay Thai?

I had been in kickboxing, and people already knew me because of that, and from being in the martial arts group. When I introduced Muay Thai to Lombok, in 2013, they all liked it.

What are your plans for the future?

We are planning for the 2020 Indonesian Olympics. There is a Muay Thai competition in December, in Semarang, Jawa Tengah, and Ardian must win the competition to qualify for the Olympics.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love spending time with my family, and going on holiday.

What do you enjoy most about living and working in Lombok?

I grew up here so it is my home. The people in Lombok are easygoing, and I like the natural surroundings and the beaches. We have an easy life in Lombok, compared with living in a big city.

Finally, what has been the best thing about being involved in Muay Thai?

I really like to see the students who do Muay Thai for fun really enjoy themselves, and enjoy practising. And when I see my students become champions, it is priceless!

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