"Well, fighting."

Clintan Dehne, 16, and Cameran Dehne, 14, were born in Katherine and live on a rural property on the outskirts of town. They are two local teenagers throwing themselves into competitive Muay Thai.

Muay Thai, sometimes called 'Thai Boxing' is a martial art practiced around the world at a professional level.

It is known as 'the art of eight limbs': fists, elbows, knees and shins.

The physical fitness gained from training five days a week at Katherine's Blue Eagle Training and Fitness, and the rush of live competition keeps the brothers motivated to get in the ring.

They've both fought twice in Darwin since starting training a year ago.

"At first when I get there, I get nervous, I get shaky," Clintan said.

"When I get in the ring... it just kind of goes away. I'm just in the mode."

After school sport could have been very different for the pair from St Joseph's Catholic College, as the brothers were originally looking to join a cadet program before their heads were turned by Muay Thai.

The brothers describe the team at Blue Eagle as "kind of like a family", a bond also felt by Nathaniel MacKinnon.

Mr MacKinnon won Katherine Young Citizen of the Year in part for his work coaching in the Dehne brother's corner for their fights.

He's a teacher at St. Joseph's Catholic College and introduced the brothers to Muay Thai via a clinic at the school.

"When I was a kid I had people who were there to coach and train me and I just wanted to do the same," he said.

"The school let me teach Muay Thai... a few of the kids got interested and came down here [to train]."

The brothers aren't getting ahead of themselves, choosing to focus on their education before any big dreams in professional combat sports.

"It's good exercise and fitness and we're just doing something that we like," Clintan said.

"[I'll train] at least until I finish school," Cameran added.

The brothers plan to step into the ring next in March and April.

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