HomeNew YorkEast Syracuse › Water's Edge Martial Arts

Water's Edge Martial Arts

5 ★★★★★ 28 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in East Syracuse, New York

Muay Thai gym Free trial Authentic Thai Beginners welcome Kids & teens Fight team

Authentic Thai — reviews and the gym's own info point to coaching rooted in Thailand's muay thai tradition. If lineage matters to you, ask where the coaches trained and about their kru.

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 — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
  • 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 watersedgemartialarts.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone +1 315-313-4819

Hours

Monday 9–10:30 am, 5:30–7:30 pm
Tuesday 9–10:30 am, 5:30–9 pm
Wednesday 9–10:30 am, 5:30–9 pm
Thursday 9–10:30 am, 5:30–9 pm
Friday Closed
Saturday 9 am–2:30 pm
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 Water's Edge Martial Arts, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🏆 Fight Team 2 mentions

“If you want a place that the instructors and students are welcoming and highly competent.”

All gyms that run fight team →

🛡️ Self-Defense 5 mentions

“Waters Edge is a great place for new and experienced martial artist as well as those looking to learn self defense.”

All gyms that run self-defense →

🌱 Beginner Muay Thai

“HIGHLY recommend for beginners and experienced martial artists!”

All gyms that run beginner muay thai →

Other martial arts here

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

🦵 Kickboxing

“After years of kickboxing, I gave Muay Thai a try at Water’s Edge and have been hooked ever since.”

Other gyms that also teach kickboxing →

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 28 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, authentic coaching 2 mentions

“I've trained extensively over the years with Sifu Eric and Sifu Montell, and they are incredible instructors with real passion for martial arts.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 5 mentions

“The trainer is knowledgeable and dedicated to see us all succeed and the gym’s culture is welcoming and supportive.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly gym 11 mentions

“As a lifelong practitioner of the martial arts, I couldn’t ask for a more knowledgeable, friendly, challenging group of instructors.”

🥊 legit sparring & fight team 2 mentions

“If you want a place that the instructors and students are welcoming and highly competent.”

🧠 builds confidence & discipline 2 mentions

“WEMA has built a culture that’s fun and welcoming, while still focusing on self-improvement and fitness.”

From the reviews

I've gotten to train with the instructors of this wonderful school at many seminars across New York over the last 10 years. Their skill and professionalism are world class. If I lived in the area, I'd be spending my time and money training at their new school.

★★★★★ — Mick, Jul 2023

Far and away the best martial arts school I’ve ever been to! The workouts are intense, the self-defense skills are practical, and the people are wonderful! WEMA has built a culture that’s fun and welcoming, while still focusing on self-improvement and fitness.

★★★★★ — Delanie, Aug 2025

This place is called family. It's a place for discipline and brotherhood. Everyone here is a part of something incredible and special. I've been doing martial arts with the Sifus and members here for some time and it's the best part of my life. I come and go but every time I show up it's like I never left.

★★★★★ — Arif, Sep 2025

I was in my twenties when I started training under the late Sifu Eric Winfree. I started training because I wanted to learn to defend myself. After a year of training I started work as a security guard and found myself in a few dangerous situations, and the lessons I learned in class kept me safe over and over.

★★★★★ — Angel, Aug 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 28 reviews →

New to muay thai? Start at Water's Edge Martial Arts

Water's Edge Martial Arts 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 Water's Edge Martial Arts

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 Water's Edge Martial Arts

6501 Basile Rowe, East Syracuse, NY13057

Get directions Instagram · Facebook

More muay thai gyms near East Syracuse

Impact Martial Arts - Team Dewitt

5 ★★★★★ 260 reviews

222 Old Bridge St, East Syracuse, NY

🥊 Free trial class — check their site

Muay Thai gym Free trial Kids & teens no-ego, friendly gymstrong kids programbuilds confidence & discipline

under a mile away

SO8 Muay Thai

5 ★★★★★ 28 reviews

263 Wolf St Ste 164, Syracuse, NY

Muay Thai gym Beginners welcome Fight team Authentic Thai expert, authentic coachingwelcoming to beginnersno-ego, friendly gym

5.4 miles away

Liverpool Team Andrello Martial Arts

5 ★★★★★ 33 reviews

604 Old Liverpool Rd Ste. 196, Liverpool, NY

Muay Thai gym Kids & teens Private lessons Fight team expert, authentic coachingno-ego, friendly gymstrong kids program

7.0 miles away

All muay thai gyms in East Syracuse, NY →

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.