From teenage struggles with body image to a dedicated personal trainer, 26-year-old Dave Santang shares how early training mistakes, an injury, and his pursuit of performance led him to Hyrox — a fitness race that challenges both strength and endurance.
Discipline, recovery, and the pursuit of strength
For 26-year-old Turbo Fitness personal trainer Dave Santang, Hyrox is not just another sport — it is the ultimate benchmark of the fitness he has spent nearly a decade building.
Having been immersed in fitness for almost 10 years, Dave sees Hyrox as the arena where he can truly push his endurance, test his physical limits, and measure how far his dedication has taken him.
But the road has not been without its hits and misses. Before discovering Hyrox, Dave competed in major fitness disciplines including Spartan, CrossFit, and most notably, bodybuilding — each presenting its own unique challenges.
His early years in the sport also came with injuries that forced him to rethink his approach.
Those experiences taught him a crucial lesson: doing it right, with proper guidance, is far more important than simply doing more.
In an exclusive interview, Dave opens up about how his journey began, the setbacks that shaped him, what sets Hyrox apart from other competitions he’s joined, and what’s next in his relentless pursuit of peak performance.
The early years and injury ahead
Not being at an average weight compared to others was the reason why Dave decided to get into fitness.
At 16 years old and weighing only 45kg, he made the decision to change — not just his physical appearance, but his life as a whole.
“I was trying to change myself for the better. I felt demotivated and didn’t feel good about myself.
“That was when I started bodyweight training. After two to three years, I began going to the gym more frequently,” he said.
At 17, Dave thought he was doing the bodyweight training the right way. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
He revealed that during those early years, not only did he lack knowledge on proper training form, he was also doing it incorrectly.
“One particular instance was when I did a barbell squat — a leg exercise that targets mostly the quads. Instead of resting the bar on my back muscles, I placed it directly on my spine.
“I kept doing that repeatedly and thought I was doing it right. After two to three months, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back, but I did not think much of it. I didn’t even tell my mum,” he said.
As he kept pushing through the pain, not realising it would have lasting effects, the symptoms worsened.
“The pain spread into my leg and felt like an electric shock. The injury lasted between one to two years.
“That’s when I finally told my mum. She said something was clearly wrong, and we agreed to see a doctor — specifically, a chiropractor.
“I believe it was in 2018. Back then, there weren’t many around, so we went to one she knew. The chiropractor treated me and I felt a bit better, but the pain eventually returned. We tried another chiropractor, and I felt slight improvement before the pain came back again,” he said.
It wasn’t until the pandemic that Dave went to Spine & Joint Kuching, which finally helped him recover.
“One of the doctors, Dr Jonathan Goh, explained that since I had left the injury untreated for too long, it had affected not just my back, but my leg as well.
“That’s when I learned that untreated injuries can impact other parts of your body. So it’s important to see a specialist as soon as possible.
“After the treatment, I realised the importance of doing my exercises correctly. Now, I aim to do everything properly and progress slowly rather than focusing too much on the amount of weight I lift,” he said.
Bodybuilding before Hyrox
Despite only competing once in bodybuilding, Dave said he did it more for experience than to win.
“It was Mr Beast Serian, if I’m not mistaken. I heard about it from a former colleague who asked if I was interested.
“I figured — why not? Even if I didn’t win anything, I’d still gain meaningful experience and insights into the sport.
“I registered a month before the competition, so I only had that much time to prepare. Diet-wise, I ate a lot of clean food, hoping to shred and lean down within that month,” he said.
Dave added that he got help from a friend to practice bodybuilding poses.
“During the competition, I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to. But within just three weeks of prep, I learned that bodybuilding requires a lot of mental discipline.
“Not only do you have to train hard and build muscle, but your diet has to be extremely strict. One to two weeks before the competition, you also need to cut water intake so your body appears dry — which helps show muscle definition,” he said.
For Dave, the challenge was both physical and mental. The drastic dietary shift affected his mood significantly.
“The sudden routine change and dealing with cravings made it really hard. One week I was enjoying laksa, and the next it was just chicken breast and white rice.
“I have a lot of respect for bodybuilders who commit to that lifestyle. But I realised it’s not for me. I’m okay with training and improving my physique for personal goals, but I’m not the type to compete and compare my body to others,” he said.
Hyrox and how it stands out
It all started when Dave was training with heavier weights and higher intensity — but still didn’t feel he was progressing toward his fitness goals. That’s when he discovered Hyrox.
Hyrox, according to Dave, is a competitive fitness event that combines functional movements, running, and weighted exercises.
“The movements are quite simple, but the challenge comes from the combination. It started small in the early 2000s but recently gained popularity due to strong marketing and promotion.
“It’s similar to Spartan races in concept. The race includes eight kilometres of running, broken up by eight workout stations.
“After every one-kilometre (km) run, you hit a station. It starts with a 1km row, followed by sled push (around 150kg), sled pull, lunges, carries, burpees, and ends with wall balls. It’s a full-body test of endurance and strength,” he said.
When Hyrox started booming last year, Dave told a former colleague they should participate in the event together.
“It’s a good way to test our fitness — not just train to look good. A lot of people train for aesthetics, but for me, I want to look good and be functional too.
“Before Hyrox, I didn’t enjoy running. But with this sport requiring 8km of it, it pushed me to start running and build from there,” he said.
As for the difference between Hyrox and other events like Spartan or CrossFit, Dave said Hyrox suits those who prefer indoor sports.
“I joined Spartan before, but I’m not a fan of getting dirty or having to shower after being covered in mud — that’s just my preference.
“CrossFit can vary a lot — one event might focus on cardio, another on deadlifts, and another might involve swimming.
“Hyrox is more predictable and balanced, and it’s perfect for indoor athletes who want a controlled, challenging environment,” he said.
Preparing for Hyrox
In preparation for Hyrox, Dave focuses on performance while maintaining his physique. He noted that Hyrox demands a lot of endurance.
“If you’re in a calorie deficit, you can lose size quickly. That’s why I make sure to eat enough to fuel my workouts while keeping my body in shape.
“My schedule depends on how close I am to the event, but typically I run four to five times a week and do weight training three to four times,” he said.
He adds Hyrox-specific training like rowing and sled work twice a week, usually training five to six days weekly, sometimes seven depending on how he feels.
For Dave, a big lesson from Hyrox is that workouts might look simple — but they’re not easy.
“People think 8km with eight stations sounds doable. But doing it well and improving your time is a whole different challenge.
“It’s like marathons — people think it’s ‘just running’, but performing well takes serious training, discipline, diet, and recovery.
“I also learned the value of pushing limits. We often think we’ve done enough, but Hyrox shows there’s always room to grow. Overestimating yourself can be helpful — it pushes you to work harder,” he said.
Helping clients and staying motivated
Over the past three years, Dave has helped around 50 clients and believes he’s made a positive impact — especially on their physical fitness and mental strength.
“At Turbo Fitness, we focus on consistency. Unlike gyms that sell long-term packages people often delay, we encourage regular attendance — ideally twice a week.
“Our standard package is eight sessions a month, and we allow carry-overs if clients miss any.
“This approach helps maintain discipline and reduces excuses like ‘I didn’t see results’ — which usually comes down to lack of consistency, not the coach or programme,” he said.
On staying motivated during tough days, Dave said discipline is key — but he listens to his body.
“If I truly need rest, I rest. But if I’m just being lazy, that’s when I push myself the most.
“The biggest battle is always mental. No one can motivate you better than yourself. What matters is consistency and putting in whatever effort you can — even small steps,” he added.
Misconceptions about fitness
One big misconception, Dave said, is that you can achieve a muscular or ideal body in six months to a year.
“In reality, your results depend on a lot of factors — diet, sleep, lifestyle, and consistency.
“Working out is actually the easiest part. The real challenge happens outside the gym — with daily habits.
“You can’t expect the same results from two people if one eats well, sleeps enough, and avoids bad habits, while the other parties frequently.
“Social media makes it worse by showing fast transformations — many of which involve enhancements. For the average person with a full-time job, it takes longer and more effort than what’s shown online,” he said.
Dave added that deciding to start is already a huge step.
“Going to the gym once a week is better than doing nothing. That’s already more than what many people do.
“For general wellness, small efforts matter. But if your goal is serious fitness, it takes much more than just showing up,” he said.
Fitness in Kuching and what’s next
With more people becoming health-conscious, Dave said the fitness scene in Kuching is heading in the right direction.
“Smaller gyms like Turbo Fitness are expanding. We’re opening new branches, including one in Matang. Even Friday and Saturday nights, gyms are packed — young people, students — it’s great to see them choosing healthy routines over partying.
“The rising interest in fitness is encouraging. People want to look and feel good, and that’s showing through consistent attendance and new memberships,” he said.
Dave acknowledged that social media plays a role in spreading fitness awareness, though it also brings risks.
“Not all influencers or online coaches are reliable. It’s important to do your research before following their advice.
“While online coaching can be helpful, bad guidance can lead to injury. Choose the right person to guide your journey,” he said.
As for the future, Dave hopes more passionate individuals will create events and trends to keep the community motivated.
“Fitness trends come and go, but fresh ideas keep people engaged. Events like Hyrox and Spartan have huge potential.
“I hope Hyrox can be held in Kuching. It would help promote fitness and even benefit our tourism industry. Last Hyrox in Thailand had over 9,000 participants.
“If Kuching can host events like that, it would boost both fitness awareness and our local economy,” he said.
For now, Dave’s plan is simple — keep going.
“I want to maintain what I have, and improve a little more if I can.
“It helps my mental health, gives me structure, and gives me something to look forward to every day,” he said.
