Kickboxing gym
flourishes in first year
It’s been nearly a year since Mainstreet Kickboxing opened its
doors in Hollister and already the gym has more than 150
members.
”
I knew it would go,
”
said Mainstreet’s owner Danny Kelly.
”
This is pretty much a blue-collar town and there wasn’t much for
the kids to do. I’m actually somewhat surprised though at how fast
martial arts are taking off in the rest of the world.
”
Kickboxing gym
flourishes in first year
It’s been nearly a year since Mainstreet Kickboxing opened its doors in Hollister and already the gym has more than 150 members.
“I knew it would go,” said Mainstreet’s owner Danny Kelly. “This is pretty much a blue-collar town and there wasn’t much for the kids to do. I’m actually somewhat surprised though at how fast martial arts are taking off in the rest of the world.”
The reason for Mainstreet’s success can be found in the credentials that Kelly himself brings to the operation, combined with his love for kickboxing and desire to ultimately train future professionals in his craft.
“A lot of people come here to workout and learn kickboxing, but I’m really hoping to train fighters. That’s really where I want to take this,” he said. “Right now, I have 10 guys in my advanced class. I have them compete against each other once a month to see where they are. Three of them are very solid.”
And Kelly should know.
After graduation from Leigh High School in 1993, Kelly soon became interested in mixed martial arts and started training in the sport right away. Within six months, he competed in his first fight in what’s known as Muai Thai kickboxing – the most popular form of the sport that has become the genesis for cable television’s popular Ultimate Fighting Championship series.
Soon he was competing whenever he could throughout the U.S. while working as one of the head instructors at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. Kelly did a seven-year stint there before opening the Hollister facility.
By 2001 Kelly, who is now 31, had held a number of tournament title belts and was the reigning United States Champion in the sport’s light heavyweight division – a title that is sanctioned by the International Sport Karate Association. It was a title that he would hold for three consecutive years.
“Back when I was competing, the sport was real small. There was no money in it,” he said. “I said at the time that I’d give it 10 years and see where it goes. I ended up competing for 12 years. Today, the money in the sport is getting better. It’s not as good as boxing yet, but it’s getting close.”
Kelly also has a strong boxing background. He was a two-time Golden Gloves finalist in the light heavyweight division.
He points out that although punches are thrown and there is kicking and takedowns in his sport, that it is quite different from traditional martial arts.
“There are no traditional belts in this sport like there are in karate. Here, your skill level is not based on what you wear but what you won,” Kelly said.
Kelly believes the reason that mixed martial arts is exploding in popularity is because boxing is losing interest and not as exciting, and people have begun changing their attitudes towards the mixed martial arts.
“When I competed, I did it for belts and notoriety so that I could one day open a gym,” Kelly said. “I always knew right out of high school that I wanted to open a gym. That was a big goal.”
He chose Hollister because his parents lived there; he knew the area well and thought it would be the perfect outlet for area youth.
At his gym on 401 D Hillcrest Road, his dad Ralph, who is also his partner in the venture, takes care of all of the new member sign-ups while Danny handles all of the classes.
Unlike cardio-kickboxing, all of the classes at Mainstreet involve full contact.
“We are always hitting something,” Kelly said. “When there is resistance the muscles are worked better.”
During a typical week, he teaches a number of youth and adult classes, including classes for women. His students learn kickboxing as well as submission ground fighting.
Kelly also recently decided to offer a medicine ball training class, which has become very popular in a short time.
Most classes at the gym include between 12 and 25 students. Kelly also does private lessons as well. Monthly memberships run $75 per month for children and between $100 and $150 for adults, depending on how much they decide to train.
Kelly enjoys nothing more than watching his students excel.
“I enjoy taking someone with no or little athletic ability and teaching them something that they never thought they could do,” Kelly said. “It’s one thing to teach someone how to throw a football or shoot a basket, but this sport incorporates speed, timing, balance and vision, and I enjoy teaching that.”
Inside the 3,000-square-foot facility is a professional boxing ring. There are also 14 banana bags for students to practice their kicking techniques on. The gym also has two speed bags as well as a grappling mat. The gym also includes three flat screen televisions that are always broadcasting fights.
“This really is a nice, clean gym – like something you’d find in L.A.,” Kelly said.
Mainstreet also sells fight gear for all the major brands, including Tap Out, Warrior Wear, Everlast and Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Before opening the Hillcrest facility, Kelly first operated his classes out of a local martial arts facility in order to test the waters and see how receptive the community would be to the idea.
Obviously, it was.
To learn more about Mainstreet Kickboxing, call 638-1077.
