I went to Sen Bunthen Penkak Kun Khmer Gym on a Friday afternoon to buy a pair of Kun Khmer shorts. I wanted them stamped with Ingrid's name, so I messaged the gym on Telegram, picked a time, and jumped on a TADA — the moto-ride app most people in Phnom Penh use. The driver dropped me at the entrance of a small lane, and I walked in on foot. From a distance I could already see the gym's name on the wall. I knew I was in the right place.
The welcome was simple and warm. They knew I was coming, showed me around, and let me take my time.
A gym that looks like a champion's house
The first thing that hits you is the size. Sen Bunthen's gym is big, open, and every wall is covered in medals, belts, and trophies. It does not feel like a fitness studio. It feels like a fighter's home — the kind of place where the hardware on the walls is the résumé.
The gym is run by Sen Bunthen, a legendary Cambodian Kun Khmer fighter, and the space reflects that pedigree. Per the gym's own description, it is a premier training facility dedicated to preserving and promoting the traditional martial art of Kun Khmer, with a dedicated strength area, an on-site shop, and changing facilities. It operates daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and has become a hub for both local athletes and international combat sports travelers looking to sharpen their striking under expert guidance.
Fighters cutting weight
The afternoon session had just wrapped when I arrived, but the gym wasn't empty. A handful of fighters were still working — not training, but cutting weight for an upcoming fight. You could feel the focus. Nobody was performing for visitors. It was that quiet, heavy energy you only get around people who have a fight on the calendar.
My honest take
This is a gym for serious fighters. The equipment is high quality everywhere you look — bags, ring, strength area — and the standards are visibly higher than the average drop-in gym. If you are a casual traveler just looking to try a class, you can absolutely come here, but know what you are walking into: this is a professional environment first.
The other thing I loved is that they have a shop inside the gym. That is a real plus. You finish a session, you walk a few steps, and you are looking at Cambodian-made gloves, shorts, hand wraps, and protective gear — equipment built in-country for the people who actually fight Kun Khmer. The shorts I came for were exactly what I wanted, and getting Ingrid's name stamped on them was straightforward.
If you want to buy Cambodian-made martial arts equipment in Phnom Penh, this is one of the best places to do it. And if you want to train where champions train, you already know where to go.
How to visit
The easiest way to reach Sen Bunthen Penkak Kun Khmer Gym is to grab a TADA moto and head to HWV6+WWH, Phnom Penh. Message them ahead of time on Telegram or Facebook to confirm class times, especially if you are coming for a session or a custom order from the shop.