• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

How to Choose the Right Martial Arts Gym

This article will arm you with the tools for making sure the place you choose suits your training needs.

Orion Lee

Written by Orion Lee Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

Finding the martial arts gym that is right for you is never an easy task, and it can be a daunting one. This article will arm you with the tools for making sure the place you choose suits your training needs. We’ll start from walking in the front door, through class, and all the other details you need to look for before committing to a gym.

1. Friendly and Helpful Staff

A good gym should have a personable and intelligent staff. An easy way to find out if the staff is good is to go to the gym and ask to observe a class. When you walk in, does the front desk person greet you and show you around the gym? Does he introduce you to some of the instructors? And are they friendly? The manner in which the staff acts can tell you worlds about the gym.

2. Schedule

Examine the gym’s schedule to make sure they can accommodate your needs. If they can’t, then there’s no reason as to why you should be there. Before signing up, make a plan as to what classes you would want to attend and make sure you get some information on the instructors who will be teaching. This will ensure that you can find the coach who is best for you, that you will be able to attend class consistently, and that you will get the best experience for your dollar.

3. Cleanliness

This is a big one for me and it’s a deal breaker for a lot of people. Some gyms can get pretty nasty, and if the gym you’re looking at isn’t clean, then it says a lot about the gym’s attention to detail. Dirty gyms lead to staph infections and the spread of other equally fun bacterial infections.

The gym doesn’t have to sparkle but there are some basics that need to be covered. Here’s is a checklist to go though when checking out a new spot:

  1. Are the mats clean?
  2. Are the pads and mitts organized?
  3. Do people wear shoes or sandals when they walk off of the mat? (Because they should!)
  4. Are the bathrooms clean?

choosing a gym, choosing muay thai gym, how to find good muay thai gym

4. Equipment

A good gym has the right tools to get the job done. They don’t need every toy ever invented for martial arts training, but the basics do need to be covered. If you’re in a muay Thai gym, then look for ample amounts of mat space, heavy bags, Thai pads, and strength equipment.

5. Quality Instruction

This is by far the most important thing to look for when choosing to learn a martial art. You could find the nicest facility in the world, but if the instructors don’t know what they’re doing then you’re wasting time and money.

A good instructor controls the class in a fluid and organized manner. From the warm up to the cool down, a good instructor will have the focus directed at honing a particular skill or movement. When observing the class, ask yourself if the information being taught is reflected the drills and exercises being performed by the students. A teacher who holds class in this fashion has clearly programmed the session in advance and demonstrates that he or she truly cares about the learning experience.

Another thing to look at when observing a class is the student body. The way a student acts can say much about the quality of the coaches and the gym as a whole. Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking at the students:

  1. Are people sweating, smiling, and learning?
  2. Are they good at what they’re doing?
  3. If not, is the instructor helping them correct their mistakes?

If you answered yes to these questions, then you are in a good spot. Remember that at the end of the day you want to enjoy the training that you are paying for. Martial arts is not all fun and games, but it should be an overall enjoyable learning experience.

choosing a gym, choosing muay thai gym, how to find good muay thai gym

5. Community

Community is a huge part of the martial arts. When you join a gym, you should be joining a family. The gym should be a place where you can openly be yourself and where people hang out and socialize between classes. Before joining a gym, ask the front desk if they plan any events for the members and what the general culture is like.

Becoming a part of a community that is striving towards similar goals is just plain awesome. You immediately have a support system to help you when the going gets tough. That, in my opinion, is worth its weight in gold.

It makes my day when I walk into my gym and see students helping each other. It reaffirms that what I do makes a difference. Whether it’s sharing advice on nutrition, mobility drills to help with aches and pains, working on techniques, or just talking about where you can get the best margarita. Being part of a gym with a sense of community can change your life. If you’re ever in West Los Angeles, I invite you to stop by my gym to see firsthand what a great gym community is like.

Best of luck in finding your new home away from home. If you have any questions about what to look for in a martial arts gym, pleas post them to the comments below.

Photos “Muay Thai – Hikari 07,” “Muay Thai – Hikari 06,” and “Muay Thai – Hikari 05” by João Paulo EvilSkaTeR Attribution-ShareAlike License.

Orion Lee

About Orion Lee

Orion Lee is a martial artist with two decades of experience. Beginning training in the martial arts at eight years old, Orion from an early age held a passion for fitness and well being. He has a degree in contemporary Chinese martial arts and several certifications in personal training and nutritional consultation.

Orion’s belief in both the martial arts and in fitness has always been similar to those of the great Bruce Lee, less is more and do away with the non-essential whenever possible. Orion’s extensive knowledge and experience allows him to customize challenging, technique-focused, and simple curriculums that create strong, smart, and safe athletes.

Orion has dedicated many years to studying numerous styles of martial arts, nearly four of which were spent training intensively in China where he studied sanda (Chinese kickboxing), muay Thai and wushu. Orion has specialized in the art of muay Thai for the past ten years, and has had the honor of training under several great instructors including Guru Dan Inosanto, Jongsanan (The Woodenman), Grandmaster Vincent Lyn, Kru Mike Wise, Kru John Speazzano, Kru Victor Acosta, and several Lumpinee stadium champions.

Orion currently fights out of Robot Fight & Fitness in Santa Monica, California, where he trains under Kru David Huerta and also works as the director of strength and conditioning.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Fergus Crawley 5K Run Tips Photo
Fergus Crawley Shares 5 Tips For Running a Better 5K
Actor Chris Hemsworth in gym performing dumbbell row
Chris Hemsworth Diagrams a Killer Upper Body Workout Fit For an Action Star
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”
Method Man Incline Dumbbell Presses December 2022
Check Out Rapper Method Man Cruising Through 120-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses for 10 Reps

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About