If you are looking for Muay Thai lessons in Thailand, you probably won’t have to look too far. Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport and many ex-fighters realise they can make good money by sharing their ring-honed skills with eager trainees from all over the World.

Research Muay Thai training before you arrive in Thailand

If you are looking for Muay Thai lessons in Thailand, it pays to do your homework before you arrive. There is no shortage of top-class gyms to choose from in Bangkok, but Bangkok is a big, dirty, smelly city and you might be in for a horrible shock even though the training is exactly what you are looking for. Similarly, you might have ideas about living out in the back of beyond, surrounded by rice farmers and learning Muay Thai in a ruined temple, just like Jean Claude Van-Damme in the film Kickboxer. The reality is that these remote areas tend not to have Muay Thai training facilities as trainers realise they can make more money by relocating to where the tourists are.

Where can I find Muay Thai lessons in Thailand?

So, if you are looking for Muay Thai lessons in Thailand, choose a more-touristy area or a big city. Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchatani and Bangkok are some bigger cities you might want to consider. For tourist areas, look into Phuket and Koh Samui. Smaller islands like Koh Phang Ngan, Koh Yao Noi and Koh Tao all have Muay Thai camps but the quality of their training isn’t always as high as the gyms in the busier areas which can draw in more tourists and attract better trainers.
Most Muay Thai camps offer pretty similar setups, regardless of where in the country you decide to train. Gyms will welcome first-time holiday makers who want to work up a sweat and try something new as well as hard-as-nails veterans with 30 plus fights under their belt.

Do I need to be fit to train Muay Thai in Thailand?

If it is your first time, join a Muay Thai group session and prepare to sweat. These sessions usually last about 2 hours and take place early in the morning, starting around 7am, and in the early evening, starting around 5pm. Your Muay Thai lesson will consist of a warm-up (usually a run around the block), shadow boxing, technique and sparring with a partner under the strict instruction of a trainer, bag work and finally a couple of rounds of hitting the pads with a trainer. This should cost around 250 THB depending on where you decide to train but you definitely get your money’s worth.

Can I live at the Muay Thai camp?

If you are more serious about your training, you can usually find accommodation in or near to your chosen camp and pay monthly for unlimited training sessions. This often means the morning and evening session 6 days per week, so it’s an opportunity to improve your Muay Thai enormously in a short space of time.

Muay Thai training on Ko Samui is really easy to find and the island features 3 high-class Muay Thai gyms and even an MMA gym. The camps are perfectly setup for tourists wanting to try Muay Thai out for the first time or veteran fighters with years of experience wanting to fight professionally whilst living in Thailand.

Can I train at Lamai Muay Thai camp as a beginner?

Most people who train at the gyms have a bit of experience with Muay Thai and will spend a few months on Ko Samui training intensely twice a day, six times a week. Don’t let that put you off if you are just passing through though. The trainers who run the camps are great at pushing you when you need to be pushed but backing off before the lesson becomes too intense and making sure that you leave each session completely exhausted, but feeling as though you have learnt something new.

On the other hand, if you are after regular fights in Chaweng or Petch Buncha stadium, the gyms on the island can offer just that. Lamai Muay Thai has a number of top flight fighters who compete regularly not only in Ko Samui but all over Thailand and in some cases elsewhere in the World.

How long do training sessions at Lamai Muay Thai last for?

Training sessions usually take place for about 2 hours in the morning and again for 2 hours in the early evening. The camps will usually have a few Thais floating around during the day but for the most part, the trainers and the fighters avoid the heat of the day. Ko Samui gets both hot and humid depending on the time of year and the island sees heavy rains that lead to floods at least once a year.

What is the atmosphere at Lamai Muay Thai like?

The student to teacher ratios are kept low so there is always someone nearby to correct your technique or push you that little bit harder when you feel like giving up. Most importantly for beginners, they will ensure your sparring partner isn’t getting too heavy handed and will take them aside for a bit of a beating if they take things too far. If you are preparing for a fight, you get even more attention from the trainers who see your victory or defeat as a measure of their own ability.

What does a typical training session at Lamai Muay Thai include?

The typical training session includes:

• Run (about a mile if you are new, a couple of miles if you are fighting)
• Solo shadow boxing
• Guided shadow boxing
• Padded leg-only sparring with a partner
• Padded full-body sparring
• Clinching with your partner
• Hitting the pads with a Kru for two rounds