Muay Thai and Kickboxing
มวยไทย "the art of eight limbs"
Pad work, bag work and serious fitness. Best for older kids and teens.
- Comes from
- Thailand and worldwide
- Type
- Striking, punches, kicks, knees
- Usual start
- Usually 8 and up
- Olympic
- No
- Typical cost
- $120 to $250 a month
- Ranks
- Usually none
In one minute
Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand and uses punches, kicks, knees and elbows, plus clinch fighting. Kickboxing usually allows punches and kicks only. In practice, kids' classes at both kinds of gym look much alike: lots of pads, bags and conditioning.
These gyms offer a fantastic workout and effective striking. They also involve more direct contact than most traditional arts, so ask how sparring works before signing up, and look for a real youth program rather than an adult gym with a few kids.
Inside a class
What a class looks like
A typical 60 minute youth class, minute by minute.
- 10 minSkipping and warm upJump rope, footwork, mobility
- 10 minShadowboxingStance, guard and combinations in the air
- 15 minTechniqueJab, cross, roundhouse kick, teep
- 20 minPads and bagsRounds on pads held by coaches or partners
- 5 minConditioningCore work and cool down
About 60 minutes in all.
Ranks and progress
Most gyms have no belts. Some use armband grades. Progress usually looks like this.
- 1FundamentalsStance, guard and basic strikes on pads
- 2Light technical sparringControlled, with full gear, usually for older kids
- 3Interclub sparringSupervised sessions with other gyms
- 4Amateur boutsTeen divisions with strict youth rules
In pictures
A great fit for
- Teens who want a hard workout
- Kids who find traditional classes too slow
- Older children who want real striking
Think twice if
- Your child is under eight
- Young kids do hard sparring
- There is no separate youth program
Month by month
The first year of Muay Thai and Kickboxing
What a child training about twice a week usually learns. Every school sets its own pace.
- Weeks 1 to 4Stance, guard and basic strikes
Stance, the jab, cross and teep (push kick), and conditioning.
- Months 2 to 4Kicks and knees on pads
Roundhouse kicks, knees and combinations on Thai pads.
- Months 5 to 8Clinch and defense
Blocking kicks, basic clinch work and partner drills.
- Months 9 to 12Light technical sparring
For older children at some gyms, light and controlled, in full gear.
Safety and contact
Sparring
Light technical sparring for older kids at some gyms; many keep children on pads.
Head contact
Head contact can happen in sparring; ask how much and from what age.
Common injuries
Shin and foot bruises, knocks in sparring.
Ask the school: Choose a gym that keeps young students on pads and bags and limits head sparring.
What it costs
Typical US ranges. Prices vary a lot by city and school.
| Monthly tuition | $120 to $200 |
|---|---|
| Gloves and wraps | $40 to $80 |
| Shin guards | $40 to $80 |
| Shorts | $25 to $50 |
Gear and when you need it
Don't buy everything up front. Most of it waits until later.
| Gloves and hand wraps | From the start |
|---|---|
| Shin guards | For partner kicking drills |
| Mouthguard | For any partner work |
| Headgear | If the gym allows sparring |
Signs of a good school
- A separate kids' or teen class
- Children mostly on pads and bags
- Clear sparring rules and full gear
- Coaches who focus on technique over toughness
Red flags
- Hard sparring for young kids
- Elbows taught to children
- No headgear in sparring
- A "toughen them up" attitude
Words you'll hear in class
- Teep
- Push kick
- Wai kru
- Ritual dance of respect
- Clinch
- Standing grapple
- Thai pads
- Large pads for kicks
- Kru
- Teacher
- Mongkol
- Traditional headband
Myths and facts
MythMuay Thai is too violent for kids.
FactKids' classes are mostly pad work, fitness and technique.
MythKickboxing and Muay Thai are identical.
FactMuay Thai adds knees, elbows and the clinch; kickboxing rules vary.
MythYou need to be tough to start.
FactFitness and confidence come from training, not before it.
Questions parents ask
What age can kids start Muay Thai?
Most gyms take children from about 8.
Is Muay Thai safe for kids?
Pad and bag work is safe; the key question is how much head contact happens in sparring.
Is Muay Thai good for fitness?
It is one of the hardest, most complete workouts in any sport.
Do kids use elbows in Muay Thai?
Usually not; elbows are generally banned for children.
Find a Muay Thai and Kickboxing class near you
Search by ZIP code, see what's close, and use our checklist when you visit.
Find a classStart reading
Our guides to Muay Thai and Kickboxing, written for parents.
Striking sportsMuay Thai and kickboxing for kids: what age, how safe, and what to askA parent's guide to Muay Thai and kickboxing for children and teens: how they differ, what kids' classes involve, contact and safety, starting ages, gear, costs and how to choose a gym.
Striking sportsBoxing for kids: fitness boxing, amateur bouts and what pediatricians sayA parent's guide to boxing for children: the difference between non-contact boxing fitness and competitive boxing, how USA Boxing runs youth bouts, head-injury concerns and the AAP position, gear, costs and how to choose a gym.
Self-defenseKids MMA: is mixed martial arts a good idea for children?What kids MMA classes really teach, how they combine wrestling, jiu-jitsu and striking, rules for youth competition, safety and head contact, the right age to start and how to judge an MMA gym's kids program.How it compares
Side-by-side guides for parents weighing Muay Thai and Kickboxing against other styles.
Style vs styleMuay Thai vs boxing for kids: which striking sport is right for your child?Muay Thai and boxing compared for children and teens: what each teaches, starting ages, head contact and safety, fitness, competition, gear, cost and how to choose a good gym.
Your childSafest martial art for kids: injury risk and head contact by styleWhich martial arts are safest for children? Common injuries in each style, head contact and concussion risk, how kids' rules protect young athletes, and the safety questions to ask any school.
Your childStarting martial arts as a teenager: is it too late?Can a teenager start martial arts from scratch? Which styles suit teen beginners, what classes look like, catching up with younger students, self-defense, fitness and how to choose a school.
