The South Side of Chicago will welcome its first UFC Gym on Saturday, Nov. 15, when the mixed martial arts (MMA) fitness center opens in Morgan Park.<\/p>\n
Located at 11520 S. Marshfield Ave., UFC Gym Morgan Park is set to open in the former Esporta Fitness location that closed its doors abruptly in April 2024.<\/p>\n
According to officials, UFC Gym is affiliated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and has 160 locations and 500 additional locations currently in development globally.<\/p>\n
The fitness center will hold a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Throughout the day, visitors can tour the building, try classes and sample the new recovery room.<\/p>\n
UFC Gym Morgan Park aims to increase accessibility to the benefits of world-class MMA athlete training programs to everyone, regardless of age or athletic ability.<\/p>\n
Shane Sherman, general manager of UFC Gym Morgan Park, has worked in the fitness industry for some two decades including at the former Esporta Fitness. For Sherman, UFC Gym Morgan Park stands apart from other fitness centers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to have a larger variety,\u201d he said. \u201cMost gyms, when you walk in they have a basic setup with machines, free weights, cardio and some classes. Here, we are really well-rounded. Just from the time you walk in, if you look to the right, we have a whole recovery room.\u201d<\/p>\n
To the left of the entrance is another amenity that sets UFC Gym Morgan Park apart\u2014childcare.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a full childcare,\u201d he said. \u201cMost gyms post-pandemic have eliminated a childcare. It leaves a lot of parents, a lot of single parents, struggling to be able to fit the aspect of working out into their daily routine.\u201d<\/p>\n
At UFC Gym, that barrier has been removed. Sherman said the gym also plans to offer a youth program to help promote staying active for younger people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is going to be an opportunity for kids ages 5 to 12 to come in and be able to work out,\u201d he said, \u201cto be able to get discipline into their lives and be able to get some kind of structure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Morgan Park location plans to offer guests amenities including a strength training room with free weights, Olympic lifting platforms, robust cardio and functional equipment, a bag room, and an Octagon, UFC\u2019s signature octagon-shaped fighting ring.<\/p>\n
Adults will have a range of choices as well. Members can lift weights, work one on one with a trainer, take classes, try MMA training, sign up for jujitsu, Muay Thai, yoga, Zumba or boxing, or just relax in the sauna.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really cater to everybody,\u201d Sherman said. \u201cEven if you have people who just want to come in and sit in a sauna and just relax, they can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
To further support a healthy lifestyle, the gym will feature a full-body, advanced recovery area, providing pre- and post-workout treatments, massages and steam rooms.<\/p>\n
Sherman hopes the gym\u2019s hours will help to make physical fitness more accessible for everyone\u2019s schedule.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the best things that I keep telling people is Monday through Friday, we\u2019re 24 hours,\u201d he said, \u201cSo, if you can\u2019t sleep in the middle of the night and you want to get a workout in, you can come work out.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Sherman, every coach at UFC Gym Morgan Park must have up-to-date certifications. Additionally, some of the MMA coaches are former MMA athletes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are only bringing on people who have the criteria,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have the education; they have the experience; and they have the knowledge to be able to give people results and keep them safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond the classes and the recovery room, Sherman emphasized the benefits of one-on-one help.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery membership comes with a coach,\u201d Sherman said. \u201cYour membership will give you the opportunity to sit down with a professional. We don\u2019t want anybody coming in and just feeling lost or feeling overwhelmed.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than 2,000 members have already signed up at the local site, Sherman said.<\/p>\n