Hollister
– Danny Kelly thought opening a kickboxing studio in Hollister
might be successful.
Hollister – Danny Kelly thought opening a kickboxing studio in Hollister might be successful.
A year later Kelly, the former United States light heavyweight kickboxing champion and Golden Gloves boxer, has seen his studio outgrow his shared space on San Benito Street, move into a new 3,000-square-foot gym and grow from an initial 30 students to approximately 100 students. And despite how many people perceive kickboxing, the mixed martial art offers something for everyone.
Kickboxing can provide direction for at-risk youths, give young children a fun outlet for energy, train serious fighters for competition and give adults an alternative to a regular fitness gym.
“If you’re just a normal person who wants to get a good workout, you can come here,” Kelly said.
Kelly practices a type of kickboxing called Muay Thai, a traditional Thai martial art made popular in part to the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The UFC uses mixed martial arts, or MMA, some of the fastest growing sports in the nation. Kelly said many people have misconceptions about kickboxing. They either believe it is like the cardiovascular workout Tai Bo or a knuckle-and-shin-knocking, in-the-ring competition, he said.
But kickboxing offers elements of both. It stresses fighting technique, cardiovascular and strength training. Kelly offers a “core class,” which uses a medicine ball to help with conditioning, which is perfect for those not interested in fighting but who want to get in shape, he said.
Kelly also teaches boxing and trains fighters for actual competition. The new space on Hillcrest Drive, free of that old gym smell, has enough room for more than a dozen heavy bags, two speed bags, ample floor space to conduct classes and a professional ring.
The people in Kelly’s classes range from 7-year-old boys and girls just learning the art of kickboxing to 45-year-old women looking to get in shape. Kelly said kickboxing builds confidence.
“It’s invigorating,” Kelly said. “And it’s empowering for women.”
Kelly began mixed martial arts when he was 5 years old, said Kelly’s father, Ralph. After playing more traditional sports like football, basketball and baseball, Kelly was looking to continue in a competitive sport after high school. He eventually found his way to the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. Kelly has trained with big names in mixed martial arts such as Javier Mendez, Frank Shamrock, Jerome Turcan and BJ Penn.
Passing on the knowledge is a strong tradition in martial arts.
Josh Ramirez, a 15-year-old sophomore at San Benito High School, has been attending Kelly’s classes for more than a year and has become somewhat of a protege. Ramirez wrestles for San Benito. He finds kickboxing helps with his quickness, endurance and stamina as well as the grappling and take-down techniques important to wrestling, he said.
It also helps Ramirez with his confidence.
“For a long time my brother used to pick on me,” Ramirez said. “And I didn’t like that.”
Ramirez helps Kelly instruct the 7- to 10-year-old and 11- to 12-year-old classes. Ralph Kelly said Ramirez is a good shadow of Kelly, demonstrating the technique Kelly conveys to the students.
Kelly believes his classes could be a good way to keep elementary school-aged children from joining gangs. He said kickboxing provides direction.
“It’s good for kids to keep them off the streets,” Kelly said.
Kickboxing is also good for parents looking for an activity to keep their children engaged. Vanessa Kirchner, a teacher at Anzar High School, has put her son Joe, 9, through tennis and karate. Kirchner said Joe did not take to either, but has taken to kickboxing.
Kirchner said Kelly is a good role model and stresses the defensive aspects of kickboxing with the younger students. She said it is a welcome relief in Hollister, a city which struggles to offer a variety of youth activities.
“I’m so glad this place is here because you have to go to San Jose just to ice skate,” Kirchner said.
For more information about Main Street Kickboxing, call 831-638-1077 or drop by the gym at 401 Hillcrest Road, Suite D.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335, or mv*********@fr***********.com.
