Train like an MMA Fighter in Sacramento

You watch The Ultimate Fighter reality series on Spike and read about Chuck Liddell in ESPN the Magazine. But, have you ever imagined training like an MMA fighter?

The world of Mixed Martial Arts is growing. Spike TV televises the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and The Ultimate Fighter reality television series; Versus televises the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) and IFL (International Fight League); and Fox Sports televises the Pride Championships. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the country, yet many still have misconceptions about the sport.

Mixed Martial Arts combines various forms of hand-to-hand combat in one competition. Many professional MMA fighters have backgrounds in wrestling, boxing, kick boxing, jui-jitsu or Judo. However, in MMA, fighters must diversify their skills and master striking and the ground game.

Recently, espn.com began its coverage of Mixed Martial Arts and immediately started the boxing vs. MMA debate. Boxing aficionados claim MMA fighters do not master any of their disciplines and therefore are average fighters. However, MMA enthusiasts argue that it is much tougher to hit a person when you are worried about a roundhouse kick to the body or the opponent shooting for a double-leg takedown. Also, MMA enthusiasts point to professional MMA fighters who were NCAA National Champion wrestlers, Golden Gloves boxers, Jui-Jitsu Black Belts, professional Muay Thai Boxing fighters or Olympians in Judo. Many MMA fighters actually have mastered one discipline before moving to MMA to continue learning and challenging themselves personally and against other fighters.

With the explosion of the sport, MMA businesses are starting to pop-up. One of the best and largest MMA gyms is in Sacramento, California, located blocks from the Capitol of California. Ultimate Fitness is the brainchild of World Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber and Chiropractor Matt Fisher. Faber and Fisher started a gym where you can train like an MMA fighter, even if you have no intentions of stepping inside the octagon, or you can train to become a future professional fighter. After taking an afternoon kick boxing class taught by Faber, I asked the co-owners some questions about MMA and their gym.

Q: Matt, as a chiropractor by trade, how did you get involved with a Mixed Martial Arts gym?

Fisher: As insurance regulations changed for chiropractors, I started to look for another side business venture. I was a moderate fan of Mixed Martial Arts and a mutual friend introduced me to Urijah. I knew his name because we both grew up in Lincoln

Q: Same question to you, Uriah: what made you want to add the business responsibilities as a time when you are competing for World Championships?

Faber: I had always wanted to do my own thing, but never had time. Then I met Matt and he lied to me. He told me he had plenty of time. I did not want to do something based just on my name or reputation. I wanted a quality product. I didn't want to create a business that if I walked out the door, everyone would stop coming. So, like Matt said, within a day of talking, we started drawing up business plans and putting it together.

Q: Is the goal to be a gym for the "Average Joe" to workout or a home to professional fighters?

Fisher: Both. We have programs for kids who want to be MMA fighters. We want to create a place for the everyday person to feel connected and get a great workout. This isn't a gym membership where you go to walk on a treadmill. We are geared to people who take fitness seriously and want to leave with the mental confidence knowing they can take care of themselves on the street. That is empowering to people. Only 2-3% of the members are fighters. The rest want to learn some new skills and get a good workout in a good environment.

Q: Why should an "Average Joe" train like an MMA fighter if he is not interested in fighting?

Fisher: The type of fitness is tough to beat. Just look at an MMA fighter: 90% are cut. For people serious about fitness, this is the best because of the cross training aspects and the interval training incorporated in the classes. Personally, compared to my experiences playing sports and lifting weights, nothing beats this. [BM: Fisher can be found in a submission grappling and/or kick boxing class almost every day].

Q: How do you ensure that the gym maintains its edge as a real training environment?

Fisher: Because the instructors are the actual fighters. The training is really similar to what Urijah does with his coaches. You'll see Urijah in a grappling class or a boxing class. The facility is a true gym. It creates a certain emotional response that is real.

Q: So, Urijah, how close are the classes to your workouts?

Faber: Very close. This is not traditional martial arts like karate. There is a core of fundamentals that you drill over and over to build muscle memory. I wrestle, I do jui-jitsu, I box. I practice the same fundamentals. There are always things you can learn to improve, minor adjustments and stuff. But, the basic fundamentals are the same. The major difference is that I do a lot more sparring because most of the members just want to get in shape, while I am preparing to fight an opponent.

Q: If it is a great environment for the "Average Joe," what attracts the professional fighters to the gym?

Fisher: Two reasons: first, the other guys here. Urijah is world class, so he attracts other guys. Urijah is good at attracting good fighters and a diverse group, with good stand-up guys and good grapplers. And, second, it's a great facility with everything you need to train.

Q: Urijah, anything else to add to Matt's answer?

Faber: We're looking to create big name fighters as much as attract them. Lots of guys want to train here because it's a quality gym with top level coaches in all the disciplines. It's an ideal situation.

Fisher: Everyone knows Urijah. They know James Irvin and Scott Smith. But, Dustin Akbari is only 19-years-old and has been Urijah's main training partner for a couple years. He's phenomenal. Mark Munoz is a two-time National Champion wrestler. He fights on July 19^th and is on his way to a UFC fight at 205 if he wins a couple fights. Joseph Benevidez is like 10-0, but New Mexico does not sanction MMA fights, so not all of his fights appear on his official record. He should get a shot in the WEC at 135 pretty soon. So, like Urijah said, some big names are going to be created out of this gym.

Ultimate Fitness is located at 1705 I Street in Sacramento. The phone number is (916) 444-3357.