AMBA Samui become Awakening Fighters' sponsor, enabling us to step up to the next level in promoting female fighting!
In this article I will explain why this is a significant moment for Awakening Fighters, and in my opinion the entire global female fight community. I will also do a deep dive on AMBA Samui, the who's, the what's, the why's. I also believe that a very important part of business today, is for us as consumers, to support the businesses that back the movement. Especially when their backing has such a big impact.
First, let me answer the question "Why is this so significant?".
Victoria Sullivan at AMBA | Photo Credit: Awakening Fighters for the Enfusion Contenders Documentary Series
For the last eleven years, Awakening Fighters has been promoting the growth of female fighting. We have made it easier for fighters to find fights and advance their careers with better opportunities - all this, we have done for free. When we launched the website, we had some 2,500 fighters listed in our ground breaking database. Today, we have almost 24,000. The website has grown so large that maintaining it has big logistical problems, server capacity is maxed out and the website has become slow, and google search is punishing us. So the effectiveness of our promoting the growth of female fighting had stagnated.
AMBA Samui has swooped in with sponsorship, allowing us to finally upgrade our servers, and affording us the luxury of putting more time into Awakening. So not only will your athlete profiles be loading at lightning speed, but we can increase the amount of athletes added per month, and the amount of detail added! Both of these things mean that Awakening can get back to doing what it does best - being the authoritive, independent source that wants the best for you in your athletic career.
We here at Awakening owe a great deal of thanks to AMBA Samui. I urge everyone in Koh Samui, Thailand (and anyone thinking of travelling to this paradise island) to make your way down to AMBA and give them your business. AMBA has given Awakening the boost that it needed. Every penny of their sponsorship is going directly back into Awakening, for you!
Soumia Abalhaja at AMBA | Photo Credit: Awakening Fighters for the Enfusion Contenders Documentary Series
Introducing AMBA Samui, Sauna, Bar & Kitchen
Massage Therapy
The massage therapy section of AMBA is partitioned off and feels not only tranquil, but private. With tall glass walls (that are tinted on the outside), the serene backdrop of the spa creates an idyllic setting for a rejuvenating massage experience.
Their skilled therapists offer a diverse selection of services including: Traditional Thai Massage, Foot & Leg Massage, Body Scrub, Aloe Vera Massage, and Deep Tissue Massage. Whether you just want to unwind, relief from muscle strain or to enhance blood circulation, they can precisely tailor the treatment specifically for you.
Himalayan Salt Sauna
Easily one of my favourite things about AMBA is their sauna. You can immediately feel the health benefits. Talking from personal experience, as soon as I walk I know it's exactly what I needed. It's the only Himalayan Salt Sauna I've ever been in. I don't know how common they are, but I decided to have a read on their website. You can check out the health benefits here.
In short however, I'll write a quick summary. Himalayan salt crystals contain 84 minerals that we have in our own bodies. This creates a kind of super osmosis-like process. You can really feel it. At the same time as toxins leave your pours, your body's minerals are being rebalanced. That is my layperson's explanation!
Aromatherapy Steam Room
The first thing I'll say about the steam room is that they keep it impeccably clean! Out of all of their facilities, I personally find this room a challenge - and I like challenges. I'm not sure if it so for other people, or just for me because I am a smoker. It must be just me, because it's my partner's favourite room. With all that said, after I have calmed my breathing (an issue that my partner, and anyone else in the room doesn't seem to have) - I can feel my lungs thanking me.
My partner adores what the steam room does for her skin, and would quite happily stay in there for twice the amount of time as you are supposed to.
I have just had another read of AMBA's website to look at the benefits, and the two benefits I have listed above are only the start of it! I urge you to go and read the long list of actual scientific benefits of the steam room on their website!
Cold & Hot Pools
Wow, I'm learning so much. At the time of writing this, I have open AMBA Samui's website to read about the actual benefits of all their facilities. I am trying to tell you my experiences mixed in with some facts. I really enjoy the cold pool after the sauna or steam room. I thought is was just supposed to cool you off. How wrong I was!
So to start with, you take a warm shower after the sauna or steam room, to wash away the sweat and keep the pools ultra clean. You then step into the cold pool, which is 10-12 degrees Celsius, and submerge yourself. Most people are in and out very quickly. From now on, having read the health benefits, I shall stay in for a few minutes.
In short, some of the benefits are: release of hormones and endorphins, relieves inflammation, alleviates muscle strain and joint pain, raises antioxidant levels, strengthens the immune system, stabilizes blood pressure, aids sleep cycle, improves moods, etc. There really is a whole host of benefits.
The hot pool ranges between 38-40 degrees Celcius, and is a delight to step into after some time in the cold pool. Apparently it does a similar thing to our bodies that a massage does. It stimulates muscles and relaxes any stressed muscles, increases blood flow, helps rid the body of toxins, improves circulation, and aids sleep cycle.
Using this Cold/Hold pool therapy is perfect for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, as it's said to increase performance overall.
If you ever have this pool to yourself, you are extremely lucky. It's probably the most popular section of AMBA. But it does come with a warning for people with heart conditions, as it can increase your heart rate.
Hydrotherapy Pool
Again, I've learned something. I had no idea it was a "Hydrotherapy Pool", I just thought is was simply a really nice pool. Well that explains why I thought that then! As with the other sections there seem to be a wide range of health benefits that help towards relieving physical and emotion complaints.
To me it was always just the perfect way to top off my Shower > Steam Room > Cold Pool > Hot Pool > Shower > Sauna > Shower > Cold Pool > Hot Pool > Shower cycle. Now I know it also has many health reasons to get into.
Ice Baths
No, not for me thank you very much! They are very popular here, but then again I'm not an athlete. I tried it once, and unless I've done some exertive physical activities I won't be doing it again. I'll not going to tell you the benefits, because I suppose you guys as visitors to the Awakening website will know far more about ice baths than I!
They actually have three ice baths. One is for general use, and two others (beautiful, stylish and wooden) can be rented as a private experience. I see a lot of athletes go this route while I'm at AMBA Samui.
Changing Rooms
I think the changing rooms are also worth a brief mention. Visitors are provided with two towels; a large one, and a smaller one to sit on in the sauna and steam room. Both changing rooms are equipped with clean hot showers, toilets, lockers and private changing areas.
They've thought of everything to make the experience complete, small things like hairdryers, moisturising creams, cotton buds, combs and body wash.
Bar & Restaurant of the gods!
I'm really not over-stating this. I don't know who the kitchen staff are but the food here is insanely good (and reasonably priced for the amazing quality). The menu seems to be tailored towards extremely healthy foods, from decent sources. I'm always impressed with the size of the portions also. My partner typically tries something different each time. For me, because I'm not an athlete. I always get the burger. Whilst a burger is the last thing you would expect at a healthy place like this, I am glad it's on the menu. I can say, hand on my heart, this is not only the best burger I've had in Thailand, but one of the very best burgers I've ever had. I know, I should be telling you about the healthy stuff.
Their drink selection is very impressive. The menu is full of interesting juice drinks, vitamin waters and superfood smoothies. They also serve alcohol. I'll admit I don't think I've ever seen anyone drinking there, most people are opting for the tasty healthy stuff. For me, it's always iced coffee.
The bar and restaurant makes it very easy to stay at AMBA Samui for lengthy periods. It's quite easy to lose an entire day pampering yourself.
Appreciate my work and what we do here at Awakening Fighters?
Katie Zetolofsky, Soumia Abalhaja and Victoria Sullivan at AMBA | Photo Credit: Awakening Fighters for the Enfusion Contenders Documentary Series
Conclusion
Not only is this location perfect for athletes and health & fitness enthusiasts, but I sincerely endorse their facility. That's not the sponsorship talking, I visited 3-4 times per month prior to that!
AMBA Samui deserves your business for believing in the growth of the female fight industry, it's that simple!
Written by Rew Mitchell, owner of Awakening Fighters.
AMBA Samui Website
AMBA Samui Instagram
Address: 135, Bond Kai Rd, Bo Put, Amphoe Ko Samui, Surat Thani 84320
Phone: +66 94 666 9985
