Dont yet practice. Muaythai,Kickboxing,or other.

[GetOntheGoodFoot]

Im 24 and recently lost over 100lbs, even harder than loosing weight is getting in shape and I still got alot of work to do. I dont practice any martial art yet but im trying to begin that journey now. Ive always admired martial arts for the conditioning and discipline it teaches, physically and mentally. Ive particularly been attracted to Muay Thai, when I was a little kid I thought it just looked tough. Over the past few years ive rediscovered muay thai through watching ufc first and then reading about it. The concept, the physicality, and even the culture of thai I am very attracted to, and the intense stamina and conditioning it builds is very appealing to me after loosing so much weight.

I cant seem to find any offical muay thai gyms or instructors near me though. I have been directed to a few online but after reading more they usually turn out to just teach kickboxing. Would it make sense for me to join and practice kickboxing if theres no muay thai offered around me or should I just consider a different martial art entirely?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

"Kickboxing" is a generic term which includes everything from muay thai to savate to jun fan kickboxing to karate guys wearing boxing gloves. If you wanted to link to the websites of the local gyms that offer kickboxing programs we might be able to provide some idea of what those programs might be like.

Realistically though, if you haven't actually tried any martial art then you have no idea if the actual experience will line up with your ideas of what you are attracted to. I would recommend actually visiting as many different schools as you can, watching the instruction, observing the atmosphere, trying an introductory class if one is offered, and then making a decision about what to try.

 

[J W]

Tony's got it right. Most schools offer an introductory class (or maybe even a few) for free or cheap. Try out a few different places before you commit to anything.

First thing to consider is what is actually available near you. Decide how far you are willing to travel for martial arts classes, and then find out what schools are within that radius. Muay Thai falls under the general umbrella of "Kickboxing", so what those local gyms offer may (or may not) be along the lines of what you want. Muay Thai might be your first choice, but if the closest place that actually teaches it is 100 miles away then you will have to decide if you are willing to make that trek.

Alternately, if there are other arts that interest you, there could be some good schools close to home. And really, you won't know what you really like until you've tried few things.

 

[GetOntheGoodFoot]

Realistically though, if you haven't actually tried any martial art then you have no idea if the actual experience will line up with your ideas of what you are attracted to. I would recommend actually visiting as many different schools as you can, watching the instruction, observing the atmosphere, trying an introductory class if one is offered, and then making a decision about what to try.

I understand that which is why ive been looking for something near me as opposed to traveling far or even moving for the sake of a quality instructor/gym. So far though all ive done is look, I guess im kinda a shy person and trying to get up the nerve to just walk in and observe some local dojos. Would it be rude to just walk in and observe or do they prefer you to call ahead or schedule a time to sit in and observe?

Heres a link for a place 20min away, Im not sure that it tells me who the muaythai/kickbox instructor is, but apparently the gyms are ran by Yi, he has a few different regional karate gyms, mostly kid classes I think.
http://www.altonkarate.com/about_us.html

Just found this one, it looks alittle more promising but hell I dont know for sure. Not really favoring the idea of traveling into st.louis so often though.
http://www.absolutemartialarts.com/index.htm#

thanks for your comment tony

 

[frank raud]

Are you considering taking up Muay Thai to fight in the ring, or just as an excellent workout to assist you in maintaining your health goals? The kickboxing at Alton karate appears to be cardio kickboxing, that will give you a great workout, but odds are it wont prepare you for competition. Would be a great way to jump into martial arts training. Absolute Martial Arts does teach Muay Thai, but as you said, distance can be a problem.

Try something local, preferably on a trial basis. You are more inclined to go to a club that is close to you than one that is far away. Once you have discovered if you like kickboxing, then you can decide if it is worth the travel to St Louis for proper Muay Thai.

 

[GetOntheGoodFoot]

Id love to study Muay Thai as an excellent way to build stamina, cardio, and conditioning, I also love the mechanics of Muay Thai opposed to most other arts ive looked at. I love the use of elbows and knees, and the heavy hitting kicks it develops. It is however mostly for my personal fitness, its a lifestyle id like to achieve and maintain. I can't say the reason that I want to learn it is to fight in the ring, but I also wouldn't dismiss it as something id never try if I became capable enough. My goal is to better myself mentally, physically, and spiritually, not to fight though.

Thanks for the advice Frank, its all very helpful.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I understand that which is why ive been looking for something near me as opposed to traveling far or even moving for the sake of a quality instructor/gym. So far though all ive done is look, I guess im kinda a shy person and trying to get up the nerve to just walk in and observe some local dojos. Would it be rude to just walk in and observe or do they prefer you to call ahead or schedule a time to sit in and observe?

Heres a link for a place 20min away, Im not sure that it tells me who the muaythai/kickbox instructor is, but apparently the gyms are ran by Yi, he has a few different regional karate gyms, mostly kid classes I think.
http://www.altonkarate.com/about_us.html

Just found this one, it looks alittle more promising but hell I dont know for sure. Not really favoring the idea of traveling into st.louis so often though.
http://www.absolutemartialarts.com/index.htm#

thanks for your comment tony

Most schools are okay with potential students dropping in to observe a class, but it never hurts to call ahead.

The Yi's Karate website sets off some red flags for me:

There is no mention of the style of karate being taught or the qualifications of the instructor(s).
The adults programs page claims they teach muay thai, yet the sidebar advertises "fitness kickboxing", which is not at all the same thing. Also, there is no mention of instructor qualifications in this art either. Also, you would think that a supposed karate school would mention karate in the paragraph on "explosive striking proficiency."
The fact that the paragraph mentioning muay thai is followed immediately by one promoting their BJJ curriculum (once again with no mention of instructor qualifications) makes me think that they are just cashing in on the popularity of the UFC with classes that they may not be truly qualified to teach.
Overall, I'd say it looks like a school oriented towards giving kids and families a fun place to get some exercise. You probably will not learn good muay thai technique. (I have my doubts about the karate as well.) I can pretty much guarantee the intensity of the workouts will not approach that of an actual pro muay thai gym. That's not necessarily a bad thing - if you're not training to be a fighter you may not really want the kind of workouts you'd get a pro muay thai gym.

I'm not so sure about the Absolute Martial Arts school. They're clearly promoting themselves as a MMA gym, but there is no information given about the instructors/coaches or their qualifications. That would worry me if I was considering a long drive to the gym.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

If you are willing to drive into St. Louis for classes, this gym looks like it has legitimate muay thai instruction.

 

[J W]

Heres a link for a place 20min away, Im not sure that it tells me who the muaythai/kickbox instructor is, but apparently the gyms are ran by Yi, he has a few different regional karate gyms, mostly kid classes I think.
http://www.altonkarate.com/about_us.html

The website for that place certainly doesn't make it look good. The "highly acclaimed" Black Belt Schools International organization that they claim to belong to doesn't have very many results on Google, either. However, a cheesy website doesn't necessarily mean it's no good, so when you work up the nerve you should check it out, along with any other nearby schools (like the Moo Duk Kwan school you're asking about in the other thread). Keep in mind that these places are ultimately businesses, so they should be nothing but welcoming to potential new students (that is, new customers).

You should be able to get a feel from observing and talking to the people there whether or not the place is worthwhile. Even with no previous MA experience, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up on obvious BS, pushy sales tactics, or any other red flags.

 

[GetOntheGoodFoot]

Yeah Yi's concerned me alittle bit because of the website as well. I believe he has 2 or 3 dojo's in the surrounding area though & I think he even posted a couple youtube videos.

Thanks for the help guys, that Watson gym you found looks really good, or at least his website does hah. I think ill check that out in the future(free2weektrial:xtrmshock) after checking out some others and getting in alittle better shape.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

The Yi's Karate website sets off some red flags for me:

There is no mention of the style of karate being taught or the qualifications of the instructor(s).
The adults programs page claims they teach muay thai, yet the sidebar advertises "fitness kickboxing", which is not at all the same thing. Also, there is no mention of instructor qualifications in this art either. Also, you would think that a supposed karate school would mention karate in the paragraph on "explosive striking proficiency."
The fact that the paragraph mentioning muay thai is followed immediately by one promoting their BJJ curriculum (once again with no mention of instructor qualifications) makes me think that they are just cashing in on the popularity of the UFC with classes that they may not be truly qualified to teach.
Overall, I'd say it looks like a school oriented towards giving kids and families a fun place to get some exercise. You probably will not learn good muay thai technique. (I have my doubts about the karate as well.) I can pretty much guarantee the intensity of the workouts will not approach that of an actual pro muay thai gym. That's not necessarily a bad thing - if you're not training to be a fighter you may not really want the kind of workouts you'd get a pro muay thai gym.

I'm not so sure about the Absolute Martial Arts school. They're clearly promoting themselves as a MMA gym, but there is no information given about the instructors/coaches or their qualifications. That would worry me if I was considering a long drive to the gym.

Also, in the adults & teen programs, he spends a bit focusing on getting a "rock hard body looks like it belongs on a college student" and "six-pack abs". I don't know if this is normal for an mma school, but i don't think i've ever seen a website that I've trusted going on about getting a good-looking body.

I think he even posted a couple youtube videos.

Can you link the videos, so we can see if he is legitimate? either way, I'd highly suggest the St. Louis martial arts over Yi's martial arts.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Also, according to dojolocator (http://www.dojolocator.com/YisMartialArts/), he teaches a lot more styles than should be possible to effectively teach, looks like whoever listed Yi's MA just clicked every single type listed rather than being honest about what they teach...

 

[GetOntheGoodFoot]

Can you link the videos, so we can see if he is legitimate? either way, I'd highly suggest the St. Louis martial arts over Yi's martial arts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZlYzHgQk4A&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opkq0YSZaSY&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNqUNVOqnqw&feature=plcp

FACEBOOK:http://www.facebook.com/Ymafitnessfans
[video]http://www.facebook.com/v/1466535828424[/video] - My favorite, mortal kombat hah

Interested to see what you think.

 

[Chris Parker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZlYzHgQk4A&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opkq0YSZaSY&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNqUNVOqnqw&feature=plcp

FACEBOOK:http://www.facebook.com/Ymafitnessfans
[video]http://www.facebook.com/v/1466535828424[/video] - My favorite, mortal kombat hah

Interested to see what you think.

Showy, flowery, designed to look good without anything behind it. They seem to be primarily Korean stylists with a lot of other things taped on (some bad escrima in the last facebook link), all in all, absolutely nothing to do with muay Thai whatsoever. And what is the obsession with blindfolds? Personally, I'd avoid them completely.

 

[Aiki Lee]

It's hard sometimes not to judge a school based on videos of the students. On the one hand, the videos are not very impressive or show any actually skill rather than martial arts trickery for a carnival sideshow. On the other hand, I do not know if these guys in the video are indicative of the skill of other people in the school. Anyone from any school can release a video of them looking like garbage, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the isntruction or the art is bad. It just means that the guy in the video is performing poorly.

However, combine that with all the other things people here noticed and I too would recomend staying away from this Yi's. It looks like a tae kwon do school that wants to be something for everyone, and if that is what they are doing then any art being taught has to be watered down to accomodate everyone.

 

[GetOntheGoodFoot]

It's hard sometimes not to judge a school based on videos of the students.

I believe that in all or at least all but one of those videos it was Yi himself, usually wearing the black gi or clothing.

and if that is what they are doing then any art being taught has to be watered down to accomodate everyone.

Nicely said that's exactly what I want to avoid, watered down art heh. I would love to find something quality, effective, and with heritage.

 

[Aiki Lee]

I believe that in all or at least all but one of those videos it was Yi himself, usually wearing the black gi or clothing.

Oh my. I'd stay away.

 

[PoolMan]

Congrats on losing the weight. All good advice here. If you want to find a good MT school look at the USMTA website. All schools listed there are USMTA accredited.

 

[Mz1]

Look for MMA schools. Most nowadays would incorporate Muay Thai for their standup.

The main attraction of MT is that it will get you going towards being a standup fighter the fastest, usually, over other standup martial arts. There is very little, if any, emphasis on having to learn traditions nor forms that are rarely used (if at all) in a real fight. Then you will spend most of your time training very simple, straight forward moves. Muay Thai is a very simple MA to learn (still takes time to master though). Like you don't need to be able to do a split, spin around, etc. to be good at MT. Very little flashy moves. Just very basic, crude, straight to the point, infliction of maximum damage onto your opponent. Most techniques taught in MT on day one, will be applicable all the way up to pro level fighting.

 

[Instructor]

I just want to congratulate you on losing the weight and wish you the very best in getting back into shape. I would sample every local school from any style for a class and then see which one you liked the best.