KUNMING, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Wearing boxing gloves and shin guards, Wang Yuchen, a 9-year-old student from southwest China's Yunnan Province, repeatedly throws punches and kicks at boxing pads in his coach's hands.

Wang has been practicing Muay Thai, a kickboxing style that is known for strikes with fists, feet, elbows and knees, in a gym located in downtown Kunming, the provincial capital, for over a year.

"I used to catch colds frequently, but not so much after I practiced Muay Thai, and my athletic performance at school also improved," said Wang, showing off his newly developed muscles.

Wang was accompanied by his father Wang Jian, a 36-year-old man who has been practicing Muay Thai in Kunming OngBak international Muay Thai&Boxing&MMA gym (hereinafter referred to as "OngBak gym") since 2018.

"I came to be interested in Muay Thai after watching the Thai martial arts movie series called 'Ong Bak', which is the origin of this gym's name," said Wang Jian, adding that now he becomes healthier, more energetic and has a good grasp of self-defense skills.

According to Wang Jian, they are not the only father and son to learn Muay Thai together in the gym, which offers an opportunity for parents to enhance interaction with their children and for children to make new friends outside of school.

Founded in 2016, OngBak gym, one of the first Muay Thai gyms in Kunming, has seen Muay Thai become a new favorite fitness event among residents in recent years. It has a membership of more than 1200, among which some 400 members are active ones.

"Generally speaking, men come here to practice Muay Thai so as to boost their masculinity, while women come here in seek of a slim body," said Zhu Jinqiu, the 37-year-old head coach who runs OngBak gym.

"As for children, practicing Muay Thai can help build up their physical strength and mental toughness," added Zhu. "That's why more and more parents are turning to Muay Thai."

"Practicing Muay Thai doesn't mean that we tend to resort to violence. When dealing with conflicts with others, we will restrain ourselves rather than act on impulse," said Lou Liping, a 39-year-old female white-collar worker who started to practice Muay Thai in 2016.

In Lou's eyes, what started as a way to relieve stress from work has now become an indispensable part of her life. She even tries to teach her niece Muay Thai by herself.

Lou's opinion is in perfect accordance with the values of Muay Thai that Zhu wants to convey. By teaching Muay Thai techniques, Zhu expects everyone who practices Muay Thai to become gentle and powerful.

Nowadays, Zhu has noticed that an increasing number of Muay Thai clubs have been sprouting up in major cities, not to mention the numerous gyms that offer Muay Thai classes across the country.

"As more and more citizens become passionate about Muay Thai, there are tremendous opportunities for the sport to develop in China," Zhu concluded. Enditem