Three Combat Gyms in Long Beach
*Originally published in DIG Magazine online and the Summer ‘23 print issue.
Eugene Correa instructing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Hardworx Fitness 4th St. Photo by Charlie Nguyen.
Getting fit for the summer heat does not have to just mean pushing weights or running miles. If you’re looking for a new way to strengthen the mind and body, consider trying out a combat sport or martial arts! Here are three combat sport gyms in Long Beach and how they uniquely motivate people to be stronger tomorrow.
GUV’NORS BOXING CLUB:
Two of Guv’nors more experienced boxers spar in the classically red, white and blue ring. Photo by Charlie Nguyen.
Guv’nors Boxing Club occupies the second floor above a convenience store off of Cherry Avenue and Anaheim Street, but don’t be discouraged by the unique location. The woman and POC-owned Guv’nors is an aesthetically traditional boxing gym with a full sized ring as well as another room largely dedicated to weightlifting equipment.
According to Elizabeth Parr, owner and head trainer, her gym is catered to “anyone who wants to workout hard: for kids who want to compete, young adults with busy schedules, parents, or retirees looking to stay in shape and be part of a boxing gym.”
Parr also has a contract with the city that allows her to create an adaptive program for special needs individuals in the community.
Two members touch gloves after a tiring sparring session. Photo by Charlie Nguyen.
HARDWORX FITNESS 4th ST:
This location on 4th Street is the second gym opened by Raul Inaya. Unlike Guv’nors, Hardworx trains many different disciplines: kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), boxing, wrestling, and even some HIIT workout sessions. According to Inaya, their primary goal is to “ try to help as many people get into shape through boxing and kickboxing as well as traditional fitness.”
A member taking the kickboxing class prepares to work with a heavy bag. Photo by Charlie Nguyen.
Featuring many coaches with notable experience in contemporary professional mixed martial arts, like current professional fighter Eugene Correa or former Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion Emanuel Newton, training at Hardworx is not easy. But, according to Raul, nothing is impossible in his gym, “I have a member that just fought in Las Vegas last weekend. He’s 73 years old and he’s a cancer survivor, so it’s pretty cool.”
Emmanuel newton works does some Boxing Worx with a member of the gym. Photograph by Charlie Nguyen.
FIGHT SOLUTIONS HQ:
Two of Fight Solutions’ more experienced members demonstrate the next exercise to the rest of the room. Photo by Charlie Nguyen.
Established in 2008 on 7th Street across from Wilson High School, Fight Solutions HQ is the closest of the three to Cal State Long Beach. It is owned and coached by former affiliate of Chute Boxe Academy, Gerson Schilipacke. He is a Brazilian practitioner of muay thai, which is a fighting style similar to kickboxing that also utilizes shins, knees and elbows, as well as a MMA trainer.
He believes in the power of martial arts as a method to improve your mental and physical health. On Fight Solution’s website, Schilipacke shared: “Due to the fast-paced nature of the sport, you can’t trouble yourself with worry while training. You’ll get hit in the face or mess up the drill you’re working on. Practicing a martial art allows you to focus on yourself and nothing else,”
While still wanting to produce competitive fighters, Schilipacke’s goals are actually largely driven by his altruistic influence on the community.
Schilipacke shared, “Here in the gym, you can see the pro fighter, the amateur fighter, the regular day-to-day person that wants to get in shape and learn self defense, they all have the same training, they’re always sparring safely together. Different goals but, all under one guidance it’s a respectful, helpful, and family environment.”
Gerson critiques and corrects two of his members’ technique. Photo by Charlie Nguyen.
While these gyms are all local and available to anybody interested regardless of age, experience or fitness level, what often widely varies beyond the fighting discipline specialty is the tone of each gym.
Although Hardworx Fitness and Fight Solutions HQ are similar in the way they offer many different fighting styles that culminate into the combat sport, mixed martial arts, Hardworx’s environment is more intense and caters to “whoever is open to that type of workout and training,” according to Inaya.
In contrast to that, Schilipacke shared his and Fight Solution’s coaching philosophy as largely beginner and casual friendly with an emphasis on creating a familial environment. This is a theme actually shared with Parr, who has big aspirations for the casual Long Beach boxing gym, hoping that one day one of her amateurs will make it to the Olympics.
“This takes a village and many years,” shared Parr.
