After staying in Phuket for two weeks, I flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand which has become a popular destination in recent years with its scenic mountains, forests, farms, elephant sanctuaries, and nature excursions. Like Phuket and Bangkok, Chiang Mai also has a number of Muay Thai gyms and there are Muay Thai fight cards held around town several nights a week. While Muay Thai is still the national sport in Thailand, there are still three places for BJJ nomads to roll in Chiang Mai. I was able to drop into two great gyms while I was there for a week.
My first stop in Chiang Mai was Chiang Mai Fight Fit, which opened this past Fall. The facility, is on the fourth of a shopping mall/office building on the north-side of Chiang Mai. The first floor of the mall hosts numerous computer shops where you can find deals on gadgets or get your laptop fixed. The gym is pretty spacious and brand-spanking new. Nat, the owner of the gym, trained with the Chiang Mai University club and has a very entrepreneurial spirit. While he was studying architecture in college, he purchased and operated a bed & breakfast in Chiang Mai. He has fought in MMA in Bangkok and is very passionate about martial arts. He has built a very beautiful gym complete with a ring, plenty of mat space lined with Dollarmur mats, and a large Cross Fit and fitness class space.
I dropped in for the open mat at 3:30 PM on a Saturday and found two black belts on the mat as well as a number of other students rolling as well. Since Chiang Mai is a tourist town, I wasn’t the only visitor on the mats that day. Like most open mats, it was a mix of rolling and hanging out in a very fun and laid back training environment. There is definitely a super-friendly vibe at the gym. An Australian ex-pat, who owns a black belt in Judo and purple belt in BJJ, took pity on me and gave me a ride back to my guest house on the back his scooter.
The second gym I visited was the very well known Team Quest Thailand gym on the south-side of Chiang Mai. The city itself is pretty small, so a cab ride from the center of the Old City neighborhood where many tourists reside to Team Quest will run you roughly $3 to $6. While Chiang Mai Fight Fit is a modern gym in an office building, Team Quest is straight old school. The gym is located off a hidden residential street in a suburban area and resembles a large compound converted into a fight camp. The only people that will see the gym are the ones who are specifically looking for it.
The gym is affiliated with the famed Team Quest gym that produced Randy Couture, Matt Lindland and Dan Henderson back in the states and is run by their former training partner Dylan Fussell. Their BJJ program is run by third degree black belt Bruno Carvalho. While Chiang Mai Fight Fit reminds me of my home gym which caters to working professionals and families, Team Quest feels like a fighting gym where Rocky Balboa would train. There is a semi-enclosed Muay Thai area with a ring, bags and puzzle mats. Next to it, is a grassy field with weights and other fitness equipment where strength and conditioning sessions are held. The BJJ and wrestling classes are held in the indoor section of the complex with an open garage door since it is hot and humid in Chiang Mai. The open mat session I attended also had a number of tourists looking to get a quick workout in between the sightseeing.
Both gyms were great spots to train and get a roll in while I was on the road. With Chiang Mai being a very popular tourist destination, each school offers daily and short-term pricing plans for tourists. I would highly recommend dropping into both gyms while you are in Chiang Mai. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to get to train at Chiang Mai University’s BJJ club while I was in town, but I heard many great reviews about the club.
you must be really stupid idiot.
You write the article without give basic information like prices