Your First Class
What to Expect at Your First Muay Thai Class
You signed up for a free trial. The day is here. You are sitting in the parking lot at 704 Springwater Place in Waterloo, and your brain is telling you to just drive home. Do not listen to it. Every single member of Shark Tank Muay Thai was in your exact position once, and they all say the same thing: just walk in. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of what your first class with Coach Omar Samid will look like so there are zero surprises.
Before Class: Arriving and Getting Set Up
Show up 10 to 15 minutes before class starts. When you walk in, introduce yourself to Coach Omar or whoever is at the front. Let them know it is your first time. You will fill out a quick waiver - standard stuff for any gym. If you brought your own wraps and gloves, great. If not, we will set you up with loaners. Someone will show you how to wrap your hands if you have never done it.
Wear comfortable athletic clothing - shorts (not too long, you need to be able to kick), a t-shirt or tank top, and clean bare feet. Muay Thai is trained barefoot, so leave the shoes in the cubby area. Bring a water bottle - you will need it. A small towel is helpful too.
The gym will already have people warming up, stretching, or chatting before class. Do not be intimidated by the experienced members. Most of them will introduce themselves and make you feel welcome. This is the culture Coach Omar has built at Shark Tank.
Warm-Up: Getting Your Body Ready
Class starts with a group warm-up, usually 10 to 15 minutes. This typically includes skipping rope (do not worry if you are bad at it - everyone is at first), shadow boxing, and dynamic stretching. Coach Omar might add bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, or sit-ups. The pace is moderate - enough to break a sweat and get your joints moving.
During shadow boxing, just follow along as best you can. Throw jabs, crosses, and kicks in the air, copying what the more experienced members do. Nobody expects you to know the techniques yet. The point is to get your body moving and your mind focused.
Technique Instruction: Learning the Basics
After the warm-up, Coach Omar will teach techniques. On your first day, this will be fundamental strikes - how to stand in a proper Muay Thai stance, how to throw a jab and a cross, and likely your first roundhouse kick. Coach Omar uses the BANG numbering system, so he will introduce you to the first few numbers as he teaches each strike.
Pay attention to his cues about stance, hand position, and hip rotation. Do not worry about power - focus on form. Coach Omar will walk around the class and give individual corrections. When he adjusts your technique, that is a good thing. It means he is paying attention to you and wants you to get it right from the start.
You will practice these techniques in the air first (shadow boxing the new moves), then move to partner drills or pad work. This is where the real learning happens.
Pad Work and Partner Drills: Putting It Together
You will be paired up with a partner - usually someone experienced who can hold pads for you and guide you through combinations. One person holds Thai pads while the other strikes. Then you switch. Coach Omar will call out specific combinations for the class to throw.
Your pad holder will cue you by presenting the pads at certain angles. If they hold a pad up at face level, you throw a punch. If they hold it low at their side, you throw a kick. They will go at your pace and talk you through it. This is normal and expected. Experienced members enjoy working with new people.
Expect to feel uncoordinated. Your kick will feel awkward. You will forget which hand to jab with. You will gas out faster than you expected. All of this is completely normal. By the end of the pad rounds, your technique will already look better than it did at the start. The improvement from round one to round three is always noticeable, even on day one.
Conditioning and Cool-Down: Finishing Strong
The last portion of class is conditioning work - this might be heavy bag rounds, body-weight circuits, clinch practice for more advanced students, or core work. As a first-timer, do what you can. If you need to take a break, take one. Coach Omar would rather you pace yourself than push through bad form because you are exhausted.
Class ends with stretching and a cool-down. Coach Omar often uses this time for quick announcements or feedback. Members bow as a sign of respect - this is traditional in Muay Thai and just part of the culture.
After class, members usually hang around for a few minutes, chat, and clean up. This is a good time to ask Coach Omar any questions, talk to other members, and soak in the post-training feeling. You will be tired, sweaty, and probably a little sore - but you will also feel better than you have in a long time. That is the Muay Thai effect.
After Your First Class
You will be sore the next day, especially in your hips, shoulders, and core. This is normal and goes away within a few days. Drink plenty of water, eat a good meal, and get some sleep. The soreness decreases dramatically after the first couple of weeks as your body adapts.
If you enjoyed the class - and most people do - talk to Coach Omar or the front desk about membership options. The sooner you start training consistently, the faster you will progress. Our class schedule has plenty of options for different time slots, and the BANG curriculum is designed so you can jump into any beginner class and follow along.
Still thinking about it? Book your free trial at /free-trial. There is zero obligation and zero pressure. Just come train, see if it clicks, and go from there. Or reach out at /contact if you have questions before committing to that first class. We are here to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Athletic shorts (above the knee so you can kick freely), a t-shirt or tank top, and bare feet. Bring a water bottle and a small towel. No shoes needed - Muay Thai is trained barefoot.
No. Shark Tank provides loaner gloves and hand wraps for your first class. Once you decide to continue, you can purchase your own gear with Coach Omar's guidance.
No. First-time students do pad work and drills only. Sparring is for experienced members and is always optional and supervised.
Classes at Shark Tank are typically 60 minutes - warm-up, technique instruction, pad work or partner drills, conditioning, and cool-down.
Take a break when you need to. Every new member goes through this. Coach Omar and your training partners understand. Within a couple of weeks, your conditioning will improve dramatically.
Ready to Get Started?
Your first class is completely free. No experience or equipment needed - just show up ready to learn.