CrossFit & Functional Fitness Guide

The CrossFit Scene

Soi Ta Iad is not just a Muay Thai street. Over the past several years it has developed a strong CrossFit and functional fitness scene that draws athletes from around the world. The combination of quality coaching, affordable pricing, warm weather for outdoor training, and a community of motivated athletes makes it a compelling destination for functional fitness enthusiasts.

Whether you are a competitive CrossFit athlete looking to maintain your training while traveling, someone who wants to try CrossFit for the first time, or a HYROX competitor preparing for race day, the Soi has a box for you.

The heat is a real factor here. Workouts that you normally crush back home will feel significantly harder in 32C with 80% humidity. Every athlete who trains here goes through an adjustment period. Embrace it. The heat adaptation you build will make you a better-conditioned athlete when you return to your home gym.

The Gyms

Unit 27

Unit 27 is the flagship CrossFit and functional fitness facility on the Soi. Purpose-built with a large indoor training area that gets good airflow, plus outdoor rig space. The coaching team is experienced and the programming is well-structured, scaling workouts effectively for different fitness levels.

Unit 27 runs a packed daily schedule with multiple WOD classes, strength sessions, and specialty classes. The community vibe is strong here, with regular social events and a loyal base of long-term members. Their onboarding for drop-ins is smooth, and first-timers to CrossFit will not feel lost.

The gym also hosts regular throwdowns and internal competitions that are great fun if you enjoy the competitive side of the sport. Facilities include showers, lockers, a recovery area, and a supplement bar.

Kong Phuket

Kong Phuket brings serious energy. The gym has a strong strength and conditioning focus alongside its CrossFit programming. The space is well-equipped with quality rigs, assault bikes, rowers, ski ergs, and a good selection of barbells and bumper plates.

What sets Kong apart is the intensity of the coaching. Trainers here push you and pay close attention to movement quality. If you want to improve your lifting technique or dial in your gymnastics movements, the coaches will invest time in your development. The atmosphere skews slightly more toward experienced athletes, but beginners are absolutely welcome and well-supported.

Kong's programming balances heavy lifting days with metabolic conditioning and skill work. If you like structured, periodized programming rather than random WODs, you will appreciate the thought that goes into their cycles.

Pirate Camp

Pirate Camp Phuket combines functional fitness with Muay Thai and other combat sports, creating a unique hybrid training environment. The functional fitness classes are challenging and creative, often incorporating unconventional equipment and formats.

If you are the kind of athlete who gets bored doing the same thing every day, Pirate Camp's variety keeps things interesting. The programming leans toward general physical preparedness rather than pure CrossFit competition prep, which suits most recreational athletes well. The community here is tight-knit and the atmosphere is less corporate, more grassroots.

Titan Fitness Camp

Titan Fitness Camp offers a comprehensive approach to functional fitness as part of their broader training program. The gym has invested in quality equipment and their coaches are knowledgeable. Titan is a good option if you want to combine CrossFit-style training with other modalities like Muay Thai or strength training in one package.

The facility is well-maintained and the class sizes are manageable, which means you get adequate coaching attention during workouts. Titan also runs structured fitness transformation programs that incorporate functional fitness as a core component.

Primal Fitness

Primal Fitness focuses on strength and functional fitness with a no-nonsense approach. The gym caters to people who want to get strong and conditioned without necessarily following the traditional CrossFit competition format.

Programming here includes strength training, metabolic conditioning, and movement quality work. If you are more interested in being generally fit and strong than in competing at CrossFit events, Primal's approach may resonate with you. The coaching is attentive and the atmosphere is welcoming without being soft.

Class Formats

WOD (Workout of the Day)

The standard CrossFit class format. Typically 60 minutes, structured as:

• Warm-up (10-15 minutes): General movement prep, mobility work, and activation exercises
• Strength or skill (15-20 minutes): A lifting component (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts) or gymnastic skill practice (pull-ups, handstands, muscle-ups)
• WOD (10-20 minutes): The main conditioning piece, which could be an AMRAP, EMOM, For Time, or other format
• Cool-down (5-10 minutes): Stretching and mobility

All workouts are scalable. A good coach will give you options that match your current ability while still challenging you. Never feel like you have to do a workout as prescribed (Rx) if the weight or movement is beyond your level.

Strength Class

Dedicated to barbell work. Usually follows a structured program building toward heavy singles, doubles, or triples in the main lifts. These sessions are less about metabolic conditioning and more about building raw strength. Great for athletes who want to bring up their numbers.

Open Gym

Many boxes offer open gym hours where you can work on your own programming, practice skills you are weak at, or make up missed sessions. This is valuable for visiting athletes who follow their own program and just need access to equipment.

HYROX Prep

Some gyms offer HYROX-specific training sessions that simulate race conditions: running intervals combined with functional fitness stations (sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, farmer carries, wall balls, rowing, ski erg). If you have a HYROX race coming up, these sessions are gold.

Conditioning / Engine Work

Longer sessions focused on building aerobic capacity. Think assault bike intervals, rowing pieces, or mixed-modal workouts at moderate intensity. These complement the high-intensity WODs and are important for long-term development.

Drop-in vs Membership

Drop-in

Most boxes welcome drop-in athletes. Here is what to expect:

• Price: 500-700 THB per class
• Process: Show up 10-15 minutes early, fill out a waiver, brief chat with a coach about your experience
• Etiquette: Introduce yourself, listen to the briefing even if you know the movements, put your equipment away, and wipe down what you used
• What to bring: Bring your own shoes (lifters and/or training shoes), a water bottle, and a towel. Everything else is provided.

Drop-ins are a great way to try out different boxes before committing. Most coaches appreciate when visiting athletes are open about their experience level.

Weekly and Monthly Packages

If you are staying for more than a few days, packages make financial sense:

Some gyms offer class packs (10 or 20 sessions) that do not expire for a set period. These work well if you are training at multiple gyms and do not need unlimited access at one place.

Multi-Gym Training

There is no rule saying you have to train at just one gym. Many visitors buy a package at their primary box and do drop-ins elsewhere for variety. You could do your main CrossFit work at Unit 27, add a Muay Thai session at Tiger Muay Thai, and hit a yoga class at Yoga Connections for recovery. That kind of multi-discipline training is what makes the Soi special.

HYROX Training

The HYROX competitive fitness race has exploded in popularity, and Soi Ta Iad has responded. Several gyms now offer specific HYROX preparation:

• Sled work: Multiple gyms have turf tracks with sleds for push and pull work
• Ski erg and rower: Standard equipment at all the CrossFit boxes
• Wall balls: Every box has them, and coaches can program race-specific sets
• Running: The Soi itself and surrounding roads provide good running routes, and the heat builds conditioning that translates to race day

If you are training for a specific HYROX event, talk to coaches at Unit 27 or Kong Phuket about structuring your training around your race timeline. Both have experience preparing athletes for HYROX competitions.

Training for HYROX in Phuket heat is a legitimate advantage. When you race in an air-conditioned convention center after training in 33C humidity, you will feel like you have a secret weapon.

Community

One of the best things about the CrossFit scene on Soi Ta Iad is the community. The boxes regularly organize:

• Friday night throwdowns: Fun partner or team workouts with a social atmosphere
• Weekend competitions: Internal gym competitions or inter-box challenges
• Group runs and outdoor workouts: Beach WODs, trail runs, and outdoor sessions
• Social events: Dinners, beach days, and gatherings that happen organically

If you are traveling solo, CrossFit is one of the fastest ways to make friends on the Soi. The shared suffering of a brutal WOD in the tropical heat bonds people quickly. Most long-term residents on the Soi started as visitors who came for a week, met people at their box, and kept extending their stay.

Post-WOD meals are a ritual. After a tough morning session, you will find groups heading to Filling Station Phuket or Trooper Eats to refuel together. These informal gatherings are where friendships form and training tips get exchanged.

The functional fitness community on the Soi is less cliquey than you might expect. Whether you are a Games-level athlete or someone who started CrossFit last month, you will find your people. The shared experience of training in paradise, far from normal life, creates a unique bond that keeps people coming back year after year.

Recovery and Mobility

Training hard in the heat demands serious attention to recovery. Here is what experienced CrossFit athletes on the Soi do to stay healthy:

• Yoga: Adding two or three yoga sessions per week is the single best thing you can do for your CrossFit performance. The hip mobility for squats, the shoulder flexibility for overhead work, and the general body awareness all translate directly to the gym. 5 Elements Hot Yoga and Yoga Connections are popular with functional fitness athletes.
• Pilates: Pilates Social Club offers reformer sessions that build the deep core strength and stability that protect your lower back during heavy lifts.
• Massage: Thai massage is cheap and effective. A weekly session (200-400 THB) keeps accumulated tension from turning into injury.
• Sleep: In the heat, your body works harder to recover. Aim for eight hours minimum. The early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedule on the Soi supports this naturally.
• Nutrition timing: Post-workout nutrition matters more in the tropics because you deplete glycogen and electrolytes faster. Get protein and carbs within an hour of finishing your WOD. Trooper Eats and Filling Station Phuket are right there when you need them.
• Deload weeks: If you are staying for a month or more, plan a deload week where you reduce intensity and volume. Your body needs periodic breaks from hard training, especially when adapting to the heat.

Practical Tips for Visiting Athletes

A few things that experienced visiting CrossFitters wish they had known:

• Scale aggressively for the first week. The heat will rob you of 10-20% of your normal capacity. If you normally do a workout Rx, scale down by at least one level for your first few sessions. Your body will adapt, but give it time.
• Bring your own rope if you have one. Not every gym has the same jump ropes. If you have a specific rope you like for double-unders, bring it.
• Lifters are optional but nice to have. Most gyms have communal lifting shoes, but if you are particular about yours, bring them. They take up almost no space in a bag.
• Wrist wraps and knee sleeves: Bring your own. These are personal items that gyms do not typically provide.
• Track your workouts. The change of environment and heat can make performance feel inconsistent. Logging your results helps you see that you are actually adapting and improving, even when individual sessions feel rough.