Wanaka Martial Arts Muay Thai Boxing

Why Choose Muay Thai Boxing

Muay Thai, a traditional martial art from Thailand, brings an array of exceptional benefits to its practitioners.
One of the most prominent advantages of Muay Thai is its effectiveness as a high-intensity workout that promotes cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and endurance. The rigorous training regimen, which includes pad work, sparring, and conditioning drills, helps individuals develop overall athleticism and body coordination. Beyond physical gains, Muay Thai instills mental toughness and discipline, as practitioners must learn to persevere through challenging training sessions and confront their fears in the ring. The art also provides valuable self-defense skills, equipping individuals with the ability to protect themselves and build self-confidence. Additionally, Muay Thai training fosters a strong sense of community and camaraderie among its practitioners, creating a supportive environment for personal growth and motivation. Whether one aims to improve fitness, learn self-defense, or enhance their mental resilience, Muay Thai offers a well-rounded and fulfilling martial arts experience.

BENEFITS OF MUAY THAI BOXING

Self-Defense

The practicality of Muay Thai makes it an excellent choice for self-defense. It teaches you how to use your body’s natural weapons – fists, elbows, knees, and shins – effectively and powerfully. These techniques can be invaluable in real-world self-defense situations.

Physical Fitness

Muay Thai provides a full-body workout. It combines strength, cardio, flexibility, and agility training, promoting overall physical fitness. Regular practice improves muscle tone, core strength, stamina, and flexibility. It’s not just about becoming a better fighter, but also about becoming a healthier, stronger version of yourself.

Cultural Richness

Learning Muay Thai is also an immersion in Thai culture. It’s steeped in tradition, from the pre-fight dance ritual (Wai Kru Ram Muay) to the music played during bouts (Sarama). This cultural richness adds another layer of depth to the training experience.

Confidence Booster

Mastering the techniques and seeing improvements in your fitness and abilities over time is a major confidence booster. This increased self-confidence can have a positive impact on all areas of your life.

Sitnarong Thai Boxing is a traditional Muay Thai Boxing club teaching genuine, authentic Muay Thai, offering Adults and Kids Muay Thai not only in Wānaka but also at our affiliated schools in Woolston and Halswell. We can help you to get fit, learn how to defend yourself, improve self esteem, confidence plus meet new people and form new friendships while you develop elite level striking skills.

muay thai boxing programs

MUAY THAI

Our Muay Thai classes encompass not only physical fitness and self-defense skills but also the enhancement of self-esteem, confidence, and the opportunity to forge new connections and relationships. As you embark on the journey to cultivate exceptional striking abilities, age, proficiency, or fitness level pose no barriers, as our proficient instructors ensure each session is conducted within a secure and enjoyable environment.

Moreover, for those aspiring to test themselves in the competitive arena, we provide elite level Fighter Training through the Sitnarong Fight Team.

This collective of diligent, dedicated, and disciplined individuals consistently strives for personal growth and attainment both inside and outside the ring.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Having a strong base in both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai, the cornerstones of modern MMA, these sessions offer the possibility of further improvement in both striking and grappling skills. The MMA classes are well balanced and tailored to the needs of practitioners who are partaking in these sessions.

Regardless if you are a grappler who wants to improve their striking skills or a striker who wants to improve their grappling skills, or an aspiring or established MMA fighter our classes will offer you the challenge and skill level needed to improve in this popular and complex Martial Art.

TEENS MUAY THAI

For teens that either train Muay Thai or are ready to train in the adult BJJ classes (or both!), our teens membership provides access to all Wānaka Martial Arts regular adult classes. Unlike the kids programs, members in the teens program have access to classes year around. Please contact us if you or your teen have questions about training in the adult classes.

why choose us?

what makes wanaka martial arts the best

community

Welcoming and inclusive community. Flexible class schedules to suit your lifestyle. Join a community of positive, fun, and caring individuals all working towards a similar goal.

goals

Your objectives are our top priority. We design our programs to assist you or your child in achieving those goals. We can help you with confidence, focus, fitness, and weight loss.

instructors

Maintain a high level of professionalism, continually seeking to enhance their knowledge and teaching skills, while fostering a positive, supportive, and safe learning environment for all members.

safe facility

Well-maintained, secure, and organized space designed to accommodate different forms of martial arts training. The facility encourages a culture of respect and safety.

meet our team

Muay thai boxing instructors

lead coach

AJARN BRETT

Ajarn (Master) Brett trained directly under Sandy Holt and Grand Master Sken when living in the UK and himself was the British Light heavy weight champion and held several other titles. Head Instructor for MSA Sitnarong Muay Thai Australasia and MSA Sitnarong New Zealand, Brett is the coach of the MSA Sitnarong fight team and takes fighters by appointment only. Recently he was awarded his Masters (Ajarn) certification directly by Grand Master Sken after 30 plus years of loyal service. He ensures the training for the general students and fighters is of a very high standard and his fight training classes are intense. But the results speak for themselves with fighters from the club winning National TBA, National WKBF, National full contact Kyukoshin, South Island WKA and South Island WMC tiles. Ajarn Brett is available for private sessions, please enquire if you think they might be for you.

Coach

BRAD

Brad is a professional & award winning snow sports Olympic coach with multiple Olympic and X Games medalist athletes. Brad has a long time passion for martial arts with boxing experience and now 2-3 years training under Ajarn Brett Harrold in Sitnarong Muay Thai.

His classes are dynamic and energetic with a technical focus and intensity reflective of the teaching of Ajarn Brett. Brad is also available for private sessions.

COACH

BARNA

Barna started Muay Thai under the tutelage of Ajarn Brett, and loves to train and improve in this complex and highly effective martial art. Barna likes simple and efficient Thai combinations and his classes are focused on high volume, strength, cardio and conditioning training challenging the mind and body in order to improve each training session.