Combat sports to be demonstrated at remodeled Braintree gym
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Combat sports to be demonstrated at remodeled Braintree gym
As a tae kwon do champion, Marcellino Amaro showed no hesitation in snapping off a series of lightening lightning-fast kicks and punches around the head and torso of Jay Brooks. Amaro was also willing to be tossed around and run through a series of submission moves by the smaller Brooks, a judo and jujitsu champion himself. But the Braintree resident still gets a little uneasy remembering his training sessions with boxing trainers Tim Stanton and Tim Fitzgerald. "They're the only ones that got me close to puking," joked Amaro, 40, who recently won the Worcester Classic. "But it was a humbling experience. It was great." Despite the competitive nature of their sports, the four men consider themselves good friends. And all four teach their trades at the sprawling Bayshore Athletic Club in Braintree. The instructors are teaming up to host a combat sports night at the athletic club tomorrow night from 7:30 to 9:30. Students from the three clubs the men run -- T-N-T Boxing, Strictly All Contact Tae Kwon Do, and Phoenix Judo, will be demonstrating skills from the sports. "This is the only gym around that has all three disciplines in one place," said Brooks, 38, of Quincy, and the head instructor with of the Phoenix Judo club. The demonstration will also be a celebration of sorts. Brooks recently finished building a 1,400-square-foot tournament-quality instruction area in the back corner of the athletic club. He previously taught classes in a snug corner near the boxing ring. And with the judo classes relocated, Stanton, 40, of Braintree, and Fitzgerald, 50, of Quincy, have expanded their facility area to include a number of new heavy bags and other equipment. Amaro teaches his classes in a gymnasium area in the front of the fitness center. The centerpiece of their area, however, is the boxing ring, which Stanton says is part of sports lore. Stanton He says the ring is from the second Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)/Sonny Liston fightll,ll in Lewiston, Mainell,ll in 1965. He said a friend, Peter deLuca, bought it at an auction and keeps it at the athletic club. Combat sports, such as judo and jujitsu, are growing in popularity, aided by the recent success of mixed martial arts leagues and reality shows. The sports are also becoming an increasingly attractive option for gym rats searching for a good workout but tired of running on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike. The clubs aren't just for ultimate fighter-wannabes; the instructors say their classes are open to anyone of any age and skill level.
YouTube | June 15, 2007
