Vagabond MMA
A few weeks ago, my MMA gym unexpectedly closed, permanently.
I've trained a lot of styles under a lot of teachers, but I've trained MMA under basically two people - Kazeta Jin of Philoktetes Niigata, and Phil Dunlap of Asylum (from even before it had a name). That's 9 solid years of training and being cornered by two guys.
So it was hard when Phil had to close his doors due to a variety of reasons, not the least of which his health has been rocky recently. It left me homeless for training. It split up the group, too, as people have had to find new places to work, new places to train, and so on - the Asylum buddies I trained with are scattered to the winds in a way.
Getting over having no place to train - well, it's happened to me before. My karate instructor suddenly moved to Florida. My stickfighting buddies got jobs and girlfriends and such and stopped being able to train Saturdays. I moved to Japan and ended training at another place. So it was shocking and sad, but not new.
Phil is back to training - he's teaching a few classes in Suffern, very close to his old place . . . but on two nights I work late. He's also teaching two classes far, far north of me - almost 2 hours drive - on a night I work kinda late and on Sunday morning. I could make the Sunday if I did nothing else but train that day. So as much as I'd follow him anywhere, I can't make it to 3 of the 4 classes he's teaching and making the other is a major trek that depends heavily on my schedule. It's tough - I'd deliberately carved out training time from my work schedule and covered over the times he can teach now.
So I've been finding training where I can, but my schedule isn't conducive to joining a new school. Plus I'm a little shy and I'm reluctant to go to a new place and learn a new system. I'm acclimated to Phil's ADHD style and "what do you want to learn today?" approach. I have a real problem dealing with organized and structured classes. I'd hate to start at the bottom and have to prove myself again - I've held my own in Advanced-level grappling and had a number of fights. It's annoying to have people explain the white belt program to you after that. That and the crazy rates some places charge means I'm not motivated to drop into gyms and ask.
Lucky for me, I live and work relatively close to Jody-Lynn Reicher, who turned pro in the past year or two. She's carved out some time we can train. It helps her, too, but she's absolutely making sure I can train as well - it's not "train with Peter if it helps me" but "Peter needs someone to train with." Another friend is looking at organizing a class during a time some of us can make it out and still go to work afternoons and evenings. My friends are solid that way.
I'm also lucky in that I work for a good boss at my gym, and he lets Jody and I use the space when no one else is training. I've gotten in sessions there with Jody and on my own (hard, I can't stay focused without a partner to spot my technical errors), and with Jody and others at Jody's house (once in the basement, Saturdays in the yard if it's nice).
I've ramped up my own weight and bodyweight training to keep fit - more pushups, extra training at home, etc.
But I'm kind of sad to be without a gym to train in. I know I owe it to myself and my coach to stay in shape, and I won't let this stop me. But I know I've lost something really valuable in losing my second home, Asylum. There was a time I wouldn't know what to do - this time, thanks to my friends and my boss and even an understanding kickboxing student of my own - I've been able to just keep going. We'll see where it all ends up.
I've trained a lot of styles under a lot of teachers, but I've trained MMA under basically two people - Kazeta Jin of Philoktetes Niigata, and Phil Dunlap of Asylum (from even before it had a name). That's 9 solid years of training and being cornered by two guys.
So it was hard when Phil had to close his doors due to a variety of reasons, not the least of which his health has been rocky recently. It left me homeless for training. It split up the group, too, as people have had to find new places to work, new places to train, and so on - the Asylum buddies I trained with are scattered to the winds in a way.
Getting over having no place to train - well, it's happened to me before. My karate instructor suddenly moved to Florida. My stickfighting buddies got jobs and girlfriends and such and stopped being able to train Saturdays. I moved to Japan and ended training at another place. So it was shocking and sad, but not new.
Phil is back to training - he's teaching a few classes in Suffern, very close to his old place . . . but on two nights I work late. He's also teaching two classes far, far north of me - almost 2 hours drive - on a night I work kinda late and on Sunday morning. I could make the Sunday if I did nothing else but train that day. So as much as I'd follow him anywhere, I can't make it to 3 of the 4 classes he's teaching and making the other is a major trek that depends heavily on my schedule. It's tough - I'd deliberately carved out training time from my work schedule and covered over the times he can teach now.
So I've been finding training where I can, but my schedule isn't conducive to joining a new school. Plus I'm a little shy and I'm reluctant to go to a new place and learn a new system. I'm acclimated to Phil's ADHD style and "what do you want to learn today?" approach. I have a real problem dealing with organized and structured classes. I'd hate to start at the bottom and have to prove myself again - I've held my own in Advanced-level grappling and had a number of fights. It's annoying to have people explain the white belt program to you after that. That and the crazy rates some places charge means I'm not motivated to drop into gyms and ask.
Lucky for me, I live and work relatively close to Jody-Lynn Reicher, who turned pro in the past year or two. She's carved out some time we can train. It helps her, too, but she's absolutely making sure I can train as well - it's not "train with Peter if it helps me" but "Peter needs someone to train with." Another friend is looking at organizing a class during a time some of us can make it out and still go to work afternoons and evenings. My friends are solid that way.
I'm also lucky in that I work for a good boss at my gym, and he lets Jody and I use the space when no one else is training. I've gotten in sessions there with Jody and on my own (hard, I can't stay focused without a partner to spot my technical errors), and with Jody and others at Jody's house (once in the basement, Saturdays in the yard if it's nice).
I've ramped up my own weight and bodyweight training to keep fit - more pushups, extra training at home, etc.
But I'm kind of sad to be without a gym to train in. I know I owe it to myself and my coach to stay in shape, and I won't let this stop me. But I know I've lost something really valuable in losing my second home, Asylum. There was a time I wouldn't know what to do - this time, thanks to my friends and my boss and even an understanding kickboxing student of my own - I've been able to just keep going. We'll see where it all ends up.