Dr. Willem-Jan van Deijck, a native of Holland, trained Dutch Muay Thai in the Netherlands for 9 years. He started his training under John Neslo at “Gravenbeek” in Utrecht, Netherlands in 1991, and continued through 1999. After graduating in 1999 his primary focus was on his career as a veterinarian. It was in 2005 when he moved his family and career to Florida, were he still practices veterinanrian medicine, that he picked up his old love; Muay Thai. Willem brings a passion and attention to detail to to all his classes that is contagious. We are truly fortunate to have him as our Muay Thai instructor and coach for our Muay Thai fight team.
Willem-Jan considers Muay Thai to be one of the most effective striking martial arts in existence. Muay Thai is referred to as “The Art of the Eight Limbs“, as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A practitioner of Muay Thai (”nak muay“) thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight “points of contact,” as opposed to “two points” (fists) in Western boxing and “four points” (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts.
Willem-Jan feels honored to teach Muay Thai at Gracie Daytona. He will teach to anybody who is interested in developing his or her skills in this martial art. The combination of Muay Thai and Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which is primary art taught at GracieDaytona, makes a perfect mixed martial art to make a fighter nearly invincible.