Muay Thai Gym Q&A

[Yodsanan]

Sitsongpeenong is legit. They train really hard there. It's a serious gym.
Right by Rama 9 park and in a quiet area of Bangkok so nice place to run too.
Is Bovy there permanently now?

i think so. saw him in a couple of videos.

Rama 9 park looks awesome!

 

[satvikfighter]

I am a 34 year old, pot bellied Indian, just a typical IT geek, that walked into Sitmonchai to rekindle my martial arts passion that he lost post college days..

Iwould like to share my experience in the gym, hope it is of some use to newbies and the utterly confused , like I was before.

All these rumors of 'family type gym' , 'food to die for' , 'traditional but falang friendly' , 'technical' and ' build you ground up' - are all true, absolutely true. But there is much more in the gym, at least to me.

I went in with a load of complex to be honest, I am not a pro, not an amateur, infact an unfit guy with just a dream to soak up the culture, the tradition and the beauty of the art.

I just came straight from the airport, then 2 hrs drive n arrived just in time for the afternoon session. Abigail the PR and liaison for foreigners, asked if I wanted to train, I jumped right in. My first session was with the man himself -Pornsanae, I was soo overwhelmed by it all but it just took me one session to feel the warmth, feel welcomed.

In Sitmonchai you are not judged, you are just evaluated so they make the training appropriate for you. Each session the focus is to teach you one step at a time, to correct every single flaws u have and the intent is so genuine it rubs into you. Well a lot has been written on the technical side of Sitmonchai, so Ill stick to what has not been addressed.

Imagine this, I was the only vegetarian there, Mama Lek took care of my dietary needs , when I say this, I mean it -like I am her own son. Pee A, the manager made sure I liked the food, will take my feedback and make sure everything was ok. While training he would sit around but watch you keenly and provide feedback to both the trainer and you wherever appropriate. Sabai sabai, one baby step at a time he reiterates. Though he is always light hearted, cracking a joke or pulling a leg, he is extremely observant, mature and generous.

Generous- that brings me to another incident - I somehow forgot to pay for the last 4 extra days I stayed there ( I wanted to try another gym to just see the difference dropped the idea for obvious reasons - can't look beyond Sitmonchai) They are quietly confident I will do it sometime, there has been no communication from them in this regard!

Abigail- What can I say? I've pounded her mailbox with a 100 emails and I got patient replies for every one of them - this was before I stepped in. I think this was the x factor for me to zero in on the gym to start with. I had contacted 2 other famous gyms in Bkk - they replied but wasn't that keen to address my concerns like Abigail did, my intention is not to tarnish anyone here so I will leave it at that.

All the thai fighters will look out for you. Be it training, sparring, correcting while hitting bag, they are always there. Its not like they have a foregone conclusion that they ain't gonna gain anything correcting me, they just want me to learn it right. Not just me, everyone that is there to train.

Everyone there felt like a star just being there, who you are, where you come from, what you do does't really matter. We were all the same and everyone was worthy of their undivided attention in and outside of training.

I had almost all sessions split amongst - Pornsanae, Thepnimit (Jun), and Kru Mee - I can say as much, if you are willing they will take you on like your fight is on in a few week's time. Attention to details - stance, balance, blocks, regaining balance after an attack etc etc..

P'nae and Jun -both might be an aggressive fighter in ring where they throw it all, but while teaching they focus so much on basics and defense. It takes a lot to not impose himself on others and focus just on what is right for the student. So humble, if I hadn't known they were stars in MT circuit, I would have never known walking out after 1 month!

If I have to describe Sitmonchai fighters in a few words this is what it is - genuine, warm, and extremely down to earth.

I even had a little birthday party in the gym with a surprise cake n stuff, so apt like I was born into their family.

I don't care if there are better gyms, if I have to go back to Thailand to train Muay Thai (which I am ) it is Sitmonchai.

Though the little martial arts I had done in my school college days was based on defense and counter, I am sure I will adapt their walk forward style to the style that I like to stick to, rather that comes naturally to me.

All these months I've just been plain lazy to write up (I was there Aug- Sep 2012 for a month) I was feeling guilty I am not sharing this with the forum that has given so much info for a total newbie like me.

Surprisingly, all the foreigners that were there - German, Spanish, Polish, Russian, American, Canadian, Samoan, Japanese were all of the same wavelength - took their training very seriously but never had any prejudice while interacting. Guess ' like attracts like' is so true as Sitmonchai is exactly that- there is no place for prejudice there.

I cannot tell you how badly I am looking forward to my next trip! Sitmonchai has instilled so much of confidence in myself and self respect - these are priceless 'after effects' I am not sure I cld have got in other gyms.

I hope to keep going back until they deem me fit to fight even if it means I'll be close to 40

Wish you guys well and a very happy new year. May each one of you find peace, success, achieve your targets and spread more love this year

These videos are may be 2-3 weeks into the training

kicks & punch (3 rounds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_gYcFlxp0Y

Boxing(2 rounds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdvsT4n6Gws

Sitmonchai special (leg kicks)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXXJ3s0S8Y0

 

[Samkor]

Thanks for sharing your experience there. I can't recall ever hearing about someone having anything negative to say about Sitmonchai. How many foreigners were training there during your stay? I heard that they limit the amount of tourists training there at a given time, is there truth to that?

 

[satvikfighter]

Thanks for sharing your experience there. I can't recall ever hearing about someone having anything negative to say about Sitmonchai. How many foreigners were training there during your stay? I heard that they limit the amount of tourists training there at a given time, is there truth to that?

There are 5 or 6 shared accommodation for visitors so that makes it max 10-12 foreigners at any given time. For the duration I stayed (1 month) there were between 6 to 8 other foreigners training with me.

Though there is ample space behind the gym to build at least a dozen more, Pee A is very clear he will not build more accommodation to retain the quality.

Trainers - Kru Mee, Kru Sangha(he left half way my stay), Kru Juab, Kru Kong Fah and P'nae and Jun chipping in sessions whenever they can.

There was never a time when it felt overcrowded or wanting trainer's attention. On my request just 2 days before I left Kru Mee even gave a session Sunday afternoon I had to force him to take the private fee as mentioned in the site.

 

[gotobread]

I am a 34 year old, pot bellied Indian, just a typical IT geek, that walked into Sitmonchai to rekindle my martial arts passion that he lost post college days..

Nice write up.

 

[Ryukyu Damashi]

I am a 34 year old, pot bellied Indian, just a typical IT geek, that walked into Sitmonchai to rekindle my martial arts passion that he lost post college days..

Iwould like to share my experience in the gym, hope it is of some use to newbies and the utterly confused , like I was before.

All these rumors of 'family type gym' , 'food to die for' , 'traditional but falang friendly' , 'technical' and ' build you ground up' - are all true, absolutely true. But there is much more in the gym, at least to me.

I went in with a load of complex to be honest, I am not a pro, not an amateur, infact an unfit guy with just a dream to soak up the culture, the tradition and the beauty of the art.

I just came straight from the airport, then 2 hrs drive n arrived just in time for the afternoon session. Abigail the PR and liaison for foreigners, asked if I wanted to train, I jumped right in. My first session was with the man himself -Pornsanae, I was soo overwhelmed by it all but it just took me one session to feel the warmth, feel welcomed.

In Sitmonchai you are not judged, you are just evaluated so they make the training appropriate for you. Each session the focus is to teach you one step at a time, to correct every single flaws u have and the intent is so genuine it rubs into you. Well a lot has been written on the technical side of Sitmonchai, so Ill stick to what has not been addressed.

Imagine this, I was the only vegetarian there, Mama Lek took care of my dietary needs , when I say this, I mean it -like I am her own son. Pee A, the manager made sure I liked the food, will take my feedback and make sure everything was ok. While training he would sit around but watch you keenly and provide feedback to both the trainer and you wherever appropriate. Sabai sabai, one baby step at a time he reiterates. Though he is always light hearted, cracking a joke or pulling a leg, he is extremely observant, mature and generous.

Generous- that brings me to another incident - I somehow forgot to pay for the last 4 extra days I stayed there ( I wanted to try another gym to just see the difference dropped the idea for obvious reasons - can't look beyond Sitmonchai) They are quietly confident I will do it sometime, there has been no communication from them in this regard!

Abigail- What can I say? I've pounded her mailbox with a 100 emails and I got patient replies for every one of them - this was before I stepped in. I think this was the x factor for me to zero in on the gym to start with. I had contacted 2 other famous gyms in Bkk - they replied but wasn't that keen to address my concerns like Abigail did, my intention is not to tarnish anyone here so I will leave it at that.

All the thai fighters will look out for you. Be it training, sparring, correcting while hitting bag, they are always there. Its not like they have a foregone conclusion that they ain't gonna gain anything correcting me, they just want me to learn it right. Not just me, everyone that is there to train.

Everyone there felt like a star just being there, who you are, where you come from, what you do does't really matter. We were all the same and everyone was worthy of their undivided attention in and outside of training.

I had almost all sessions split amongst - Pornsanae, Thepnimit (Jun), and Kru Mee - I can say as much, if you are willing they will take you on like your fight is on in a few week's time. Attention to details - stance, balance, blocks, regaining balance after an attack etc etc..

P'nae and Jun -both might be an aggressive fighter in ring where they throw it all, but while teaching they focus so much on basics and defense. It takes a lot to not impose himself on others and focus just on what is right for the student. So humble, if I hadn't known they were stars in MT circuit, I would have never known walking out after 1 month!

If I have to describe Sitmonchai fighters in a few words this is what it is - genuine, warm, and extremely down to earth.

I even had a little birthday party in the gym with a surprise cake n stuff, so apt like I was born into their family.

I don't care if there are better gyms, if I have to go back to Thailand to train Muay Thai (which I am ) it is Sitmonchai.

Though the little martial arts I had done in my school college days was based on defense and counter, I am sure I will adapt their walk forward style to the style that I like to stick to, rather that comes naturally to me.

All these months I've just been plain lazy to write up (I was there Aug- Sep 2012 for a month) I was feeling guilty I am not sharing this with the forum that has given so much info for a total newbie like me.

Surprisingly, all the foreigners that were there - German, Spanish, Polish, Russian, American, Canadian, Samoan, Japanese were all of the same wavelength - took their training very seriously but never had any prejudice while interacting. Guess ' like attracts like' is so true as Sitmonchai is exactly that- there is no place for prejudice there.

I cannot tell you how badly I am looking forward to my next trip! Sitmonchai has instilled so much of confidence in myself and self respect - these are priceless 'after effects' I am not sure I cld have got in other gyms.

I hope to keep going back until they deem me fit to fight even if it means I'll be close to 40

Wish you guys well and a very happy new year. May each one of you find peace, success, achieve your targets and spread more love this year

These videos are may be 2-3 weeks into the training

kicks & punch (3 rounds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_gYcFlxp0Y

Boxing(2 rounds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdvsT4n6Gws

Sitmonchai special (leg kicks)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXXJ3s0S8Y0

This deserves its own thread.

 

[Blackened]

I'm interested in going. The only thing that concerns me is the language barrier. Would this be a problem?

 

[gotobread]

I'm interested in going. The only thing that concerns me is the language barrier. Would this be a problem?

Many Thais speak at least some English, but there's no reason for you not to learn at least the basics. It would be rude not to. That said, it depends quite a bit on where you want to train. In the areas that rely heavily on tourists, like Pattaya or Rawai, you'll be fine. I think I knew four words of Thai when I first flew out to Phuket to train. I've been back six more times and I think I know... maybe twenty more words.

 

[eddymotto]

I'm interested in going. The only thing that concerns me is the language barrier. Would this be a problem?

Thailand is visited by millions of tourists every year. English is the default language for tourism and so you won't have any (major) problems.

Trainers at major gyms will speak basic English when it comes to MT. Every once in a while you may not understand exactly what they are describing but they will demonstrate and it won't be hard to get down.

 

[Blackened]

Thanks for the input! Guess I'll learn some of the basics, spend one month at a tourist esque gym then maybe hit up another gym for a month.

 

[whitesport]

Sitsongpeenong is legit. They train really hard there. It's a serious gym.
Right by Rama 9 park and in a quiet area of Bangkok so nice place to run too.
Is Bovy there permanently now?

Bovy is still there, yes.

 

[eddymotto]

Thanks for the input! Guess I'll learn some of the basics, spend one month at a tourist esque gym then maybe hit up another gym for a month.

good luck and have a great time

 

[LBJC]

I am arriving in Chiang Mai the first week of February. I am looking to train up there for about 2 months. I've heard the smog is a real issue in March, so I'll see how it plays out. If its unbearable I'll head south to BKK.

Any recommendations re gyms? Basically I have narrowed it down to;

- KC
- Chai Yai
- Lanna
- Santai

I have heard Santai is the best gym in CM at the moment, however I don't want to be miles away from town as I'd like to have things to do in my downtime. As I'm not familiar with the town, is this the case? How far is Santai from 'everything else'?

Any pointers are welcomed.

Edit: I have heard good things about Burklerk gym too, however I read on another forum today that he is now making the Chiang Mai location a 'tourist gym', whilst the fighters gym will be at another location. As a result, I am not really interested.

 

[MSavard]

I am arriving in Chiang Mai the first week of February. I am looking to train up there for about 2 months. I've heard the smog is a real issue in March, so I'll see how it plays out. If its unbearable I'll head south to BKK.

Any recommendations re gyms? Basically I have narrowed it down to;

- KC
- Chai Yai
- Lanna
- Santai

I have heard Santai is the best gym in CM at the moment, however I don't want to be miles away from town as I'd like to have things to do in my downtime. As I'm not familiar with the town, is this the case? How far is Santai from 'everything else'?

Any pointers are welcomed.

Edit: I have heard good things about Burklerk gym too, however I read on another forum today that he is now making the Chiang Mai location a 'tourist gym', whilst the fighters gym will be at another location. As a result, I am not really interested.

KC & Santai are both very good gyms. I can't speak on Lanna or Chay Yai though since I've never been there.

Don't stay in Chiang Mai in March. It's one of the most polluted cities in the world during that time. I'd suggest maybe training there in February and then heading elsewhere for your second month.

If you're looking for a real fighters gym, go to Bangkok where most of the top ranked fighters are.

KC is closer to the city than Santai is. Burklerk is the most centrally located gym. If Burklerk is around when you're there, then it would be nice to train with him. He's an excellent instructor.

 

[LBJC]

Thanks for the pointers. Seems as though the consensus is March is a no-go.

Where would you recommend in central BKK? I am of the impression Sitsongpenong, Kiathontip etc are all way out in the burbs.

Anywhere in the city centre you can suggest?

 

[Ryukyu Damashi]

I'll be at 96 Penang in March. I'll likely stay in Asoke and take the MRT and motorbike taxi to the gym.

 

[MSavard]

I'll be at 96 Penang in March. I'll likely stay in Asoke and take the MRT and motorbike taxi to the gym.

Good choice! Klong Toey MRT station?
How much do they charge for training there?

 

[Ryukyu Damashi]

Good choice! Klong Toey MRT station?
How much do they charge for training there?

Last summer when I trained there, I took a taxi to the Tesco on Rama IV and then a motorbike taxi to the gym. I was staying on Sukhumvit 11. I figure if I stay in Asoke, I can take the MRT to Klong Toey, avoiding the taxi.

They charge the standard rate, 300/500.

 

[KeeSmyth]

i'm planning on heading out to Fairtex Bangplee & Singpatong in the coming months

 

[nattyman]

Hello fellas.

Does anybody know about the gym at Koh Yao Noi (Is this the name?) and its head trainer, Hlukhin Wassantasit?

I have trained there for a week, it was a great experience.
It's a 40 minute boat ride from Phuket but it feels like a different world.
It's a small country island, with not as many tourists as Phuket, only 1 7-Eleven, and barely any cars. The majority of the population is muslim, so while you can easily buy alcohol, public drunkenness is frowned upon, and there is very little partying going on generally. I personally liked that a lot more than Phuket where anything goes and there is not a single local person...
As for the training it was also great; the trainers really seem concerned about passing on as much knowledge as possible, and really insisted on technique - they will have you repeat moves over and over again until you finally get it right.
Since it's a bit secluded, there isn't really anybody dropping in for a day or two, everyone is there for a least one week, so that contributes to a general atmosphere where everyone is really focused on improving their skills - all of this in a nice family atmosphere.