Class types at The Clinic

Learning Muay Thai can be difficult. No, I take that back. Learning Muay Thai is difficult. One must learn movements that they are unfamiliar with; use muscles that they didn’t know they had; learn when to do certain things; and constantly have their cardio pushed, muscles strained, and develop reflexes that rival that of cats. With that being said, the last thing we want at The Clinic Muay Thai Gym is you using your brain power trying to figure out what the different class types are. This blog is going to take the guesswork out of it and spell out the three types of classes we have or will offer in the near future.

Fundamentals Class

This is the foundational class that all of your Muay Thai will be built off of and will always be the most offered class at The Clinic. The word we used is “fundamentals” and not “beginner” because we feel it’s important for everyone at all levels to attend this class whenever possible. This class will be where we drill our attacks with a focus on technique and also learn our defensive movements.

Combinations will be kept shorter but functional, i.e., you’ll throw the same kick one hundred times in a round instead of throwing 1-2-3-roundhouse-check-switch kick-2-5-knee five times in a round. There is merit in both training methods, but it’s far more important to master the kick than it is to string together long combinations. There will be other differences, but that’s the simple way to break it down. 

The classes may seem simple, but they aren’t easy. This class will frequently have pad work, cardio, and of course push ups and squats in between rounds. Everything good is built on strong, solid foundations.

Advanced Class

Advanced class is where you train more complex drills, concepts, and strategies and start putting your clinch work to more practice. Foundations class is where you drill techniques, but advanced class is where you drill situational tactics. For example, foundations class would be drilling crosses and roundhouses, and advanced class would be drilling the cross to rear roundhouse vs an open stance opponent. You’d also focus on longer combinations so you learn to throw more than a single strike at a time in sparring or fights.

Advanced class doesn’t have to be only for people looking to compete. It’s really for any student that has the basics down enough to start applying them in drills without the focus being on the mechanics of the technique—although that will always be coached up in every class. The purpose of having separate classes is so you don’t have to try to remember the drill and how to do the technique if you are still newer. Advanced class is for focusing on the drills when the technique comes naturally.

Advanced class will also have more back and forth drills and sparring drills. In foundations class, there are many drills where one student is the “dummy” so their partner can work on technique on a mostly stationary person. Foundations class as a little more physically taxing and advanced class a little more mentally taxing (although both will have students thinking and sweating).

Fighters Class

Fighters class is the easiest to explain. You do not have to fight to be in fighters class but you must be willing to push as hard as the fighters and be willing to do the more difficult things to help those who do wish to compete. This class will actually have the least amount of educational work done, although there will be tactics/strategies explained and drilled. We’ll make up for that with hard work. There will be intense pad/bag work, lots of clinching, tons of cardio, and body conditioning. This class will be offered the least as it’s mostly physical. This is the only class that will have hard sparring (but only when preparing for fights that are booked). To attend this class, you must talk to Kru Dustin first and/or be invited by him.