There's the astonishingly high caliber of instruction from coaches who've dedicated tremendous time and energy to learning the art of Muay Thai and learning how to teach it. These are some of the best teachers of anything — from their understanding of fundamentals to linking together increasingly challenging ideas, translating those ideas into movements, and conveying lessons expertly and patiently.

Second, there's the welcoming environment they've created that provides you with a safe foundation to challenge yourself, and that in turn creates a great sense of community. I noticed within my first week that people remember each other's names pretty quickly. Sounds basic, but it results from a prevailing mentality of care and attention — this isn't common.

They're teaching you to fight here — not in a meathead, aggro type of way, but in an incredibly nuanced, thoughtful, not-messing-around fashion. If you're thinking about a martial art, or Muay Thai specifically, drop by for a class and experience it first-hand.