1. Do you need any experience to join the studio?

Of course not. We encourage people who have never tried Kickboxing or Muay Thai to join us. Experienced people are also welcome.

2. What is the difference between Kickboxing and Muay Thai classes?

Kickboxing classes are geared for fitness-minded individuals. The class emphasizes basic punches, kicks and so on in order to get fit and stay fit. The focus in our Muay Thai classes are divided in two: sport & martial art. Sport Muay Thai is trained with gloves while the Martial Art version is trained with and without gloves, emphasizing self-defense applications.

3. Do you have physical contact with others while training? Can you get hurt?

For Fitness classes, there is no contact aside from hitting the bag and mitts. For Muay Thai, it's only in the higher levels where people train with each other through partner drills and sparring. As far as physical contact, this is all based on consent and qualification. In the higher levels, if the student is seeking this type of training and the instructor feels that he or she is ready, then the student can engage in sparring.

4. I have never done Muay Thai and have heard stories about the roughness involved in the training. Frankly, I'm a bit intimidated to even check out such a place. Are all Muay Thai places like this?

Absolutely not. We offer a non-intimidating approach towards teaching Muay Thai. The staff is friendly and so are all the students that train here. We have a culture of respect in our studio. Those who lack this respect don't really last very long or eventually kick themselves out. However, training is training and the results you attain comes from how much work you put into it.

5. What makes your place qualified and how does it compare to other Muay Thai or Martial art places?

We don't compare ourselves to other places as each school has their own methods of training. As far as qualifications, we have real experience fighting, learning and training with the best, and being one of the only places that offer all aspects of Muay Thai. Our experience is based on living and training in Thailand under the most knowledgeable Muay Thai experts. As qualified instructors, we have learned both the theory and application of Muay Thai as a sport, self-defense, and Martial Art system. From fighting in the ring, we know what to use, what to avoid, and what skills should be optimized. Outside the ring, scenarios are very different and can require a different set of skills. We address any issue that may arise and train accordingly. Aside from this, the concepts and principles of Muay Thai are all part of a systematic and meticulous, yet practical, training process. A necessary element towards becoming a true Martial Artist.

6. Muay Thai seems to be more of a workout or sport as opposed to a traditional Martial Art. Aside from hitting the pads and sparring, what else do you teach?

This is a misconception because real Muay Thai training involves proper breathing, stance, footwork, as well as forms and application of individual techniques along with the strategies and wisdom of the ancients. Training Muay Thai can be for sport, self-defense, fitness, or Martial Art. But a Muay Thai teacher has to be deeply knowledgeable. Few Muay Thai trainers know the different levels of Muay Thai aside from the competitive aspect. Some may claim to know classical Muay Thai or Muay Thai for self-defense, but only know a few known techniques or would lack fighting experience. Yet, even professional fighters who have outstanding fighting skills may not neccessarily understand how they themselves hit and avoid getting hit. Not everyone can explain and pass on their skills to others as teaching is an art in itself. Your trainer or teacher's background and ability to express his or her knowledge determines if you will learn Muay Thai for sport, self-defense or Martial Art as well as how deep you can get into Muay Thai.

7. How can I maintain a good workout routine?

You should find time to exercise regularly. One of the best ways to do this is to stay motivated and focused with your fitness goals. With Kickboxing, becoming more proficient with punching and kicking can add that extra motivation and focus. It can also be about having an alternative workout routine that's more that doing regular cardio and weight lifting. Train smart and don't injure yourself during workouts. For this, it really helps to find a professional training facility. Knowledgeable trainers can provide advice on how to maximize your workouts, prevent injuries and stimulate motivation. Pace yourself so that you won't burn out completely while training. We can't emphasize this enough, especially for newbies. The ability to pace is usually learned after taking a few classes. For Kickboxing, one of the greatest motivation aside from achieving results is the fact that the workouts are purposeful. In other words, our Fitness Kickboxing classes emphasize doing upper and lower body movements that maximize power, explosiveness, agility, speed, and coordination. It also develops focus and an increased sense of awareness. In fact, taking our classes teach you how to defend yourself.

8. What are the benefits of getting in shape?

Keeping a healthy lifestyle is important in many ways. It can keep you energized all day. It can relieve unwanted stress from work or school. It provides a means of developing coordination, alertness, and real confidence. According to Money mag, Nov 09, "Getting fit doesn't just feel good. It can cut your bills. The typical obese American incurred $1,429 more in health-care costs in 2006 than someone with a healthy weight." All these benefits, as well as, learning how to punch and kick your way into shape is what you can expect to attain in both our Muay Thai and Fitness Kickboxing programs.

9. What should I wear when I take classes?

For fitness classes, just wear something comfortable. You are also allowed to wear workout shoes, not street shoes. For Muay Thai classes, a uniform is provided upon sign up. No shoes are allowed on the mat area.

10. What is Ancient Muay Thai and how come I haven't seen it offered in many Muay Thai schools?

Ancient Muay Thai, aka Muay Boran, is the original Muay Thai that existed prior to Muay Thai becoming a national sport in Thailand. In the old days, fighters learned this skill to become soldiers for the king and fight for the country, or engage in empty hand combat with only hard rope wrapped on a fighter's hands. Back then, fights did not have the rules they have in today's Muay Thai fights. Ancient Muay Thai fighters used any skills they had available, including grabbing, throwing, rolling and breaking moves. They were even able to poke an opponent's eyes, disable or kill since each fighter from the past had to sign a death agreement prior to fighting. Only a handful of real teachers from the ancient style exist today even in Thailand. There maybe some who claim to know Muay Boran from learning a few techniques or watching videos, yet what they teach is still mainly the modern version with a few classical moves. For those fortunate enough to learn from the real teachers of Muay Boran, they know that most of them did not show all their moves to most students, especially if one only learned for a few weeks or a few months. Furthermore, the real teachers have also been known to hold back, omit subtle details that could drastically change the effectiveness of any technique, and even misguide students who have not met their set of strict guidelines. As the saying goes, it's one thing to know the techniques and it's another thing to master and apply them.

11. Aside from your great programs, what else makes your place special?

We take care of our students. We know how to asses each individual's needs and provide them with the guidance and support to achieve their personal goals. Our programs were created from experience and we have no gimmicks. So students really learn original and authentic Muay Thai. Plus, our studio is always clean and free from the odors you may get from a neglected or less sanitized training facility. BRK is a supportive and respectful environment where students get to focus on their individual growth.

12. What makes Muay Thai as a Martial Art different from Muay Thai as a sport or competition?

Muay Thai practiced as a Martial Art uses all the body parts as weapons. Not only does it include the use of fists, elbows, knees and shins, it also makes use of the tip of the shoulders, fingers, feet, chin as well as other parts of the body as weapons. Furthermore, Muay Thai as a Martial Art has many defensive techniques that are also used offensively. Nowadays, Muay Thai as a sport incorporates modern rules and regulations, different weight classes, the use of gloves, restrictions on certain techniques, and so on. Unlike the sport, which focuses on intensive cardio training, power hits, and non-stop attacks, Muay Thai as a Martial Art teaches one how to avoid hits, how to defend rather than just attack, how not to simply rely on power alone, how to be proficient without the use of gloves, and how to be a smart fighter. The goal of Muay Thai as a Martial Art is not winning a fight, rather, it's to survive a real attack on the streets, to be fair, to respect others, and help those in need. Muay Thai teaches one to be a good person who values the martial way of living.

13. Is it true that a real Muay Thai school must train with clinching techniques?

99% of Muay Thai camps, including those in Thailand train with clinching. Why? Because this is part of the techniques fighters use in ring fights. When you learn how to clinch, it can be used to pull an opponent for a knee, hug to look busy in front of the crowd and judges, or avoid a direct hit from your opponent by staying close. These are all ring strategies applied in modern day Muay Thai fights. While we can teach clinching to our students, the goal of defending one's self on the streets are not the same as in the ring. If you engage in a clinch, you will most likely end up grappling afterwards. It's also a way to drain the energy out of your opponent. On the streets, unless you plan to follow up with ground fighting, it's adviseable to focus on striking range. There are differences between clinching and grabbing, with the latter usually applied as a follow-up in Muay Thai.

14. Can we spar right away?

No. We have specific ways of teaching and beginners will have to get used to our methods before they can advance to the level of sparring. Even if you have experience sparring in other places, each school is different, so you must get used to how we do things before sparring is allowed. For us, sparring is another training tool to work your techniques in real time. There is light, medium and heavy sparring. To get to this level, you must be able to show proficiency in your body weapons and have the ability to protect yourself appropriately. This is all determined by your trainer. We don't favor sloppy moves or 'slugging it out' in sparring. Yes, a person with heart can win over technique in many cases, but we are a Muay Thai school and it's our responsibility to teach students Muay Thai skills, not just put them in the lion's den so to speak. When it's time, sparring can become an effective part of your normal training regimen.

15. What are the benefits of Kickboxing as a regular exercise routine?

Kickboxing has many benefits. This includes loosing fat, getting a firmer body, improving coordination, gaining endurance, learning how to pace oneself, stress relief and anger management, throwing proper punches and kicks, increasing self-confidence, achieving personal fitness goals, and simply having a healthy and productive lifestyle. Such accomplishments relates to everything we do in life. It can keep us motivated, alert, aware of our surroundings, confident in social and career settings, less high strung and more patient with people, strong and active. Remember that plenty of great leaders and CEOs have been very active, played competitive sports, or trained in martial arts. So why not develop an effective training routine and see how far it takes you!

16. Why do MMA fighters train in Muay Thai or use Muay Thai in their fights?

Because Muay Thai has a no non-sense approach to stand-up fighting in the ring or octagon. When fighters apply Muay Thai moves, they feel confident with the relative ease of throwing a knee, elbow, or round kick. Of course, these moves still need to be trained for accuracy, timing and power. But since modern Muay Thai has been a full blown national sport in Thailand for many years, it's hard to find another stand-up style that can compliment MMA. In fact, other martial artists have also been learning Muay Thai to improve their skills.

17. Is Muay Thai very brutal?

Muay Thai is very intense and can seem brutal in the ring. This is because Muay Thai fighters train themselves to be physically strong. The way in which sport Muay Thai is trained emphasizes power and endurance. Muay Thai fighters harden their bodies and learn to hit as hard as they can. But there is another side to the tough training that emphasizes form, culture and the art of real Muay Thai. This is the deeper side of Muay Thai attained in the higher levels, where training and art come together. Therefore, to learn only the physical training used and seen in the ring can be brutal. But getting deeper into the principles, proper mindset, and art of Muay Thai is not. It's a discipline which involves focus, strategy and peace of mind. When the body ages, it can no longer deliver and take such brutal hits. A true practitioner of Muay Thai has the ability to redirect and pacify brutal attacks in any given situation.

18. What do you learn in Muay Thai?

As technicians, we value proper form and execution. Students will learn everything from the basic footwork to defense in order to build a strong foundation. The body weapons will also be introduced. To do Muay Thai properly, one must have a solid stance, be able to defend against any attack, and deliver body weapons effectively as well as efficiently. It can be a plus to be big or strong. But how would you handle an opponent just as big or strong as yourself, if not bigger or stronger? The answer is to have better or more effective techniques so one does not have to rely on power alone. Aside from proper execution, one must also train to deal with hard attacks. The strategies of attacking instead of defending, attacking the attack, and the use of proactive weapons will also be learned.

19. What do you develop in Muay Thai?

With a solid foundation, students will apply all the different techniques in Muay Thai. There is no substitute for repetitious training of specific moves, but proper guidance is critical. Students will increase their knowledge of combinations and be able to apply them in sparring mode. There are both minor and major techniques, depending on the situation and each must be explained in great detail. These are learned independently, then as part of a set. As for combos, they are practiced in a sequence. Students will train with one or more partners to improver reaction time. For street applications, finishing moves will be included. Strategy is implemented and each student will eventually understand their strengths and develop their own preferences. It's important to note that, in order to advance, each student must learn as much techniques, combos, and strategies as they can, then decide what's right for them. The goal is not just about using all the moves you learned, but about absorbing and mastering a few that suits you best.

20. What makes your place stand out from the rest?

We don't really consider ourselves a typical gym, we are more of a Muay Thai school with a real comprehensive curriculum unlike any other. We teach our students from basic to advance levels rather than just having them hit the bags and spar. Our programs are based on quality training and learning a complete martial art system, which includes the concepts, techniques, strategies, culture, and philosophy of authentic Muay Thai.

Aside from our Muay Thai, we provide a safe, modern and clean environment. We put attention to detail, from our custom elevated full size ring, top of the line mats, Muay Thai bags and other training essentials. Once you stop by our place, you'll see why we have been nominated Best Martial Arts School for Arcadia. Set with the highest modern standards in mind, Broken Rhythm is both serious and fun, where tradition is in the training.