Want more self confidence?

Want more strength and flexibility?

Interested in having the ability to defend yourself?

Kru Dave after being presented his WBC Professional Muay Thai National Title Belt in Las Vegas, pictured here, post fight with his Muay Thai Champion, Francisco.

Fitness, Self Defense or Sport, Kru Dave Nielsen has proven that he is one of the rare people that can do it and teach it.

A 7X Undefeated Muay Thai Champion, California State Submission Wrestling Champion with a detail oriented coaching style and a personality to keep you engaged and entertained, Coach Dave has the skills to show you how to win, period.

As a Champion, from champions that also produced champions, Dave’s technique and methodology is inarguable.  His diverse clientele, from stay-at-home moms and their kids, to NAVY SEALS, over more than 20 years, gives him experience and knowledge, most trainers simply do not possess.  Remember, this is not a part time job for Coach Dave…this is his only, Full-Time job, for the past 2+ decades.

Kru’s Combat Sports Accolades:

• • • Retired Undefeated Professional Muay Thai fighter
    • Former WBC Professional Muay Thai US Cruiserweight Champion
    • Former IKF Pro/Am Muay Thai World Champion
    • Former 7X Undefeated IKF Pro/Am Muay Thai Champion
    • Bronze Medal IFMA TEAM USA 2010
    • California State Submission Wrestling Champion
    • 2 Silver Medals Pan Ams (No-Gi)
    • USA Boxing Coach 20+ years and more…

Coach Dave has produced numerous Champions in Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu/Grappling that have competed in Americas top promotions such as Lion Fight, WCK Muay Thai, Glory Kickboxing, Grapplers Quest, Best of The West, The Pan Ams and more!

Want to see a highlight reel of Kru Dave’s very 1st Pro Fight?

Fitness Certifications, Associations and Affiliations:

• • • NASM National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified
    • ACSM American College of Sports Medicine Certified
    • NASM Certified Weight Loss Specialist
    • USMTA (United States Muay Thai Association) Certified Muay Thai Official
    • WBC (World Boxing Council) Certified Muay Thai Official
    • WARGODS MMA FIGHTS (mixed martial arts) Referee
    • Licensed USA BOXING Coach

Background

Dave grew up a three sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball), who prefers “playing” over “watching” sports on TV, with one exception, Boxing.  Sugar Ray Leonard, Pernell “Sweetpea” Whittaker, Roy Jones Jr. and especially “Iron” Mike Tyson captured his attention from a young age.  Dave watched these boxers growing up, side by side with his father (a former college athlete and 30 year Navy man) every chance he had.

In 1999 Dave left his home in the Pacific North West with a guitar and his dog, to play music in Los Angeles. He landed in San Diego where he bought a surf board and never looked back.

Education

After a year in San Diego, Dave established residency and began putting himself through college with a law degree in mind. In 2000 Dave began training training Muay Thai and No-Gi Jiu Jitsu in a professional setting, having his first fight and beginning an impressive undefeated run after just 3 months of training.

After 4 years of full-time college including Summers, Dave earned degrees in Political Science and Business Administration with honors. He was accepted to study Law at UCLA, but passed on the acceptance, in order to pursue his new found love of Thai Boxing.  In 2002 Dave became a certified fitness professional through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and shortly after, in 2003 Coach Dave started American Boxing and Fitness.

Fun Fact!

With his comprehensive knowledge of Muay Thai, take-downs, striking and submissions, Kru Dave has had his expertise called-on as an Expert Witness in a California Murder Trial!

SEAL Team 1 training with Kru Dave at American Boxing. (Faces have been removed for security purposes.)

Kru Dave has worked with a number of military Special Forces, Border Agents, FBI and other government officials to keep their hand to hand combat training up-to-date.  Dave has shown that his technical knowledge of Muay Thai and Grappling allow him to marry his real world self defense experience and produce a superior hand to hand combat system.  Observe, Evaluate and Execute, is the process, that allows his competition and self defense students to be highly effective.

Q&A WITH KRU DAVE:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUAY THAI COMBINATION?

That’s easy, it was the 1st one learned and the one I used to earn my 1st IKF Muay Thai Championship Belt.  Left hook, leg kick!

HOW HAS MUAY THAI BENEFITED YOU THE MOST?

This sounds kinda cheesy, but by allowing me to help others…  I wanted to be an attorney, among other more personal reasons, to make the world a better place by having the power to affect change.  Muay Thai has actually allowed me to change the World, one person at a time. The feedback I have received over the past 2 decades has been amazing.  I’ve had people reach out to me years after being a student and express how I positively effected their lives, and unless you’ve had those types of conversations with people, you just can’t imagine how good it feels.  The only thing in my life that has given me a greater sense of purpose is raising my daughter.

WHAT IS THE REASON YOU STARTED MUAY THAI?

That’s kinda funny actually.  I always wanted to try Boxing but never wanted my nose broken.  I remember seeing some kickboxers that were pretty good looking fellas, so, one day while I was at 24 Hour Fitness with a friend, I got a flyer for Muay Thai Kickboxing on my truck, went to the gym, tried a class and I was hooked.

WHAT ARE 4 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOUR TEACHING STYLE?

Technical. Intense. Sarcastic. Funny.

Kru Dave and his 4th of July Speedo, because “he” thinks its “funny”.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AND HOBBIES? Ready

Everything that goes along with raising my daughter, mountain biking, bouldering and surfing.