Muay thai and boxing for women in Mauritius always raises the same three questions: will I be the only woman in the room, will I get hurt, and will I keep up. At Team Boom, on Casse Ghoon Road, Pointe aux Canonniers, along the coast from Grand Baie, women train in the club's regular classes. Here is what that means in practice.
There is no women-only class — and that is deliberate
Let us say it plainly: Team Boom does not run a separate women's class. Women train in the same group classes as everyone else, Monday, Wednesday and Friday — in group B at 7:00 pm when they are starting out, the beginners' and intermediates' slot. Group A at 5:45 pm is for advanced members and the competition team.
Mixed classes worry people before they start and stop mattering after two sessions. Muay thai is taught in pairs, and pairs are put together by level and by exercise, not by who looks strongest. On the pads, a partner holds the targets: their size changes nothing about what you are learning. And technique is a great leveller — placing a low kick correctly is a coordination problem long before it is a strength problem.
What the first month looks like
The club rule applies to everyone: no sparring during the first month. Your first weeks are technique, pads and bag work — you hit, nobody hits you. That is not a softened version of the sport for beginners, it is how muay thai is taught: you learn the guard, the stance, the footwork, the jab and the low kick on targets until they belong to you.
Expect to be out of breath in the first ten minutes and fine by the end of the hour. Expect sore shins the week you start hitting the bag properly, and expect that to pass. A session lasts about an hour: skipping rope, joint mobility, technique, pad rounds, core work, stretching. The first-class guide goes through it step by step.
Fitness, technique, confidence
- Fitness. A round is interval work: short intensity, short recovery, repeat. It is also an hour in which someone tells you what to do, which is why people who never lasted a month in a gym last years in a club. We went through that mechanism in this article on getting back in shape.
- Technique. Muay thai teaches a guard, a distance and a strike: how to hold your hands, how to read the space between you and someone else, how to put your body weight into a movement.
- Confidence. Not a promise, a side effect: doing something physically hard three evenings a week, badly at first and then less badly, changes the way you carry yourself.
What to bring
- Shorts and a t-shirt. Anything you can move and sweat in; leggings do the job perfectly.
- A water bottle. In this climate you need more than you think.
- Hair tied back, and nothing on your hands or wrists you would not want to send into a pad.
- Nothing else. Gloves are lent for your first sessions, and training is barefoot.
Under-18s, private sessions and prices
Under-18s, girls included, have their own monthly rate, on top of the one-time club membership. If starting in a group feels like too much at once, a one-to-one session with the coach is possible — some people take one or two of those first, then join group B with the basics already in hand. Prices are on the pricing page.
Coming for a first class
The club is led by a single coach, Jonathan Gabriel, so the same person teaches every session and knows where each member is. To come, send a WhatsApp message to +230 5981 9849, say it is your first class, and turn up on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday at 7:00 pm. Nobody will make you spar, nobody will make you fight, and you will leave an hour later knowing whether the sport is for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a women-only boxing class at Team Boom?
No. Women train in the same group classes as everyone else, Monday, Wednesday and Friday: group B at 7:00 pm for beginners and intermediates, group A at 5:45 pm for advanced members and the competition team.
Do I need experience or a good fitness level to start?
No. Your first weeks are technique, pads and bag work — you hit, nobody hits you, and there is no sparring during the first month. Being out of breath in the first ten minutes is normal.
What should I bring to my first class?
Shorts and a t-shirt or leggings, a water bottle, and your hair tied back. Gloves are lent for your first sessions and training is barefoot.
Can girls under 18 train, and are private sessions available?
Yes: there is an under-18 rate, on top of the club membership, and one-to-one sessions with the coach. Prices are on the pricing page; message WhatsApp on +230 5981 9849.