Train with Jason Pietz formerly of Ken Shamrock's world famous Lion's Den and The American Kickboxing Academy and various other quality instructors / fighters! Professional Instruction in Muay Thai Kickboxing, Submission Fighting, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Self-Defense and Fitness. Privates, group deals, and seminars also offered. Beginner to advanced students welcome. We are located at 845 Cherry St in Chico, CA.
Why Learn Muay Thai, Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & MMA?
Fitness
Most martial arts have the benefit of providing a fun way to get exercise. Studies have found wrestling/grappling and kickboxing (not air boxing like Tae Bo) to be among the highest calorie burning activities. Fortunately, we do both. We also add plenty of conditioning exercises, calisthenics, and stretching.
You do not need to be in wicked good shape to join. You do not need to be a fitness guru just to make it through a practice session, either. How hard you push yourself, how often you come to class, and how well you take care of yourself the other 22 hours of the day will largely determine your success. Supplementing your current routine with a few hours of Muay Thai Kickboxing and Grappling will definitely help you achieve your fitness goals.
Self-Defense
Everyone has a right to be safe in their person and belongings, and everyone is allowed the right of self-defense. MMA is the superior martial arts system. It only follows, that the techniques that work for great fighters also work to save people. MMA has been proven to be more effective than any other martial arts. Imagine what Mixed Martial Arts could do for someone in a situation that calls for self-defense. MMA, and especially Grappling & BJJ, have always emphasized the REALITY of combat.
Fighting and self-defense are ugly things that typically lack the finesse of a Jackie Chan flick. There is no difference between fighting and self-defense, only the intentions of the people involved differ. This does not mean that things like biomechanics change all of a sudden, in order to give the 'defender' a greater chance of success. Don't be fooled by claims of 'pressure points' or advice to 'kick him in the balls, gouge his eyes out and run.' Not only is it literally impossible to execute these techniques, but the human body is far more resilient than most martial arts theories give the body credit for.
The reality is, unless you actually practice with a real and fully resisting partner, you will not gain the proficiency you need to defend yourself against a live and resisting attacker. The problem is, how many real partners eyes can you gouge out before running out of training partners and is it even possible to consistently do such a thing? Will striking an attacker in the groin subdue him? These are problems addressed in MMA.
With MMA techniques you will gain confidence and maturity that will carry over into other facets of your life. Confidence and maturity are the first steps to avoiding conflicts or situations that would otherwise require the use of force, and that is the best weapon you can use to defend yourself.
Safety
In spite of this being a Combat Sport, our training is very safe. Soccer, basketball, and Football players get injured more frequently than MMA practitioners. Members are never required to spar, and those that do are under supervision and must wear the appropriate safety equipment. THE SAFETY OF ALL GYM MEMBERS IS THE FIRST PRIORITY!
Value
You are getting a great value
by training with us. Most other MMA gyms charge well over $100 a month, not including long-term contracts. To top that, this is the premier place
in the Chico area to learn MMA. We have the most experienced coaching
staff, the most equipment and spectacular connections in the MMA industry. Recently, StandAlone MMA was ranked 12th in the world on Sherdog.com's Gym Loss/Win Ratio, topping out many other notable gyms.
Competition
Gym members can compete in various
tournaments throughout the year. We officially compete in BJJ and submission
wrestling (No-Gi / BJJ) tournaments, but members also train for actual
MMA, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and boxing matches. The members of the pro
fight team actively compete in professional MMA fights. Prospects for
the team have to prove themselves in the regular classes first by showing
talent, skill and dedication to the program.
All of these events are very competitive, and no gym members are ever required to compete. However, members are encouraged to compete. Competition not only opens doors within the sport, but it also opens doors within the individual. You may spend weeks preparing for a single event that lasts only 5 or 10 minutes. The amount of work required may be daunting, the intensity may be grueling, but the benefits will last you a lifetime.
The Revolution of Martial Arts
When Copernicus formed his theory of a heliocentric universe, he upset scientific tradition and challenged religious dogma. When Royce Gracie cleaned house at the first UFC's, he upset Martial Arts tradition and challenged combat sports dogma. By learning MMA, you will be on the front lines of the Martial Arts Revolution. Everyday boxing falls farther in to the category of "our fathers sport" while MMA fighters climb up the pay charts. Legends about small, old men taking out 10 ninjas at once no longer hold up. "Hollywood" techniques will probably still show up in the movies, but flashy kicks will rarely ever win fights.
The methods of training continue to change and improve. Perhaps the best training methods and techniques have always been available, or perhaps methods have improved because better technology and understanding of the human body have made it so. Either way, martial artists who continue to cling to the old traditional ways will see their arts be replaced by forms and styles that emphasize the reality of combat rather than the normative view of how combat should be.
MMA has put the "Martial" back in the martial arts.