Chicago Thai Boxing Academy is a true Chicago family owned and operated business, and that shows from the moment you walk through the door. Everyone here is friendly, approachable, and welcoming. I honestly thought joining a Muay Thai gym would be intimidating, but it's been the exact opposite. The owners, coaches, staff, and members have created an environment where beginners and experienced athletes alike feel comfortable and supported. The academy emphasizes a respectful, inclusive community and welcomes people of all skill levels. One of my favorite features is the weight room, which is a great bonus alongside the training. The facility is well maintained, and I've heard they are constantly making improvements and upgrades to keep the academy growing. If you've ever been curious about Muay Thai but felt nervous about trying it, don't be. Take advantage of their free trial class and see for yourself. Chances are you'll get hooked just like I did. The combination of authentic training, great people, and a strong community makes this place something special. read more

My daughter absolutely loves attending her Muay Thai classes every week! The trainers and front desk staff are so helpful and my daughter feels very comfortable here. She takes pride in all she learns each week read more

Chicago Thai Boxing Academy - My daughter loves Muay Thai - Kickboxing Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Place is great love all trainers and great people Love it Start coming about a month ago and will be joining this team for ever read more

For what it is. Not bad. It's a bunch of amateurs with a few more advanced amateurs that actually compete. Most of the people here are not worthy of being called fighters. There are plenty of members here who show up consistently & still have bad form.. what's worse, is they post videos of those members on IG ‍. Instructor Rob and Instructor Jeff are really cool people, the owner JJ not so much. If you join you'll have a one hour class where you'll hit pads held by someone who barely knows what they're doing for 30 min. Followed by holding pads for that same person for another 30 min... who still can't punch to save his life. If you're interested in Muay Thai, try it. If you're serious about competing and becoming an elite fighter.. don't. Just keep in mind they want an EXACT 30 day notice before you cancel. If not they'll keep your money like thieves. Not a bad gym tho. read more

Not what I expected and definitely not what I want to spend my money on. They seem to not be able to accept criticism and attack you for letting them know what is not working, or what you believe they should change. Not worth me spending my time or money .... Yes, this is the facility I am reviewing. The owner is who spoke to and my son was the one who I enrolled in the classes. I gave you a 1 star review on FB and your employees started attacking me.... I simply didn't have a good experience and I review it as I see it fits. read more

Absolutely fantastic facility. Everyone was so welcoming for open mat and there were no ego. Great place to train read more

Chicago Muay Thai Kickboxing Club - Portage Park is an outstanding place to train. I have only trained 3 classes with 4 different coaches, but I have trained at other gyms in the past. Every coach gives a great detailed explanation of the techniques, and shares the practical applications of the drills and moves. They will also give you personal attention, even during a larger class, and will give you feedback and adjustments during training. The passion and excellence of the coaching staff really shows in the students. They have cultivated a great learning environment because all the students are willing to help each other out and make you feel welcome. Its also nice that the owner wants the school to be a fixture in the local community. If you are looking for a great workout, train for a fight, or anything in between for any age, check this place out. read more

I have a 6-year-old daughter and I have been looking for Muay Thai Kickboxing class for kids. I am glad that I found this gym. The instructors seems very nice with kids and they do their best to teach kids Thai Kickboxing. If you want your kids to learn some self defense and do exercise at the same time. I think this gym is what you are looking for! read more

I always wanted to take a kickboxing class, but was always afraid it would be too much for me. Until one day I came across a Groupon deal they had going on. I decided to go for it. Best decision I've ever made!! Mike, is a great teacher! He makes sure that you're technique is correct and you're breathing correctly. The classes aren't that big, which makes it easier to watch and learn from everyone. I am so happy I sign up for more classes. My Wednesday's have become my favorite day of the week. I feel stronger each time I attend class and is the BEST cardio EVER!!! So if you're looking to get a good workout and Kickass at the same time ... This is the place for you!! p.s: thanks JJ read more

Chicago Thai Boxing Academy - Hit It Hard - Kickboxing Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I started out with no experience at age 27 and have felt nothing but acceptance. The instructors are real muay thai fighters and the classes are high intensity enough to skip the gym. I've never left disappointed. read more

I have been training and competing for over 4 years on the east coast. My wife and I were Chicago for a few days, visiting her family. One of her cousins suggested I try CMT out. It was a great training session and learning experience. The wonder staff at the front desk were very inviting and made trying out their class easy. The class instructor was friendly, and knowledge on all striking and clinching techniques. The training session had a great schedule and pace: warm-up, shadow-boxing, thai pad/mit work, sparring, clinch work. The place was very clean and had a great lay out for training. From past experiences training at various schools, CMT stands out from a lot of schools that teach muay thai. The most common muay that classes found are from Bjj/mma gym's. Sometimes these "muay thai" classes end up being just mix of boxing/kickboxing, with a lack of proper technique and fight application in mind. Classes that Avoid what makes muay thai so special and devastating, its vast range of strikes, footwork, and grappling. Finding a place that truly specializes in the art muay thai only is rare and special. Truly, one of the best places I've had t the pleasure to train at. read more

The staff was super welcoming and the owner is very conscious of the pandemic. He goes above and beyond to keep the gym clean and safe for all members while adhering to state regulations. read more

This place is awesome, great instructors that teach real technical Muay Thai and push you to improve yourself. I take something away from every class and love the atmosphere. Everyone is friendly and helpful, everything a person or newcomer could ask for read more

This place is really cool. If you are interested in martial arts/kickboxing/muay thai specifically, I would recommend dropping in for one of the foundations classes (i think a trial class is free!). I worked with John and he is so great and professional. You can tell he knows what he is talking about. The class size was really small too. At first it was intimidating, but John is really good at working with you and giving feedback. It seems like everyone here is in GREAT shape too, so I'm sure the class accounts for at least part of that. Would not want to get in a fight with these guys! :) Parking is on the street or around the block. Class prices are VERY reasonable. They even have specials sometimes where they include the pads/gloves in the package. Highly recommend. read more

Love this place! It very well run! The front desk staff is extremely friendly and helpful. My 6yo daughter started here a couple weeks ago and she can't wait to attend her classes. She's a super shy and overly nervous kid, but she loves her kickboxing class! read more

I have been wanting to learn Muay Thai for a long time, so after finally settling on the northwest side I started looking for place to take kickboxing around where I live and work. After a lot of searching and disappointment from other gyms in the area, I found out that Chicago Muay Thai in Lincoln Park was very reputable and was opening a new location in Portage Park! Not only was it opening down the street from my work and a bus ride from home, but they were having free trial classes every Saturday of February! I was super excited. I started the free classes with a friend and decided to sign up for a very fair priced month to month membership at the end. I just finished the inaugural week of classes at CMT Portage Park. I am already in love with our family here, everyone is a different age with different experiences, but we drop all of "who we are" and come together with only our determination and dedication to learn Muay Thai and support each other! My big take away after joining is that there is a difference between being fit and being strong. JJ (the owner and main instructor) is probably the coolest and most real person I have ever met and has so much professionalism, not to mention is a local of Portage Park! Right now there are two classes offered for Muay Thai; Fundamentals (MWF: 7-8PM, Sat: 11:30AM-12:30PM) & All Levels (MWF: 8-9PM,Sat (12:30-1:30PM). As a beginner, I have been going to the Fundamentals classes, and tried out the All Levels/Advanced classes. Even as a beginner I enjoyed being able to work with people with more experience to help myself get stronger. There will be rotating instructors within the coming weeks to provide variety in training, so I am looking forward to learning from others as well. I have gone to every class offered in the week because I cannot get enough! Going to kickboxing at CMT Portage Park is literally the highlight of my day. Thank you JJ for opening CMT in Portage Park! I recommend anyone interested in learning Muay Thai to try out a free class, talk to any member there about their experience we are more than willing to tell you about our experience. CMT Portage Park also offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fore Kids & Core. I look forward to being a part of the CMT Portage Park family as this place grows and develops. I am so excited to be part of the CMT family. read more

Amazing! I had a chance to try the Beginner and Intermediate classes, which included fundamental drills and some sparring. The different coaches and trainers all have their specialties and different teaching methods which provide you with a well-rounded understanding of certain techniques. Additionally, they are always ready to answer questions and provide one-on-one guidance before and after class. Great way to get in shape and learn self-defense! Highly recommend the gym. read more

It's a wonderful place and friendly faces They take their time to each member to teach the class and if it was ten stars I would give them ten. My kid loves this establishment. read more

My name is Jose (Tito) Rivera just signed up to gym, it's truly a great place instructors are very attentive and friendly. Workouts are intense and fun!!!! Recommend to anyone looking for a great workout !!!!!! Non judgmental just come and get ready to sweat your butt off! read more

Great overall experience here. Friendly coaches with a ton of knowledge for anyone from a beginner to advance. Good mix of technical teaching along with a hard workout to get you in shape. People who run this place are very personable along with the members who participate in each class. Great overall team/family environment. read more

After hearing about several female runners being attacked, sexually assaulted, and/or murdered, I decided that I needed to seek out a means to learn self-defense. I checked around the city for options; gyms that offered what I needed. I took a (free) trial class at CMT Portage Park (with Mike -- fave Kru!). As someone who has never trained in this style, knew very little about Muay Thai, and was one of two females in the class (this can be intimidating), I felt completely comfortable, challenged, and confident. I signed up for a membership before leaving the gym that day. Since then, I have felt nothing but care and support by the staff and owner (very hands-on, very caring -- thanks, JJ!), challenged and stronger in every class (variety of class levels and times), and more confident when heading out for a run. read more

Very good gym, friendly people and very helpful coaches. Very good work out as well and for the amount of classes that they offer the price is just right. Looking forward to doing more classes! Did a trial but signed up the day after. read more

Joining the CMT portage park gym was one of the best decisions I've made while in Chicago. Just sad I didn't join sooner. JJ and all of the instructors are very knowledgeable and helpful. I've taken fundamentals, intermediate, and advanced classes, and I've learned something from every class. Amazing learning environment - everyone including other students help each other learn. Great conditioning is a bonus. It'll be hard to find a gym just as awesome when I move back to LA. read more

I tried the free trial and.... There is no way to have a negative experience here. I walked in without any reviews to follow and no knowledge of Muay Thai. However, this is what I found: Despite only being open for 3 years, this place welcomes all (new and established) members as if they have been there from day one. Feeling nervous on where to start, or not knowing what you are doing? Fear not. They offer classes for ALL levels, even some of the experienced members can be seen taking a second to demonstrate proper stance, technique, or offer tips. Look, don't rely on this poorly structured review. The door is open to all levels and a free trial is offered without any obligation. To get a true look at the inside of CMT, follow the Facebook link and see for yourself. https://www.facebook.com/cmtportagepark/ read more

Went to a couple of trial classes around the city, but this gym immediately felt like home. Positive atmosphere, hard work during class, great vibe. Everyone helping everyone else, it's a team. read more

I love this spot. I started working out here around one and a half months ago, and I have noticed a huge difference in my conditioning and overall health already. Lets be honest, I don't ever want to fight competitively but if I am going to work out, I might as well learn some beneficial at the same time. JJ the owner is a good instructor and overall good people. I would recommend this location to anyone. read more

An awesome gym catered to first timers and professional fighters. Best gym in the area in my opinion.

Went to my first class this past Saturday and was instantly hooked! Still feeling sore 2 days later and i train heavily with weights 6 days a week so this truly was a great workout while also learning proper Muay Thai techniques. The instructors were super helpful and welcoming to 1st timers and make you feel very comfortable. Excited to go to my 2nd class this week and will continue on with this training. Recommend trying this if you are looking to try some new type of training or want to learn Muay Thai read more

The reason why I give this place a one star is not because of the training the trainers and training is great no doubt. Although when it comes down to support and canceling your membership it's different. I was in Europe for 3 months now when I was there my 6month expired on August. I had told my dad to go to the location and speak with them about a cancellation so he did now when he went down there he explained to them what he wanted which was a cancellation now the employee did not know what to do or inform him on how to cancel but instead took his info down and said the manger will call you, which they never did. At this point I thought the manger had already looked into things and sorted them out until I see my credit card bill that I was charged for this month and last month after my 6month clearly the manger did not do his job. So I contact them today and they I spoke with the employee again clearly he had no idea what to do so he brought the manger on the phone I'm speaking to him explaining the situation all he tells me to cancel your membership you need to email the company. Now I don't understand why the manger never had contacted my dad back with how to cancel but instead ignored the situation to ride out a few more months of income clearly the manger is not a business man nor does he know how to do business and this is very bad for the companies name. Please keep these things in minds before doing any paper work or anything with this gym because they will try to dry you out. read more

What a great place to learn Muay Thai! I signed up for the free trial class with the intention of signing up that day, and nothing changed my mind. The instructors/staff are extremely welcoming. I've taken classes with three different instructors and they were all great ! Every class gives you something to take with you to the next. The students here are also very friendly, the all levels class ranges from people with little to no experience as well people training for fights. There are no egos and they support your progress. I would highly recommend this place to anyone interested in learning this style of martial arts. read more

I am a new member and I highly recommend this class. This class offers a great blend of advising on correct techniques and proper instruction and just a flat out awesome workout! The staff is very knowledgeable and easy to approach - all looking to help at any turn. The current classmates, especially the more senior members, are equally as helpful and everyone is there for the same thing - to learn real Muay Thai and to get in shape! Very family oriented. read more

Excellent place to train! Knowledgeable and talented instructors who'll support whatever goals you may have. Highly recommended to anyone interested in building out their self-defense skills in a welcoming environment. read more

Joined CMTP with no prior experience and this place made me felt at home. The members, staff and coaches were very nice. Coaches are highly skilled. The gym was clean, equipments were in good condition and the community as a whole was very accommodating. I felt very comfortable here as a beginner. I highly recomend this place. This place has both beginners and more advance athletes. read more

Been coming here for a year and very happy of how much I've improved. They challenge you , push you to the limit without the egos . Instructors are awesome . read more

I've been training here since they officially opened in March and this place is awesome! I always wanted to learn Muay Thai, and was randomly googling schools in January when this one popped up. I did the free trial for Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu and signed up the same day. I have been consistently coming here since March and I have lost 20 pounds already, with 40 more to go :). JJ (instructor) has a very calm demeanor which really is crucial to effectively learning. He challenges you without you ever feeling pressured to perform. Also, I suffer from lupus and even though I have bad joint pain and am fatigued at all times, the workout does not put too much stress on my joints. I hope my condition can stay where it's at so that I can train here for years to come! read more

For the past two decades I have practiced a variety of martial arts, in different martial arts schools, throughout the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, and oversees. I currently hold several black belts in Taekwondo. Let me say this, it's very hard to find a good martial arts school. Chicago Muay Thai in the Portage Park area is one of the best martial arts schools that I have ever trained at. Instructors are knowledgeable, professional, patient, and take time to demonstrate techniques and spar. They make class fun while still boosting skills. Moreover, the students are extremely respectful and very helpful. That said, if you're looking for a place to learn Thai, this is a great place. read more

I had been wanting to do something different and something that would challenge me and give me something to work towards, as a regular gym just doesn't do that. I kept walking passed this place near my house and finally decided to look into it. After talking to friends who knew some of the instructors from the Lincoln Park location I decided to give the free Muay Thai class a try and I'm so glad I did! Even though I just started this week they already know my name. I have never been anywhere where I am addressed and asked how I am right off the bat. Even the other classmates remembered me. There is such a feeling of "we all started where you are" in the class which makes it so much easier. Not to mention Vanessa who was so patient and encouraging while pairing up with me. She definitely took the intimidation factor away!It's great to have such a great place to learn Muay Thai so close to home. Can't wait till Monday's class and to see how much I can learn and progress. read more