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Mad Max's Academy (MMA)

5 ★★★★★ 25 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in Columbus, Ohio

Muay Thai gym Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons Fitness classes Fight team

Plan your first class

  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • Kids & youth classes kids and youth muay thai classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
  • Private lessons private, one-on-one coaching available — a focused way to start or to work around a busy schedule; ask about availability and rates
  • Fitness & conditioning muay thai fitness and cardio classes — a serious workout you can do without ever having to spar
  • Sparring & clinch sparring and clinch sessions for members ready for controlled contact — always optional and coach-supervised
  • Fight team a competition team for members who want to test themselves as amateur fighters
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule madmaxacademymma.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone (708) 557-0118

Hours

Monday 9 AM–3 PM
Tuesday 4–7 PM
Wednesday 9 AM–3 PM
Thursday 4–7 PM
Friday 9 AM–3 PM
Saturday Closed
Sunday 4–7 PM

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

Muay thai classes on the schedule at Mad Max's Academy (MMA), confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🌱 Beginner Muay Thai 3 mentions

“Excellent coaching, Max really cares and can help your fitness/fighting skills regardless if you’re a first timer in a gym or a professional level fighter”

All gyms that run beginner muay thai →

👤 Private Lessons

“I’ve been doing personal training with Max for almost a year now.”

All gyms that run private lessons →

🥊 Sparring

“He wrapped up the session with some friendly sparring, which everyone loved.”

All gyms that run sparring →

🏆 Fight Team 6 mentions

“Excellent coaching, Max really cares and can help your fitness/fighting skills regardless if you’re a first timer in a gym or a professional level fighter”

All gyms that run fight team →

📘 Fundamentals 4 mentions

“From teaching you the basics on your first day, to walking with you into the fire of competition, there isn’t a better person to learn from and build with.”

All gyms that run fundamentals →

Other martial arts here

Muay thai gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at Mad Max's Academy (MMA) — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🥊 Boxing

“I worked with Max to put together a private birthday boxing event for my boyfriend and his friends, and it was an absolute hit!”

Other gyms that also teach boxing →

🏟️ MMA 3 mentions

“Would seriously recommend him to anyone wanting to learn MMA or anyone who needs a personal trainer.”

Other gyms that also teach mma →

Disciplines are mined from reviews and the gym's own info — they show what members have trained, not a formal class guarantee. If you specifically want BJJ, boxing, or MMA alongside muay thai, confirm the current schedule with the gym.

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 25 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, authentic coaching 5 mentions

“Excellent coaching, Max really cares and can help your fitness/fighting skills regardless if you’re a first timer in a gym or a professional level fighter”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 4 mentions

“From teaching you the basics on your first day, to walking with you into the fire of competition, there isn’t a better person to learn from and build with.”

📘 real technique & fundamentals 8 mentions

“Blessed to be apart of this great team and having someone like Max coaching us and teaching us techniques that are used at the highest level.”

🥊 legit sparring & fight team 11 mentions

“Excellent coaching, Max really cares and can help your fitness/fighting skills regardless if you’re a first timer in a gym or a professional level fighter”

🧠 builds confidence & discipline 2 mentions

“The atmosphere is fun and nonjudgmental while still focused and engaging enough to see results.”

From the reviews

I worked with Max to put together a private birthday boxing event for my boyfriend and his friends, and it was an absolute hit! Max guided everyone through a variety of punches and combinations, keeping the energy high and the vibe fun throughout.

★★★★★ — Olivia, Oct 2025

A great team and coach! No matter what level you are in your training career, this is a great place to train. Different level fighters across the board all with respect for each other that embodies a culture of hard work and discipline but accepts everyone from new to advanced and will allow everyone to get the work…

★★★★★ — Dillon, Jun 2025

Worked with Max for a year and he is an amazing fighter and coach who 100% knows everything that it takes to win in life, be a great fighter, and also be the best version of yourself physically and mentally. Would seriously recommend him to anyone wanting to learn MMA or anyone who needs a personal trainer.

★★★★★ — Dylan, Jun 2025

Max is a great coach, teaching real fundamentals that anyone can observe him use in his fights. Being able to learn from him and see him demonstrate in his own career is very motivating. Also cares about all of his guys and his team, which has been very successful thus far.

★★★★★ — Jason, Jun 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 25 reviews →

New to muay thai? Start at Mad Max's Academy (MMA)

Mad Max's Academy (MMA) comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never thrown a punch or a kick, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the conditioning to you. Second, you won't be thrown into sparring — reputable gyms build fundamentals (stance, footwork, and the basic strikes of the "art of eight limbs") for weeks before any contact, and sparring stays optional. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.

Check beginner classes on their site

Your first muay thai class at Mad Max's Academy (MMA)

Nervous about walking into a muay thai gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling the basics on pads and bags — not fighting. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: shorts or athletic wear and a t-shirt; you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and hand wraps if you have them — many gyms lend gloves for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gloves, wraps, a mouthguard, and shin guards. Sparring is optional and comes later, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.

Muay thai is a contact sport. Ease in, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find Mad Max's Academy (MMA)

317 Marshall Passage, Columbus, OH43215

Get directions Instagram

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.