Looks can be deceiving. And this is definitely true of Amber Pope. While she is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, she is also one of the toughest. Aside from her day job, Amber is a Muay Thai fighter.

While Amber has an unmatched passion for fighting now, Muay Thai was not originally something she wanted to do. In fact, the journey started as a way to help her lose weight when she signed up a cardio kickboxing class at a local martial arts school. But, while the work out began giving her results, she had to relocate; hence, she had to quit. After finding a new gym and discovering an interest in Krav Maga (the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Force) and other combat sports, she decided to give Muay Thai a try after seeing a fight in Vegas in February 2008. It was love at first punch. Amber immediately began training and conditioning. Then, in June 2008, four months later, her coach had booked her first fight.

Now, with less than a year’s worth of experience in the sport and fresh off of an International Kickboxing Federation Light Welterweight Championship, Amber is preparing to head to Thailand to compete for the World Championship Title in a couple weeks. She, along with 20 other men and women from all over the country, will come together to form Team USA, and compete against 120 other countries. And because Muay Thai has not been recognized as an official Summer Games sport yet, this will be the most prestigious title that can be achieved in the sport.

And if anyone is interested into trying out Muay Thai or another form of mixed martial arts, Amber recommends starting by visiting your local martial arts academies to find one you are most comfortable with. Because of all the different types of coaches and styles (and not to mention hours of training per week), it is important to find a trainer that understands you, and you enjoy working with; otherwise, it can be hard to stay dedicated. And who knows? You might find yourself heading to Thailand one day too.