Do Kids Earn Belts in Muay Thai? The Pra Jiad Armband at Flow Indio

Kids don’t earn belts in Muay Thai. At Flow Academy BJJ Indio, Youth Muay Thai students move up through colored Pra Jiad armbands instead: white, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown and black, eight levels in all. Our youth classes meet Monday and Wednesday, ages 5 to 9 at 5 PM and ages 10 to 14 at 6 PM, with Coach Adrian, and the first class is free.

You can read the full class description on our Youth Muay Thai page. Here’s how an armband actually shows up on a regular evening.

Belts Belong to Jiu-Jitsu

Parents who have watched our jiu-jitsu kids line up in colored belts often ask the same thing the first time they sit down for Muay Thai: where are the belts? There aren’t any. Muay Thai has its own marker, the Pra Jiad, a band worn on the upper arm. The colors run white, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, black, and a child can look down and see exactly which one is next.

Jiu-jitsu belts stay on the jiu-jitsu mat, and armbands stay in the Muay Thai room. We don’t mix the two, so a kid who trains both knows which color belongs to which class.

Where It Shows Up in Class

Every youth class has the same shape. Kids bow in and do the Wai Kru greeting, then warm up with jump rope and shadow boxing. The technique of the day comes next, taught as a game. After that, students rotate through pads, mitts and the heavy bag, and the class finishes with more games and shadow drills. Then comes a cool-down, a Pra Jiad check, a bow out, and parents come in.

In the 5-to-9 group there is no sparring and no partner contact. The point of the hour is learning to move, to hit a pad and to listen to a coach.

Who Decides When It’s Time

Coach Adrian decides when a student is ready for the next armband, so the honest answer to “how long does each color take?” is to ask him after class. We’d rather a child move up when they’re ready than hand out colors on a calendar.

It’s November, and That Helps

The evenings in the Coachella Valley have finally cooled off, the fall semester is in full swing, and the holidays are coming up quickly. A Monday or Wednesday class gives a child something steady to count on in a busy few weeks, and a new color to look forward to when the calendar fills up.

Muay Thai runs $125, $145 or $165 a month, depending on whether you sign for 12 months, 6 months or go month to month. Uniforms aren’t included. Stop by, or call or text (951) 337-3781, and bring your child for the free first class.

Questions Parents Ask

Do kids get belts in Muay Thai?

No. At Flow Academy BJJ Indio, Youth Muay Thai students progress through Pra Jiad armbands in eight colors: white, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown and black.

When is Youth Muay Thai at Flow Academy BJJ Indio and what does it cost?

Ages 5 to 9 meet Monday and Wednesday at 5 PM, and ages 10 to 14 meet Monday and Wednesday at 6 PM. The first class is free, then Muay Thai is $125, $145 or $165 a month for 12 months, 6 months or month to month.

Is there sparring in the youth class?

Not in the 5-to-9 group, which has no sparring and no partner contact, just technique games, pad work and shadow drills. We’re at 42425 Jackson St, Suite C112, Indio, CA 92203, and you can call or text (951) 337-3781.