Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Karner.
Hi Eric , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was drawn to martial arts from a young age. I grew up loving movies like The Karate Kid, old ninja movies, and kung fu theater on Sunday afternoons. I started karate around age 12, but I always had a deeper interest in Muay Thai. The problem was, growing up in New Hope, PA, there wasn’t a Muay Thai gym anywhere within driving distance.
In my early to mid-20s, I decided I needed a major life change. I handed my landscaping business over to my younger brother, packed my car with my two dogs, and drove out to Southern California. I don’t know if I left specifically for Muay Thai, but I knew I was searching for a different life, and I knew Muay Thai was going to be part of it. As soon as I arrived, I joined a gym that offered Muay Thai and no-holds-barred mixed martial arts, back before most people even knew what the UFC was.
That first year, I trained at three different gyms. One gave me technique, one gave me brutal conditioning, and one threw me right into the fire. After my second fight, I fought a war with an experienced professional boxer and kickboxer that ended in a draw. Afterward, he asked me to train with him. A few days later, I was asked to become an instructor. That opportunity changed everything. After teaching for about a year and a half, I decided it was time to come home and open my own space.
I opened Nak Muay Gym in February of 2006. At first, I thought success meant building the toughest fight team in the area. We had a hard-core group, and it was a lot of fun, but I eventually learned that running a gym and building a real community required more than just tough fighters. Around 2010 and 2011, things started to come together. I found a better location, started learning business, and began understanding who I was really here to serve.
Thailand became the biggest influence on my life and teaching. My first trip was in 2007, and I eventually found my way to the legendary Sityodtong camp in Pattaya. That place became home and family to me. I try to teach Muay Thai the way it was taught to me, with respect for the Thai lineage, culture, and tradition. I speak Thai fairly fluently now and have been taking students and groups to Thailand for over 10 years.
Over the years, I’ve had the honor of helping fighters go from the very beginning stages all the way to major promotions like the UFC, Bellator, and CFFC. Those memories mean a lot to me. But I’m just as proud of rebuilding my life and my gym after going through a divorce that took me from two gyms back down to zero. I started over in a small space in Phillipsburg, NJ, and eventually relocated to Easton in 2020.
Today, Nak Muay Gym is about passing on authentic Muay Thai to as many people as possible. Some students train to compete, but most come for confidence, fitness, discipline, self-defense, stress relief, and love of the art. The community is what keeps me motivated. We have an amazing group of people who support each other like family. As a single father raising two boys, the gym really feels like my extended family.
Now we’re entering a new chapter as we relocate into a much larger facility. It feels like a new era for Nak Muay Gym and for me personally. I’m excited to welcome new faces, continue building our legacy, and keep sharing the art of Muay Thai with Easton, the Lehigh Valley, and beyond.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is centered around teaching authentic Muay Thai and helping people transform through training. My specialty is Muay Thai but what I really do is help people build confidence, discipline, fitness, and a stronger version of themselves.
We’re known for authentic Thai boxing with a real connection to Thailand. My own training has been heavily shaped by the legendary Sityodtong camp in Pattaya, and I try to pass that lineage, culture, and tradition on to my students every day. I speak Thai, travel to Thailand regularly, and have been taking groups there for over 10 years, so Muay Thai is not just a workout or a business for me. It’s a way of life.
I’m proud that Nak Muay Gym has served everyone from first-time beginners to high-level fighters. Over the years, I’ve helped develop athletes who went on to compete in major organizations like the UFC, Bellator, and CFFC. Those moments are unforgettable. I’ve also helped 8 retired fighters build their own gyms. It’s like the lineage is passed down then redistributed. I love it! I’m equally proud of the everyday student who walks in nervous, out of shape, or unsure of themselves, and months later carries themselves with confidence and purpose.
What sets us apart is that we are not a generic fitness kickboxing gym. We teach real Muay Thai with structure, culture, and heart. Our gym has produced serious fighters, but it is also a welcoming community for regular people who want to train hard, learn something real, and be part of something bigger than themselves. Nak Muay Gym is family, and that is what I’m most proud of.
What matters most to you? Why?
Seeing how people change for the better during their Muay Thai journey. Theres no better feeling
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nakmuaygym.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nakmuaygympa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NakMuayGymPA/?locale=en_GB&_rdr
- Twitter: https://x.com/nakmuaygym
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nakmuaygympa
