Tiger Muay Thai, Phuket - Thailand

**RobAgle** · Posted On: 8/30/2008 10:54am

Spent over a month at this camp, from Late June to early August.

The good stuff first:

* They have a ton of space and equipment

*There are dozens of trainers, all experienced professional Thai Fighters

*They have an MMA program run by a pro MMA fighter. I didn't train in the MMA classes, so I didn't rate the "grappling" training, but the trainer is a purple belt in BJJ and from what I saw, he runs the classes well.

*Sparring 3 days a week with other students. Most gyms here only offer limited sparring with the trainers.

*Pro shop on site where you can buy anything you need

*helpful English speaking administration can help out with visa issues, accommodation, travel, etc

*They can help you get a fight in Thailand

The Not so good stuff:

*Classes are inconsistent and volatile. They can be tiny, or HUGE, Some days you train with 8 guys, some days there are 25 people.

*Transient feel. People are constantly coming and going. Classes reflect this and are mostly random, so it's difficult to build on what you've worked on previously.

*I started in the beginner program, since i've never specifically trained Muay Thai before. After 3 sessions, I was moved to the "intermediate" class. I couldn't tell a significant difference in the level of intensity or level of instruction. If anything, the beginner class was more demanding, with a stronger focus on conditioning.

*Limited one on one time with trainers - You only do about 3-5 rounds with a trainer per class, and this is sometimes interrupted or truncated due to large class sizes. With so many students in each class, if a trainer speaks to you specifically more than 5 times over 3 hours, it's a good day.

*Little to no development of technique unless you buy private lessons and develop a strong relationship with a trainer. The classes are structured so that random techniques are taught daily, and the trainers usually just yell "more pow-ah" or "come on mahhhhn" during the one on one pad training. To be fair, this is not always the case, a few of the better trainers will slow you down and correct your technique. Again, inconsistent.

Overall, I feel that this is a great club for two types of people:

1 - Experienced Muay Thai fighters who want to buy privates and/or train in the more structured advanced class.
2- Tourists looking for something fun to write home about

For someone like me who plans to live in Thailand for the next year or so, I couldn't make it my home gym. Too transiant, too impersonal. I'll miss the guys at the gym though!

Reccomendations:

1. Budget with 2-3 Privates a week in mind. Book with one of the VIP trainers, I personally recommend Nazee. The good trainers really are excellent and if you invest your training dollars with them, they will go out of their way to help you improve.

2. Stay at Momma's. The camp acommidations are more expensive, and not as nice. Momma and Hong down at "Forest Bungalows" will sort you out with a great little bungalow for about 9,000 Baht.

3. Rent a motorbike on weekends and see the Island. It's worth every penny.

Good luck and happy training!

**SevereMC** · Posted On: 6/02/2011 5:13pm

This is an old thread but thanks. This review was helpful.

**Master Betty** · Posted On: 6/16/2011 12:33pm

If you're going to Thailand to train seriously, then don't go to Tiger. It's not that it's bad when compared with most western gyms, it's just that there are loads of other gyms in Thailand offering a far far better training experience.

**Jall** · Posted On: 9/12/2011 2:04pm

Originally Posted by Master Betty

If you're going to Thailand to train seriously, then don't go to Tiger. It's not that it's bad when compared with most western gyms, it's just that there are loads of other gyms in Thailand offering a far far better training experience.

Not meaning to get all necroey here but please provide us with a list of these other gyms.

**Master Betty** · Posted On: 9/12/2011 3:35pm

Kiatphontip, jittis, sasiprapa, kaewsamnrit, paw pramuk amongst many many others. these are off the top of my head and definitely amongst the first choices i would make.

Most of whom will offer better quality of training at a cheaper price than Tiger. If you ever fight for one of these gyms, it'll be a real fight as well and not some tuktuk driver which tiger are notorious for.

the reason people go to tiger is because it's specifically marketed to westerners. The other gyms don't compromise - if you dont want to live and train like the thais then they don't really give you much options. But then.... that's why you're going right?

**Jall** · Posted On: 9/13/2011 2:07am

Originally Posted by Master Betty

Kiatphontip, jittis, sasiprapa, kaewsamnrit, paw pramuk amongst many many others. these are off the top of my head and definitely amongst the first choices i would make.

Most of whom will offer better quality of training at a cheaper price than Tiger. If you ever fight for one of these gyms, it'll be a real fight as well and not some tuktuk driver which tiger are notorious for.

the reason people go to tiger is because it's specifically marketed to westerners. The other gyms don't compromise - if you dont want to live and train like the thais then they don't really give you much options. But then.... that's why you're going right?

Thanks! I'll look into these.

**Master Betty** · Posted On: 9/13/2011 5:26am

Originally Posted by Jall

Thanks! I'll look into these.

no problem mate - be warned though that some of these gyms are SEVERELY lacking in creature comforts lol.

**ZenMMA** · Posted On: 4/18/2012 8:35am

I am currently training here, and it seems like things are pretty much the same.

What I would say is that they do some excellent S&C classes too which are a great supplement to the Muay Thai and MMA training.

I got some off site accommodation for 7000Bht (£140) a month, which is decent, aircon etc..

I had originally planned to go to Phuket Top Team and stay in accomodation organised by them, but when I arrived on Friday they had closed the camp, weren't answering their phones etc.. and I was left up shits creek, luckily I found some local accommodation thanks to a chance meeting with a friendly local. I didnt get any contact until the Monday fair do's it was a thai public holiday but the camp knew my arrival date etc.. and I felt kinda let down by them, so I decided to train at Tiger instead as they did have their camp open and were helpful and after walking around teh camp it was obvious they had a lot more equipment and a ton more space.

I am here for 2 months, I think I will do a month here at Tiger and then head over to Phuket Top team, the impression I get is PTT is a bit more intense as its a smaller camp with less students which means far more personal attention.

Interestingly the MMA instructor here is Ray Elbe, and he appears to have a bit of a reputation round here for having an ego.

eloneamigo · Posted On: 7/11/2012 2:58pm

Originally Posted by Master Betty

Kiatphontip, jittis, sasiprapa, kaewsamnrit, paw pramuk amongst many many others. these are off the top of my head and definitely amongst the first choices i would make.

Most of whom will offer better quality of training at a cheaper price than Tiger. If you ever fight for one of these gyms, it'll be a real fight as well and not some tuktuk driver which tiger are notorious for.

the reason people go to tiger is because it's specifically marketed to westerners. The other gyms don't compromise - if you dont want to live and train like the thais then they don't really give you much options. But then.... that's why you're going right?

Stay away from Por Pramuk, via my teacher who trained there.

**smackuforfree** · Posted On: 12/03/2012 6:04am

Was in Phuket in August,but trained at PBG, Patong Boxing Gym, had a look at Tiger, but, while more central, you would not know what you were doing day to day. PBG up on the Top of Karon Cliff is cooler, allocate you a trainer and you can discuss with the trainer what you are going to work on. Only takes 10 minutes on a moped to get there anyway.

All Gyms in Thailand will set you up for Fights, and if you want to spar just ask, half the Trainers at PBG were still fighting and a lot of the guys Training there too, so finding a sparing partner not an issue, unless you are a super heavy weight.

Tiger do have a lot of fighters at the Stadium each week, so it is definitely popular.

Training is twice a day at most Camps and is very hard going, Tiger had more Tourists, PBG was a lot more basic, equipment wise but had everything you need and was more full on, hard core.