301 Gym is a Muay Thai training camp situated in Sam Roi Yod, Thailand. It was founded in April 2010 by Yoann Gouaida, a French national who moved to Thailand when he was only a teenager and decided to eventually settle in Sam Roi Yot. As a two-time WPMF World Champion. 301 Gym offers the perfect training experience for men and women who are looking to get in shape and discover or practice this ancestral Thai martial art. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fighter, 301 Gym will cater for your needs.

301 Gym is located in Sam Roi Yot, Hua Hin district, a three-hour ride away from Thailand's capital Bangkok. Hua Hin is a seaside resort of the Gulf of Thailand situated in the southern part of the country. 301 Gym is located in an idyllic setting, close to the beach and to the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. Expect both coastal and mountainous landscapes as you attend a training camp at 301 Gym: Khao Sam Roi Yot means "mountain with 300 peaks". The location of the camp is perfect to escape the bustle of big cities and to practice Muay Thai in a peaceful and quiet environment which is conducive to serenity and contemplation. Beyond training, there are a lot of opportunities to explore this beautiful region and its unique natural surroundings. 301 Gym is easily accessible by road, whether you are coming from the South or the North.

There is undoubtedly no better way to learn and to practice Muay Thai than to train in its country of origin. Although this ancestral discipline became very popular beyond the country's borders, more and more people are interested in coming to Thailand to practice Muay Thai in local training camps, such as 301 Gym. It is indeed strongly recommended to train in local camps rather than in traditional gyms and fitness centres as it is a perfect way to be introduced to the original techniques of this art, and learn more about Thai culture in general.

Through benefiting from the teaching of skilled local Muay Thai instructors, you will be guaranteed to learn the original, untouched, techniques of this discipline, also known as "the art of eight limbs", whether you are a beginner or already familiar with this discipline. It is important to choose your training camp well and to do extensive research before you plan your trip to Thailand. A good training camp should seek to help you understand the origins of this discipline and appreciate its role in Thai culture. Beyond being a physical experience, it should therefore offer you a meaningful cultural experience. For instance, some people take advantage of their trip to learn the Thai language.

Practicing Muay Thai in Thailand will also allow you to discover the country and combine your training with touristic activities. Indeed, Thailand is well-known as a world-class touristic destination. The location of 301 Gym is already ideal for this purpose, but no trip to Thailand would be complete without exploring Bangkok and its popular islands, such as Koh Samui and Phuket. Muay Thai fans may also want to plan a visit to Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, the symbol of modern Muay Thai, to see the best Muay Thai fighters in action.

There are many perks to practicing Muay Thai, including clear health benefits. This comprehensive combat sport allows you to improve your physical and mental health as well as your general lifestyle and well-being. You will not regret the many advantages of this demanding and comprehensive martial art.

Muay Thai will indeed build your muscle strength and help you lose weight at the same time, through its combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises. This ancestral discipline which traces back to 16th Century Thailand was a fighting technique used by ancient warriors and characterized by the use of all limbs and muscles, unlike other boxing techniques. Through practicing Muay Thai, you will gain more core and muscle strength, hip mobility, endurance and flexibility than through any other workout. Besides, the various footwork and pad drills involved will considerably improve reaction skills. In the long term, it can even prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer through improving your cardiovascular efficiency.

Muay Thai can also have a very positive impact on your mental health. By helping you to burn energy, it helps you to reduce your stress levels and to improve your sleeping patterns. Stress, anxiety and depression will be things of the past once you start training Muay Thai. Indeed, the demanding training sessions will instil a sense of discipline and shape your mind to become more courageous, confident, self-assured and determined. You will become wiser and more strategic, as well as more focused. Through promoting a mind-body-spirit philosophy, attending Muay Thai training camps will further instil some important values in you such as respect for oneself and others, humility, compassion and sportsmanship, through enabling you to interact with your peers and instructors.

As a self-defence technique, it can also help you become more self-confident and more aware about your surroundings. By taking up this discipline, you will be able to unwind and distance yourself from daily hardships. Men and women, as well as children, can therefore greatly benefit from practicing Muay Thai. Once you become serious about practicing Muay Thai, you will naturally be encouraged to change your diet, way of life, and to make efforts to be healthier. By taking up Muay Thai, you will therefore embark on a journey to fitness and general wellbeing. You will also be able to use the lessons learned to become more confident and more resilient to the hardships you may face in your daily life.

Muay Thai training camps are so popular nowadays because they enable you to go through a spiritual process by being part of a community of fighters who are all embarked on a journey to betterment and self-acceptance, and who have to go through the same trainings and help each other on the way. Beyond allowing for a mental and spiritual journey, it is well-known that Muay Thai can help you get stronger, leaner and get a more toned body. As a comprehensive sport requiring a strict training discipline, it is often recommended for men and women who seek to lose weight or become more athletic. You will witness your fitness levels increase tremendously through cardio workout and strength-building, the two faces of Muay Thai.

Muay Thai is seen as one of the most effective and powerful martial arts in the world, as it combines aerobic and anaerobic exercise, which respectively increase endurance and stamina, as well as strength, speed and power. This comprehensive martial art enables you to work out your upper body muscles as much as your lower ones and to burn up to 1000 calories per one-hour session, making it ideal to burn fat and gain muscle mass and flexibility. A typical Muay Thai training routine combines cardio training (running, skipping rope, etc.) and drills aimed at improving your technique (kicking, striking, defensive movements and footwork drills), making it a great way to increase your metabolism and cardiovascular conditioning, as well as your muscle and core strength, amongst other things.

Though demanding, you will notice clear improvements through regular training, as it is one of the most engaging, interactive and total body workouts out there. Naturally, you will also have to adopt a balanced diet in order to lose weight, as exercise alone is not enough. If your objective is to develop muscle mass, it is recommended to adopt a protein-rich diet and maintain a high-calorie intake to make up for the calorie loss incurred by high-intensity trainings.

No matter your objectives, as a man or a woman, Muay Thai will help you get more toned and gain more stamina through both cardio-focused and strength-focused exercise. Muay Thai will also help you release unwanted toxins from your body and become generally more energetic through this great cardio workout which forces you to increase your oxygen intake and build up your cardiovascular capacity and stamina in the long run.

As an ancestral Thai discipline tracing back to the 16th Century, Muay Thai came about as a fighting technique but is also considered an art. As all the other martial arts, it follows a number of underlying philosophical principles. Muay Thai's philosophy can be summarized as follows: the body, the mind and the heart all need to be trained and those three elements must be in harmony in order for a fighter to improve. Hence, physical conditioning cannot be dissociated from concentration, discipline and perseverance. Muay Thai, or "the Art of Eight Limbs", is not only a fighting technique that promotes "brutal" strength; it also requires patience, speed, agility and intelligence. This explains why many great Muay Thai fighters look relatively light and agile, and not necessarily like the biggest and most imposing fighters out there, compared to athletes practicing other boxing disciplines.

Buddhism is followed by more than 90% of the Thai population. As the national sport of Thailand, Muay Thai is therefore understandably consistent with the Buddhist philosophy of the control of oneself, of one's emotions and thoughts, leading to an emphasis on physical control. Muay Thai is often depicted as a way to better or to find oneself, which explains why most movies featuring Muay Thai portray redemption journeys.

Another proverb requires that a Muay Thai fighter must "respect the opponent, respect the ring and respect the King". This idea of respect is central in Thai boxing and can also be found in other martial arts. Beyond teaching self-respect, Muay Thai indeed seeks to teach respect for opponents, peers, instructors, elders and all individuals in general. Fighting is seen as a last resort option when dealing with a conflict. Muay Thai seeks to instil a sense of camaraderie amongst fighters, which is reflected in trainings camps' policies.

Practicing Muay Thai at 301 Gym has many benefits. Firstly, you will experience how to live and practice Muay Thai in Thailand, training hard and immersing yourself in the local culture, while experiencing true Thai hospitality.

The gym's top-class facilities include a fully equipped gym and a 20-meter long lap swimming pool, a pro-size ring, as well as a bag area with fitness equipment and weights. The top-class Thai instructors working at 301 Gym will help you get in shape, focus on your objectives and obtain maximum results through twice-a-day trainings. Expect to train hard, improve your technique as well as to rediscover your physical and mental boundaries. You will start your day with an early run along the beach of Sam Roi Yot, followed by several shadow boxing drills and bag work, allowing you to improve your technique, and finish with some stretching and swimming to cool down. In the afternoon, you will follow a similar routine, including cardiovascular workout, footwork drills and bag work for instance, ending the day with some recreational time with your peers. All trainers are highly skilled and trained to give you the best experience possible. You will also be able to access the Gym's fitness area to push your limits even further and improve your muscular strength depending on your own objectives. This area is equipped with a power station cage with an Olympic bar along with 195 kg of weights, a vertical knee raise/dips machine, a back extension rack and a dumbbell set of 12 pairs, as well as two straight and incline benches.

Good sleep and relaxation are crucial elements of Muay Thai training. This is why 301 Gym also offers accommodation services that target individuals or small groups, to cater for different budgets and needs, either as shared rooms or single rooms. All rooms are equipped with personal bathrooms, hot water, as well as fans or air-conditioning. The individual rooms can also include a fridge, cable TV and additional furniture. 301 Gym also has a restaurant which offers healthy Thai and Western meals adapted to the guests' training schemes. Time is allowed for free time, whether you prefer to relax in front of the TV, surf the Internet, play basketball, do laps in the pool or explore the magnificent Sam Roi Yod area. This camp is suited for the international clients and offers cable TV with over 100 English channels.

Another advantage of 301 Gym is its idyllic location. Situated in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, you will be able to train in a peaceful environment, surrounded by breath-taking natural surroundings.

Sam Roi Yod is surrounded by mountains and situated near the beach. The nearby Hua Hin Beach is popular for water sports such as kitesurfing and jet skiing. It hosts many high-end hotels and seafood restaurants. Some of the activities that can be enjoyed in Sam Roi Yod also include golfing, cave exploration, fishing and boat day trips. A boat cruise on the mangrove-lined river that leads to Khao Daeng should definitely be on your to-do-list. You can also relax on some of the area's low-key beaches such as Phraya Nakhon beach.

One of Sam Roi Yod highlights include Phraya Nakhon Cave, a giant limestone cavern which can be accessed through a 30-minute hike past monkeys offering great views over the Gulf of Thailand. The main cave which roof collapsed stands at approximately 50 meters high and encloses a peculiar forest with trees reaching out to the sky, as well as the 125-year old Khuha Kharuehat pavilion. Another Cave worth visiting is Kaew Cave, which will appeal to the most adventurous minds, as it requires some rope-climbing and crouching to navigate through the tunnels.

The Thung Sam Roi Yot wetlands are another landmark not to be missed. Set against a beautiful mountainous backdrop, there is a walkway which connects seven pavilions and extends for several hundred meters over the wetlands. A feeling of serenity will overtake you as you walk past the wetlands' incredible fauna and flora: lotuses, fishes, birds.

You can also hike in Khao Daeng ("Red Mountain"), in the Southern part of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, to enjoy magnificent views from the 157-metre-high viewpoint.