Photo courtesy of 8 Limbs Academy.

UPDATE (3/11/2015): 8 Limbs Academy opened on March 3, 2015. Here’s a short update from Coach Kate:

“We are scheduling FREE intros but are booked all through March, and we are starting to fill April. We are offering early morning ALL female kickboxing at 6 a.m. and evening classes starting at 6 p.m. The children’s classes start at 4:15 p.m., and there is an after school program for them starting at 3:00 p.m. Here is a link to our schedule: www.8limbsacademy.com/8-limbs-current-schedule.”

Here’s some exciting news for local martial arts and fitness fans. Partners and coaches Charlie Cottone and Kate Allen are opening a Muay Thai Kickboxing school, 8 Limbs Academy, on Baltimore Avenue in March. For those who are not very familiar with kickboxing, Muay Thai or Thai boxing is a national sport of Thailand. It is a physical and mental discipline also known as “the art of eight limbs,” because eight points of contact are used in the combat: fists, elbows, knees, and shins.

Eight Limbs Academy is expected to open in the first week of March, and coaches Charlie and Kate have already started preregistering folks, kids and adults alike, for their programs, which include All Female Kickboxing, Adult Muay Thai, and Kids Muay Thai programs. They will also offer an after-school program for kids who can come and spend time in the gym after school, including doing their homework, before their Muay Thai lesson. In addition to that, the owners hope to work closely and be involved with the West Philadelphia community.

“We are also in contact with Women Against Abuse… We are hoping to work with them and offer our space for meetings and Muay Thai as empowerment. Muay Thai offers an array of benefits, including discipline, [building] confidence, self-control, self-defense and respect,” Allen told West Philly Local.

One of the 10 bags hung at the Eight Limbs Academy gym. (Facebook photo).

The gym is located on the 2nd floor of the two-story building at 4542 Baltimore Ave. It is a 2,200 square feet space with an open floor plan and 1,100 square feet of mats. The gym is equipped with 10 of the “best custom heavy bags ever hit by a human,” Booster Thai Pads, Windy leg-kick shields and Yokkao belly pads, according to information posted on the 8 Limbs website. The gym offers male and female changing rooms, a full bathroom, stall and a clean shower.

To introduce the community to 8 Limbs, Cottone and Allen are holding a Valentine’s Day Dance party/fundraiser at the space on Saturday, Feb. 14, beginning at 9 p.m. (see flier below for more information). Suggested donation is $5-$15 on a sliding scale. You can also buy their T-shirts here.

More information about 8 Limbs Academy, their programs and upcoming events can be found on their website or Facebook page.

Editor’s Note: Full Disclosure: 8 Limbs Academy is currently advertising their Kids Muay Thai programs on West Philly Local.