I weigh 200 pounds, I am six feet tall, and I'm going to laugh at you as you punch and kick me. I will not move, but you will not quit.

I sit, silently watching you do pushups next to me. I feel your legs clutching at me as you do sit-ups. I can smell the slightly acrid smell of your sweat, rich with adrenaline as the class pushes you further than you thought possible.

I hear the instructor barking out combos, 1-2-1-1-3-2. I see the apprehension pass fleetingly over your face as you try to remember the punches that those numbers mean and the look of satisfaction as it comes to you. I feel your blows, but they don’t faze me.

Every day, I watch you come and sweat. I see your pain. I see your struggle.

But I also see your triumphs.

Your Victories.

The way your face becomes tranquil as you find that sweet spot where your muscles take over, and your blows come with speed, force and, most importantly, determination.

No longer do you need to stop and catch your breath every ten minutes. Now you lead the class! You are lean, defined. You are strong!

Now, now I feel your punches as they land! Your kicks lift me off the ground! My chain keeps me tethered, but I swing madly!

And you never relent! Mercilessly, you throw combos that land viciously and accurately.

I feel the sting of every blow as it lands.

And I Am Proud of You.

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Hey, if you missed these seminars, you missed out, and I'm sorry for you. Johnny Ward and Carlos Rodriguez taught an amazing Muay Thai clinic Saturday, May 29th, which was followed by an excellent Brazilian Jiu Jitsu clinic with Michael Nunes.

And if you didn't come, you have no one to blame but yourself. We had a blog post on this very site about the Muay Thai and BJJ clinics, as well as it being all over the Knuckle Up Facebook, AND the Boot Camp Facebook.

Johnny and Carlos were clearly very good at what they do, both as professionals in the sport, as well as instructors. The class began with some various warm-ups, all of which were pretty different from the norm. When Johnny had us pair up and purposely try to stomp on each others feet, with the loser doing 10 burpies, it became clear that we were in for some fun. And we were not mistaken.

The class was split into to groups by skill level, Johnny with one, Carlos the other. one group focused on punches and elbows, the other group worked on knees and kicks. After a while of that, the two groups switched.  Both Carlos and Johnny were quick to help out individuals who were having problems, and to give them pointers on technique.

Michael Nunes with our own Jeremiah. Finally, someone that can make Jeremiah sweat!

After the Muay Thai clinic, those who wanted to stay and work a little longer with Johnny were able to, while Carlos went upstairs with Michael to teach the BJJ clinic. Unfortunately, they asked us not to film that part, and naturally we respected their wishes. But I am still free to talk about it.

Michael, with Carlos translating, was quick to have us up and moving on the mats. Michael also didn't take "No" for an answer. Some of the words and phrases he was fluent with included "Keep moving", "faster", and "one more".  After being wore out in the Muay Thai clinic and then immediately bouncing upstairs for Jiu Jitsu, I heard each of these phrases repeatedly.

And he definitely meant them too. To start off, we were alternating take downs without completing them, then he had us start completing them slowly. Then he had us break, but we had to keep walking even during the break.

Then it was back to the mat to learn the techniques, and receive the individual help. Michael is a brown belt, and he definitely knew what he was doing.  The class was very informative, and I think everyone who took part in it immediately noticed improvements.

So there's the breakdown of the clinics. If you came, you know how awesome it was. And if you didn't come, well, better luck next time.  But seriously, what's the point of being a member of the most bad ass fitness club on the Outer Banks, if your not going to take advantage of these opportunities to learn something awesome?

On behalf of everyone at Knuckle Up, we want to thank Johnny, Carlos and Michael for the fantastic instruction, and a really great time!

Also, if you're ever in Colorado, there's a great place for Muay Thai Boxing in Littleton that you won't want to miss!

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Muay Thai

Just a brief reminder : All regularly scheduled classes for Saturday, May 29^th are cancelled. You may have seen the signs and notices up around the gym, but just in case you missed them, Saturday we are having a Muay Thai clinic followed by a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu seminar.

The Muay Thai clinic will kick off at 8:30 AM and run until 10 AM. After a brief half hour break, the BJJ class will begin at 10:30 and end at noon. The cost is $30 for the day, and the event is open to guests and members alike. The Muay Thai class will be taught by Johnny Ward and Carlos Rodriguez. The BJJ class is being taught by Michael Nunes.

Johnny Ward has been involved in MMA since 1996. He was the 1997 East Coast Middleweight Shoot Fighting Champion under Bart Vale of Florida. Johnny is also a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu, and has been trained in Sambo and Muay Thai, which he has practiced for the past ten years. He now teaches Muay Thai and assists with MMA training at Richmond Fight Club.

Carlos Rodriguez has been training in Muay Thai for 5 years and is also a blue belt in BJJ. Michael Nunes is from Curitiba, Brazil and is a brown belt under Jiu Jitsu champion Rodrigo Feijao.

It’s going to be a lot of fun, and there will be plenty to learn. This is why you belong to the best fitness club on the Outer Banks, so why miss it?  Make sure you sign up now, because space is limited.

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This is a video of Matt Costa's Kickboxing class at 8 AM on Cinco De Mayo taken by Rev. Jay Bowman.

Do you see how many people there are? Matt had people running outside because there too many to run inside. And notice how EVERYONE is smiling. They know what's up!

Matt Costa knows how to make your workout fun!

Matt Costa heads the kickboxing classes at KnuckleUp and he's not afraid to make you work. The classes are intense, and you will definitely feel like you worked out after you're done.

And while every gym says their classes are fun, Matt makes sure his really are. You're never doing the same thing over and over again. Matt mixes it up almost every other minute, and you're never sure what you'll be doing next.

If you want to learn kickboxing, or even if you just want to get in shape, try out Matt's Kickboxing class. The class is offered at least twice everyday, usually three or for times, except Sundays,  so there's a time for just about anyone. Check the schedule to see when you can try it.

And don't worry, not every class is packed like this one.

You would be hard pressed to find a better, or quicker, way to get in shape. Give Matt your time, and he'll change your life.

For another change for the summer, think about some home remodeling.  You can get the home of your dreams with some help from the best Outer Banks Home Contractors, OBX Master Builders.

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Our own Morrison Butler with Jorge Gurgel at JG MMA in Cincinnati

It's funny how the world is indeed a small place...

Some time ago, Morrison was running the KnuckleUp gyms in Atlanta, and basically ruling the MMA scene down there.

In one of their shows, he met Jorge Gurgel, who's not only a great fighter, but a successful gym owner as well (over 12 affiliated clubs across the US).

Fast forward to last September - one of Morrison's former KnuckleUp colleagues moves to Cincinnati to take the Sales Manager position at ... Jorge Gurgel MMA Academy!

Of course, while in Ohio, Morrison went to Jorge's school and took some pictures for us. He managed to get with UFC headliner Rich Franklin (who's Jorge's BFF - according to Jorge), and had a pretty tough training session there.

The cool thing is that JG MMA is now implementing KnuckleUp's kickboxing classes into their MMA program in Cincinnati - and they got a brand new bag room just for it (check out the pictures below).

So if you're ever up North, wondering where to train, dont think twice: JG MMA has the best mma classes in Cincinnati!

And if you're not looking for mma, you can continue your kickboxing workouts in Cincinnati as well.

Learn all about their mma program here: http://www.gurgelmma.com & about their kickboxing classes here: http://www.gurgelfitness.com

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This kickboxing session is part of a 1-hour workout that also includes extensive cardio training, muscle-toning and localized exercises.

Overall, it's the most complete fitness training in the Outer Banks, exercising every muscle group in the body, burning a ton of calories, and stimulating the mind with creative punch-kick combinations.

Sign up on the form to the right to get a free week pass, and come experience it for yourself.

You won't go back to a treadmill anytime soon..

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