Muay Thai is the art of eight limbs, striking with fists, elbows, knees, and shins plus the clinch, and Apex Jiu Jitsu & MMA teaches it at both its Ashburn and Sterling academies in Virginia. Kids 6–9, Youth 10–13, Teens 14–17, and Adults 18+ can train at either academy, and your first class is free.
What it is
Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand. It is called the art of eight limbs because it strikes with punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, and it adds the clinch, a standing tie-up where you control your partner's posture and strike from close range. Where boxing lives at punching distance, Muay Thai gives you a weapon for every range: kicks from the outside, punches in the middle, and elbows, knees, and clinch work up close.
The heart of Muay Thai training is the pad round. Your partner or coach holds pads and calls strikes, and you answer with combinations that flow from hands to kicks to knees. Pad rounds sharpen timing and power, and they are a serious workout on their own. Around them, classes work stance and footwork, checking and blocking kicks, and the clinch, where grips, balance, and posture decide who lands the knee.
Apex teaches Muay Thai at both academies, keeping one coaching standard across both academies and two schedules to choose from. Adult Muay Thai runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at each location.
Muay Thai and kickboxing at Apex. At the Sterling academy, kickboxing and Muay Thai are taught together in combined classes on the Muay Thai calendars, and booking labels those classes Kickboxing & Muay Thai. If kickboxing is what you searched for, the Kickboxing page explains what a kickboxing-first student gets in the same class. At the Ashburn academy, the classes are booked as Muay Thai.
If you are still choosing an art, read our Muay Thai vs. boxing guide, see Boxing, or look at MMA, where Muay Thai striking meets wrestling and jiu-jitsu.
Who it is for
Muay Thai works for complete beginners, athletes coming over from other sports, and experienced strikers who want structured pad work. You do not need to arrive fit to start; the rounds get easier as your conditioning builds week by week.
- Kids 6–9: striking fundamentals in a high-energy, structured class. Pads, movement, and focus come first, with controlled contact throughout.
- Youth 10–13: pad rounds, combinations, and footwork with clear structure. Youth share the Kids mat time, and the coach splits the room so each group gets partners its own age.
- Teens 14–17: real technique that prepares teens for adult-level training, taught during the adult class times with the room split by group.
- Adults 18+: the full art of eight limbs, with pad rounds, clinch work, and optional sparring for every level.
Both academies offer all four bands. Age bands guide placement, and the coach adjusts for size, maturity, and experience. Kids and Youth Muay Thai run in the early evening at both academies, with the teen and adult classes later at night. At the Ashburn academy they fall on the same nights, back to back, so a parent and child can train one after the other.
What a first class looks like
Book a free Muay Thai class online (at the Sterling academy, choose Kickboxing & Muay Thai), then arrive about 10 minutes early. After the waiver, the coach will ask about your experience and anything physical to work around.
A structured warm-up gets you moving first. Then comes technique: the coach shows a short combination, perhaps a jab, cross, and round kick, and you drill it with a partner, swapping between striking and holding pads. The last block is live work. As a beginner, you can keep drilling on the pads rather than spar, and nobody will push you otherwise.
Dress in athletic clothes, bring water and a towel, and leave the gear shopping for later; no equipment is needed for a first class.
At Apex Jiu Jitsu & MMA Ashburn
8 classes a week
- Kids Muay Thai · Tue, Thu 6:15 PM
- Youth Muay Thai · Tue, Thu 6:15 PM
- Adult Muay Thai · Tue, Thu 7:15 PM
- Teens Muay Thai · Tue, Thu 7:15 PM
Age bands: Adults 18+, Kids 6-9, Youth 10-13, Teens 14-17
At Apex Jiu Jitsu & MMA Sterling
8 classes a week
- Kids Muay Thai · Mon, Wed 6:30 PM
- Youth Muay Thai · Mon, Wed 6:30 PM
- Adult Muay Thai · Tue, Thu 8:00 PM
- Teens Muay Thai · Tue, Thu 8:00 PM
Age bands: Adults 18+, Kids 6-9, Youth 10-13, Teens 14-17
Questions about Muay Thai Classes
Why is Muay Thai called the art of eight limbs?
Because it strikes with eight points of contact: two fists, two elbows, two knees, and two shins. Add the clinch, where fighters tie up at close range and strike with knees, and Muay Thai gives you a tool for every distance, from kicking range all the way in to chest to chest.
What is the clinch, and when do beginners learn it?
The clinch is standing grappling at close range: you control your partner's head and arms, off-balance them, and strike with knees. It is part of adult Muay Thai at Apex, and like everything else on the mat it is taught technique first, with intensity added only as your skill grows. When clinch work shows up in a given class depends on the coach's plan for that day.
Do I need to be flexible to kick?
No. Much of Muay Thai kicking goes to the legs and body, so you can throw useful kicks long before a high kick is realistic, and range of motion improves with regular training. Tell the coach about any hip, knee, or back issue before class, because drills can be adjusted to fit. Kicking well is mostly balance, hip rotation, and timing.
Should I start with Muay Thai or boxing?
Start with the one that excites you more, since both have free trial classes. Boxing concentrates on hands, head movement, and footwork. Muay Thai adds kicks, elbows, knees, and the clinch. Our Muay Thai vs. boxing guide walks through the choice in detail, and after booking one trial you can use Book another trial to try the other.
Can my teenager train Muay Thai with the adults?
Teens 14–17 train Muay Thai at the adult class times at both academies, and the coach splits the room so teens work with their own group at an age-appropriate intensity. That arrangement gives teens the pace and structure of an adult class while keeping partners matched to their age, size, and experience.
Train at either Apex academy
Choose Ashburn or Sterling, and find the schedule that fits your week.