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Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy

5 ★★★★★ 14 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in Grants Pass, Oregon

Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons Fight team

Plan your first class

  • Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
  • 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 (ages 4–6) — 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
  • Fight team a competition team for members who want to test themselves as amateur fighters
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule southernoregonmartialarts.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone (541) 291-5443

Hours

Monday 4–8:30 PM
Tuesday 11 AM–8:30 PM
Wednesday 4–8:30 PM
Thursday 11 AM–8:30 PM
Friday 4–8:30 PM
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

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 Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🧒 Kids Muay Thai 5 mentions

“SOMA is clean, everyone is friendly, and it is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, including women and kids.”

All gyms that run kids muay thai →

💪 Women's Muay Thai

“Especially as a woman, it's sometimes hard to find an MMA gym that I feel comfortable at.”

All gyms that run women's muay thai →

🏆 Fight Team

“100% the best spot in town to train if your goal is to become a better fighter.”

All gyms that run fight team →

Other martial arts here

Muay thai gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🥋 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) 3 mentions

“If you are looking for someone to learn jiujitsu, striking and wrestling I highly recommend checking out SOMA.”

Other gyms that also teach brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) →

🏟️ MMA 2 mentions

“Especially as a woman, it's sometimes hard to find an MMA gym that I feel comfortable at.”

Other gyms that also teach mma →

🤸 Wrestling

“If you are looking for someone to learn jiujitsu, striking and wrestling I highly recommend checking out SOMA.”

Other gyms that also teach wrestling →

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 14 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, authentic coaching 5 mentions

“Jesse is an amazing coach and person, who is genuinely interested in each student becoming a better version of themselves, on and off the mats.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 5 mentions

“The first day I walked in to SOMA, I could immediately tell it was exactly the type of gym I want to train at.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly gym 7 mentions

“SOMA is clean, everyone is friendly, and it is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, including women and kids.”

🧼 clean, well-equipped gym 3 mentions

“SOMA is clean, everyone is friendly, and it is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, including women and kids.”

💗 welcoming to women 2 mentions

“Especially as a woman, it's sometimes hard to find an MMA gym that I feel comfortable at.”

🧠 builds confidence & discipline 4 mentions

“Our kids are gaining mental and physical strength as well as confidence in themselves when facing a challenge.”

From the reviews

Great coaching with patient and knowledgeable instructors that truly care about your progress. The community here is great too—respectful, kind, encouraging! If you are looking for someone to learn jiujitsu, striking and wrestling I highly recommend checking out SOMA. You won’t regret it!

★★★★★ — Jasmin, Jul 2025

Leadership by example. What is taught here translates well to real life situations and it is a great environment for training/learning. 100% the best spot in town to train if your goal is to become a better fighter.

★★★★★ — Jason, Oct 2025

Jesse is truly a world class coach and this gym has really good welcoming vibes highly recommend

★★★★★ — Savage, Oct 2025

The first day I walked in to SOMA, I could immediately tell it was exactly the type of gym I want to train at. Especially as a woman, it's sometimes hard to find an MMA gym that I feel comfortable at. SOMA is clean, everyone is friendly, and it is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, including women and kids.

★★★★★ — Melissa, Mar 2026

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 14 reviews →

New to muay thai? Start at Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy

Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy 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.

See their beginner class info

Your first muay thai class at Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy

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 Southern Oregon Martial Arts Academy

162 NE Beacon Dr #120, Grants Pass, OR97526

Get directions

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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.