How To Choose A Muay Thai Gym
Let’s assume you have firmly decided to enroll in Muay Thai. Congratulations, you are making a great decision. And the good news is, Muay Thai is among the most popular martial arts with gyms popping up in every corner.
However, finding a good school that suits you the best is actually not an easy task. There are many variables and factors that separate good Muay Thai schools from bad ones. The difference between ending up training in a top-notch facility and one where you won’t learn anything is very small.
To help you make the right choice, we have decided to bring you a guide on how to choose the right Muay Thai gym in which you can grow as a martial artist and a person. Let’s dive right into it.
Things beginners should look for in a Muay Thai Gym
Despite the fact that you are a total beginner, you can still find a good Muay Thai school if you know what are you searching for. You don’t need a martial art background to see what separates proper schools from fake ones.
It is crucial for you to get this part right because you don’t want to waste your time and energy in a gym in which you can’t grow. And as you are about to see this could even be dangerous as the lack of discipline and authority in classes can easily lead to bullying and gym wars.
To prevent this from happening to you, be sure to take the following list of factors into consideration to find a good Muay Thai gym that suits your needs.
Accessibility
The first thing you need to do is to find all the Muay Thai gyms in your area. People who live in highly populated areas might have many options to choose between, while the ones living in smaller towns might have just one. Or will have to drive to the next town. For sure, you don’t want to drive an hour or two, multiple times a week, to get a workout.
As a beginner, focus on finding the one in your area, and if it meets the majority of factors from this list, give it a go. Also, check if there is a flexible training schedule that suits your everyday life. The last thing you need is for the classes to not fit into your work hours or other obligations.
Reputation
Every martial art gym cares about its reputation within the community, and a word of mouth is powerful marketing. So, try to find a person who has experience training in that specific gym or a friend who knows a friend who trained there. They will give you a good insight into all the pros and cons of the classes, coaching staff, structure, and much other valuable information.
In case you fail to find anyone, go online and search for reviews and check the martial art forums. Yes, reviews and comments can be staged, but it is worth checking out at least before you hit the gym. Things like bullying in classes, the lack of hygiene, or hidden fees are good indicators of a bad school.
Hygiene
Once you attend the trial class or go to check the gym in person, be sure to check the hygiene, not just in the training area, but in the dressing room and toilet as well. The last thing you want to see is dirtiness all over the place. This could be dangerous as mats drenched in sweat could be contaminated with various dangerous bacteria. Training in such an environment can easily lead to you getting a staph infection or other diseases.
This also speaks a lot about the school itself and the owner. Not maintaining a high level of hygiene means that they do not care much about the health of their students. You don’t want to train in such a school.
Equipment and facility
As a beginner, you don’t need the latest, state-of-the-art training equipment to begin with. But on the other side, you don’t want to see the broken or rusty gear, leather that is peeling off all over the place, etc. As for hygiene, gym owners must maintain their facility and keep the gear functional and in good condition.
A proper Muay Thai gym does not necessarily need the latest gear to teach good skills and produce champions. In fact, there are many well equipt facilities where the quality of coaching staff is bad. But the gym needs to have everything a student needs to feel comfortable and grow.
There need to be enough heavy bags, maybe a full/mid-size boxing ring, jump ropes, etc.
Quality coaching staff
Training under an experienced coach who knows how to pass down the knowledge is the single most important factor here. The latest training equipment and all other factors are no substitute for the lack of quality of coaching staff.
In an ideal scenario, you will find an instructor who has both, competition and coaching experience. A trainer who is a former pro fighter, or has won titles is always a big plus, but this on its own does not make them a good coach. They need to be passionate about their craft, patient, equally attentive to all skill levels, and have strong authority.
In classes, they must maintain a high level of discipline, embrace strong values, and prevent bullying or any type of bad and dangerous behavior.
Healthy environment
Every martial art school, regardless if it is Muay Thai, boxing, or Karate, is one big family. It is a place where people who share the same passion for martial arts and personal development train together under the same roof. They push and motivate each other, support when the times are hard and are always there to help and give a piece of advice.
You want to train in a judgment-free environment where mistakes are considered lessons. The coaches and your training partners should be friendly, and respectful, and look after one another in classes. Even when they are sparring, students should always keep it safe, and give their best not to hurt each other.
Accomplished fighters
In most schools, training is split into two separate groups — amateurs and competitors. If the gym doesn’t have its own team of fighters, it’s very unlikely that this gym will prepare you for competition. It doesn’t mean you won’t develop solid skills, but your progress would be limited.
The gym results in competition is a factor to consider too. In fact, gyms that continuously produce champions do not need to hire marketing agencies to attract people. This on its own is a great indicator of how effective the teaching methods are, and the quality of the coaching staff.
Match your goals
Last but not least, find the gym that will match your goals, and what you want to achieve with Muay Thai training. Do not set high standards if you are not ready to get the most out of what the gym has to offer.
If you are serious and want to compete and make a career in Thai boxing, search for a gym that includes a competition program. The one that includes experienced coaching that is consistently producing high-quality fighters.
These gyms include everything you need to get the most out of your talent and potential, and hopefully, succeed. They often host seminars where you can expand your knowledge, or even promote their own events.
On the other side, you can lower your standards a bit if your goal is to get in shape, improve physical and mental health, and learn self-defense. But still, the gym has to cover the basic needs, be clean, not have any hidden fees, and maintain a high level of discipline.
