Martial Arts Clubs in Belfast

Icky_Thump

Hi, I'm looking to take up a martial art mainly for fitness. I'm thinking of Muay Thai. The only only martial arts expeience I have is I did a little judo when I was younger, but that's about 10-15 years ago. Just looking for any recommendations of clubs in and around the Belfast area.

Kevinly_

Kyoujin MMA
Frames Complex, Little Donegal Street, Belfast.
+44(0)7709595445

Peter Lavery runs a MMA club there. He does bjj grappling which is very much like judo so you should give it a shot.

Roper

Theres also Thai in the same complex and as far as I remember, Peter himself has a bit of Thai experience.

BLUNT

Yeah there is a great Khru (teacher ) of the arts of Thailand at Frames.All four arts from sport ( Muay Thai ) weapons ( Krabbi Krabong ) empty hand ( Lerd rit ) and the dances ( Ram Muay..etc...etc ).Frank is the mans name and I can honestly say you'ed be hard pushed to find a better Khru in Ireland or the UK.So all the best with your training............J

Ballisong

I have to agree with BLUNT, Khru Frank is one of the best Thai trainers in Ireland and the u.k. you could not do any better than him, his passion for the Thai martial arts is amazing and he has a reputation for producing some of the top fighters in the sport here and across the water.

Good luck with your training and enjoy.

weemate

For Thai,you will not get a better coach than Frank as the other guys have said.His classes are on tuesday and thursday around 7:00/7:30.he also has a saturday session.Im not sure about the cost per class but if you call down he will fill you in on the details.As I said,he would be the best Thai coach in my opinion in the north and arguably one of the best in the country.
Peter

TJHOOKER

Gracie Barra Belfast is another option. Graham Keys runs a pretty tight ship. Good technical Gracie jiu jitsu.

www.gracie-barra-ni.co.uk

Icky_Thump

Thanks for all the replies. Does anyone have a way to contact Frank about the Muay Thai at Frames, or is it best just to go down and see him during one of the sessions?

weemate

I think it best to just call down on the tuesday or thursday before the session starts.If you are there for around 7:30 you can grab a quick word.

Aiodhan7

Hello there ole buck

Frankie who is based in Frames near the Belfast Telegraph office is yer man, the Angelo Dundee of the real thing. I did a seminar once with him and my lung bags I was wearin as ear rings. Jason the bole blunt is one of his students who also studies Silat and has classes on a monthly basis is second to none but be prepared of when you do a class when you bend down to tie yer shoe laces bring a newpaper.

They are both the real deal

BLUNT

Franks my good friend and I can honestly say that he is the Father of S.E.Asian arts in Ireland he brought the attetition to my self and many others of the effectiveness of these arts.Training with only the best he is high level even in JKD under Bob Breen,back in the day ( as I helped to teach Bod Silat,under Steven Benitez ) Bod says Frank is outstanden....Rick Young also rates Frank at a high level too....Learnt from Gary Derek Thai arts along with Phili arts,trained some Silat with Steven Benitez.

So if you go up and have a yarn with the man,he'll open you up to a whole new world of what fighting really is....He has coached numerious champions of Muay Thai and has been a champion him self.I have had the pleasure and honour of knowing him ( and fighting for him ) for 16yrs and would just like to say actions speak louder than words,dont take my word go down...book a private with the man......ask him to show the maddness 'n' away you go
Respects J

al415

Sorry to dig up such an old thread, but I googled an old instructor's name and this was what I found. I studied under Gary Derek in the early 90's at the Breen academy. Blunt, do you know what ever became of him?

Dave Joyce

do you know what ever became of him?

Gary is an Osteopath and trains Silat with Steven Benitez. Don't think he trains Thai anymore.

Burnt

If your looking for Judo, you could do alot worse than the Yamakwai Club or The Ward School of Judo. Both are very successful and Ciaran is a brillant coach.

al415

Dave Joyce wrote: »

Gary is an Osteopath and trains Silat with Steven Benitez. Don't think he trains Thai anymore.

Yeah, I had a couple of osteopathic sessions with him in the early 90's so that would make sense. There was a Scottish guy teaching with him at the time. I believe his name was Gordon, he ran a very intense class. When I'd come back to Belfast on holiday I could never find Muay Thai. I remember taking a train to the middle of nowhere (outside Belfast) to train with some really nice guys that were doing kung-fu (Wing Chun). By the looks of this forum all that has changed in the years since I left the UK / Ireland.

Dave Joyce

If you've trained with Gary and Gordon, surely you know Frankie then? He's the one running the club in Frames.

weemate

Frank is no longer in Frames guys.He will be opening a new venue in the city centre in the next few weeks.I'll post up the details as soon as I get them from him.The new place is bigger and will be better equipped to fit more of you in!!!
Peter

3KINGS

Oi amigos

Big Gary still trains in North London at EWS and to be honest,to say he doesnt do Thai arts any more....wouldnt be true.As a lot of Indonesian arts,we have learnt have been heavly influenced by the arts of Siam.

"BLUNT" has changed to 3kings and my names J ( jason ) Kelly and I'm a senior student in both the countries of Thailand & Indonesia.

I have the pleasure of being a student of Big Gary,Frankie and Steven Benitez.I've now moved back to Belfast,where I teach Tribal W.A.Y.S "Living traditions of S.E.Asia"

If your looking to contact Big G....best to call E.W.S in London........

Happy hunting ...J

weemate

Where are you teaching Jason?Will you be taking any nights at Franks new place?

al415

That E.W.S. looks great, I saw Gordon's picture on there. Little older and greyer, but basically the same! Dave, I don't think I know Frankie... Though I'm not great with names. Was he around the Breen academy in the early to mid 90's?

Dave Joyce

Was he around the Breen academy in the early to mid 90's?

Yep, he was there round those years. Don't worry if ya met him there you'ed DEFINATELY remember him:D:D:D