Boxing and Muay Thai in Manila

Where to box and train Muay Thai across the metro, from polished studios near the office to heritage stables and budget rooms that teach five disciplines under one roof.

Most people walk into a boxing gym for the workout and stay for something else. The rhythm gets into you. You learn to breathe on the punch, to keep your hands up when you are tired, to read a partner across the pads. Metro Manila has more places to do this than you might expect, and they are not all the same. Some are polished studios near the office. Some are working stables where real fighters train. Some are cheap, crowded rooms where you can learn five disciplines for the price of one nice dinner.

This is a guide to where you box and where you train Muay Thai in the metro, a striking sport from Thailand that uses fists, elbows, knees and shins and is often called the art of eight limbs. Whether you want a sweat after work or you want to take a discipline seriously, there is a room here for you.

First decide what you actually want

There are two kinds of people who walk through these doors, and the gyms know it.

The first kind wants fitness. You want to hit pads, sweat hard for an hour, feel strong, and go home. You do not plan to compete. For you the room matters: clean, well run, good trainers who actually correct you, a schedule that fits around work and traffic.

The second kind wants the craft. You want to drill the same combination a hundred times, spar properly, and watch your own footwork improve over months. For you the price per session matters less than the quality of coaching and how much mat time you can get.

Most gyms welcome both, but they lean one way or the other. Knowing which one you are saves you money and frustration.

The premium option, close to the office

If you live or work in Bonifacio Global City, known as BGC, or in Makati, the easiest start is a polished studio built around your schedule.

Elite Boxing and Muay Thai is the clearest example. It opened in Makati in 2014 and now runs locations in BGC, the Salcedo and Legaspi Village area of Makati, and Eastwood City in Quezon City. You get boxing, Muay Thai and circuit training under seasoned and professional trainers, in a room that feels more studio than stable. It is open daily from 6:30am to 10pm, which means you can train before work or after the evening traffic dies down. Book a trial session by appointment first, then confirm current per session and package rates with the branch nearest you.

This is the fitness first pick. You will sweat, you will learn real technique, and you will not have to drive far.

The heritage stable, almost everywhere

If you want the real thing, the name to know is Elorde.

Elorde Boxing Gym carries the name of Gabriel Flash Elorde, one of the greatest Filipino boxers who ever lived, and it is still run by his family. It is the most recognisable boxing brand in the country, with more than sixteen branches across the metro and beyond. The rooms mix serious fighters with ordinary members who just want to train, and that mix is the whole point. You hit the bag next to people who fight for a living. Rates vary by branch, so call the one closest to you, but few places give you this much boxing history for your money.

If you care about boxing as a sport and not only as a workout, train here at least once.

The budget pick in Quezon City

Not everyone wants to spend a lot, and you should not have to in order to learn properly.

FIST, short for Fitness and Self-Defense Techniques, is an affordable multidiscipline gym on Timog Avenue in Quezon City, open to the public. Under one roof you can train boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, wrestling, judo and kali, the Filipino stick and blade art. Annual membership is ₱900. A single session runs about ₱200 to ₱350 for members and ₱300 to ₱450 for non members. There is even a Friday Weekend Warrior promo that drops as low as ₱100.

For the money, it is hard to beat. If you live in the Quezon City area and want to sample several disciplines before committing to one, start here.

The serious multidiscipline gym in Makati

If you are past the sampling stage and want to commit to a discipline, you want unlimited mat time and strong coaching.

KMA Fitness and Martial Arts in Salcedo Village, Makati is built for exactly that. It is strong on Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and offers monthly unlimited options that reward people who show up often. Membership is ₱1,850. Unlimited training in one art is ₱2,900 a month, and unlimited in two arts is ₱4,500 a month. A single session is ₱500 for members and ₱595 for non members. If you plan to train four or five times a week, the unlimited plans pay for themselves quickly.

This is the room for people who want to get genuinely good at one thing.

Plan it

• Elite Boxing and Muay Thai, BGC, Makati and Eastwood City. Open daily 6:30am to 10pm.
• Elorde Boxing Gym, the heritage stable, more than sixteen branches across the metro.
• FIST, Timog Avenue, Quezon City. Annual membership ₱900.
• KMA Fitness and Martial Arts, Salcedo Village, Makati. Membership ₱1,850.

For more rooms to break a sweat in across the metro, see our guide to where to train in Manila.

Good to know

Bring your own hand wraps and a mouthguard if you have them. Most gyms sell wraps and lend gloves, but a personal mouthguard is worth buying early. Hydrate hard, because the rooms get warm and the humidity does not help. If you are choosing by traffic, keep it simple: pick the branch closest to your home or office and train at off peak hours, early morning or mid evening, so the commute does not eat the workout. Always confirm current rates and class schedules with the branch before your first visit, since both can change.