Community Through Kicks: Alexis Whitney’s SLC Muay Thai

Step into SLC Muay Thai and feel the passion that built the place. Posters advertising local fights hang above T-shirts screen printed in a coach’s garage. SLC Muay Thai founder Alexis Whitney gestures at some salt-forward electrolytes: “I’m big on making sure people are hydrated and fed.”

In the converted gym (a former garage), eight-foot-tall and heavy bags sprout from the ground while others twist on chains. We stop to admire the boxing ring. “Not every gym has one,” Whitney says. “It’s really important to me to help competitors get used to the space.”

A brown-haired woman in her early 30s, Whitney stands tall amidst the bags. A series of kicks sends one spinning. “When I first started, I didn’t really move my feet or head. I would just stand in the pocket and throw,” Whitney says. “But after a while I learned, ‘Oh, I can move.’ Now, I’m more evasive and tricky.”

“It’s really important to me to help competitors get used to the space.”

Whitney got hooked on Muay Thai when some friends took her to the now-closed Muay Thai Institute. Muay Thai dates back to seventh century Thailand and was used by warriors who had lost their weapons. Today, the sport is most popular in MMA. Something sparked in Whitney while watching her first match. “When I was younger, I always wanted to do extreme sports. Having a single mom who’s divorced twice, I didn’t have much opportunity for extracurricular activities. When Muay Thai came up in my early 20s, it was really, really exciting,” she says.

Whitney quickly took to the sport. Classes gave her structure, pulling her away from partying and connecting her with the local martial arts community. Soon, her teacher asked her to help run the gym and Whitney became a partner.

Things were good when all of the sudden, Whitney’s teacher “The Punisher” split town in 2021, leaving the gym solely in Whitney’s hands. “All of a sudden, we had this whole gym and no head trainer. It was really scary, but this community meant a lot to me. I needed to keep the doors open.”

There is no manual for running a gym, and Whitney needed trial and error to figure out how to run the newly-minted SLC Muay Thai. “I was used to things being a certain way, and it was challenging mentally and physically. There were times I was depressed or anxious, but having to show up for this community forced me to get out of bed. I’m grateful for that. I learned it’s okay to do things differently,” Whitney explains.

“It’s been really empowering for us and for the community to offer that space.”

Now, Whitney hopes to share Muay Thai as much as possible. “Since gaining ownership, I got my personal training certificate. I became a certified women’s coach and a nutrition coach, just so I could be more supportive,” she says. “When I started training, I saw a lack of support. A lot of my coaches look and say, ‘Man, where was this support when I was fighting?’”

Whitney also hosts the Utah Women’s Muay Thai Club. At 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Friday of every month, the club provides a space for women of all skill levels to practice. “It’s been really empowering for us and for the community to offer that space,” she recounts. “Muay Thai saves lives.”

Running her gym and the Women’s Muay Thai Club have given Whitney an inclusive perspective: “If you’re nervous about going in, just check out the space. Once you stick your head in, you realize, ‘Oh my gosh, this isn’t just full of people beating the crap out of each other—they’re having fun!’ I see a change in people. They walk a little taller. They speak a little more confidently.”

SLC Muay Thai offers two free weeks of classes for folks interested in trying it and is launching a “Pay It Forward” campaign in 2025 that sponsors memberships for individuals not otherwise able to pay. Find the gym at 3361 S 200 E in South Salt Lake, or on Instagram at @slcmuaythai and @utahwomensmuaythaiclub. Businesses wanting to sponsor a “Pay It Forward” membership can email info@slcmuaythai.com.

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