★ 5

I've been a member of Raktan for over a year now and this review is long overdue. I joined this gym after coming from a heavily sanitized "MMA" McDojo where ageism, sexism and nepotism ran rampant and if you wanted to learn more, they weren't capable of teaching it, unless you were willing to shell out ridiculous amounts of money. Raktan is the polar opposite and has become my PLACE. You are always treated like a human being, never a dollar sign. My coaches, my teammates, the location, the sounds, the freaking SMELL of the gym, make me so happy. The coaches know muay thai very, very well due to years of training. They go above and beyond not just by demonstrating movements and strikes but also by explaining the "why" behind it, the science behind it, the art behind it. These are not just people who stand around correcting you; they train alongside you during every single class. Sparring and clinch sparring is frequent and mandatory and that's where you want to be. The training is rigorous and it's not for the faint of heart but you will learn genuine, technically sound muay thai from instructors who are actual human beings that know their shit, not soulless robots who just made something up and called it their own. I hate to sound cliche but all of my training partners are truly like my brothers and sisters. There are no egos, just people who want to get better and who want you to get better. I've never experienced such camaraderie, en masse, in my life. There's no "you're too old for this" or "it's not a good look that you're fighting" or "you should leave this to the men"; your only limitations are what you have in your head. Everyone is treated equally and I am very proud to say that I'll be making my amateur fight debut in a few months thanks to their belief in me. At the end of class, no one is rushing you out the door so they can close up; we stay talking, cleaning up, doing bag work, drilling; it's like a little house with a diverse bag of personalities, ethnicities and abilities. I feel much stronger and healthier these days and am confident in my ability to defend myself and my family should the need arise. I know this is long but, to summarize, I love how I feel when I walk through the door. The unpleasantness and harshness of the world evaporates and it's just about spending time with other like-minded individuals who all have a common goal. I am so happy to have found Raktan and will continue to recommend this gym to everyone.

Source: Google

★ 1

I am going to echo what has been said in these previous review comments, the owner is a loose cannon and is extremely rude.
He think he is a doing you a favor by letting you train at his gym - bro I am paying you $. His ego is up in the sky for no reason. It is no wonder no one lasts here long, the gym is constantly running though members and he only has one professional fighter who has managed to stay with him, everyone else has bounced. He is so immature and petty that he will blast members and other fighters on IG. The training is fine but not worth dealing with an egotistical immature individual.

Source: Google

★ 4

Trainer very friendly and respectful so fun to training muaythai boxing basic drills with gym mates ,trainers . I’m a smallest professional muaythai & kickboxer in Tokyo I would like to recommend to those if you wanna train muaythai boxing first time join this gym for muaythai boxing 🙏🏽🙏🏽

Source: Google

★ 5

Good old school gym with trainers with decades of experience.

Source: Google

★ 5

Trained only a short time there, but really good gym. What really sets it apart from others is its dedicated clinch program.

Source: Google

★ 5

Family level of respect and welcoming, and just overall happy faces throughout the whole gym’s atmosphere , Been to a lot of martial art gym’s , they all sucked. I’ve been a New Yorker my whole life. When I tell you this one is Movie-Like Nostalgia. I’m serious. I highly recommend this gym to anyone looking to get into an authentic martial arts school. I am an extremely slow learner like I was the kid who needed tutoring after school and the patience these people have with me is incredible. I feel welcomed and comfortable. Also excellent for the mind even if you’re not into martial arts and want to get out your comfort zone instead of joining a local book club , go here.
11 out of 10

Source: Google

★ 5

I recently completed the novice crash course with coach Jamul. Each session included stretching/mobility work, reflex drills, conditioning and foundational striking techniques. As someone with minimal martial arts experience, the sessions were challenging but coach Jamul was great at breaking down any technique I had difficulty with. I was pleased to see how much I improved with each session — which is a clear testament to the strong coaching here. Overall, I’d say the gym has a positive and welcoming culture - the people I’ve met in passing have been very friendly and seem happy to train here. If you are looking to get started in Muay Thai, I highly encourage you to check out this gym and definitely consider the novice crash course!

Source: Google

★ 5

This gym is def not the cardio kickboxing type. And learnt a bunch with coach Anita through their novice crash course program

Source: Google

★ 5

Best Muay Thai gym in New York!!!!!

Source: Google

★ 5

Been training with Raktan for a few months. About time to write a review. For anyone searching for a place to land a new hobby or trying to improve technically this is the place. All classmates are friendly and willing to challenge/push you at a comfortable level. No bully is allowed in this gym as we are A FAMLIY here. Unlike commercial gyms, Raktan has smaller size class that no one is invisible and you WILL get useful advices from either coaches or senior classmates.

Source: Google

★ 1

Not sure if this is a common problem with martial art gyms. Even the guy replying to email is a jerk. Have some questions about the program but ended up receiving rude response from this arrogant staff. Definitely not the way to treat its potential customer.

Source: Google

★ 5

Incredible!

I was in the area for one week

Was invited to a session and boy was it my favorite part of New York

This is a wonderful gym where you can exercise, learn and develop the right attitude in a fun way through combat

Definitely coming back when I'm in the area and you should too!

Source: Google

★ 5

Excellent teachers and an overall great environment. Happy to have found this gem!

Source: Google

★ 5

The best technical Muay Thai gym I ever been.
Clean and organized, with good vibe and great coaches.
Been there over a year now and I am learning a lot every day. Thanks to everyone at Raktan gym.
So happy to be part of this crew.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

My son participates in the kid’s classes. Price is good and the class size is still pretty small which I like. My son enjoys the one hour sessions and says it doesn’t feel like a workout cause he’s having fun while learning fundamentals. Definitely recommend.

Source: Google

★ 5

Dedicated coaches. Excellent workouts. This is a great place for old school muay Thai.

Source: Google

★ 5

Has the vibe of those 80s/90s gritty, rough and tough, old school boxing gyms. Would recommend to anyone that want's to learn Muay Thai and doesn't want to spend most of the class running/doing cardio as some gyms do.

Source: Google

★ 5

As a beginner the coach was very understanding and pushed me at my own pace and limit. I’m excited to get in shape, learn more, and improve.

Source: Google

★ 5

Hands down the best Muay Thai gym in all of NYC. Coach Mike and Coach Jamul have an immense amount of knowledge and preparation and over half a century of combined knowledge to take you to whatever goal you have whether it’s physical fitness- or competition readiness. Don’t even bother going anywhere else because I can guarantee you- no other gym has the passion, camaraderie, and knowledge that Raktan has. It’s like an extended family of friendly killers and coach Mike and Jamul are super dope genuine people aside from experienced teachers- give it a try and I promise you won’t regret it

Source: Google

★ 5

This gym will teach you Muay Thai and how to apply it in real life if needed. Get ready for a very diverse bag of body shapes, levels, ethnicities and methods. The shower is very clean. The changing rooms are small but sufficient. You won’t need a lock. You’ll gain skills, confidence, friends and mental strength.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Quality training and great atmosphere. Instructors/partners will match to your level and will help you at all levels. Controlled sparing and great workout!

Source: Google

★ 5

If you are looking to learn Muay Thai as a beginner or wanted to go more advance level this is the right place to go. Instructors are very supportive and help you to build your foundation And also be prepared for the intense classes in a very positive environment.

Source: Google

★ 5

Professional gym. Great, well organized classes. Focus on technique and controlled sparring. Fight-oriented but suitable for all levels.

Source: Google

★ 5

Fantastic experience 👌🏼 learned the basic moves on the first day. Instructors are patient and educated. Will come back

Source: Google

★ 5

I stumble upon Raktan more than 3 years ago looking for a boxing gym just when I moved to the Astoria/Long Island City area from Connecticut. I didn't know much about Muay Thai back then and didn't know what I was getting into, I had more of a cardio boxing background. After a few weekday classes and a intense saturday fight camp session I decided to stick around since it exposed me to realistic fighting situations for self-defense, Muay Thai itself, and a great workout.

You can go as far as you want in terms of Muay Thai or workout, the coaches are friendly, and the schedule and location are convenient.

At this point I've done a couple of fight camps, have also tried BJJ, and I'm not afraid of getting hit anymore (Not mandatory to get this far but I'm sure you'll be tempted.)

Source: Google

★ 1

Pretty disappointing experience when I tried them out in the past. Probably fine if you're just looking to move around for the sake of exercise. I'd highly recommend Sitan (or a gym in Manhattan) over this place in terms of both environment and instruction.

Edit: coaches seem to think I'm from Sitan lol. I was providing a better alternative for the area. If you're in Manhattan I would also recommend the Wat, 5 points, Evolution, among others. Kings combat is another great Queens spot. Cheers!

Source: Google

★ 5

Once of the best schools I have attended, if you have issues with the price they will work with you and help you out in any way they can, they make you feel like you’re part of the Raktan family and the instructors have more than enough qualifications and make the training as hard as they can but enjoyable.

Highly recommend

Source: Google

★ 5

Best muay thai training you can get in NYC. If you want to learn how to actually train muay thai and not just do cardio kickboxing come train here. Sparring multiple times a week and clinching to get a good well rounded approach (pre corona). Also the only gym I've seen that was sterilizing every inch of the classroom even before corona. Extremely clean and doesn't even have a gym smell. Hands down my favorite gym across the multiple gyms I've been to across the country.

Source: Google

★ 5

Raktan is an incredible place to develop confidence for fighters and non-fighters, excellent coaches which in every class try to pull the best of you, each one with your technic ready to teach you with so many passionate and also challenging your limits every time. Raktan is a community that embraces everyone.
I highly recommend it if you want to train hard and laugh a bit after training.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Raktan gym is an exceptional place to train. The coaches Mike, Jamul and Sirigian are excellent and all have a lot of experience with the sport. They will take their time to explain everything to the students. You will learn the essentials of not only muay thai but boxing and clinch. Their training methods are unlike other gyms and you will learn things in this gym that other gyms do not teach. The fitness level of each class will push you and you will leave feeling accomplished. Whether you are looking to fight or just get into shape I highly recommend this gym. Also you will not only learn the fighting style of muay thai but also the history and traditions of the sport.

Source: Google