Fight, get fit and have
fun at Hicksville’s
newest gym
When first looking at East Coast MMA and Fitness — an unassuming, perhaps even drab grey building near a set of train tracks in Hicksville — one would never suspect that it actually houses a state-of-the-art, 6,000 square foot gym dedicated to fighting, fitness, and fun.
East Coast MMA owner and Hicksville resident Jeff Jorgge, admits that he is relatively new to the fighting world. He has played football since he was a kid, but said he only developed a passion for MMA in the past few years when his son Josh got into it at a surprisingly early age.
“My son started training at the age of three. He’s six now, and he’s been competing since he was four,” he said. “He’s become excellent at what he does. He competes all over the country. He fights in the expert division of Jiu-Jitsu, and has placed first in many tournaments.”
Being exposed to his son’s intense passion for the sport ignited a spark within Jorgge as well; soon, he found himself immersed in MMA training.
“When I was a kid I took some Taekwondo and I boxed as well,” he said. “But when my son got into MMA, I didn’t want to be one of those sideline dads who didn’t understand what he was doing, so I decided to do it as well. I ended up falling in love with it and I developed such a passion for Mixed Martial Arts. There’s so many things to learn, plus, it’s a full-body workout, from your mind all the way down to your feet.”
An entrepreneur, with a 15 year background in the cell phone business, Jorgge decided to take the next step and branch out. Wanting to give his son the very best environment to train in, he decided to open his own school — East Coast MMA and Fitness, located at 25 Woodbury Road.
“I wanted to open a great school and hire the very best trainers,” he said. “I want my son to get the very best possible instruction out there, so I opened my very own facility and the great training my son is going to be getting here will pay off for every other kid that trains here as well.”
The center had a soft opening at the beginning of October and already boasts 64 members. They cater to both children and adults, specializing in anti-bullying awareness, overall fitness and fight training. The gym offers cross-training facilities, a huge, matted sparring area (cleaned and sterilized daily), and a professional quality ring, among many other amenities. In addition, all aspects of American MMA training are covered in detail, including striking, grappling, submissions, and ground work.
Jorgge said that he went into this venture both for him and his son’s mutual love of the sport, and the desire to give his students the most bang for their buck. He says that his gym typically costs less than half of what the average school charges, which is important in these hard financial times.
“It was scary, getting into a business like this with the economy the way it is, but what separates me from a lot of other gyms is that I keep it affordable,” he said. “Many other schools, ones with less than half the space we have, are changing upwards of $250 a month, which is very expensive. I know a lot of families out there are facing hardships, so I priced myself accordingly. But I’m not in this to make money, as long as I break even here, as long as I can pay the bills and the trainers, I’m happy.”
To find out more about East Coast MMA and Fitness, visit their website at www.ECMMAandFitness.com.
