Health and fitness are things many of us may take for granted at times but as host Dana Michelle says to open the show, “there’s nothing like a pandemic to remind us all to prioritize our health.” Dana has jumpstarted her own journey to a healthier, more fit lifestyle by joining the UFC Gym in Naperville. In this episode, she meets with owners of the gym Ricard Lamas and Matt Kuschert to talk about how their experience with mixed martial arts (MMA) lead them to open the local facility.
“Me being a fighter, I can’t fight til I’m 65 , though I’d like to if I could. Father time just won’t allow that to happen,” says Lamas. “The next step is using the brand recognition that I’ve created and the sport of MMA and transfer that into a business that can help sustain my family and Matt’s family from here on out.”
“The vision was always to create a family-friendly environment,” says Kuschert. “That UFC name can be a double-edged sword at times. It certainly a draw. It’s a world-wide brand but people can be a little bit intimidated by that.” He goes onto explain how they’ve worked to make the gym welcoming for people of all ages and experiences along their fitness journey.
Demonstrating Exercises
Daily Ultimate Training (DUT) is a boot-camp style class offered at UFC Gym. Fitness Coach Brytne Steward says it’s much like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), where brief exercises are done in quick succession. She and several of her colleagues that the gym demonstrate a number of DUT exercises, including:
- Burpee into a box jump
- Thruster (Squat into a press using dumb bell weights)
- Kettlebell Swing
- Tire Flip
- Battle Ropes
- Russian Twists
Boxing Demonstration
Common among many health and fitness routines and certainly a staple at UFC Gym is boxing. Lamas describes how little kids to grandparents and everyone in between can jump in and learn to box with their beginner-friendly classes. Classes including 101s for Boxing, Jujitsu, Kickboxing, and Weigh-training, everything that encompasses MMA. The idea is to use their modalities to get everyone into shape, not necessarily for competition. It also can build self-confidence and athleticism and teach self defense.
Guests on the Show
- Ricardo Lamas, Owner and Fitness Director, UFC Gym Naperville
- Matt Kuschert, Owner and General Manager, UFC Gym Naperville
- Colleen Llacsa, Member, UFC Gym Naperville
- Yvonne Heller, Wellness Strategist & Coach Member, UFC Gym Naperville
- Jorge Duran, Sales Manager, UFC Gym Naperville, Assistant General Manager, UFC Gym Naperville
- Brytne Stewart, Fitness Coach, UFC Gym Naperville
- Keone Derain, Assistant Fitness Director, UFC Gym Naperville
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Ronny Hauser, MMA and Fitness Coach, UFC Gym Naperville
- Samuel Llacsa, Member, UFC Gym Naperville
About Dana
Dana Davenport is a Naperville resident who is passionate about life. Originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago, she is now a Naperville resident and a graduate of Spelman College and the University of Chicago Law School. An attorney and mother, Dana divorced in 2015, unleashing a new lease on life. She has a live radio show on intellectualradio.com on Wednesdays at 9pm and is excited to bring that show to television audiences on Naperville Community Television each month.
Previously, Dana has appeared on “He Said She Said” with Wanda Bee, “The Drive at 5” with Roman, and “Jaw Jackin” with Bob and T.C., and she was a relationship advisor on the “Gift of Gab Show” with Gabby Smith.
