About
Monarch Gym
Monarch Gym (Previously Monkon Muay Thai until 2022) has been under the management of Mathew Lee Marais since 2017 and is still going strong.
With a passion for coaching and driven by the desire to change the lives of others in the community, you can rest assured that you will find a new home at Monarch Gym.
Training is done in a friendly and safe environment and Monarch welcomes all levels of experience and fitness from beginners to competitive fighters.
As a gym, we stand for building the confidence in oneself to overcome adversity in all forms.
Life is short, so train Muay Thai
Associations:
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO)
Cape Town Kickboxing Association (CTKA)
South African Muaythai Organization (SAMO)
World Kickboxing Union K1 South Africa (WKU K1 SA)
About Us
Meet The Team
Mathew Lee Marais
Owner & Muay Thai Instructor
Q And A With Mathew
Martial Arts Accolades?
PFC u71 kg Pro Am Champion
2 x WP champ
2nd place at SA Champs
Kickboxing: 15 Wins – 6 Losses
Boxing: 9 Wins – 0 Losses
Muay Thai: 1 Wins – 0 Losses
I wish to have a place where I can change people’s lives the way Muay Thai and martial arts in general did for me. I have always wanted to have my own gym where I can train and coach people in the sport I love. I feel I have somewhat created another family/unit through the gym and have changed the people/ students I have been privileged to train in a positive way. My goal would be to promote the sport as much as possible and have a place where people feel comfortable to train at but also the desire to want to be with us.
I used to go to the gym a lot and was into weight training but often trained with no purpose and also no reward emotionally. I had this need to try something different and with a lot of personal things happening in my life during my early teens 17-21 I had a lot of anger and frustration I needed to get rid of. I was recommended Muay Thai by a friend and started my Muay Thai journey at the age of 19 which evolved into the passion and love I have for the sport and martial arts I have today.
My biggest drive in life is to be a better person each and every day then I was the day before. Self improvement has always been a goal of mine whether that be in Muay Thai or in life in general. I want to leave a positive mark on everyone I encounter and hope I change their life however small in some inspiring way.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned through fighting?
It’s okay to lose, to be scared and to fall. The important thing is how you come back from it and who you have surrounding you to lift you up.
We are all human and no one is perfect and I think martial arts brings you to the understanding that it’s okay as long as you work hard and keep on trying you will achieve and succeed.
Carlo Schippers
Boxing & Kickboxing Instructor
Q And A With Carlo
Martial Arts Accolades?
1st dan black belt in Karate
2nd dan black belt in Kickboxing
SA Kickboxing Champion 2014/2015/2016/2017
PFC K1 Champion
CFL K1 Champion
Kickboxing: 41 Wins – 4 Losses
Boxing: 4 Wins – 5 Losses – 2 Draws
Muay Thai: 1 Win – 1 Loss
What made you get into fighting and when did you start?
My Mother made me take up Martial arts at the age of 6. I fell in love with the Art of Karate which laid the foundation for me wanting to go further and better myself after receiving my black belt. I then transitioned to Muay Thai and K1 thereafter. Fighting was never part of the plan for me having taken part in many Karate tournaments as a youth, but when I began training in Muay Thai and K1 I quickly learned the importance of competition if I wanted to better myself I would need to compete.
Tell me something about yourself?
I have a calm nature and usually I’m always peaceful hahaha.
What drives you the most?
Strange to say but Challenges and hardships drive me.
That anybody can beat anybody on a different day, but my biggest lesson I learned is always display Respect both inside and outside the ring.
Professional Instructors
Years In Operation
Members
%
Dedicated To You
Partnering Brands
Victor Van De Heever – Tattooist/Artist
Developed his own illustrative – dotwork / pointillism – realism style
Based in Northern Suburbs, Cape Town
He focuses on custom work, by appointment, only.
Vic has been with Monarch for close to 7 years and has become the resident Artist and Tattooist. He is a part of our Monarch family and as a brand partner, he is offering 10% discount to any Monarch members who book him for Art / a Tattoo! Membership must be valid and up to date.
Contact me via email for bookings at dottedvic@gmail.com
Anzél Brink – Physiotherapy
Qualification: BSc Physiotherapy, Stellenbosch 2005 Orthopaedic Manual Therapy Diploma 2016 Starting MSc Exercise and Sport Physiotherapy 2023, UCT
“I am currently the owner of two Physiotherapy practices, both in exercise and sport settings. I have been exposed to a vast variety of injuries in different environments, gaining experience in the different stages of recovery that you would not normally be exposed to as a physiotherapist. I have had to learn to adapt to highly stressful environments and had to learn to make decisions based on clinical reasoning, experience and also instinct. Passion is what drives me in my pursuit to help return people to their own passions.”
“I have been working mostly with orthopaedic patients and adolescents since 2006. My field of interests are finding ways to get patients back into their exercise of choice in an evidence-based manner, responsibly, but also as fast as possible. I have worked in numerous team-based settings from school to semi-professional level, in a multidisciplinary setting and in different sporting codes.”
Email address: info@anzelbrinkphysio.co.za and Contact number: 072 959 5006
What People Say
Testimonials
I have always had a passion for, and a want to do, combat sports, but we never had the funds to do it. So I’d just practice at home, looking like a donut, thinking that I knew what I was doing! When I started working a bit and our family got a bit better off, I was able to finally start! I love every minute in the gym.
Daniel
Member since May 2021
It’s a place where I can learn new skills and where I can stay fit and you are also surrounded by good people which is good for your health and mental wealth.
Karel
Member since 2018