If boxing has become the fitness trend in recent years, then Muay Thai has also experienced quite the renaissance. In our time-poor lives, a good workout is one we can fit into our lunch break. It’s a workout that delivers a punch – sometimes literally – torching calories and getting a good sweat without the need to spend hours in the gym. If such a checklist is one you use when looking for your next fitness obsession, then Muay Thai will surely check all the boxes. The martial art and combat sport uses stand-up striking along with various other techniques for an 8-point striking system that incorporates everything from kicks and punches, to elbows and knees. In short: it’s a full body workout.
For anyone that’s taken part in Muay Thai before, you’ll likely recall the complete exhaustion you felt upon completion. Muay Thai is a sport that seems to focus more on endurance, but it’s also one that builds muscle and includes strengthening workouts. Watch any seasoned professional and you’ll find yourself in awe of their speed and dexterity, and their endurance. These are trained fighters with the kind of stamina one can only envy, able to last long rounds in an effort to outfight their opponents.
So, to help you on your way to delivering a potent and precise blow in a myriad of ways, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best Muay Thai gyms in Melbourne worth checking out. Covering a range of prices and specialties, as well as various classes, these gyms are sure to teach you the fundamentals and then some. Check out the list below.
GYM |
LOCATION |
PRICE |
WEBSITE |
Dynamite Muay Thai |
Bourke Street, Melbourne | Starting from $25 per class | dynamitemuaythai.com |
K T Muay Thai Gym – Martial Art of Kick Boxing |
Little Collins Street, Melbourne | POA | ktmuaythai.com |
| Prestige Gym Melbourne | King Street, Melbourne | From $30 a week. | prestigegym.com.au |
| Fitness and Martial Arts Centre Melbourne | Collins Street, Melbourne | From $19.90 a class. | fmcmelbourne.com.au |
| Australian Combat Sports Academy | Thornbury | From $47 | acsamelbourne.com.au |
| Legends MMA & Fitness | Little Collins Street, Melbourne | From $55 per week. | legendsmma.com.au |
| Elev8MMA | Heidelberg West, Victoria | POA | elev8mma.com.au |
| Morakot Muaythai Gym | Epping, Victoria | 7 day intro pass valued at $29 for new students | morakot.com.au |
| Absolute Mixed Martial Arts | Exhibition Street, Melbourne | POA | absolutemma.com.au |
| Extreme Mixed Martial Arts – MMA Melbourne | Malvern East, Victoria | POA | extrememma.com.au |
1. Dynamite Muay Thai
Location: Level 1, 388 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Price: Starting from $25, with a try before you buy option, too.
About: When you go to Dynamite Muay Thai, you can be sure you’ll be learning from the best as every one of the gym’s fight team is trained in-house and reflects the core values of authenticity, discipline, teamwork and empowerment. With guest fighters who drop by to lend their hand to instructors with over 10 years of experience, you can learn the technical aspects of the sport, while tailoring it your individual pursuits.
Web: dynamitemuaythai.com
Insta: dynamitemuaythai
2. K T Muay Thai Gym – Martial Art of Kick Boxing
Location: Level 1/362, Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Price: Available upon request.
About: Kru Ting specialises in Muay Thai group classes, while also offering personal training and fighter training using the skills of Thai kickboxing. If you’re new to the sport of Muay Thai, you can be sure that Ting will teach you all the strong basic foundations that will set you up for great success as you continue to progress towards the more advanced stages.
Web: ktmuaythai.com
3. Prestige Gym Melbourne
Location: Level 2, 181 King Street, Melbourne
Price: From $30 a week.
About: At Prestige Gym in Melbourne, you won’t just learn the basics, but you’ll learn how to decode the complicated technical and tactical intricacies that go into the most advanced Muay Thai performances, too. The gym also covers boxing and kickboxing as well as the sport of Muay Thai and ensures you are still given the attention to pursue your individual goals. You’ll first learn how to strike with basic punches and kicks, before adding on the knees, elbows and clinching techniques.
Web: prestigegym.com.au
4. Fitness and Martial Arts Centre Melbourne
Location: Basement/446 Collins Street, Melbourne
Price: From $19.90
About: If you’re after a workout that will see you breaking out a sweat in minutes, don’t look past FMC Melbourne. With 24/7 access, this state-of-the-art fully equipped fitness and marital arts gym caters to people of all levels. With spacious mats and cage areas combined with gym equipment and a weights area, it means you can engage in the martial arts-style circuit training, or look to the other facilities to get you closer to your goals as far as training and muscle building is involved.
Web: fmcmelbourne.com.au
Instagram: fmcmelbourne
5. Australian Combat Sports Academy
Location: 325a Darebin Road, Thornbury
Price: From $47
About: As Melbourne’s premier destination for mixed martial arts training, ACSA offers a range of training techniques, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and even Krav Maga. When it comes to Muay Thai, the classes here are run by head coach, Phillip Lai who has over 10 years of training and fighting experience in the discipline. Classes generally incorporate footwork drills, shadow boxing, technique partnered drilling, conditioning, and sparring.
Web: acsamelbourne.com.au
Instagram: acsamelbourne
6. Legends MMA & Fitness
Location: Level 1/362 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Price: From $55 per week.
About: At Legends MMA & Fitness, you can train with the best. Led by head Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor David Younan, the gym covers a variety of disciplines including mixed martial arts and Muay Thai. The best part is that as well as offering the kind of technique and training you’d expect of top-level athletes, Legends MMA also offers recovery and mobility sessions throughout the week so you can improve mobility and flexibility, something that’s crucial to success in the sport.
Web: legendsmma.com.au
Instagram: legendsmmafitness
7. Elev8MMA
Location: 25 Kolora Road, Heidelberg West, Victoria
Price: Free trials available and prices available upon request.
About: Along with Muay Thai, Elev8MMA also offers a range of training styles, including functional fitness classes, yoga, and even freestyle Olympic wrestling – safe to say, you’ll never be bored stepping foot into this gym. When it comes to Muay Thai, the training caters to all levels and is aimed for fun, fitness and self-defence.
Web: elev8mma.com.au
Instagram: elev8_mma
8. Morakot Muaythai Gym
Location: 19 Duffy Street, Epping, Victoria
Price: 7 day intro pass valued at $29 for new students
About: Each session at Morakot delivers elite level training and coaching from the best. The great thing about Morakot Muaythai Gym is that you’ll find a diverse range of athletes all looking to brush up and improve their skills and endurance. Catering to different ages, backgrounds and cultures, the gym prides itself on being a safe space for those looking to share their passion for the sport and learn from the best.
Web: morakot.com.au
Instagram: morakotmuaythaigym
9. Absolute Mixed Martial Arts
Location: 136 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Price: Free trial classes available
About: With a focus on modern and proven training methods, systems and techniques, you’ll be learning from the best at Absolute MMA. Catering to students of all abilities and stages, the training covers the basics while also adapting to your individual needs and personal goals. As well as skilled Muay Thai practice, Absolute MMA also offers fitness and weights programs to supplement your training so you get the most out of the fighting technique.
Web: absolutemma.com.au
Instagram: absolutemmamelb
10. Extreme Mixed Martial Arts – MMA Melbourne
Location: 660 Warrigal Road, Malvern East, Victoria
Price: Available upon request, 30 day free trial offered.
About: At Extreme MMA, you will find some of the most seasoned professionals in the industry. This gym has looked to make world-class coaching readily available to the community, and in doing so they have brought together a team of professional instructors and accomplished champions from all around the world, trained in a range of disciplines. Whatever your level of Muay Thai, you can be sure Extreme MMA will cater to you and see you progress with great success.
Web: extrememma.com.au
