THOM HARINCK
Thom Harinck (born 22 December 1943 in The Hague) is a Dutch kickboxing trainer and founder of the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam. He is married to Marjan Olfers, former member of the board of Ajax and from 1 May 2012 professor in sports law.
In 1972, he founded the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam, originally teaching his own style named “Chakuriki”, a mixture of techniques from Kyokushin karate (in which he holds a 6th degree black belt), boxing, judo, jujutsu and wrestling which would later be known as modern contact karate or kickboxing in Holland.
Chakuriki later became a kickboxing gym as Harinck added Japanese kickboxing and Savate to his repertoire. Harinck founded the NKBB (Dutch Kickboxing Association) in 1976, the MTBN (Dutch Muay Thai Association) in 1983, the WMTA (World Muay Thai Association) and the EMTA (European Muay Thai Association) in 1984.
Harinck is one of the most famous trainers in the sport and has trained numerous world champions including Peter Aerts, Branko Cikatić, Jérôme Le Banner, Badr Hari and Hesdy Gerges.
He announced his retirement in April 2013 at the age of sixty-nine. In January 2016 Thom Harinck began coaching again. He trains a group of fighters daily, that includes Hesdy Gerges. In May 2016 Harinck published his memoirs in the English language. The book is called “Thom Harinck: Godfather of Muay Thai in The West” and is co-written with Julio Punch. An updated edition was released by Amsterdam Publishers in June 2020.
Harinck started training in judo and wrestling at 8 years of age. He ended up giving up on judo, after he wasn’t allowed to advance to the rank of black belt, due to his youth. Outside of martial arts, he partook in football, motorcross and Shooting. While working on a cruise ship he met a French sailor who was also a national champion of Savate. The sailor began training Harinck in the discipline, alongside others. Harinck continued practicing Savate after arriving in South Africa. He later took up boxing after he returned to the Netherlands and also started teaching Savate in Holland. While serving in the military as a teenager, Harinck started boxing at the competitive level. At the age of seventeen he worked as a bouncer at a local Club and began a partnership with Jan Stapper, a Kyokushin instructor.
His global journeys continued after he moved to Japan where he received the Uchi-deshi instruction under numerous masters in Tokyo, Nagano and Yokohama. He also received judo and traditional jujutsu instruction from Tokyo police department. He also spent plenty of time in Taiwan, where he entered to train Chinese Kenpo in addition to karate. Eventually he traveled to Thailand where he received the rank of the grand master in Muay Thai as one of the first foreigners ever.
Trained numerous world champions
Including
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1petersss-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jerome-bannier-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1richard-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mennodijkstra-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/egsewgs-1500x1875.png)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/branko-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/segegsffe-1500x1875.png)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/imroororo-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/patrik-errison-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pdgod-1500x1875.png)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/b-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/n-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tankindomnes-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1perry-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1lloyd-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/gill-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/amirrieinf-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1tenkin-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1rick-1500x1875.jpg)
![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/kenneth2-1500x1875.png)
Kancho founder of Chakuriki style.
Chakuriki is a mixture of techniques from
![Judo](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/007-uniform.png)
Judo
Judo is a sport in which two people fight using their arms and legs and hands and feet, and try to throw each other to the ground.
![Kyokushin karate](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/016-kicking.png)
Kyokushin karate
Kyokushin karate a sport, originally from Japan, in which people fight using their arms, legs, hands, and feet. The level of skill a person has is shown by what colour belt they wear.
![Savate](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/031-thai.png)
Savate
Savate is a sport, originally from France, in which people fight with their hands and feet wearing special gloves and shoes.
![Boxing](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/005-boxing-gloves.png)
Boxing
Boxing is a sport in which two competitors fight by hitting each other with their closed hands.
![Jujitsu](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/008-belt.png)
Jujitsu
Jujitsu is a type of self-defence from Japan that does not involve weapons and is done as a sport. Other similar sports such as judo and karate are based on it.
![Wrestling](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/019-muscle.png)
Wrestling
Wrestling is a sport in which two people fight and try to throw each other to the ground.
![Muay Thai](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/004-boxer.png)
Muay Thai
Muay Thai, sometimes referred to as Thai Boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques.
MUAY THAI or THAI BOXING
Author: Thom Harinck![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/6oHto5C1mCwFkbOB9l3i-1500x2149.jpg)
MUAY-THAI thai boxing
Author: Thom Harinck![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2WhatsApp-Image-2021-02-28-at-18.52.12-1-1500x2094.png)
'De Ontleende Kracht' Chakuriki
Author: Shihan T. Harinck![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/chakuriki-1500x2120.jpg)
Thom Harinck; Godfather of Muay Thai Kickboxing in the West
Authors: Thom Harinck & Julio Punch![](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/41969IbSRsL-1500x2396.jpg)
Media
![SPIKE X VECHTERSBAZEN #31 HARINCK EN HAMICHA](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/9-1.png)
![Vechtersbazen S01E14 - Met Thom Harinck & Anissa Haddaoui](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/10.png)
![Studio PowNed: Tom Staal neergebeukt door Thom Harinck](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/5.png)
![Vechtershart Documentaire - Deel 2](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/13.png)
![Vechtershart Documentaire - Deel 1](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/12.png)
![Interview Thom Harinck 1981](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/8.png)
![Thom Harinck - Decades of Pride](https://thomharinck.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/6.png)
De kids na hun examens met hun kersverse Chakuriki trainer Dimitris Papadopoulos in hun dojo in Thessaloniki.Respect Osu
Patrik Erikson vanaf zijn 18e tot nu toe altijd loyaal gebleven.Veel titels behaald over de hele wereld ,ook met mij semenairs gegeven en hier terecht zijn leraars diploma 1 e Dan chakuriki.Respect Osu
Brandweer vliegtuig schept water uit de zee over mijn huis in Kroatië.Osu ... See MoreSee Less
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I miss Croatia 🙏
Osu Sen
My fighter Khouttoul win the Dutch title fight muay thai .History Osu ... See MoreSee Less
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Was dat tegen André Masseurs?
Osu
Met Stefan Leko en Lloyd van Dams (R.I.P.) History Osu ... See MoreSee Less
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Rip Lloyd Rip thommy
Konden beide goed trappen 🙏
Leuke foto
Osu ... See MoreSee Less
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Allemaal begonnen in de v.Beuningenstraat toch? Ongelooflijk🙏👊🫶
Top top Osu
Gister kwam ik in Split deze Braziliaanse familie tegen die ik jaren geleden op mijn seminar les heb gegeven.De wereld is klein.Toeval ? osu ... See MoreSee Less
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Respect. Osu
Vele jaren geleden stond er een 2 pagina groot artikel in de Telegraaf over osu Harinck.
nu nog een chapter in zuid-limburg osu rob
OSU Shihan
Osu 🙏🏼
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Mn gabber Osu ... See MoreSee Less
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Duke
Duke
Prachtige Hond Thom
Mooie hond wauw...
Een echte dieren vriend in hart en nieren top .
MOOIE HOND HEB JE.
Geen bull terriër meer... U bent echt met pensioen gegaan. 🫣🤭
Uit Kroatië meegenomen sensei? Osu
Is geen bullterrier
Mooi.
Lief beest. Osu
Jajaja osu sensai
OSU !
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Concentration for his fight.Branko Cikatic (R.I.P.) the first K-1 champion in 1993 Tokyo Japan.History Osu ... See MoreSee Less
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Very proud. Osu
OSU ,RIP Branco👊🙏
OSU! 🙏
Osu