Muay Thai
Authentic coaching, Exceptional experience, A team for everyone
Whether you want to compete, improve your fitness, build confidence or simply learn something new, Hybrid Muay Thai welcomes you.
Our sessions combine authentic Muay Thai coaching with a friendly, supportive atmosphere where beginners and experienced fighters train alongside one another. You do not need to be fit, experienced or confident before you begin we will meet you where you are and help you progress at your own pace.
More Than Just a Workout
Known as the “Art of Eight Limbs”, Muay Thai uses punches, kicks, knees and elbows to develop a highly effective and exciting striking style.
Training can help you:
- Improve your fitness and stamina
- Build strength, speed and coordination
- Learn practical striking skills
- Develop discipline and resilience
- Grow in confidence
- Relieve stress and have fun
- Become part of a supportive team
You can train recreationally without ever stepping into a ring. For those who do want to compete, we also offer an established pathway from technical development and interclubs through to competitive fighting at national and international level.
Beginners Are Always Welcome
Starting a martial art can feel daunting, but everyone at Hybrid was a beginner once.
Our coaches will help you learn the fundamentals safely, including your stance, movement, guard and basic striking techniques. You will progress gradually, with no pressure to spar or compete.
There are no egos and no expectation that you should already know what you are doing. You will be training in a friendly, family-style environment where members encourage one another and experienced students help newer people feel at home.
Come as you are. We will help with the rest.
Train for Fitness, Skill or Competition
People come to Muay Thai with very different goals—and there is a place here for all of them.
Some members train because they love the physical challenge. Others want to improve their confidence, fitness or mental wellbeing. Some discover a passion for the sport and decide they would like to test themselves in competition.
Our coaching team has the experience to support every stage of that journey.
For developing fighters, we provide structured technical coaching, controlled sparring, interclub opportunities, fight preparation and knowledgeable corner support. Our team has produced and supported fighters competing nationally and internationally, including success at ISKA championship level.
Whether your ambition is to get fitter or to win titles, you will receive knowledgeable coaching and be treated as a valued part of the team.
A Serious Fight Team Without the Ego
Hybrid has a proud competitive history, but being a successful fight gym does not mean creating an intimidating environment.
Our fighters train hard and are expected to show commitment, discipline and respect. At the same time, they remain part of the wider Hybrid family supporting newer members and representing the gym with pride.
We regularly support fighters at interclubs and competitive events, with experienced coaches providing preparation and cornering. We also host our own Muay Thai interclubs, creating opportunities for developing athletes to gain valuable experience in a properly organised and supportive setting.
Our championship belts and awards represent years of hard work from fighters, coaches and the entire team behind them.
Meet the Hybrid Muay Thai Coaching Team
We are incredibly proud of the depth of experience within our Muay Thai coaching team. Between them, our coaches bring decades of knowledge, extensive competitive experience and a genuine passion for helping others develop.
Dave Wilkins
Head Muay Thai Coach
Dave is an old-school Muay Thai coach who has been deeply involved in the sport for decades.
He is known and highly respected by Muay Thai gyms and figures throughout the national fight scene. During his coaching career, Dave has developed and supported fighters from their early training through to national and international competition, including ISKA title success.
His knowledge has been built through years of genuine involvement in the sport not only teaching technique, but preparing fighters, working corners and understanding what athletes need both physically and mentally.
Dave sets the standards for the Hybrid Muay Thai programme and brings experience, authenticity and a lifelong commitment to the sport.
Marcel Gaines
Muay Thai Coach
We are exceptionally fortunate to have Marcel as part of the Hybrid coaching team.
Marcel lived and trained in Thailand as a sponsored, full-time fighter at the internationally renowned Tiger Muay Thai. With hundreds of fights behind him, he brings an extraordinary depth of practical experience and knowledge to every session.
His coaching is shaped by years spent living the sport at the highest level. Members benefit from authentic Muay Thai technique, intelligent detail and lessons that can only come from such extensive experience inside the ring.
Whether he is working with an aspiring fighter or someone attending their first session, Marcel’s knowledge is an invaluable part of the Hybrid Muay Thai programme.
Will Edney
Muay Thai Coach
Will is a charismatic and passionate coach who has walked the walk as a fighter and developed an excellent reputation as a cornerman.
He combines extensive experience with an ability to make sessions challenging, enjoyable and full of energy. His sense of humour and natural banter create a relaxed training environment, while his technical standards and attention to his students remain extremely high.
Will understands the sport from both sides of the ropes. His ability to read a fight, communicate under pressure and support athletes in their corner makes him an important part of our competitive team.
Expect hard work, excellent coaching and plenty of laughs along the way.
Yousef Touhami
Muay Thai Coach
Yousef is an intelligent and highly knowledgeable fighter who now brings his focus and passion to coaching.
Having built up a wealth of experience throughout his own journey in the sport, he is passionate about passing that knowledge on and helping others become more skilled and confident.
Yousef brings thought, detail and genuine enthusiasm to the coaching team. His understanding of Muay Thai, combined with his commitment to developing others, makes him another incredibly valuable part of the Hybrid family.
Train in a Dedicated Combat Gym
Hybrid is a genuine combat and performance facility with the space, equipment and coaching support needed to train properly.
Our facilities include:
- A dedicated striking dojo
- A full-size boxing ring
- MMA Cage
- Heavy bags and specialist striking equipment
- A separate rolling and grappling room
- Strength and conditioning facilities
- An Olympic lifting and performance studio
- A fully equipped commercial gym
- Changing and shower facilities
Your adult combat membership also gives you the opportunity to train across our combat programme rather than being restricted to one discipline.
More Training, More Possibilities
Your adult combat trial gives you access to our full range of combat classes, including:
- Muay Thai
- Boxing
- MMA
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
You can also attend our large-group fitness sessions and yoga, giving you the freedom to build a varied training week around your own interests and goals.
Your Two-Week Combat Trial
Try Hybrid for two weeks for £50.
During your trial, you can experience our adult combat classes, large-group fitness sessions and yoga. This gives you time to meet the coaches, explore different disciplines and discover which sessions suit you best.
If you choose to become a member after your trial, you will also receive a free Hybrid T-shirt and gumshield.
You do not need previous experience, and you do not need to decide in advance whether you want to train recreationally or competitively. Just take the first step and come through the door.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any previous Muay Thai experience?
No. Complete beginners are always welcome, and our coaches will help you learn the fundamentals at a pace that suits you.
Do I need to be fit before I start?
Absolutely not. Training will help you become fitter. You can work at your own level and gradually build your fitness, strength and confidence.
Will I have to spar?
No. You will never be forced to spar or compete. Sparring is introduced appropriately and only when someone is ready and wants to take that step.
Is Muay Thai suitable if I only want to improve my fitness?
Yes. Many members train purely for fitness, enjoyment and the challenge of learning a new skill.
Can I compete?
Yes. If you are interested in competing and demonstrate the necessary commitment, our experienced team can help you develop from technical training through interclubs and into competitive fighting.
What equipment do I need?
Comfortable training clothes and a bottle of water are enough for your first session. We can advise you about gloves and other equipment as you progress. Members receive a Hybrid T-shirt and gumshield when joining after their trial. During your trial, we will lend you gloves and shin guards.
Can I try the other martial arts during my trial?
Yes. The adult combat trial allows you to experience Muay Thai alongside our other combat disciplines, as well as large-group fitness sessions and yoga.
Your First Session Could Be the Start of Something Bigger
You might arrive wanting to get fitter, become more confident or try something completely different.
You might eventually decide to compete.
Whatever your goal, you will be supported by an exceptional coaching team and welcomed into a gym where people train hard, look after one another and genuinely want to see each other succeed.
£50 FOR A TWO-WEEK ADULT COMBAT TRIAL
Dave Wilkins,
Head Muay Thai Coach
Dave’s Muay Thai journey began in 1991, when he visited Thailand for the first time and became captivated by what he describes as both the beauty and brutality of the sport.
He went on to have a ten-year fighting career, winning national titles and representing England internationally on the professional Muay Thai scene.
Since then, Dave has dedicated many years to teaching and coaching students and fighters. Some have achieved great competitive success, while others have gone on to establish and coach at their own gyms extending the knowledge and standards Dave has passed down to them.
What Dave enjoys most about coaching is seeing people put in the hours, commit to the process and progress through consistent hard work. After more than three decades in Muay Thai, he has an exceptional depth of knowledge and experience to share much of it, as Dave says, “gained the hard way.”
What can you expect from Dave’s classes?
“In my classes, you’re expected to work hard on the basics. Only then will we bring in the other aspects of the glorious sport of Muay Thai.”
Dave’s coaching is rooted in strong fundamentals, discipline and an authentic understanding of the sport. Whether he is teaching a complete beginner or preparing an experienced fighter, his focus remains the same: master the foundations, work hard and earn your progression.
Hybrid Combat Gym, 22 Clare Place, Coxside, Plymouth, UK
01752 265785