The Blue Shorts Test in Ontario: What It Means

In Ontario’s Muay Thai community, there’s no belt system. We don’t count stripes or colored sashes. Instead, we earn our progress the traditional way—through consistent, patient training that shows up in your posture, your balance, your timing, your conditioning, and your respect for the art. Within that tradition, one milestone carries real weight here: the Blue Shorts Test.

Where it comes from

The Blue Shorts Test traces back to Ajahn Suchart Yodkerepauprai, widely recognized as the father of Muay Thai in Canada. Since bringing authentic Muay Thai to Toronto in 1987, Ajahn has taught tens of thousands and mentored generations of coaches who now run gyms across the province. The blue shorts tradition lives within that lineage: a clear, demanding standard that marks your step from beginner to true intermediate.

Not a “grading system”—and that’s the point

This isn’t a belt exam that you book for yourself. You don’t self-nominate. The test happens when your Kru deems you ready—period. Readiness is earned in class, not in a sign-up form. You’re expected to handle the full warm-up (including a 10-minute skip), maintain solid basics throughout the test, and show the kind of composure and respect that tells the room you’re ready for more responsibility on the mats.

What blue shorts actually unlock

At Siam No.1 schools, blue shorts mark the move from beginner to intermediate. Practically, that means access to more technical work and the responsibility to lead by example—stepping in to help newer students, running warm-ups, and carrying the room’s energy the right way. Earning blue is the gateway to fighter classes and, for those who want it, a path toward competition. It’s the moment where your training stops being “I’m learning the moves” and becomes “I can apply them under pressure.”

Why Siam1 Oakville is our hub

Siam No.1’s Oakville location gives our community a central, well-equipped space to host and coordinate Blue Shorts Tests for students across nearby affiliates. The venue is part of the original Siam No.1 network under Ajahn Suchart, which means the standard is consistent and the culture is the same: precise technique, strong conditioning, and deep respect for Muay Thai tradition. When we organize a test day there, we know the expectations are clear and the bar is high—the way it should be.

What to expect on test day

• Selection, not sign-up. Your coach puts your name forward when you’re ready—no self-nominations.

• Baseline conditioning. Expect a demanding warm-up; the 10-minute skip is non-negotiable. It shows the room your engine can handle work before you even throw a strike.

• Fundamentals under fatigue. Combinations, defense, balance, ringcraft—performed cleanly when your heart rate is high.

• Respect and composure. The test is formal. You remain seated and attentive when you’re done; you’re part of a cohort earning something together.

  
  

Note: Siam No.1 typically runs Blue Shorts Tests a few times each year across the network, so if you’re close but not quite there, keep training—you’ll get another shot when your coach sees you’re ready.

Why this matters beyond the shorts

Blue shorts aren’t about a color; they’re about culture. Ontario’s Muay Thai is unusually unified because so many coaches trace their lineage to Ajahn Suchart. That shared lineage gives the blue shorts real recognition across gyms: when you walk in wearing blue, people know roughly what you’ve proven—clean basics, reliable conditioning, and the maturity to help carry the room. That’s good for training quality, safety, and the growth of the sport here.

Getting ready (the honest checklist)

• Show up like clockwork. Attendance is the biggest tell. Consistent rounds > occasional hero days.

• Own the warm-up. If the skip or calisthenics still take you out, your gas tank isn’t ready yet.

• Make basics automatic. Stance, steps, guard, checks, teeps, body kicks, straight punches—no wasted motion.

• Stay coachable. Fix cues the first time they’re given. Quiet ego, loud work.

• Be a good teammate. You’re already practicing the blue-shorts job: help newer students, set pace, model respect.

  
  

After you earn them

Blue is the starting line for real Muay Thai. From there, you’ll get deeper technique, harder rounds, and bigger responsibilities. If you keep showing up with the same humility that got you here, you’ll grow into mentoring roles and, if you want it, toward competition—and one day, into the people who pass this culture on.

How we’ll run it

We’ll coordinate our next Blue Shorts Test through Siam1 Oakville so students have a clear, consistent pathway. If your coach taps you, you’ll get the details for the next scheduled date, along with what to bring and how the day will flow. Until then: show up, train hard, and let your work make the case.