At the core of the gym is family.
Coach Sam Lumpini has been teaching and training students in Canada and internationally for 30+ years and continues to teach his students along with their children today.
Kru Sara Lumpini expands the lineage of team Lumpini with the same passion and endurance of her father to better empower team Lumpini.
Kru Sara Lumpini’s professional journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication and expertise in the realm of combat sports. With over a decade of experience in Muay Thai, Boxing, Kickboxing, and B.F. Savate, she has honed her skills to an exceptional level. As an amateur fighter in Muay Thai, Sara represented the esteemed Ajarn Sam Lumpini, showcasing her commitment to the craft. Building on her personal accomplishments, she has dedicated 5+ years to coaching and educating young minds in combat sports across Toronto schools, spanning from kindergarten to higher levels of education.
Her proficiency is further highlighted by her certification as a personal trainer recognized internationally and as a certified Kru Muay Thai coach.
Sara's pursuit of excellence extends beyond the training floor as she has engaged in a decade-long journey of personal training under the tutelage of Ajarn Sam Lumpini. This commitment to continuous growth has contributed to her prowess as a calisthenics athlete. With a strong academic foundation, Sara holds a background in Kinesiology at the university level, reflecting her commitment to understanding the intricacies of human movement and performance.
A beacon of inspiration, Sara aspires to mold young athletes into professional fighters, aiming to evolve their potential to be globally recognized. Her diverse experiences include training alongside Portuguese special forces, instilling in her a pragmatic understanding of self-defense techniques. Her journey in combat sports began from an early age, fostering a deep-rooted self-defense background that spans back to the age of 4. In her endeavors, Sara is dedicated to upholding her father’s Lumpini name and legacy, ensuring its perpetuation for generations to come.
Sam Lumpini began training combat sports in 1983, at age 18. He started practising Boxe Française Savate and within a few years won several provincial and national titles. He then moved on to Boxing, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing, and was ranked #1 in Europe as a professional in 1990 (WKA). Sam also travelled several times to Thailand to train and compete in Muay Thai professionally. At the end of the 1990, he retired from the competition circuit after winning championships in France, dominating his division and becoming ranked #1 in Europe.
After coaching in Berlin and New York City, Sam moved to Toronto, Canada and within a short period of time, gained an excellent reputation for his knowledge of various striking arts which he taught and coached throughout the city. In 1995, Sam opened the ‘Lumpini Stadium Gym’ focusing on Muay Thai, Boxe Francaise Savate, and Boxing. Sam continued his own learning dedicating himself to training a variety of different martial arts (Sambo, Pancrase, and BJJ).
Sam’s professional fighting career was complimented by real-world experiences as he was the head of security at prestigious nightclubs in Toronto and also served as body-guard for such stars as Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, Sean Penn and Quentin Tarantino. In 2000, Sam moved back to Europe, and settled in Lisbon, Portugal.
There he became heavily immersed in Krav Maga, training with the most experienced instructors in Europe. Within a short time, Sam’s expertise was sought by the U.S. Embassy, Clube 7, the NATO Military Base, and various elite Special Forces units in Portugal as a self-defense, combatives trainer.
By 2004, Sam became the national coach for the Portuguese Association of Krav Maga. He was in charge of training future instructors, and had become one the most important Krav Maga representatives in Portugal appearing on television and in magazines. By 2006, Sam founded the first Krav Maga Training Center in Portugal and was considered the most renowned instructor in the country, training the general public, law enforcement agencies, military and security personnel through various workshops and seminars.
In 2010 Sam returned to Toronto and opened his new state of the art training facility and continues to train people in all walks of life in the disciplines of Muay Thai, Boxe Française Savate, Mixed Martial Arts, Boxing and Lumpini Krav Maga.
Sam's Team through national and international seminars, is now represented in several countries such as Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, the United States, and Canada.
Sam continues to hone his own skills by traveling to Germany, the United States and Spain and training with other renowned trainers like Erik Paulson, Ralf Beckmaan.
Sam's Team through national and international seminars, is now represented in several countries such as Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, the United States, and Canada.
Sam continues to hone his own skills by traveling to Germany, the United States and Spain and training with other renowned trainers like Erik Paulson, Ralf Beckmaan.