Last Updated on August 28, 2012.
Testimonial by TSMMA Rego Park Student
By: Regoparkmma.com
“Martial arts was something that I had thought about for years. I never got the opportunity to take classes when I was younger, and I didn’t know which art would suit me best. One of my friends suggested karate, but MMA grabbed my eye when Brock Lesnar went over to the UFC. As a lifelong WWE fan, I was interested in seeing what the man dubbed as “The Next Big Thing” was doing since his very public fallout from WWE. When I heard that he won their title, it made me start watching.
My college roommate, who had followed for years, schooled me as to some of the greats of the game: Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Georges St. Pierre, and the incomparable Randy Couture, who I compared to the Undertaker due to his timeless contributions and ability to perform at the highest level at any age.
When 2009 came around, there were a number of changes going on in my life. I had just left my job after being accepted into grad school, and was dealing with the end of a multi-year relationship, one that had left me feeling very confused and angry.
It was around that time that I first walked past Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts school.
I saw people striking pads, doing mitt work, venting aggression. At the same time, I saw people rolling on the ground, testing different submission holds, and I was frozen in place. I found myself watching for over an hour before I decided to step inside the doors and make a decision that changed my life forever.
It’s been over three years since I made that decision, and it has been, without question, one of the greatest decisions of my life.
I’ve been fortunate enough to never have had to defend myself against a random attacker on the street, but the possibility of having to do so left a question in my mind: if someone came up to me and attacked me, could I handle myself? I’d always seen myself as someone who could withstand quite a bit, but the fear of the unknown can be another animal entirely. On the same vein, as a person who does not tend to “lose it” often, the concern of what my anger could do is something that terrified me. Was it something that I could harness and control, while not letting it control me?
Tiger Schulmann’s helped me answer those questions with a resounding “yes”.
Since I have been at that school, I have had the pleasure of being trained by Bellator World Champions, Ring of Combat World Champions, US Muay Thai Champions, US MMA Champions, Ultimate Fighter Competitors, full-time UFC fighters, and of course, Shihan Ron Schulmann, the chief instructor of the organization.
I have learned how to defend myself on the floor, on my feet, and against as many as three different opponents. I have gotten into the absolute best shape of my life from a cardiovascular, aesthetic, strength, flexibility, and endurance perspective.
Nowhere has this been more evident than at my training at the Rego Park school. Under the teachings of Sensei Dashan DuBose, Sensei Mike Stine, Joshu Michael Sinaviev, and Joshu Joe Corbisiero, I’ve grown in more ways than I though possible. I’ve had the opportunity to compete in MMA tournaments, securing first place victories just this past June, not 2 weeks after receiving my Global MBA. I can say, without hesitation, that while I do not seek to fight someone on the street, I can certainly ensure my victory if it comes to that, while protecting those close to me. Their approach of mastering technique while ensuring control, of training hard while guaranteeing safety, has been integral in my growth as a mixed martial artist. The lessons that I have learned have carried over into my academic and business life, as well as personal. I would highly recommend the school for anyone at any age. It’s changed my life for the better, and would do the same for anyone reading this.”
-Myron A. – TSMMA Student since 2009
