A personal trainer and conditioning specialist, Muay Thai coach Melissa Burdette has been with Easton for 10 years.
Over nine years ago, she started teaching Kickboxing at Easton Denver and today continues to coach on the striking side – including Muay Thai Fundamentals and Intermediate, occasionally still subbing for Kickboxing.
However, one of Melissa’s biggest contributions to the community comes down to her ability to coach fighters. This includes those on the competition team, but also anybody needing extra guidance as they embark on their first scrimmage, like the Easton Open.
Melissa, a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)-certified personal trainer and NASM-certified follows a similar four-week program in her coaching as fight camp. She also focuses her classes in a similar way, but depending on who shows up and who she’s working with, she varies her approach; she may modify things so students can always work at their level.
For those of you interested in additional training outside of class, Melissa teaches a separate class at Easton Denver three times a week with a primary focus on strength and conditioning, and anybody can attend.
Since this class incorporates work outside of standard Muay Thai classes, which focus primarily on padwork and partner drilling, Melissa gets creative with her students. Though weight training is often a large part of it, this doesn’t always require actual weights. Body-weight training like squats and pushups go far, and even working things into using the bags offer benefits.
“The cool things,” says Melissa, “is the amount of stuff we’re able to do with the limited space and equipment we have, since we’re not a full-blown gym.”
Students can take this strength and conditioning class either before or after Muay Thai class or Kickboxing. Since the class is open to both sides of the mat, Melissa also frequently has Jiu Jitsu students prepping for tournaments join as well.
Keep reading for a sample from her training program!
An unexpected start
Surprisingly, Melissa, who now holds a Brown Shirt in Muay Thai, didn’t start martial arts until her 30s when she began cardio kickboxing at a place once called Bally Total Fitness in Colorado. Originally from Texas, Melissa had moved to Colorado for work opportunities. After some time, she met Gwen – a woman who brought her to Easton to start crossfit in 2015.
Eventually, Gwen also convinced Melissa to try Kickboxing as well. Melissa already enjoyed punching the bag as a source of stress relief, so it wasn’t hard to get her hooked on Kickboxing.
Outside of the academy, Melissa works as a product manager for a software company. Her role focuses on user experience, making sure products work for users as well as teaching them, taking care of defects and acting as the go-to person on all accounts.
In her Easton world, Melissa began teaching Kickboxing six months into her training. As Melissa already worked as a group fitness instructor previously and had started doing some pad work and sparring already (before Easton’s program evolved into Muay Thai requiring a prerequisite of completing the entire Kickboxing curriculum), it felt like a good fit.
Even now, Melissa still holds Kickboxing in high regard as her first love. Though she also loves holding pads and sparring, Kickboxing holds a different kind of energy and, depending on her own energy levels, can be just what she needs.
Though initially Melissa thought she’d never fight or compete, after seeing Gwen – who was around her age – do an in-house smoker, Melissa decided to try it. Today, nine fights later, Melissa no longer competes but has developed a deep understanding of what competitors need, which she supports on the strength and conditioning side.
[Coach Stephanie Johnson: Blending Mental Health and Martial Arts]
Sample training program
Melissa’s approach to her training program depends on the individual’s level and is primarily based on addressing imbalances, but the general concept follows a four-week structure.
Week 1: Ramp up with foundational exercises
Mondays/Wednesdays: Focus is on strength, metabolic conditioning, and core work
- Class starts with basic movements like squats using light weights and high repetitions (12–15 reps for 3 rounds)
- Chest and back exercises are performed similarly, with lighter weights and higher reps.
- Any muscle groups not worked on Monday are addressed on Wednesday.
- Metabolic conditioning during these sessions includes movements like kettlebell swings or box jumps, incorporating a CrossFit-style approach.
The goal is to move weight quickly, build power, and generate force effectively. Depending on the individual’s form, she will either encourage body weight or added resistance. Throughout the program, the primary objective is injury prevention while building both strength and power.
[Why We Mix Up Strength Training With Conditioning Exercises]
Fridays: Emphasis on agility, balance, mobility, and hip strength – typically more laid-back than Mondays and Wednesdays.
Weeks 2+3: Increased load with repetitions decreased
During these weeks, the exercises remain similar to those of the first week, with the exception of incorporating heavier weights and focusing on slower, more controlled movements to emphasize strength and power development.
Week 4: Deload week
This week typically serves as a deload week, focusing on lighter workloads and reduced intensity. This may include bodyweight or band work. The fourth week is generally lighter than even the first week to prevent overtraining, which is particularly important for those following a fighter-style schedule.
Overall, the program is adaptable based on the season and environment. For example, when the weather improves, some sessions are moved outdoors, incorporating activities like runs and lunges.
While the core movements remain consistent, there is always room for variety to keep the program engaging and effective!
The impact of martial arts
Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging, but a lot of people find themselves scared to try martial arts. Either they don’t think they can do it or fear (link) they will get mocked.
As someone who has struggled with self-confidence at various points in her life, Melissa knows the transformative power of martial arts, which has made her feel more empowered than anything.
“This is why I love teaching it,” she says, “because it proved I’m stronger than I think I am.”
This is where Melissa as a coach comes in; she knows they can do it.
“If I can do it,” she says, “I know they can. And to show them that, to empower them to feel successful – that it’s not scary, that’s huge for me.”
For Melissa, being able to share this empowering experience and watch others discover what they’re capable of has become the biggest reward.
[Easton Black Belt and Lowry Co-Owner, Professor Amy Fidelis: Commitment to Conquer Fear]
Each progression of the striking journey holds a special place because at each point, students break through a new wall. From the initial spark in Kickboxing to growing into holding pads in Muay Thai Fundamentals, to learning to be okay with hitting someone and getting hit back, seeing they don’t break – every part of the journey is a new and different accomplishment.
“Even if you don’t see it at the moment,” Melissa says,” you look back and you’re like, ‘I made it through that!’ And you’re stronger.”
The supportive community at Easton also helps build that confidence, helping us look at things differently and not just through our own lens – which can often be distorted.
Everyone’s journeys to confidence may be a little different, and some a lifelong path. Whether this confidence lies in how good of a fighter you are, a student, a parent or an ambassador to the community, it’s always about trying your best at any given moment.
Inspired by the words of Maya Angelou about doing the best you can until you know better, and then doing better, Melissa says, “I teach what I know, teach how I know until I know better, and then I teach better.”
[The People You Train With Become the People You Show Up For]
