Korean Job Discussion Forums

beckett · Joined: 22 Jul 2009 Location: Ireland

Anyone reccomend some muay thai gyms in seoul I am a complete novice but would be interested in taking up this martial art. I live in Dunchon in Gangdong

Thanks

frankly speaking · Joined: 23 Oct 2005

I don't understand why study a Thai form of fighting in Korea. Why not study Tae Kwon Do? I also find it ironic because most Thai People consider practicing or doing MuyThai kind of low class. Tae Kwon Do is popular for it's aerobic nature and can be practiced as an exercise and not just a fighting form. However, MuyThai is purely a way to fight. Unless you study some Western bastardized version like ThaiBo.

dharma bum · Joined: 15 Jun 2004

you might have answered your own question there. muay thai's a pure fighting form, so i'm guessing the op's just looking to learn how to fight if that's the discipline he/she has chosen to pursue...

also, to answer the original question, i've heard of one gym up near sungshin women's university and another in yongsan. there's also a gym out in the sinchon/hongdae area. i can provide further information if you're interested...

Hyeon Een · Joined: 24 Jun 2005

BrassMonkey · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

Thread starter. Muay Thai is alive and well in Korea. For a gym in your local area following this link http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f61/ and going to the Korean forum is a good place to start.

Also put 무에타이 (Muay Thai) into a naver search with the name of local areas. Something will probably pop up though you'll probably need someone to help you translate.

Good luck with your training, in one of the most intense, tested and physically demanding stand up combat styles there is! Sawadee Khap!

As far as Frankly Speaking comments go, so much I feel like saying, so certain it would be so pointless. I'll just put a link featuring a Muay Thai fighters knee strikes being measured and MMA legend and former dutch Muay Thai champion Bas Ruttens Kicks being measured.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjPnLjvvrs

[/quote]

Darkray16 · Joined: 09 Nov 2008

Davew125 · Joined: 11 Mar 2007

i trained at a great gym near sungshin womens university about a year back, before i moved south. My Geograpical knowledge of Seoul isnt what it used to be but if thats anywhere near you then PM me and i'll give you a few more details.

riverboy · Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Location: Incheon

One of the reasons why you don't see a lot of good TKD guys fighting outside of TKD is that they get paid really well to fight Gyorigi style rules in the Korean pro circuit, have their own gym or they are teaching in the army.

That being said, Muai Thai is superior to TKD in a one on one context to a large degree. I often find the debate over martial arts here a little over the top. Each art has merits and demerits. In self defense, I think the most practical art is pure boxing, but I practice TKD for it's flexibility, philosphy and the fact that it focuses on leg conditioning.

It really depends on what you want and if a good gym is nearby.

I'd love to give Muai Thai a try, but I enjoy TKD a great deal as well.

fermentation · Joined: 22 Jun 2009

In a pure one on one fight, Muay Thai is far superior to many fighting styles, including TKD. And the poster dissing Muay Thai doesn't know much about it. Muay Thai wouldn't be the most popular sport in Thailand if so many Thais considered it "low." Even if they did, why would that affect your desire to learn it?

As for gyms near Gangdong, I found two with a Naver search.

정무관무에타이전문도장 02-428-2878
승리관 02-478-0212 - This one's a MMA gym so it might not be exactly what you're looking for.

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

beckett · Joined: 22 Jul 2009 Location: Ireland

Thanks for the help and feedback lads!

BrassMonkey · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

beckett

Expect to pay upwards of 80 000won per month.

If you get serious about training I seriously recommend you check out www.rosstraining.com The conditioning books are great. I also feel that a scientific approach to sport is not always all it could be in Korea. I think you will be able to find someone with decent knowledge of Muay Thai but they may have ideas about diet and conditioning which I would personally question.

My old (Korean) trainer, who I respected and valued as a trainer, recommended I eat chocolate a a couple of hours before fighting for "energy." I politely disagreed! I achieved some things I was very happy as a Thai boxer last year. That was a combined result of following my trainers technical advice while implimenting my own condition program based heavily around the ideas from the Infinite Intensity book on Ross Enamite's website.

Hope this is useful. All the best!

riverboy · Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Location: Incheon

Forbidden-Donut · Joined: 17 Jul 2007

gakduki · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

There is a Muay Thai gym in Bangbae dong, and the same guy owns one in Daechi Dong and somewhere north of the river. Just search Muay Thai in Seoul on google, you will find people talking about various locations in other Daves threads and more. Better yet, get a Korean co-worker to run a NAVER search for you.

For those fools defending TaeKwonDo, get your head out of your I Love Everything Korean World and do some research. After practicing Muay Thai for a month you could beat a TaeKwonDo person who has been practicing for a year, given same size and flexibility. In an actual fight given no prior training.
Muay Thai strikes with the elbows, knees, legs, and hands. (Elbows may not be taught in the first month) Muay Thai targets the most vital points only, the floating rib cage, just about the knee and face. The blocking is done with the shins and the outter arms. Its meant for Combat. While you are traing for Muay Thai you are doing mostly one on one sparing and target striking. You do not all line up and do fancy kicks and combos with limited practicality. TaeKwonDo Is a martial ART.