Coach Kru Dave Nielsen

Coach and Kru Dave Nielsen is an IKF Muay Thai World Champion, a Certified Personal Trainer, a No-Gi Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling Coach and a USA Boxing Coach in San Diego California.

Coach Dave’s Muay Thai Bio

• Muay Thai World Champion
• 5x Undefeated Muay Thai Champion
• Has been a teacher and ambassador of Muay Thai Kickboxing EVERY DAY for more than a decade!
• In 2010 Coach Dave represented TEAM USA at the World Cup of Muay Thai in Bangkok Thailand and was 1 of only 2 Americans to medal at the event featuring over 180 countries from around the world.

A California Muay Thai Champion (both IKF and IAMTF), A West Coast Muay Thai Champion (IKF), A Muay Thai U.S. National Champion (IAMTF) and a Muay Thai World Champion (IKF), Coach Dave has unparalleled EXPERIENCE as a FIGHTER/TEACHER of Muay Thai Kickboxing. Kru Dave, as he puts it, is “100% Muay Thai”! Having never trained traditional USA Kickboxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu or any other striking martial art, Kru Dave’s technique is a very strong style of Muay Thai with both traditional and Dutch influences. Kru Dave Nielsen, or Coach Dave as he prefers, is San Diego’s ONLY true Muay Thai Kru/teacher producing TOP Fighters while still a current active Professional Fighter himself!  You know the saying, “those who can’t do, teach”, well, Coach Dave does both, very well.

With his comprehensive knowledge of Muay Thai takedowns, striking and submissions, Coach Dave has even had his expertise called on as an Expert Muay Thai Witness in a California Murder Trial.

Associations, Affiliations and Certifications Held

• NASM National Academy of Sports Medicine
• ACSM American College of Sports Medicine
• 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

With 30+ Years experience in athletics (football, basketball, baseball, Boxing and Muay Thai), Coach Dave Nielsen is a sports performance specialist as well as a expert analyst and strategist. His ability to see an athletes weaknesses and make them strong can only be matched by his ability to perceive an opponents weakness's and take advantage.

Coach Dave’s Background

A musician, 3 sport competitive athlete and a health and a fitness enthusiast for nearly 30 years, at 25, Dave moved from the Seattle area to San Diego to pursue a music career and eventually a higher education. After finishing college in San Diego, receiving Degrees in Political Science and Business Administration both with Honors, Dave turned down an acceptance to UCLA (The University of California Los Angeles) for pre-law and a potentially lucrative Law Degree to pursue his lifelong hobbies of Health, Nutrition and Fitness as well as his new found love of Muay Thai kickboxing.

Coach Dave has worked with Breast and Systemic Cancer Survivors, Navy S.E.A.L.S., Pre Natal, Pregnant and Post Natal Women, Pro Baseball and NFL Players, UFC Fighters and more! Dave is a technical instructor who enjoys working with past, current and future athletes of all levels in all sports!

Coach Dave’s Philosophies:

Sports:

“Every person has the potential for greatness… I push athletes to the edge and over… then I know if they really want greatness!”“

Health and Fitness:

“The key to weight loss and fitness is to NOT workout! The operative word here is WORK! I don’t know about you, but I work plenty already… Find a hobby that’s fun, makes you sweat and do it as often as you can! With food, if you can’t find it in a forest, you weren’t meant to consume it…high nutrient content and calories are important for growth and development, however in adulthood, the key to health, longevity and performance is breaking your habit of over consumption and focus on clean high nutrient content foods.”

Training Experience:

• 2000 Began Training with Muay Thai World Champion Ole Laursen
• 2000 Began Training with MMA and Jiu Jitsu Champion Dean Lister
• 2001 Became a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer
• 2003 Fought on Team Menor for Muay Thai World Champion Melchor Menor
• Has trained with a cornucopia of World and Lumpinee Champions

Accomplishments:

• IKF MUAY THAI WORLD CHAMPION
• Member of TEAM USA at the 2010 Muay Thai World Cup Bangkok Thailand
• IAMTF MUAY THAI California CHAMPION
• 3 Time IKF MUAY THAI CHAMPION
• California State MUAY THAI CHAMPION
• West Coast MUAY THAI CHAMPION
• Arnold Classic Sports Festival Muay Thai Champion Class “A” Fighters (K-1 style Tournament)
• California State Submission Wrestling CHAMPION
• Pan American Submission Grappling Silver Medal
• Pan American Submission Grappling Silver Medal (open weight division)

Coach Nielsen is a HIGHLY EXPERIENCED and ACCOMPLISHED Coach and Combat Sports Athlete. He has worked with THE BEST MUAY THAI, JIU JITSU and MMA Athletes in the WORLD and has had the opportunity to train with, teach and learn from following fighters and coaches:

Muay Thai:

• Ole Laursen- Muay Thai World Champion
• Saekson Janjira- Muay Thai World Champion
• Melchor Menor- Muay Thai World Champion
• Maliapet Sasiprapa Elite XC Fighter and Muay Thai World Champion
• Ajarn Apidej (Muay Thai Superman 290 Wins 1 Draw 9 Losses)

MMA, Grappling and Wrestling

• Dean Lister- Grappling World Champion
• Eric Bellas- Penn State Wrestler, Wrestling Coach and Author
• Charlie Kohler- BJJ Blackbelt and MMA Fighter
• Donald Cerrone- UFC Fighter
• Rashad Evans- UFC Fighter
• Rani Yahya- MMA Fighter and Jiu Jitsu World Champion
• Israel Gomez- Chute Boxe Black Belt MMA/Muay Thai Fighter/BJJ Black Belt
• Greg Jackson- MMA Coach

You learn from Coach Dave’s combined experiences over the past 25 YEARS as a student of Boxing and MMA Training with THE TOP FIGHTERS, TRAINERS and COACHES in the WORLD as his more than 30 years of sports and athletic experience!