Every gym has a name. Not every name means something. SitJaiYai is Thai for "Big Heart" — and Mitch chose it deliberately. Muay Thai is a physically demanding sport, but the people who get the most from it aren't always the most naturally gifted. They're the ones who keep coming back. Who push through the hard sessions. Who train with generosity and humility.
That's the spirit SitJaiYai was built around.SITJAIYAI “BIG HEART”
Mitch Oakes
HEAD COACH - SITJAIYAI
Before Muay Thai, his weekends looked different — and he'll be the first to tell you. It was the sport that changed things. Training gave him structure, purpose, and a reason to look after himself properly, right down to what he ate. He went from never having done a martial art in his life to competing at a high level, training in Thailand, and ultimately opening Worcester's only dedicated Muay Thai gym.
That journey is exactly why SitJaiYai exists. Mitch knows what it feels like to walk into a gym for the first time with no idea what you're doing. He also knows what's possible if you stick with it. Every class he coaches is built around that — real technique, no egos, and a community that looks after its own.
Rich Newman
COACH - SITJAIYAI
Rich Newman is a Muay Thai and personal fitness coach with a background that goes well beyond the gym. As an endurance athlete, Rich brings a serious understanding of conditioning, physical preparation, and what it takes to build real, lasting fitness — not just for fighters, but for anyone who wants to get better.
Rich has been coaching Muay Thai in Worcester for years, and the thing students consistently say about him is that he meets people where they are. Whether you walk in wanting to compete or just wanting to get fit, Rich will build you up at the right pace — and more than a few people who said they'd never fight have ended up in the ring because of him.
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