Legion Muay Thai — Local services in New York

Staten Island Muay Thai is a relatively new gym on the Muay Thai scene in New York City. The gym itself is located across the street from a gas station and some businesses which provides ample parking - plus if you run out of gas you can just push your car across the street!

The interior of the gym is wide and spacious. The layout makes the facility seem very open. The high ceilings and the design helps as well. A row of heavy bags line one wall and pads are placed neatly on the other. There is a small ring in the corner. The men and women's bathroom are spacious so it's easy to change and there is enough storage for bags and what not along the wall.

The owner Vinny Scotto, is an experienced name in the Muay Thai game. He originally started in San Shou, a stand up sport similar to Muay Thai but with more throws. Scotto has a long running podcast called The Striking Corner which has interviewed a host of names in the game including Michael Chase Corley, Janet Todd, Gaston Bolanos and others. He is an active member of the Muay Thai community and dedicated to the sport.

The classes run an hour long and are well designed. After an initial warm up students will go through a basic partner drill. Partner drills are an excellent way to learn spacing, timing, technique and rhythm. The drills are done at low power and are a great way to learn for experienced or beginners. The second class will be pad work which follows the drill class is the same drills. Doing the pads let's you refine the technique and really develop power as well. If you can't do the pad class don't worry the next day the drill class is at the same time so it's easy to switch back and forth. Each week a theme is run so it could be evasions and counters, then the next week would be forward pressure, the third week elbows in the clinch etc.

An advanced class follows. Staten Island Muay Thai has the beginnings of a good fight team with boxers on the local regional shows including the USMTO, TBA's and Triumph Kombat amongst other promotions. The sparring was light but technical and under the watchful eye of Scotto.

This gym has a solid curriculum that builds students from the ground up. If you put in the time you'll get results. Overall a welcome newer addition to the Muay Thai scene in America. I think we can expect good things from Staten...

I often write reviews of businesses I know only as a customer - this review is different. My son is a coach at Staten Island Muay Thai. I watched my son progress from a youngster reading reviews on any and all martial arts gyms on Staten Island - agonizing over the array of options - to someone who loves Muay Thai and SIMT. Under the expert tutelage of owner Vinny Scotto my son went from novice to assistant coach in what seemed a very brief span of time. Of course there was desire and dedication but the training was first rate and the environment conducive to learning. In addition to the coaching that facilitated skill acquisition, my son got very fit thanks to his strength training coach. And the icing on the cake: my son loves children and is now working at SIMT as a coach to youngsters. I am insufferably proud - and grateful. Vinny is a true gentleman - he reminds me of Henry Rollins which is high praise from this old Black Flag fan. I met Henry in 1982 so I know of that which I speak: Vinny is charming, supportive and skilled. SIMT is easy to get to via public transportation: take the Staten Island Railway to Clifton Station and walk two blocks South. The gym is located in the Willow Avenue shopping plaza opposite Edgewater Plaza / Pouch Terminal. There is a parking lot as well as ample parking on the street. Whether you want to compete, as my son does now (check out the great action photos of my son taken by Pari Aryafar), or simply get in shape and have fun doing it I...

Staten Island Muay Thai is about constantly pushing your body and will beyond its comfort zone to transform yourself into the best shape of your life. Each class is extremely challenging, fun, and fulfilling. There's a very strong camaraderie among the students and the instructor that makes the hour-long workout fly by. You don't have to be fit to get started, you don't have to have huge muscles, all you need is willpower. It's not for everyone -- the first month you'll be covered in bruises. The second month you'll be sore. But on that third month there won't be much that can hurt you. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to lose weight...