OC Muay Thai

Been a career endurance athlete and thought I’d try something new. I was originally interested in Muay Thai because I always knew that the conditioning was for real. After searching around at other gyms I quickly realized that I didn’t want to just mindlessly flail around and burn calories…
After coming to OC Muay Thai I quickly found that everything was completely mindful and physical work was a by-​product. Both David and Neil know exactly what they’re doing and very eager to help. The «gym climate» here promotes «mindful» hard work while maintaining a sense of humility/​humor. Technique and balance are the biggest themes that come to mind as it’s demonstrated clearly here how nothing works without a stable platform. Workouts typically start with 45 minutes of conditioning/​calisthenics before you get into any pad work. Emphasis is strongly place on core engagement and flexibility. Things are taught right here and floundering isn’t tolerated.
I’d highly recommend OCMT for someone who wants to work hard and truly feel «spent». OCMT offers real Muay Thai, not someone’s loose interpretation of Muay Thai. The two hour workouts in a non-​commercial setting give the opportunity to put yourself in a different mode where you can not only learn but also decompress from life stressors. The atmosphere here is very positive and I usually forget about having a 16 hour day when I walk out of there at 9pm. I feel very fortunate to have found OCMT and will continue to train here as l can.

I love this place! Oc Muay Thai has changed my life in many ways. I feel healthier physically and mentally.
David and Neil are amazing coaches. Their knowledge and skill in authentic Muay Thai is extensive and they genuinely care about helping their students learn and improve.
I was quite intimidated to join at first, but this place really caters to any fitness level you are in. Everyone here is humble and kind. The students here take their time to help and support each other. No egos in this house. I really am blessed and honored to have joined Oc Muay Thai.

Please ignore the one negative review from John D. This facility is by far one of the best. Great gym with a huge weight selection. They have mats and a cage for mma. Very clean. Neil is a great instructor that teaches true Muay Thai techniques. The gym is almost set up like a traditional Thai training camp. Dave is a great instructor as well. Always critiquing to dial in your skills and goes around to help everyone. There’s no meathead vibe at all. All good people with intentions to make each other better as a team. Regardless of your condition, this school is great for all levels.

Here it is, my 2^nd 5 star review. I don’t give these out lightly, but OCMuayThai deserves it.
This review has been a long time coming.
I decided last year that lifting heavy things repeatedly wasn’t cutting it, I needed something more than a bench press.
I started going to every «MMA» style gym I could find and tried out all of their «free trials».
Some places offered a day or two and others offered a month. I stayed and paid at one location for over a month because they offered everything from MMA and kick boxing to Jujitsu and Muay Thai. But they trained for about ⁴⁵⁄₆₀ minutes and I always felt like I needed just a little bit more afterwards.
I decided to check out the Oc Muay Thai for a free week. It was an hour out of my way and with a 2 hour training I have to dedicate 4+ hours to a work out… WORTH IT!
I ended up going for 2 months before I messed up my back. (work related not boxing)
I couldn’t keep up on the warm up with these guys, but was welcomed at my own pace. The work outs never got old and always had me on my toes.
The thing that got me hooked. They teach true Muay Thai! I was used to the Boxing styles everywhere else was teaching me and it crippled me in sparring against these guys.
I was told I was learning real authentic Thai Boxing at 3 other gyms but the second I stepped into the ring with OC Muay Thai, I had to correct EVERYTHING.
This gym is TOUGH, I left every night completely beat up and sore but 100% satisfied.

I feel extremely lucky to have stumbled upon (and had the guts to try) OC Muay Thai! When I first walked in, all I really wanted was to get stronger, faster, learn something new. I thought a martial art might be fun and it is completely outside my comfort zone– worst case scenario, I would leave with some funny stories.
Now, I have been coming in about 2 – 3 times every week for about a year! Yes, I have some funny stories and yes, everyday can be a humbling experience, however there is no other group of people I’d rather be training with! The coaches Dave, Neil, West are very good at making Muay Thai accessible for beginners, and ramping things up as you grow, which allows you to learn something everyday regardless of your level. Their passion for muay thai is clear, and it shows in their teaching. The students here are also what makes OC Muay Thai shine– everyone is friendly, motivated, and they help each other improve. If you are a beginner like I am, there is no need to fear! And if you are a more experienced fighter, there are students that have been training here for years! There is also a sparring night on Fridays for those looking to get down and dirty.
It honestly doesn’t matter what level, age, gender, size, fitness you are at, all you need is to come in with an open mind and a desire to learn. Aside from learning fundamentals in muay thai, I think I have gotten a lot stronger, flexible, and improved my attitude/​outlook. I also unintentionally started eating a bit healthier and drinking my weight in water since coming here, which are both plusses in my opinion. Do yourself a favor and try it out! It might just be the magic life pill you’re looking for!
P. s., they have equipment you can borrow/​rent and clean showers and locker rooms. So seriously, all you need to bring is yourself and alot of water!

Do not believe the review made by this psychopath John D!!! Everything he wrote in his review is all BS !!! If you had the chance to practice here, you will see past the lies and realize that you are in a place where successful people and results are occurring on a daily basis… only the nicest people train here especially Dave and Neil whom this person has so pathetically described in his «Ab Hominem» review. New people are given attention to, of both genders !!! I’m a guy and I get treated equally the same as everyone else !!! Like I said, come here to experience it yourself… (the people aren’t blind and dumb, John D. your review is the only one, false review…) then again every business has people like u around, just common and typical…

David and Neil spent many hours training and helping me to achieve my goals in Muay Thai. When I came in each day, I would learn something new and improve, slowly but surely. The workouts are tough and there are many moments within each class where the thought of resting creeps in, but they pushed me past each one of them, and as a result I improved.
The other students in the class vary in skill level but there are several who have been with David and Neil for many years. The ones who have stuck around are great fighters and push each other to get better while still slowing down to help the newbs (like me).
Over the years I’ve participated in many types of martial arts training, but this place, the training, the instructors, the other students; it really is the best. If you want to change your life this is the place to go.

I’ve only written one other Unilocal review ever, which was for an Italian restaurant. I’ve since given up pasta and the whole carby thing, but have taken up Muay Thai at OC Muay Thai. Actually both my wife and I have been members since April 2014 and we couldn’t be happier to have discovered the art and to have met David Jansson and Neil, the founder and lead coach, respectively. I know it’s a Unilocal cliché but I really would give more than 5 stars if allowed.
Both my wife and I had never done a martial art and of course we were more than a little intimidated. Especially since it’s Muay Thai, a foreign martial art of striking. But, the coaches and fellow students were welcoming and very helpful. I’m proud of all the gains my wife and I have made in terms of our fitness and in learning the art.
I’ve noticed that most reviews don’t actually go over a typical training session at OCMT, so I will take the next part of this review to give a brief overview of what to expect.
First you begin the session with a warm up walk that leads into a jog/​run for about 20 or 30 mins. This is to get you loose and warmed up for the training. Then there is almost always a pretty intense cardio workout meant to build up your strength and endurance. Think flipping tires, or sprinting, or burpees and push-​ups and sit-​ups, to name a few. Then you move on to the Muay Thai lesson. Usually every week has a theme. One week the jab, another kicks, or maybe it’s movement. This is where you learn the art. And it really is an art. As you are practicing the technique, the coaches come around and help correct your form and offer their advice to improve. A lot of the veteran students will also help out. Finally, you end the session with stretching.
In summation, I’d very much recommend OC Muay Thai. Hopefully this review helps.

David Janssen assaulted me in the parking lot and threatened to kick my ass. I might have it on my phone video.
Do yourself favor and run from this place, and this psychopath named David Janssen. The head instructor won’t teach much unless you are a female and he will train you one and one and give you his intensive devotion. When I first arrived at that place, I noticed that it had several cocky meat heads with egos at that gym. I decided to ignore them and do my thing. There was a trio of friends who signed up and they were never given any attention or detail in regards to anything. The Jr. instructor Neil was very moody, he had his good days, and his bad days. Meanwhile David would be very pushy to sell me his gloves and I was reluctant to. David was moody himself, some days he would be very talkative and cheerful, the next he would be appear depressed and annoyed. David once told me «theres no money in May Thai» and I was like woa! Did I just hear that???
I would come and do my thing, but dealing with moody people and getting screamed at by Neil for not doing my hand wraps in less than one minute was frustrating me. When it was time to spar, Neil’s words were «beat each other up».
Then to his egoist students, I would get dirty faces from one particular guy for no reason. This was very frustrating because I am a shy person and I try to get along with everyone, but I like to keep to myself. This guy’s ego was bigger than the gym, and it was just some punk kid with no actual street fighting experience in the hard streets of LA. This guy would stand in the corner of the ring and pretend he was God’s gift to earth and he would pretend he was Viktor Sagat from Street Fighter or something. Anyhow, the mini wanna be Sagat was always giving me dirty looks and his annoying antics really annoyed me.
I felt discouraged that David would allow people to act like meat heads in his gym and that there was hardly any discipline at OC Muay Thai. I felt that I had to bring my concerns to David about people’s egos and attitude. David’s response was to ignore them. David was more concerned about a group of women that were going to come and work out at his gym instead of my concerns. When I tried telling David that I would no longer be attending OC Muay Thai, he got irritated and he began criticizing me and threatened to KICK MY ASS. Following that, he assaulted me in the parking lot after I kept saying that I would not return and complained about Neil’s attitude. He threatened me with his lawyer. Wow!
I don’t think this type of attitude is what Grand Master Chai advocates.
There are other places that are better. But for me… I lost my motivation thanks to David and his people.
I will write more about my experience in this gym when I have time.

Please allow me to verbalize a word imagery in the theatre of your mind.
It has been a tremendous pleasure training with Coach David Jansson and his highly talented team of students and Instructors.
The benefits of Muay Thai under Coach Dave have had a profound effect on my life.
In my personal experiences at OC Muay Thai, i’ve witnessed incredible transformations. I’ve met and trained with men and women of all walks of life.
One thing is for certain, you will feel welcomed, and it will be challenging.
The program consists of learning «fundamentals» which is the foundation of any endeavor.
Through repetition and your own desire to learn, OC Muay thai really is an incubator of human potential.
The environment is ideal for whichever goal or path you wish to choose, as long as it involves moving forward.
«Don’t stop moving!» I can still hear Coach Dave. «Don’t stop moving, even if you have to crawl, never give up!» I still hear this now, even though I am 350 miles away. At OC Muay Thai, it is about making everyone better than they were when they walked through the doors. I know, because I have lived it, and I can testify to the benefits this place embodies.
My own personal experience started here 7 years ago, I was very unhappy with my life. I decided I would try Muay Thai. «Maybe it could help me?» I would tell myself. 7 years have gone by, and looking back, I am very grateful for the decision I made that day to go and check it out.
The students come here to learn, and work. Everyone does what they can, and the energy is incredible. I have overcome tremendous obstacles in my life by the lessons I have learned at this gym. People here are all willing to help each other. Everyone gets better, and after spending some time here, you will begin to see it immediately. The building blocks you will develop here carry far beyond any ring.
For the avid fighter, OC Muay Thai can give you the razors edge in the art of combat. The confidence and skill you can potentially develop are from techniques that have been BATTLEFIELD PROVEN. No gimmicks, no kick boxing, Real Deal Muay Thai. I can personally attest to this. The attention to detail at OC Muay Thai is superior to anything else you can find anywhere else but Thailand.
Do yourself a favor and come here. Change your life for the better. I know, because that is exactly what it has done for me.
«You have to earn it to keep it.»

I trained at OC Muay Thai only for a couple of weeks because I travel so much, but David and the team made a massive impact in my life, not only because the Muay Thai training was more than I expected, but because he provided so much value with his deep understanding of the art, other martial arts, body movement and most importantly… mindset.
Rather than «just a gym you train at»… the relationships created with the whole culture are something that is very rare. And… they’re not just relationships. they’re positive relationships that really help provide the support you need, especially if you make the decision to take the art seriously.
Everyone really goes above and beyond creating a culture and helping each other succeed.
It’s not easy if you want more out of it. they don’t baby you, but they push you to show you how strong you really are inside and it reflects externally.
But… it’s still perfect for beginners as well.

I am 27 now but I trained with David for a period of about 4 months when I was 18 and i can honestly say it was one of the happiest times of my life.

I started training here about 2 weeks ago, and I come in daily because it’s a great environment. I am completely new to the sport, so imagine how I felt on my first day: Intimidated, nervous, even frightened to get KO’ed. The thing is, it’s not easy. But, the quality is amazing. I researched and visited multiple gyms, but OC Muay Thai is by-​far the most intense, practical, friendly, and motivational place I’ve ever seen. The coaches are very knowledgeable, and you won’t have dull moments.
I decided to learn because I love the sport and appreciate the art. And you must also, else you wouldn’t consider training in Muay Thai. As a beginner, I’ve learned a great deal so far. The basics are fundamental, and those are definitely corrected.
Now, this place isn’t a joke. So, don’t come in thinking you will feel like a Sunflower swaying in a summer’s breeze. The good thing is that you start at your own pace, and gradually move up. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be slacking. Just stay dedicated and get better. Before you know it, you’ll be increasing your intensity. I’ll probably be here for years. It’s a great place. Try out the 7 day trial. Trust me, if you love the arts, you’ll stay.

The best thing I can say about this place is that I started in February and I keep coming back every week. All the coaches (Alex, Neil and Dave) are great! I find myself always learning something new each class. Either a new technique or skill, or something new about myself. From day one I never felt any intimidation from the veteran students. Everyone is there to learn, work hard and get better. Put in the hard work and you’ll definitely see results. You just might get as addicted as I am.

I have been going for 2 years now and training has been so good here I could not think of a better place to go for physical and mental preparation. Adept pad work focused sessions where you just concentrate on particular attack or combination, with muscle memory and mental edge where just becomes natural in your daily habits. I have a small business I am building and practice and training at OC Muay Thai not only prepares you in martial arts buy carries thru to everything else you do cause of the high caliber training you practically don’t get anywhere else and the trainers and people are awesome. Once you get into a rhythm in training here it’s very difficult to stay away from this place!

Had a great work out experience last Saturday. Come here if you want to try a brand new experience in a no sales pressure and all fun atmosphere. The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to «fighting gym» work outs is pure intimidation. Please dispel that myth the minute you walk through the door. These are some of the nicest people (guys and girls, instructors and clientele) you will ever meet and they will assist you at all levels, whether you are a beginner or a pro. Just bring some water and be prepared for a complete sore body the next day (in a good way). Don’t be lazy, get your fat ass here — I did!

OC Muay Thai is hands down THEE best gym to train REAL Muay Thai in Orange County. Trainers and the facility are legit. It’s the real deal baby!

I wanted to learn a fighting style, joined OC Muay Thai and if I had enough time I’d still be there every day! Intense no-​nonsense training, they pride themselves on doing the real thing and taking no short-​cuts. The training sessions are all geared towards preparing you for fighting, and you feel great pushing your limits and getting into great shape. A lot of fun, no intimidation, and a great community of people. Great for all levels as well, give it a shot!

This sure aint no cardio-​kickboxing McDojo gym.
Muay Thai and more Muay Thai. The training is intense and hard, the People are cool, they go hard but dont act like neanderthal goons when sparring.
The warmups and drills are great and create muscle memory and get the blood flowing. Teeps and more Teeps. And the Knee’s, so many Knees you end up doing them in your sleep.
The Pad Work is awesome, most gyms dont even allow you to spar or do Pad work, here it is required but done at a level that doesnt surpass your skill.
I was in the best shape of my life when I stopped coming here,(work dictated I quit).The 2 hour workouts are no joke and you will see results in your Muay Thai skill and also in your physique.

If you live in So Cal and interested in training stand up then you have to check out OC Muay Thai. I’ll get to the point: the BEST gym I’ve ever trained at, and I used to train at various other gyms until I made it my home. The people are great, and family like atmosphere.
First you start out with a 30 minute warm up that includes road work or skip rope, then the strength conditioning that consist of tires or interval training (squats, kneeing the bag, pull ups, sit ups, beat crawls, too many to list) or footwork drills for 30 minutes then off to pad work for 30 minutes each for you and your partner. In which you focus on technique then speed. Afterwards, another quick triple shots (2 mins each of ups/​push ups/​squats) then a good 15 – 20 min stretch cool down period. If your gas from there, you can always thai spar or clinch, or use the given remedies at the gym: weights, sauna, or shower.
There’s lots more to post, but limited in space.
Check it out, what do you have to lose?