Picking a gym to train muaythai/bad trainers/partners

Fitness scene is really big in Brazil and muay thai is known as a sport to make legs thicker/stronger and to make you lean. Some gyms have trainers but they are not focused on making you a fighter or training you to fight/defend yourself but only to make you lean and all that fitness stuff. I was member of a big weight lifting gym and they had muay thai classes there but there were only women there, so i didnt even bother taking a class cuz i knew it would be fitness shit without sparring.

Now, here are some questions:

1- How do i know if someone teaches real muay thai and not some watered down version or something that doesnt even exist?
2- What are the basics every gym or muay thai class should have? Like kicking bags, equipments and etc.
3- What if i find a good trainer and a good gym but people there are bad partners (just want to get lean and dont care learning/sparring)?
4- Does every trainer have some type of certificate and how to track it?
5- What equipment do i need to train by myself?

Theres a high chance i dont find any place that teaches it for fighting or dont teaches it right so i would have to learn it by my own cuz i aint wasting my money. I know its not the best scenario but i plan on imitate how proper kicks are thrown for example, and recording how i do things and comparing with the videos. Getting as much info i can from the internet untill i can travel to somewhere to train in vacation. What do you guys think and have you ever had to train by yourself?

 

1. Unless you know what "real muay thai" is you won't know. If they have good fighters its probably a good gym. Better if they have fought or trained in thailand at some point.

2. Ring, Heavy Bags, Thai pads, Focus Mitts.

3. Look if they have a "fighting team" in the gym. If they have, you might be able to join them when you get good enough. Otherwise look for a new gym.

4. No, it's mostly about experience. Im guessing some of the fighters or ex fighters will instruct you guys, amd then you hold pads for each others. If you join the fight team you will probably get better trainers.

5. Sparring gloves, shin guard, mouth guard, hand wraps.

Recommended: Thai shorts, ankle guard, bag mitts, and maybe some boxing liniment to apply when your mucles are sore

 

Thanks!