Martial arts firms targets families for new gym
Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, November 28, 2009
It is difficult to say what is more surprising about the Ultimate Fighting Championship's new line of gyms: the fight-cage-like Octagon ring sticking out from the center of the floor or the fact the mixed martial arts promotion company known for its brutal and bloody fights is advertising its new venue as a family-oriented gym.
The UFC took its most recent step to expand its brand last week with the opening of its first gym in Concord and, while the new venture has certainly appealed to UFC fans eager to train like their favorite athletes, it also seeks to accommodate kids beginning in martial arts and adults who just want to lose a couple of pounds.
"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?"
So while the gym is equipped with the typical machines and treadmills, the venue seeks to distinguish itself through its mixed martial arts courses and a training curriculum inspired by UFC athletes' exercise routines.
In one room, members can train by flipping 275-pound tractor wheels or swinging ropes as thick as an arm attached to a 165-pound weight.
Fertitta said members can expect to see UFC athletes drop by the gyms for the occasional seminar or meet-and-greet and will enjoy benefits like priority access to tickets and first-look privileges to news and events.
The gym operator's ambitions are nothing small. The state-of-the-art, 38,000-square-foot facility in Concord is expected to be followed next year by others in Hawaii, Montreal and more in California. Fertitta said the UFC hopes to open 300 to 400 gyms across the United States within five years.
When news of the gym's opening broke out on UFC Web sites this year, local enthusiasts hurried to be among the first members to register. By June, gym officials said, they had signed nearly 2,500 members.
Brook Gaona, 22, said he has been a UFC fan for four years and drives more than 30 miles from Vacaville to the gym almost daily.
"It's a more powerful workout because everybody's in the zone. The energy of everybody else draws you a bit more," he said.
Ricky Chacon and his wife, Tatiana Briones, both 22, said they were excited to hear UFC is opening gyms because other mixed martial arts classes in the area offered only beginner levels and the UFC has credibility in the field. Plus, there are other advantages, Chacon said.
"Here's two for one: I can learn mixed martial arts, and I can also just work out," he said.
