It is important to choose your Muay Thai instructor and gym wisely.

It is not uncommon for serious Muay Thai students to make a pilgrimage to Thailand to train and study. While finding a qualified Muay Thai instructor is becoming easier than it once was, it is still important to choose your instructor and gym wisely. At the very least, your trainer should be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the sport.

Keep in mind that while Muay Thai is a martial art, there is no belt system. Belt ranking as it is seen in other martial arts is considered by Muay Thai practitioners to be only a Western practice. The only “belts” that are earned in the sport are similar to those in professional boxing that are only earned after winning a major championship title fight.

 However, this may be changing. Much like how taekwondo was standardized in Korea and spread worldwide, there is a movement to standardize Muay Thai in an effort to increase participation and popularity around the world, as well as give the sport structure for both students and instructors. This may include the introduction of belt ranking along with instructor certification. However, this has yet to come to pass.