RISE Athletics<\/a> coach and professional fighter Suleiman Bouhata says it does not have to be.<\/p>\n\u201cYou just have to open the door and to start your adventure,\u201d Bouhata said during a recent appearance on The Eagle 93.5 FM Morning Show.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYou just have to say, \u2018Let\u2019s go,\u2019 and try your best. Not just for this year, but for your entire life. That\u2019s the goal \u2014 becoming the best version of yourself.\u201d – RISE coach Suleiman Bouhata<\/p>\n
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Fitness for more than fighters<\/p>\n
Bouhata is a lead MMA and Muay Thai coach with RISE Athletics, but he says the gym is about far more than competitive fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, at RISE, we have so many possibilities. We\u2019re not just focusing on fighters,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While RISE has produced competitive athletes, Bouhata said many members arrive with little or no gym experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have people that barely go into a gym and after a few weeks, they start doing their first sparring,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we still have a big team of people who never compete \u2014 they just want to train and stay active.\u201d<\/p>\n
The gym welcomes people from all walks of life: a 20-year-old who wants to train for fun, a 54-year-old preparing for a fight, or someone simply looking to feel stronger and healthier.<\/p>\n
Bouhata adds that there are classes just for women. \u201cThose women just want to get back on track a little bit \u2014 eat better, move more. Seeing other women succeed, and having coaches that support them, helps them believe they can do it too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond resolutions: Setting life goals<\/p>\n
Bouhata is quick to challenge the idea of New Year\u2019s resolutions. \u201cI\u2019m not a big fan of the \u2018start in January and never stop\u2019 mentality. Every day, it\u2019s tempting to stay on the couch, eating ice cream and scrolling through the remote,\u201d he says with a laugh. \u201cBut you just have to say, \u2018Let\u2019s go,\u2019 and try your best. Not just for this year, but for your entire life. That\u2019s the goal \u2014 becoming the best version of yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even seasoned athletes experience days they don\u2019t want to train. So how do you stay consistent, when the couch seems extra comfortable?\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to Bouhata, \u201cThe key is setting your goal and remembering why you started. Every time you hesitate, remind yourself: I want to be that version of me. That\u2019s my goal, and that\u2019s what I should achieve.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Start small, stay consistent<\/p>\n
Bouhata emphasizes that fitness doesn\u2019t require hours in the gym. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to spend so much time. I start with a small session \u2014 15 to 20 minutes on the treadmill, incline at the maximum I can, just walking. Low-intensity cardio burns fat directly. Finish with lifting weights, and you\u2019ve transformed your session.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also points out that fitness begins with everyday habits. \u201cYour journey starts in the kitchen,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s not about a single meal \u2014 it\u2019s about what you do consistently every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Related stories:<\/p>\n
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Taking the first step<\/p>\n
For anyone unsure how to start, Bouhata\u2019s advice is simple: \u201cStop by RISE and ask questions. The coaches will help you get started, explain everything, and guide you along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The message is clear: you don\u2019t have to be a professional fighter to benefit from a gym. Whether your goal is strength, stamina, or simply moving more, RISE Athletics<\/a> encourages you to show up, put in the effort, and take it one step at a time.<\/p>\n\u201cFitness is for everyone,\u201d Bouhata says. \u201cCome the way you are, and we\u2019ll help you for the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a new year begins, many of us are thinking about getting more active — but stepping into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":212538,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[565,134,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-212537","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-new-zealand","11":"tag-newzealand","12":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212537\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}