Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy

Sityodtong Boston is a Muay Thai and mixed martial arts academy in Somerville that has taught the Thai combat sport in the Boston area since 1996. Classes run six days a week and welcome everyone from complete beginners to experienced fighters, including introductory sessions for people who know nothing about the sport. Its instructors, called Krus, all have extensive experience training and competing, and most have traveled to Thailand to learn the art at its source.

Owner Mark DellaGrotte trained in classical martial arts before certifying in disciplines from Jeet Kune Do to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, then traveled to Thailand and trained with Kru Yodtong Senanan at the Sityodtong camp in Pattaya. He later received Yodtong’s blessing to teach in America. The gym began in the basement of a law firm and now fills two and a half floors with mats, bags, weights, a boxing ring and an MMA cage.

What to Know

• The first three classes are free for new students.
• DellaGrotte is an appointed conservator of Muay Thai.
• The gym has a student lounge with couches.
• Muay Thai is called the “Art of Eight Limbs” because knees and elbows are allowed alongside kicks and punches.