Choosing a camp
Am I too old to train at a camp in Thailand?
Updated 2026-09-01
The short answer
No camp we know of turns adults away on age, and people train well into their fifties and sixties on ordinary camp timetables. What changes is recovery, so the realistic adjustment is one session a day instead of two, not a different camp.
The twice-daily schedule is built around people in their twenties with nothing else to do. Treating it as compulsory is the fastest way to get hurt at any age, and the fastest way to lose a week of a two week trip.
Older trainees who enjoy their trips tend to do the morning session properly, skip the second most days, and use pads and bagwork rather than chasing hard sparring. That is a completely normal way to train at a Thai camp and no trainer will think less of you for it.
Where age genuinely matters is joint history. Kicking pads hard on a knee that already complains is a decision, not an accident.
Worth knowing
This is not medical advice and we are not qualified to give it. If you have an existing injury or condition, ask a doctor before you book, not after you land.
Still deciding where to go?
Six questions, and we will tell you which camps fit and which facts about them we have not confirmed.
Choosing a camp
Asked alongside this one
What is the best Muay Thai camp in Thailand?
There is no best camp, and the reason is specific rather than diplomatic: the things you would rank on are the things Thai camps do not publish. Of the 44 camps listed here, none publish a sparring policy, one publishes anything addressed to women training there and 3 state that the coaching is in English. Rank on what is on the record instead, which is price, location, rooms and sessions a day.
Should I train in Phuket or Chiang Mai?
Phuket if this is your first trip, you want beach and nightlife around the training, and you can absorb higher costs. Chiang Mai if you are staying longer, want your money to go further, and prefer a city you can live in rather than a resort island.
Is a big camp or a small camp better?
Big camps give you structure, English, training partners at every level and a social scene. Small camps give you more trainer attention per session and a closer read on how you are actually moving. Beginners usually get more out of a big camp for a first trip, and more out of a small one on the second.