MUAY THAI
Muay Thai is a fighting style developed over thousands of years. No one knows exactly when Muay Thai was fiirst practiced but it was considered high art and part of the Thai royal court curriculum from around 1238 A.D.
Apart from hand to hand uses in warfare, Muay Thai was considered a prestigious activity. Former kings of Thailand sent their sons to train with temple monks as it was believed that bravery and fitness from training would lead to great courageous rulers.
Around 1605, King Narai, a lover of sports, helped to make Muay Thai widely available and soon many local playgrounds featured roped off areas for boxing training. In 1767, Thailand was at war with the Burmese, and a champion boxer, Nai Kahnomtom, was captured by the Burmese King, Angwa.
King Angwa called for a boxing match for the first time outside of Thailand, in which Nai Kahnomtom defeated all ten Burmese challengers in succession, with no rest in between fights.
As a result, Nai Kahnomtom was honoured as the father of Muay Thai. On that day, March 17th, it was officially named Muay Thai Day in Thailand. Muay Thai is referred to as the "science of the eight limbs" because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows, and knee strikes. Thus, eight points of contact.
Finally, a practitioner of Muay Thai is known as a nakmuay.
INSTRUCTOR (KRU)
Sawadeekhrap (Hello in Thai),
My name is Aaron Castellvi and I began learning Muay Thai at 17 years old at a gym called Siam No. 1 Muay Thai Academy; the birthplace of Muay Thai in Canada since 1986. I was awed by the beauty of the sport and the great atmosphere it encompassed. There, I met Ajahn Suchart Yodkerepauprai, who became my instructor and guide to Muay Thai to this day. I've been determined to follow my dream and wholeheartedly pursued my love for Muay Thai. My years at Siam No.1 was spent in extensive training alongside fellow fighters such as Clifton Brown (5 x Muay Thai World Champion), Simon Marcus (Current 2 x Glory Middleweight World Champion), and Matt Embree (WBC Muay Thai Champion, Glory Fighter), my teammates and I kept each other motivated and strong to train—fight—train—fight. This sport does not have a limit, does not have a cap, and no end to its madness. I'm always looking for different ways to better myself, improve my game, and keep it strong.
In 2009 and 2010, I trained in various camps throughout Thailand such as Por Pramuk Gym and Sityodthong—places where some of the best Muay Thai fighters have been bred. Through these experiences, I came to a deeper understanding of Muay Thai's culture and history but also came to understand the devotion and hardships that fighters go through on a daily basis. With every gym I visited and every fighter I met, I learned from them and gained more insight into the art of Muay Thai. I aspire to share Muay Thai's traditional techniques with all the lifetime benefits it has to offer.
TITLES
2010
Liga De Boxeo Tailandes México (LBTM) North American Champion
150 lbs
2010
Northern Thailand Championship
148 lbs
STUDIO
2WEEK TRIAL FOR $30
Shark Muay Thai is located on the 2nd floor of Carpio's Strength and Conditioning Gym.
213 Geary Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6H 2C3
At Dufferin and Dupont
E Q U I P M E N T
SCHEDULE
MON–SAT
Open to all levels
6:30-8:00 PM
Includes warm-up, strength and conditioning, and bag or pad work
TUE/THURS
Classes tailored for beginners
4:00-5:30 PM
Focused on Muay Thai fundamentals
(e.g., footwork, pad holding cues)
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PERSONAL TRAINING
One-on-ones
D7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Personal training in a private studio, with classes tailored to your individual needs and goals.
Available at highly discounted rates.
S H A R K
TESTIMONIALS
"I started training with Aaron in the summer of 2015; at the time I was 220 lbs and had no idea what Muay Thai even was. Within the first 4 months I lost 30 lbs of weight and within a year I was 165 lbs. Although the weight loss was the most obvious change in my life, I also absorbed enough skill in Muay Thai under Aaron’s tutelage that I was able to partake in three exhibition fights with Aaron in my corner for each of them. Within a year I went from thinking Muay Thai was just another variation of pad thai to falling in love with an art form that I will pursue for the rest of my life. I can honestly say that learning Muay Thai from Aaron has been one of the great learning experiences of my life.
I still remember my first class with Aaron as he taught me how to move my hands up and down to the rhythm of Muay Thai. I distinctly recall lagging behind during the warmup runs and just as I was about to stop to catch my breath Aaron came over to me and said, 'Don’t worry, do as much as you can, it’ll get better over time'. And so I continued running and I haven’t stopped since."
ALI H