If you’re looking for the best Muay Thai training centers, Thailand alone has thousands of them. The passion for the Art of Eight Limbs has also spread worldwide, along with many mixed martial arts gyms that now include Muay Thai lessons. With so many choices, it is no wonder that many students have difficulty finding a good training center to pursue their interests. It is especially challenging for a complete newcomer to know what to look out for when selecting a training gym. Here we lay down why it’s so important to find a good training center, as well as what things a beginner should look for in a Muay Thai gym.
Why A Training Center Is Important
You might be thinking, why do I even need to go to a class? Why can’t I just watch some YouTube videos and learn Muay Thai on my own? You could try, but it won’t be half as effective as joining a proper training course. When you start out, an instructor is absolutely necessary to ensure that your stances and techniques are correct. You need somebody experienced to point out any mistakes and correct your form. Furthermore, practicing your Muay Thai technique with heavy bags and pads will require another person to work with you.
Furthermore, there is a motivational factor that only an experienced trainer and a group of supportive classmates can provide. Muay Thai can be intense, draining, and require a lot of discipline. You’ll need all the support you can get to push through and master it.
What You Should Look For In A Good Muay Thai Training Center
Now that you understand the importance of attending a proper training course, let’s check out what a beginner should look for when selecting a good Muay Thai gym. The following tips will help you narrow down your search to find the best Muay Thai gyms. However, keep in mind that you may need to attend a lesson or two to judge how skilled your instructor is and how good the facilities are.
Experience Of Your Instructors
As mentioned before, the guidance of an experienced instructor is absolutely essential to learning Muay Thai correctly, and this is the most important factor in finding a good training center. You can do a bit of research on who they are and whether they have competed in any professional-level matches. If you’re looking for a Muay Thai gym in Thailand, you may get lucky and come across former champions that provide teaching. Your trainer doesn’t have to be a legendary fighter but look for someone with plenty of experience in the ring to be able to offer you advice and impart knowledge.
You can also check if the gym you’re interested in is backed by the World Muay Thai Council (WMC) or the Ministry of Education in Thailand. These gyms offer comprehensive courses and employ certified trainers. This may not be possible if you’re joining a martial arts training program that is overseas, but you can always check if your instructor received their training from an accredited institute.
Finally, a good coach should be welcoming to new students and attentive to their needs. A good trainer will know how to be patient, how to devote attention to beginners, and offer the direction they require. They should also be someone who can cultivate a friendly and supportive atmosphere within the gym.
Equipment And Facilities
Well-maintained gym equipment and facilities are the signs of a good martial arts training center. Check if the training center has plenty of heavy bags and Thai pads for students to practice striking without getting injured. Muay Thai is performed barefoot and requires proper floor mats to practice on. If these are missing, it’s a red flag, and you might end up with a sprained ankle or worse. The sign of a well-equipped gym is plenty of spare Muay Thai gloves for new students to use since you might need to attend a few lessons before investing in your own gloves.
Strengthening and cardio exercises would be part of your training, so check if there is fitness equipment to support these activities. A training center with a boxing ring would be a great bonus if you feel like sparring after getting through the basics. You can always check the availability of these facilities online, but keep in mind that you might have to physically visit the gym at least once to check if everything is in tip-top shape before you enroll in a course.
Your Training Partners
If you have a friend that’s attending classes with you, then great. If you don’t have a gym buddy, see if the rest of your class is friendly and welcoming. It would help a great deal, in the beginning, to train alongside another person at a similar skill level, to share tips, and to practice using pads or even sparring when you’re ready. Muay Thai is a long journey, and it would be great to have a friendly face by your side to motivate each other.
It would also help if there were a few advanced fighters to offer advice and correct any mistakes that you’re making. A good mix of new students and experienced fighters would be ideal. Women might prefer a training center that has other female students to feel comfortable. Finally, be mindful of the reputation of the gym. If you’ve witnessed bullying or the other students are highly competitive with the sparring, you might want to look for a more beginner-friendly training gym.
Location, Training Schedule, And Membership Fees
This is a no-brainer. As a beginner, be ready for three to four training sessions a week, with each session lasting about one to two hours. As you advance, you can choose to dedicate more time if you wish. Find a Muay Thai gym with a flexible schedule that is easily accessible. Muay Thai can be exhausting, especially for beginners. You don’t want to be worn out before you even reach the gym.
There’s no point in finding a world-class gym with all the latest facilities and a legendary trainer if the membership fees are unaffordable. Find something that fits into your budget. If you feel like checking out what Muay Thai is like before making up your mind to continue, then don’t feel pressured to sign up for a yearly membership. Muay Thai is not for everyone. Go to a few classes and see if it’s your cup of tea.
If you’re in Thailand, the birthplace of Muay Thai, you’ll have plenty of training gym options to choose from. If you’re overseas, you can still get a taste of authentic Muay Thai and its rich culture by attending a Muay Thai holiday training camp in Thailand. You can find all the best facilities, instructors, and flexible courses combined with holiday packages designed for the visiting Muay Thai aficionado. The best tourist-friendly training camps can be found in Phuket, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.
Safety And Hygiene
Your training environment will definitely affect your lessons. Check if the training area has plenty of room for the entire class to move and practice your techniques. Observe whether management cleans the space regularly and maintains the equipment in good working order. Broken mats and heavy bags can result in injuries. Finally, proper ventilation is a must in order to exercise and practice comfortably.
Find A Muay Thai Training Center That Works For You
Paying attention to these factors can help you find a good training center, but you’ll have to attend a few lessons first before deciding if it works for you. Your trainer might be a world championship-winning fighter, but if they’re not attentive and motivational for new students, it would not do you much good. If the equipment is falling apart or your fellow students are not welcoming, it would be wise to find a different place. You can use this guide to find the best Muay Thai training centers. You can also change your mind after attending a few sessions if things are not up to par. Just find a training center that works for you.
FAQs
It’s never too late to take a stab at Muay Thai or any other martial art – no matter your age! As long as you ease into it and are careful with the physical activities outside of your Muay Thai classes, gradually increasing your training volume over time, you can assure yourself of an enjoyable journey in this sport.
If your goal is to slim down and construct a lean, muscular physique through Muay Thai training, it should take you about a year if you adhere to an exacting exercise regime and diet. Every person’s body will react differently to this form of exercise; however, on average—and with commitment—you’ll see results in about twelve months. Read our post on Muay Thai for weight loss.
