Workshop NYC Muay Thai & Jiujitsu — Local services in New York

I’ve been a member of Workshop NYC for over 2 years now. I’m just a normal guy working in tech / finance although I have trained Muay Thai for most of my adult life (~12 yrs and have competed in a few amateur fights). I can definitively say that Workshop is hands down one of the best gyms I have ever trained at. And I’m not saying this lightly - especially as someone who’s lived in and trained at 20+ gyms in London, Hong Kong, Thailand and NYC.

Over the years, I have come to know many coaches. The vast majority of combat gyms I have trained at (at least targeted at working professionals / non-fighters generally fall into two camps: 1) cardio gyms and 2) gyms that train fighters and take technique seriously. “Cardio gyms” I put in the camp of Rumble, Equinox etc. Great for people who are just looking to burn calories and train in gyms with nice facilities and don’t care about sparring or self-defense. And the second camp of gyms are gyms that have aspiring fighters or non-fighters that actually care about their technique and want to learn real self-defense.

Workshop definitely falls in this second camp but what I LOVE about them is that THE COACHES CARE. Running Workshop isn’t just a side project or passive business for them. It’s their passion and their life. They teach classes themselves. They make an effort to learn your names, to learn what you do for a living, to learn what other interests and hobbies you have and what fitness goals you have. They are OCD about technique and there is an extremely high emphasis on fitness and discipline.

At the same time, they won’t compromise on safety and they try really hard to make it an inclusive environment and are quick to caution people that do not understand their own power when sparring or hitting pads and they will not allow . I think it’s not uncommon for fighting gyms to attract the “toxic masculinity” type men but Workshop does a great job and filtering those guys out. They’re not pushy with getting their students to pay for privates (as may gyms are) and they will spend a lot of time coaching everyone equally. In short, the more you invest in your training, the more they will invest in you.

Are they intense? Yes. Can they be harsh sometimes? Yes. But as the old saying goes - no pain no gain. An important part of growth means that you will fail, make mistakes and Workshop finds the right balance between letting you fail but also keeping you motivated enough to train consistently.

I consider Jin and Gianna dear friends and excellent coaches who I have nothing but the utmost respect for. They whipped me into shape coming out of COVID at 168 lbs into fighting condition at 130 lbs and inspired me to turn towards a healthier lifestyle of clean eating and exercising and have made a profound...

Workshop NYC is legit. Jin and Gianna are awesome. This wasn’t my very first class, but it was my first real focused, consecutive, introduction into Ju Jitsu and Muay Thai, and they made me feel right at home in the community that they’ve built in the gym. The environment has a nice blend of friendly, though, balanced with a ‘I’ll kick your ass’ when you need it vibe (in a good way); which is something I look for in any sport or gym I involve myself with. They’ll push you to do your best, but, at the same time, they are actually good people.

Gianna is a great communicator when it comes to Muay Thai. Her explanations are very clear, and is great at building on the foundation or style you may have worked on in the past (ie: if you’re more of a boxer, etc). But, also she is great at teaching you the style that she champions and focuses on herself.

Jin teaches BJJ in a well thought out cycle-system, and it feels cohesive whether you’re dropping into a gi or no-gi class. He is specifically receptive to partnering you with someone who is at your skill-level, weight class, or... perhaps above your skill level, if you need an extra kick; which is always appreciated. There is a certain respect for the art in the class that got me hooked; and Jin is a big part in instilling that.

Will most certainly pick-up right where I left off, every time I’m...

Whether you are somebody who has never trained before or a seasoned veteran of Brazilian Jujitsu or Muay Thai, the Workshop is the place to be. The class sizes are just the right amount, so that every person attending class can get the attention necessary to them learning, while also meeting enough new friends/training partners. Coaches Jin, Gianna, Lee, Rich and Chris do an incredible job at making new comers feel welcomed and eager to learn, while pushing more experienced students. The students who attend the workshop are extremely friendly enough to make sure you don’t get hurt, but also not afraid to play and challenge you a bit. The best thing about the workshop is the community, everybody who attends there is accepting and you meet a plethora of people from all different walks of life, coming together to better themselves and those around them. The cherry on top is the music played during the training sessions, especially when the handsome guy they call “Slick” has access to the speaker. His music hypes up the class so much, student request a tip jar. Overall the workshop is great school, the people who work there do an incredible job at keeping the environment friendly, sanitary and safe for everybody who comes to class. When you join the Workshop, you don’t just become a student, you become a part of...