UFC Opens First UFC Gym in Concord, California
by Luke Thomas on Nov 29, 2009 3:32 PM EST
in MMA News
24 comments
The desire to capture the attention of the mainstream, soften it's image through a focus on fitness and imprint their brand in the minds of hoi polloi is what UFC Gyms are all about. The San Francisco Gate has the story on the opening of the very first UFC Gym:
"This was the natural evolution for our brand. UFC revolutionized traditional martial arts. It's a perfect fit to us to expand into the fitness area," said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.
The facility's operators think they can make a strong case. UFC Gym reveals exactly what you would expect to find: music blaring in the background, metal dropping on metal clanging from the weight-lifting machines, and eager instructors on the floor. Even promotional banners feature everyday women breaking a sweat and kids training for martial arts in karate uniforms.
"We're not looking to train or create fighters. We're looking to create a fun family environment," Fertitta said.
While the Octagon with the black wire fence is certainly an unusual element, this is not a fighting gym. Jim Rowley, co-founder of New Evolution Fitness Co., which launched the venture with the UFC, said the gym is a place for those who want to be fit like martial arts athletes but aren't interested in the bruises. Instead of finding muscular types beating each other inside the ring, you'll find ordinary members kicking into the arm pads of supportive Thai boxing instructors.
"You probably never want to get into the Octagon and get choked or punched in the face," Rowley said, "but why not get trained like the best-conditioned athletes in the world?"
This vicarious experience cannot be understated. Not only are the selling the visceral, rugged aspects of MMA training, they're dovetailing it with an evolution in how we get fit as a society. If they can really make something of this effort - the UFC plans to open between 300 and 400 UFC Gyms in the next five years - then this could make huge inroads in how MMA is viewed within deeper concentric mainstream circles.
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Where I live in south Orange County, there are many MMA gyms very close to me like Lightning MMA, US Blackbelt Academy, Jokers, Orange County Jiu Jitsu, Subfighter, TriCenter, GracieBarra, No Limits, and LA Boxing. With the popularity of MMA and the UFC, it really is time for the UFC to open their own branded gyms seeing how popular and potentially profitable that they can be. I can imagine them actually trying to stamp out their competition by putting their gyms close to other gyms if they really wanted to.
300-400 gyms....
sounds like an XFL scale disaster waiting to happen. Faux UFC training will be nothing more than a fad. Like Tae Bo was to kickboxing years ago.
A few gyms may be okay, but to think of this as a revolution in fitness is overselling this a bit too far.
I think you are making too much of the MMA as fitness angle.
I think it is more like MMA as a style of gym where you can do all the things you usually do at the gym, oh, and there is an octagon too.
Vocab lessons with Luke...
Hoi polloi…Had to Google that one. I agree with cyke. 300-400 gyms is crazy.
These gyms might be a nice retirement package for older fighters.
Keep firing Assholes!
In Idaho, it's illegal to f--- a porcupine. You know why? Because someone tried it.
However
Not all of these former fighters are good with managing money. So this is in fact, like a post UFC employment opportunity for fighters who just want to relax and draw a salary rather than have to concern themselves with the day to day.
Not a bad follow up to a short term career.
I could see 300-400 gyms in the next 50 years, because it will take that long- the UFC hype machine keeps trucking along.
by I don't wear mma t-shirts on Nov 29, 2009 5:05 PM EST reply actions
Keep firing Assholes!
In Idaho, it's illegal to f--- a porcupine. You know why? Because someone tried it.
I actually like the idea of the UFC gym concept
I’m 39 and not looking to get in the octagon or any small time promotion. I got a family and other real world concerns. However, the concept sounds great. Whoever is a fan that wants to retain their face and all of their teeth should consider this kind of an environment. If it springboards into something more, then there’s always more hardcore opportunities out there.
I have to say I’m always a little conflicted with Luke’s articles. Many times I discover new words or words I had forgotten about, which is cool and always enjoyable. But because of the choice of words the writing comes off as pretentious. I know it’s not done on purpose and Luke’s writing is very professional, but I get this sense of trying to be unnecessarily sophisticated.
I could be way off, and in no way disrespect Matt Brown Luke. Maybe it’s just me?
P.S. Please don’t ban me
"In Russia, Hell goes to you!"
Reads like a New Yorker article. IMHO you could do far worse and given the alternatives out there, be glad there’s an mma writer with some chops.
by The_Gaijin on Nov 29, 2009 6:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I thought that gym has been open for some time now?
I am staying a few minutes away from there, and when we drove by it about a month ago, my cousin said it was open..
I can hear the douchebags at the Applebee's bar now...
“So yeah, I clock about 5 hours a day down at the UFC gym, prolly gonna turn pro soon…”
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
Everyone who is saying 300-400 gyms is too many
I don’t think so. 300 is a very achievable number.
The gyms can vary in size etc.
Lets me use an example – in the boom years of the economy (can’t remember what year exactly) Starbucks opened 400 stores in ONE year.
That’s more than one store a day!
To ask the UFC to open one gym every five months wouldn’t be that hard. There are so many locations and large metropolisis like NY or LA could hold 10 or more gyms.
So I’m thinking 300 is definitely achievable.
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