Losing Weight Through "Young Pow" MMA

It's been awhile since either Nick Murdocco or myself have commented on our weight loss challenge. I had lost the same 10 pounds twice since we started our challenge, and I am afraid to ask Nick how bad these last couple of weeks have been for him. Nick had done such an amazing job, having lost over 30 pounds, but I am afraid for him on how much of that he gained back. For my part, I gained half back, for a total of 5 pounds.

My diet and exercise routine were strictly confined to my home, with no medical or professional assistance of any kind. For people that are as overweight as Nick and myself, I have to think that the place that has been the source of our weight gain should not be used as the center of our training for weight loss. It has just been so easy to fall back into our bad habits, as we can so easily fall back into the same traps that enveloped our fatness in the first place. Be it stress at work, hours on end (or on our ends) of sitting down working on our computers or watching tv, to think that we can overcome our obesity without working out was a surefire recipe for disaster.

Enter Young Pow, Ile-Perrot's newest gym, and the first full MMA gym to open up in the west island. I discovered Young Pow during an interview I had with pro-fighter Nelson Akawui Riquelme who was preparing for his fight at XMMA 6. Located right next to Ile-Perrot's huge fitness center called "Island Gym", and in the same building as a youth center serving 12-17 year olds, this new MMA gym is situated in a prime location which will only improve once the construction is finished that will allow access to Grand Boulevard directly from Highway 20.

The story behind the name "Young Pow" is very interesting, and one that will be discussed on this week's show when Shawn Armorer joins us live at the station. Joining me at the gym is my 14 year old son who is having a great time learning MMA. The atmosphere is fantastic, and as it really needed to be for my son to be interested in doing that kind of physical activity. He has never been one for sports that could cause physical pain, so the coaching by Nelson Akawui Riquelme himself has gone a long way in providing him the encouragement to keep pushing himself beyond levels he has even gone before. In fact, he has already pushed himself beyond anything I have every seen him do, including 2 years of Karaté that was available through the community center.

I strongly encourage everyone who is overweight to come join me at this gym. I will be there this Wednesday from 6:15 to 7:45pm getting my sweat on, shedding more of my unwanted poundage. Nelson teaches MMA at that time on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. There is also Cardio Kickboxing almost every day, and no-gi grappling, which I will be doing for the first time this Saturday afternoon. There is a great mix of people already going to the course. From newbies to amateur fighters, and even some ladies who seem interested in staying fit, everyone is extremely friendly which makes it easy to have a blast while training. So let's go fellow fatties! If you are from the West Island and have spent the summer watching MMA while scoffing down chicken wings and hamburgers, it's time for you to switch it up and lose all that weight by doing some MMA with a great group of people!

Young Pow is located at 79 Grand Boulevard in Ile Perrot. See previous post for details on class schedule