K-Star Birmingham

[bowlie]

EDIT: After a couple more sessions its a great gym, no complaints.

 

[barnowl]

The red band thing is a bit off. The basic gym fee is not to bad.

 

[Travs]

As someone who is quite local to Birmingham, I would say the gym fee is pretty standard for a decent gym in the Midlands.

As for the grading system, I don't see any particular problem with it. A lot of people comment that it is a way of gyms making money. But as someone who has gained many benefits from learning Muay Thai, and working towards becoming an instructor myself, i don't begrudge the owner of my gym possibly making a few pounds out of it.

Uniform: Pretty standard for gyms around here to want you to wear their stuff, but it's not strictly enforced at my gym.

I wouldn't let it put you off. K-Star have a pretty good reputation as far as i'm aware. You could do a lot worse.

 

[bowlie]

As someone who is quite local to Birmingham, I would say the gym fee is pretty standard for a decent gym in the Midlands.

As for the grading system, I don't see any particular problem with it. A lot of people comment that it is a way of gyms making money. But as someone who has gained many benefits from learning Muay Thai, and working towards becoming an instructor myself, i don't begrudge the owner of my gym possibly making a few pounds out of it.

Uniform: Pretty standard for gyms around here to want you to wear their stuff, but it's not strictly enforced at my gym.

I wouldn't let it put you off. K-Star have a pretty good reputation as far as i'm aware. You could do a lot worse.

Ok great, thanks for replying. I was impressed with the gym, I just dont like the finances but then again it does seem the same at all the gyms I have been to. Im going to try a few gyms before I make up my mind. Gracie Barra being the next one. Do you know of any other good gyms in the center? I dont have a car

 

[Travs]

There is Fearless MMA and Muay Thai in Hockley/Jewellery Quarter. As the title suggests it's MMA and Muay Thai, but i believe the Muay Thai is ran separately. I went to an interclub there a few months ago and was very impressed.

There is Black Widow Muay Thai. This is another good gym, but it's in Ward End, which i think is about halfway between The Fort Shopping Park, and the city centre, so it might not be walkable.

Both these gyms seen pretty active with regards to local shows and interclubs.

Gracie Barra, i assume this is BJJ which i know nothing about, but i have a friend who trains there and can't speak highly enough of it.

 

[bowlie]

There is Fearless MMA and Muay Thai in Hockley/Jewellery Quarter. As the title suggests it's MMA and Muay Thai, but i believe the Muay Thai is ran separately. I went to an interclub there a few months ago and was very impressed.

There is Black Widow Muay Thai. This is another good gym, but it's in Ward End, which i think is about halfway between The Fort Shopping Park, and the city centre, so it might not be walkable.

Both these gyms seen pretty active with regards to local shows and interclubs.

Gracie Barra, i assume this is BJJ which i know nothing about, but i have a friend who trains there and can't speak highly enough of it.

Thanks. GB is mostly BJJ but they do have Muay thai and MMA as well. Black widow is a bit out of the way but I will check fearless out, cheers.

 

[Dogmeat]

I haven't been involved with the Midlands Muay Thai scene for a long time, but I know K-Star was legit. Most of the big places were ex Trojan members (Firewalker was another one, run by Kirkwood). I have a fond memory of Kash 'The Flash' Gill kicking my ass up and down a rough gym in Willenhall back in the late nineties.

Unfortunately they had to take on the slightly McDojo business model to compete with places like Eclipse (more flashy kickboxing place), but as far as I know they're still legit and have a lot of active fighters involved.

Which side of Birmingham are you? There are a number of smaller gyms run by ex-Trojans if you want the down and dirty Muay Thai gyms, but they tend to be dotted around areas like Walsall.

 

[bowlie]

I haven't been involved with the Midlands Muay Thai scene for a long time, but I know K-Star was legit. Most of the big places were ex Trojan members (Firewalker was another one, run by Kirkwood). I have a fond memory of Cash 'The Flash' Gill kicking my ass up and down a rough gym in Willenhall back in the late nineties.

Unfortunately they had to take on the slightly McDojo business model to compete with places like Eclipse (more flashy kickboxing place), but as far as I know they're still legit and have a lot of active fighters involved.

Which side of Birmingham are you? There are a number of smaller gyms run by ex-Trojans if you want the down and dirty Muay Thai gyms, but they tend to be dotted around areas like Walsall.

Interesting, I live right in the center of B'ham, so something central. Are Eclipse still going? I cant find them on the internet. EDIT: are they the ones in wolvo? Looks interesting but a bit of a trek

 

[Dogmeat]

Interesting, I live right in the center of B'ham, so something central. Are Eclipse still going? I cant find them on the internet. EDIT: are they the ones in wolvo? Looks interesting but a bit of a trek

I know Eclipse are in Wolves, but for some reason I thought they opened one in Birmingham. Might have been Walsall, come to think of it.

To be honest, I wouldn't bother with Eclipse. It's been years since I checked them out so take my opinion with a pinch of salt - but I remember them being quite McDojoish and focused on semi-contact style fighting (backfists, etc). I'd rate them somewhere between American Kickboxing and TKD with a heavy focus on branding their product. The instructor was a legit guy and his senior guys were in great shape with crisp technique, but you'll do better at K-Star for Muay Thai.

K-Star have had to take the more modern path to keep the money rolling in. It's hard to keep a hardcore gym going these days. I know Firewalkers had all the ex-Trojans for a while, but I think they've all split up now.

I've never heard anything bad about K-Star. It's just a shame they have to take on the financial model they do.

(edited due to me mixing up my history)

 

[NAKMUAY18]

First page, instructor Damion Trainor, didn't bother reading the rest.
100% legit, and your lucky to have such an experienced coach available.

 

[Travs]

Damien Trainor's website/blog is an awesome read.

 

[Phlog]

All sounds good. If the instruction and club is good enough, ask not what your club can do for you but what you can do for your club.

Always thought you were US based, wotcha.

 

[bowlie]

First page, instructor Damion Trainor, didn't bother reading the rest.
100% legit, and your lucky to have such an experienced coach available.

Im not sure he teaches any more, but im glad to hear he is so well thought of.

 

[Muay o Muay]

Kstar are a good gym although didnt realise how expensive.
Black widow i believe have just opened a new gym with Andy Howson as trainer.
Pythons are another gym worth checking out over that way.

 

[bowlie]

Kstar are a good gym although didnt realise how expensive.
Black widow i believe have just opened a new gym with Andy Howson as trainer.
Pythons are another gym worth checking out over that way.

Had my first proper session today, I really really liked it but like you say, its very expensive and a big commitment to make.

 

[D-TEC]

We dont have the facilities of Kstar ( great gym BTW ) but we have pay as you go sessions and we are local to the center we offer Dutch and traditional styles
www.dtecbjj.co.uk

 

[bowlie]

We dont have the facilities of Kstar ( great gym BTW ) but we have pay as you go sessions and we are local to the center we offer Dutch and traditional styles
www.dtecbjj.co.uk

Thanks. You guys are a bit too far out for me to get to at the moment, but when I have a bike / car I might come down if I still need a gym.

 

[MilkManUK]

Never heard anything to suggest they are anything but legit. I can see the pros of a grading type system for members- my old gym introduced it eventually, although I agree it's not 100% necessary.

 

[nakaiseye]

i can understand your concerns given the need for them to get you in for an "appointment" where they tell you prices and give you a 1-on-1, which doesnt really give you a true understanding of what the classes are like. i also had concerns about the mcdojoish nature of the grading structure when i had my intro class. i've not heard anything bad about the place from others, and

 

[SteveLogan]

Hello, my name is Steve Logan and I am the founder of K-Star Thai Boxing academies and I would just like to set the record straight about a few things.

Bowlie, you claim that K-Star is