In an ever-growing metropolis, where the opportunities to indulge in gluttony are tons, a few health conscious people have taken it onto themselves to change our lifestyle habits into more healthier options, one punch at a time, literally. One such example is kickboxing extraordinaire, Rameesha Shahid, who’s bringing in the already trending workout regime to women in Karachi.
Recently introducing kickboxing to women (Nadia Hussain is a fan) the K7 Kickboxing Academy is slowly making itself the hearth of natural fitness and Shahid seems to be the epitome of it. Talking to Something Haute about her journey into sports and eventually kickboxing, she tells us why we need to delve into the realms of fitness.
Something Haute: Amongst many other sports activities, kickboxing is relatively new in Pakistan; how did it start for you?
Rameesha Shahid: I have been active my whole life. I’ve always played sports, with my two favorites being cricket and cycling. I developed an interest in martial arts in my junior school with Taekwondo. When I grew up, I just had to Google kickboxing in Karachi and it landed me here.
SH: What does kickboxing regimes entail for those who don’t know and how do you see its growth?
RS: A lot of people have a skewed perception of kickboxing – they think kickboxing is violent, aggressive and most women won’t opt for it as a fitness program because it will make them look incredibly muscular and “manlyâ€. Fortunately, that perception is changing with time. Kickboxing is an art. It builds strength and stamina while keeping you lean. There is a beauty and strategy to kickboxing. Everybody who does kickboxing learns that very quickly and I think it will rapidly catch on.
SH: Tell us a little about how you ended up being a part of K7 and kickboxing?
RS: I wanted to join a proper training center. When I found out that K7 was a Martial Arts academy where all our trainers are Kyokushin, Kickboxing and MMA fighters I got really excited. The best thing about this place is its history with its founder, Master Jamil Chandio – six times Kyokushin Karate National Champion of Pakistan and an International fighter who has represented this art and our country globally. Master Jamil has made it his passion to make legends out of this academy and it aligned beautifully with my ambition.
SH: What do you see in the future for you and such lifestyles in Pakistan?
 RS: People are becoming increasingly health and fitness conscious. You see so many fitness centres emerging in every corner of the city. I would like to see more girls be a part of it. I see myself an advocate of that in future.
SH: Why is kickboxing important?
RS: Kickboxing is not just any fitness program; it is intense and fun. You develop a whole new skill set of self-defense out of this while improving physical fitness, stamina, mental discipline, confidence and overall well-being. This is not just another sport, but a way of life.
SH: Where can one train with you?
RS: I offer group and personal classes for females at K7 Fitness and Kickboxing Academy located in Phase 6, DHA, Karachi.
SH: Any parting suggestion that you’d like to give our readers?
RS: Choose an activity you enjoy so you look forward to your workout. Fitness should be any activity that you like to do, whether it’s running to swimming, cycling to dancing, climbing mountains to horseback riding. Anything that suits your personality, gets you moving, and promotes good health is fitness. If you spend your time dreading and simply doing the workout to get it over with you will not see the results you want. Healthy people who enjoy their fitness routines are more focused and get results.
