How To Get Your Body Ready for a Bathing Suit– One Option: UFC Gym

Want to get your body in shape for bathing suit season?  Well, then I suggest you get your butt (no matter what size it is) to the UFC Gym in Atlanta, because the instructors there will whip you into shape in no time at all (if you don’t live in Atlanta, find one close to you–this is the kind of workout you can count on working!).

I went in for a trial class two days ago and I am still hurting when I sit down or stand up (or even try to lift my arms over my head), but I have absolutely zero doubt that if I took that class every day for a month, I’d be ready to strut any bathing suit you handed me.  No pain, no gain, right?

The UFC Gym warm-up for ten minutes left me panting like I would in other classes after a full hour of exercise.  I seriously wondered whether I’d survive the class after those ten minutes.  Not kidding.  However, I despise wasting my time, so if I’m going to spend an hour trying to get into shape, whether it’s every day or once in my life, I want to see results.  After one hour at the UFC Gym, I can feel tighter muscles in places where I forgot they existed (my belly has muscles? Who knew!).

And here’s the other thing: while getting a good workout, I learned some awesome fight moves.  They taped my hands for me, hooked me up with a set of boxing gloves, and showed me how to throw a punch.  And a hook.  And an undercut.  THIS part of the class…well, it was a total blast for me.  I’ve had a tough year, and there have been many, many times when I would have loved to have punched something.  Anything.  I just knew it would have been such great stress relief.  And you know what?  It is.  Punching things is fun, especially if they can’t punch back.  I admit it—I’m kind of a wimp.  I’ve never really liked fighting—or even watching fighting on TV, and definitely not in person.  But just letting loose on a punching bag…well, that’s pretty awesome.  And it makes me feel really badass.  And that’s pretty awesome, too.

In fact, now I want all of my kids to go take classes at UFC Gym—not to get them in shape.  They’re good there.  I want them to learn the moves that I now know for self-protection.  Here’s a quick run through of some of the fight moves:

• The one, two: that’s a left punch, right punch.
• The three, four: left hook, right hook.
• The five, six: left undercut, right undercut.
• Once you know how the numbers correlate with the arm/move, the instructor starts mixing it up.
• One, two, three. (left, right, left hook)
• One, one, two, three, six. (left, left, right, left hook, undercut)

Then they start throwing in moves with your legs like a side-kick and some fakes.  I think my fake needs some work, but this was just my first lesson, so I’m giving myself a pass on that.

Before you know it, you feel like Muhammad Ali (remember his famous quote: “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life like a champion.‘”  He was right).

During your workout, you are tested through several rounds, and by the end, you’re not sure your left arm can punch another thing.  At least that’s how I felt.

And they know that, because then they put you on the floor for some stretches and cool down (which again, will make you think you’re about to die).

But when you are done, you feel like a champion.

And I’m certain, if I went back at least three times a week, I’d be bathing suit ready in just a month.  Really.

If you want in, go check them out.  The UFC Gym is located in Dunwoody near the Perimeter Mall (another location is in the works).  You can take a sample class for free, pay for individual classes, or sign up for a monthly membership that lets you take unlimited classes.    They have family classes and even a fighting cage.  The kids will love that.  Here’s a list of all the classes they offer.

Their grand opening is Saturday, March 29th.  Here’s the invite in case you want to go.

If you try it, please let me know.  And take some before and after pictures, too.  I want to see them!