Matt's Beach Bootcamp Is Now FREE!
Breaking news: Matt Costa's exclusive Beach Bootcamp is now available to everybody - KnuckleUp members or not - and we'll pay for your first class.
- Swim suit
- Towell
- Dry change of clothes
- Cereal bar
- Bottled Water
.
Breaking news: Matt Costa's exclusive Beach Bootcamp is now available to everybody - KnuckleUp members or not - and we'll pay for your first class.

Matt Costa, KnuckleUp Instructor of the Month
You might not picture a Certified Executive Chef (C.E.C), experienced in 4-diamond French cuisine the same way you would a Military trainer with 8 years of experience in the Marines (including 2 combat wars).
When I was interviewing Matt for this post, I was blown away by such an unusual professional combination. A former marine, with a 2-0 amateur MMA fight record, knows what a beurre blanc sauce is?
But as we continued our chat, it became clear that the distinct professional achievements are a reflection of this amazing instructor's determination and commitment. Whether in the Marines, in the kitchen, or at KnuckleUp, Matt refuses to settle for mediocrity. Average is not part of his vocabulary.
His success as a chef placed him in the kitchen of movie stars and as the head chef for 4-diamond restaurants, a lifestyle that Matt refers to as "good living"; but which gave him an extra 40 lbs and a sedentary routine.
The sedentary routine was extremely hard to break due to the lack of exciting training in Outer Banks gyms, according to Matt, and it wasnt until he found KnuckleUp that his routine was finally broken. Matt began taking the kickboxing classes religiously, and soon he had lost 40 lbs!
But Matt Costa's extensive military training experience didn't let him go unnoticed; his excellent boxing skills and aptitude for leadership roles (from the Marines) captivated not only several students who sought him during training, but KnuckleUp management as well.
Matt was hired as an instructor and started teaching his own kickboxing classes.
Even though Matt wasn't technically a drill sergeant in the Marines, students soon realized his commanding power brought amazing results; they were pushed, challenged, and ultimately, motivated to give their best to finish exercises and commit to the training.
A signature style was born...
This Thursday, August 6th, at a cool 5:30AM, the 3rd edition of Matt's beach bootcamp will start.
The 5-week bootcamp meets twice a week at KnuckleUp in Kitty Hawk and then head out to the beach where the entire training is conducted.
Matt guarantees his bootcamp training is not very far from a military one, specially in regards to the mental challenges he presents his students in order to strengthen their self-confidence and motivation, so they can finish the arduous training.
The training includes, but is definitely not limited to:
And exactly how effective is Matt's bootcamp?
In its short existence, the outer banks beach bootcamp, under Matt's leadership, has helped students lose OVER 500 LBS!
----> One student experienced complete body reconfiguration as she lost over 100 lbs with Matt's help. <-----
The unique training methods put forward by this amazing instructor are unmatched anywhere; in the Outer Banks, Matt is able to combine a highly effective program with the beautiful Atlantic ocean scenario to create the ultimate fitness experience.
You can also contact Matt directly at mattcosta1[at]hotmail.com. He's got only a few extra openings for personal training sessions during this month that will be taken sooner than he expects. If you'd like to have Matt working one-on-one with you, now is your chance.

KnuckleUp was the main sponsor for Fight To The Finish VI
At 6:30pm, there were 100+ people in line trying to get in; the entire east section of the Outer Banks Mall parking lot was taken, forcing people to use the Outer Banks Hospital's parking lot; 5 police cars and 1 ambulance completed the highly unusual scenario.
If it seems like I'm describing Michael Jackson's funeral is because like me, you've never seem anything of such proportions in the Outer Banks. The AFL MMA Fight To The Finish VI was off to a great start.
The conservative 500 people limit imposed by the Nags Head Fire Marshal was reached 20 minutes after the doors were open, sending well over 150 people away, and it made a lot of people regret not buying a ticket earlier.
Inside, it was clear that the AFL had a really rough spot to work with: SeaMark left the building completely stripped, and there wouldnt be any sign of Air Conditioning. On the bright side, absolutely no smoking was allowed, the music was rocking right from the start, and the entire fight structure resembled nothing amateur-like.
The UFC-style cage (the octagon ring) left no doubt in regards to the seriousness of the event. Set right in the center of the building, with VIP tables circling it, the stage was set for a kick-arse fight night.
KnuckleUp and Genesis Tattoo were installed right past the entrance, and the Hooters girls were hard at work to keep everybody's thirst quenched.
Soon after 7pm, not late at all for fight event standards, the ringmaster called the first fighters; with 500 people to please (many MMA-virgins), the pressure was on AFL's fight card to deliver on all the hype it had created. (Actually, all the hype that KNUCKLEUP created... )
And they sure did. Props to Donnie Markham, owner of AFL MMA and The Fitness Warehouse gyms, and Donnie Tinsley, who matched the fighters. There was only one No-Show (Billy Frezza's opponent), and almost all of the fights were well-leveled.
Bottomline is, the night was a MAJOR hit - It is without a small shadow of doubt that I say everybody was blown away by the professional set up, excellent infra-structure (with the A/C exception), and awesome fight SPECTACLE.
Now, for the fights... Here are some:
It's so much to talk about that we're going to save it for another post!
For now, you can watch more video on our YouTube Channel:

Dave's Genesis Tattoo Shop in Collington
On our first Instructor Spotlight, we'll talk a little about Dave Bein, creator of Genesis Tattoo.
Dave Bein goes beyond the definition of a well-rounded guy; he's an extremely gifted tattoo artist, a huge fan of martial arts (he's got a black belt in Karate from his father, who was a Chuck Norris student!), a KnuckleUp instructor, and a darn-good graphic designer on his spare time.
Dave's history with Martial Arts and fitness began when he was a child, and his dad (freaking Chuck Norris' student) taught him Karate. By age 19, he had already trained Judo, Boxing, and Jiu Jitsu, and was involved with the so-called NHB fighting (No-Holds-Barred, previous to the MMA scene).
KnuckleUp is honored to have Dave teaching special Kickboxing classes, and when his schedule allows, sparring on the ring with the students. With the opening of the brand new Genesis Tattoo location, however, Dave has been away from the gym, which we hope will change soon.
His entrepreneurial, multi-faceted character brings an unique approach to the fitness program at KnuckleUp, and completes a team of highly qualified instructors unlike any other gym's.
We shot a couple of videos of Dave's place so check it out:
Check out this 2 minute video to see how our head instructor Morrison Butler leads the kickboxing session with Stephanie:
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..