Gym Reviews Sangmorakot Muay Thai Academy [Gym Review] Posted on October 3, 2025October 3, 2025 By Angela Chang Winding through the roads of one of the oldest neighborhoods of Bangkok, the driver turns into a narrow street and suddenly stops. “Your destination is on the left”, the GPS navigation announces in Thai. I quickly get off the motorcycle, thank him, and look around. I don’t see any sign of a Muay Thai gym nearby. I open up Maps on my phone, and it looks like the gym should be just a short walk away. Feeling a bit unsure, I walk through the gates of a nearby temple and ask a woman selling food if she knows where the gym is. She responds clearly and simply, telling me to keep walking straight and that the gym will be on my left. “You’ll see it,” she says confidently. I start walking deeper into the temple grounds, passing by a school and some monks. The nerves set in. Maybe I’m in the wrong place? Still, I trust her directions and keep going. Sure enough, there was a gym. Tucked behind a large shrine and lush tropical plants, Sangmorakot Muay Thai Academy (“The Shining Emerald”) greeted me with the creaks of swinging heavy bags. Read more
Fighting and Training Training Hard vs Abuse – Where’s the Line? Posted on September 26, 2025September 8, 2025 By Angela Chang Muay Thai glorifies pushing limits. Anyone who chooses to step into this world quickly learns that discipline, resilience, and perseverance are non-negotiable. The mantra of “no pain, no gain” can feel empowering… until it becomes a justification for practices that endanger both physical and mental well-being. There’s a very fine line that gets blurred far too often in Muay Thai and other combat sports: the line between training hard and enduring abuse. Read more
Gym Reviews Hongthong Muay Thai [Gym Review] Posted on September 6, 2025September 8, 2025 By Angela Chang Hongthong Muay Thai is a household name when it comes to Muay Thai in Chiang Mai. One can guarantee that if you were to ask about the Chiang Mai Muay Thai scene, Hongthong will come up in conversation within minutes. Read more
Gym Reviews Manasak Muay Thai Gym [Gym Review] Posted on September 5, 2025September 8, 2025 By Angela Chang Veteran fighter Manasak Pinsinchai is a familiar face in the Chiang Mai Muay Thai scene. Afterall, he’s been coaching in the culturally-rich city for the last decade. Originally from Ubon Ratchathani and hailing from a legendary Bangkok camp, Manasak has over 300 fights and multiple accolades to his name, including Rajadamnern Stadium champion and WMC World Champion. He didn’t only talk the talk, but also walked the walked, accepting competitive opponents all the way to his late 30’s. His exposure to teaching foreigners of all levels, in addition to his own technical muay femur fight style, made his decision to open up his own gym a no-brainer. Read more
Fighting and Training The Science of Shin Conditioning: A Fighter’s Guide to Bone Adaptation Posted on August 29, 2025August 19, 2025 By Angela Chang If you’ve spent any time in a Muay Thai gym or scrolling through social media and fight forums, you’ve probably seen people smashing their shins with bottles, rolling pins, or even kicking trees in the name of “shin conditioning.” The idea is that you need to actively toughen your bones and deaden your nerves if you want to be able to kick hard and block kicks without breaking down. This is especially common among beginners. When their shins hurt from kicking bags, pads, or sparring, they might think the pain comes from having “weak shins,” leading them to believe that they need to actively make their bones tougher and their nerves less sensitive to improve. Read more
Fighting and Training Signs a Gym is Actually Women-Friendly (And Why It’s More Complicated Than You Think) Posted on August 22, 2025August 9, 2025 By Angela Chang One of the most common questions I get is: “Do you know any women-friendly Muay Thai gyms?” I wish the answer was as easy as handing you a list. But here’s the truth: what makes a gym “women-friendly” isn’t as simple as having a few women on the mat.It’s one of the most basic and understandably asked questions. It comes from those completely new and wanting to start their Muay Thai journey, as well as from seasoned practitioners looking for a change in environment but unsure of what to look for before forking over high monthly training fees. Yet, it’s also a question that’s deeply nuanced and difficult to answer. In this article, I’ll break down why the question is so complex, what you should really be looking for, and then give you a starting checklist you can use when evaluating a gym. Read more