The Wat

Been training here for about a year and The Wat really deserves a review now that I’ve had time to look back on my experience here and other places in NYC.
Some of the reviews I’ve read below and those online on forums and the like about MMA, Striking, Muay Thai in general in the NYC area are a bit outdated when looking at the classes here. There are a large variety of classes that utilize everything under the sun, 1 to 1 partner work, pad work, sparring, bag work, boxing, conditioning, etc. The total beginner’s class, as one might think, is based on just that, a total beginner skill set that are adjusted for those who are there for that class. You might get a class that are mostly first timers, expect some conditioning work and basics with tutorials. The next day, some experienced guys coming back from injuries or having an off day may be in your class, this will push you even if you have to listen to some basic instruction. Given that the total beginners classes are well guided, the higher level classes, int. and adv., including the pads’ class, go straight into training. Little introduction, straight to warm ups, kicking drills, combinations, and sparring while instructors give you tips. Many of the students here fight on the amateur level and there are a few who fight pro as well for muay thai. Every instructor here has been friendly and skilled, all with their own personalities and teaching style. I’ve personally never seen Phil Nurse here without a smile and a steel gaze, somehow at the same time, and yes he does teach all the classes when he wants to, beginners included.
As well the schedule for classes is top notch, every day of the week, almost all mornings and nights, so this fits well for those with 9 – 6 careers.
The facilities as well are well maintained (shower and locker rooms) and even lack that musty smell most MMA gyms and wrestling pads get after a long time if that’s a concern for you.
You get what you want out of a place like this to train at and if it fits your personality, the training here will teach you a lot about yourself. Leave your ego at the door and enjoy getting calluses, torn blisters, bruises and much, much more.

I organized a one-​one training session with Nick V. for my husband’s 40^th birthday. Taumori was an amazing contact to have, she responded to all emails, booked my session, and gave us great background on the gym (WONDERFUL assistant/​host). The atmosphere at the gym is amazing and seeing Kru Phil at work demonstrates a true dedication to Muay Thai. My husband enjoyed the training with Nick, I highly recommend to those interested in Muay Thai this is a great gym.

Muay Thai: The art of 8 limbs where you learn to strike your opponent with fists, elbows, knees, and shins. This time tested martial art is the weapon of choice for many decorated fighters all over the world and there are numerous gyms to attempt to take up the challenge. Then why the Wat? For starters, for a place where people are non-​stop sweating, it’s very clean. The facilities are relativey new so everything is in great working condition. And as it turns out, some of the world’s greatest martial artists train here. Georges St. Pierre, former pound for pound greatest fighter in the world, learns his stand-​up game here. The cherry on top? CURRENT pound for pound greatest fighter in the world, Jon Jones, hones his craft here as well.

First day at the wat, great class, great atmosphere. Everyone is cool and friendly, the workout was amazing and even if my first muay thay day I felt like I did a great start. Kru Phil nurse was there at all times, the class is not too big which is good. At the end of the class I signed. Up for a year, I will be there every day after work.
Recommended to anyone

If you are searching for the Wat on Unilocal then you must be at least thinking about joining. Well, stop here and go for your first trial class now. Still not convinced? Why not? Worried about the instructors? Heard of GSP or Jon Jones? Don’t you think they should worry more about choosing their Muay Thai instructor? Worried about not being fit enough? Everyone here knows what it was like when they first started. In fact it never gets easier because getting easy only means not trying. Worried about lacking motivation? It’s because you haven’t met Kru Phil. After only a year of training I have discovered so much about myself that I never could have dared to imagine – both physically and mentally. Don’t know what I mean? Just give it a try I promise you will want to write a review like this very soon enough.

I am most upset to move to Chicago because I have to leave The Wat. The workouts here are amazing. I specifically did boxing with the Renos, and doing it for 2 years, my body changed dramatically, and I feel stronger than I have ever been. The best part about the gym is the community. You are surrounded by amateur and pro fighters as well as people just doing classes. Everyone supports each other and challenges each other. Best place in NY and good showers!

I unfortunately have only been to the Wat once for the introductory session, but I was overall very happy with the gym. This gym is levels above some of the other gyms up in midtown. The class was small which allows for a lot more instruction and attention to detail from the instructors. The only drawback i see is the price.

My daughter and I began training at the WAT a few years ago, to give her some self-​defense skills before she left for college. Then her younger brother joined us. We all still train with Susan Reno and can’t praise her and the gym enough. The combinations have taken our strength and physical self-​confidence to places I couldn’t have imagined. The gym provides a nice combination: tough, challenging workout in a friendly, welcoming environment.

I have known Phil Nurse, founder of the Wat, since he came to the US and have been training with him ever since I first met him — over 15 years. Phil is by far the best Muay Thai instructor in the US and that comes from someone who knows almost all of them. If you want a challenging workout in a welcoming and friendly environment the Wat is for you!

The wat is clean and has hardwood floors, but I rated it five stars because of the quality of instruction. It is a good, challenging work out, and the instructor gives lots of personal attention and corrections for form. Also, I felt that the combinations that we learned were more advanced than the typical class. They also have strength training class, but no kettlebells, and they do private fight nights several times a year, which I’m planning on checking out. Membership is a bit pricey, but probably worth it.

The WAT classes are awesome. I’m a very big fan of self defense and boxing, but on my first trial class for Muay Thai, I was hooked.
Of course the classes are very intense. I’ve been going there for about a month now and many of the times, I felt the need to sit down and/​or throw up. Kru Phil is such a nice person that he offered me a free Gatorade a couple of these times.
The place is very clean, but like many Muay Thai gyms, there is a lot of sweat everywhere, so if you can’t handle that, then I don’t think ANY gym is for you.
I am a very clean person and I sought out the gym with the best hygiene. There are showers with complimentary shampoo and body wash.
Overall, I go about twice a week, Mondays/​Tuesdays and Fridays. My body cannot handle the classes too often, but honestly after every class, I can’t wait to go back.

I wish I lived here. I’d be here every day. Not only does the phenom Phil Nurse reside here, but the facility itself is top notch. The cleanest gym I’ve ever been to. I was fortunate to get a one on one private training session with Phil and I learned more in one hour than I did in weeks at other places.

Nice gym, good energy. Super friendly staff and instructors. Front desk staff was so accommodating, and Kru Phil gave me personal attention even though I was floundering in his full class. Student population is very diverse and friendly. Highly recommend for those looking to stay fit, or interested in competing. Class emphasis appears to be on competitive training.
** Located DOWNSTAIRS from street level (Reade St).

I have been a member here for two years and it is finally time to post a review. I was training for about a year privately before I came here with my friend. This friend went to Gracie’s and asked a lot of people there what school should someone go to in order to learn Muay Thai. They all told him The Wat and that is how I first heard of this place.
Weight loss
This is not the kind of place where the class is going to be boring and you go just for the workout. You come here to learn the art of Muay Thai. With that said, you are going to lose a lot of weight taking classes here as well. One buddy who joined a month ago is now 10 pounds lighter. Another friend actually measured how many calories he burned in one class and it was 800! If you’re looking to lose weight this is easily done here.
Training
For those of you who don’t know who Phil Nurse is look him up. Phil, the owner still teaches classes when he’s not in the corner of the UFC fighters. The classes are always different and they are insane. Im in pretty good shape (123 pounds 6% fat 5’5) and it takes a lot to wear me out. These classes always destroy me and I love it. The instructors will come over to you and fine tune your technique which I care about more than the calories being burned. You will also get Brett as your trainer who is on some crazy win streak now and I think just won a belt in the UK. He is an awesome trainer as well. I can literally keep going on about the trainers and classes but I’ll just go to the next point.
Women
I write this section because I imagine that some girls might be hesitant in going to a place like this. Not to worry here. You will not be ogled, you will not be made to feel uncomfortable. There are a good amount of girls that go here and a lot of them are very advanced and the whole class is welcoming.
The facility
Always very clean which is super important to me. Whoever is at the front desk when you walk in is always very nice. There are heavy bags, Thai bags, and a speed bag. This is more of an authentic Thai training school which is awesome so you wont be hearing people slamming weights around. This location is still pretty new so everything is nice. The showers are stocked with shampoo, soap, and conditioner. They of course provide towels, free lockers, a bag for your soaked clothing, and even Q tips.
The Vibe
A huge reason why people keep coming back: When you are here you will feel like family. Everyone (students as well) are incredibly friendly and helpful. Whenever im paired with some more experienced I ask them to correct and give me any pointers if im doing anything wrong and they are happy to do so. By the end of your first class you will feel a harmony because everyone is working together. I cannot stress enough how amazing the vibe and energy are here. It all trickles from the top and when you have someone as awesome as Phil Nurse (not just talking about deadly skill) it’s easy to see why there is such a great environment. Everything in this world is either growing or dying there is no middle ground… and this is an amazing place to grow!

i love this place its a shame i cant make it out to train here anymore because of my schedule. So many great stand up fighters came from this gym and Phil Nurse is one of the most dedicated and technically gifted teachers around.

Phil Nurse’s into classes are awesome. The front desk staff is great.
BUT, I made the mistake of taking a class with a sub and the sub was a dub.
He made us run for 45 mins straight. I mean really? If I wanted to run around in circles, I’d go out side and do it for FREE. I have no idea what the remainder of the class was about. I peaced out after 45 mins.
That was back in March. I have not been back since.

Nice facility… friendly boxing instructors… but I’ve hopped around to know better than to send anyone their way. The classes are pretty mediocre. I have a feeling that as you advance, they do get better, but beginners class seemed to be for people who know very little about Muay Thai– and so it was a painful hour to get through for that.
I was really displeased at how they handled my enrollment. I asked to sign up for a month and I was willing to pay the $ 165 (at this point, I’m giving a rough estimate of actual cost). And then they also asked that you purchase uniform (about $ 65 more), which I was willing to do. However, ON TOP OF THAT, they wanted me to pay a registration fee of about $ 150 even though I would only be there for a month. So they were asking for about $ 350-​$ 400 out the door and I was like, yeah, I get that I’m in the Financial District– but your classes suck. I was looking for actual training.
Whatever works for them I suppose. Now I’m at Evolution Muay Thai where the classes are way more effective, the energy is excellent, and I pay $ 165 month-​to-​month with no contract. They have actual local fighters who train with you in the gym so it’s been awesome.

I have only been here twice, but I have seen enough to say that I love it. I am not in the best shape and I’m a woman, so I was a little intimidated walking into what other reviewers call a «serious» Muy Thai gym, but that fear was totally unfounded. Everybody here (staff, instructors, and other students) is friendly and welcoming. It’s a low pressure environment, where everybody focuses only on doing their best.
The facilities, while not particularly large, are spacious enough to accommodate everybody comfortably. The space is well taken care of, and very clean. There are showers, lockers (I don’t think they provide locks, but so far I haven’t seen anyone use a lock anyway; I think a lot of people here know and trust each other), and towel service. They even provide a hair dryer and flat iron in the women’s locker room, which I thought was a nice touch.
The class warm up will get you sweating with the basics: running, push ups, sit ups, and squats. Then you split into teams of two and practice drills, interspersed with more push ups, sit ups, and squats. After my first class, I was sore for four days, but it was worth it. There are a fair number of women in the classes, so it’s easy enough to find another woman to work with.
The instructor is very patient with total beginners, and will walk around and correct your form and demonstrate for you until you get it. This was much appreciated, because I’m not the most coordinated person in the world. He even politely pretended not to notice when I was flopping around on the ground trying to complete my 80^th push up of the class — very nice guy.
If you’re into a serious, well-​respected Muy Thai gym, this is a great place for you. But even if you’ve never tried martial arts, are out of shape, and are embarrassed to flail around stupidly for an hour (like me), don’t be afraid to try the Wat. The people here will whip you into shape in no time.

My brother has been an in & out student of Phil Nurse for a long time, so I have heard all about Phil Nurse and also about the training my brother has done. So I got to finally come out and give this place a try.
The newest Wat is located in the basement level. So it has a boxing gym type of feel (also the smell of sweat fills the air). A section hangs the heavy bags, the ring is in the middle, and lots of space in-​between. Locker rooms with showers (shampoo, condition, bodywash included) and they provide towel service too! They give you a plastic bag to carry any wet clothes when you leave and you also get a free apple. Awesome place.
Though they offer boxing, Muay Thai is the core competency of the Wat. They don’t have a weight room or anything like that. What you’ll be doing is traditional training (minus the running I suppose) as Phil possess a very Thai style that most westerners lack. And you can tell once you look at his technique. Also the great thing is that Kru Phil, the head instructor, is out there teaching classes and interacting with students when he’s not away at fight camp with pro-​fighters. Something that not all instructors do. He’s very much involved with his students and teaching.
Personally I think this is the best Muay Thai gym in NYC (I’ve been 1 other one located on Canal st). I do hear that there is a 1 year contract (which sucks!) and that its expensive ($ 200 probably would be a good estimate, which sucks too!). However, this place is THE premier spot for Muay Thai and you definitely won’t be cheated of your money. So if you can afford it then definitely sign up.

THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!
WAT is full of VERY nice and friendly people who just want you to improve and try your best.
classes are very professional and believe me… you WILL work up a sweat and shed them pounds. dude– i stepped in a puddle of someone’s sweat. gross. but you’ll get used to it because your head should be more into your kickboxing rather than how much sweat some other dude is producing
classes can get very full so try to improve as fast as you can and move up a level or two
there are some major world class muay thai kickboxers here. this is a SERIOUS place
the showers are clean and the lockers get filled up quickly– so come early to class
free trial class so you can try it out!