Chicago MMA School Expands With New Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Boxing, MMA,& Pilates Classes In Evanston

Feb. 17, 2009 - PRLog -- Ultimate Fitness (www.ultfitev.com), a top rated Chicago Martial Arts and MMA gym located in the heart of Evanston by Northwestern University has expanded its MMA Mat to 1500 square feet in addition to the gym's Octagon.

The facility has grown tremendously in the past year and has recently hosted "Fight Night" which featured up and coming boxers from Ultimate Fitness pitting their skills against fighters from Northwestern University and other places and the event was MC'ed by prominent NBC sports anchor Mike Adamle who also reported on the event. Watch Video at http://ultfitev.com/Fight_Club__Chicago.html.

The gym's popularity has grown extensively due to its diverse and eclectic offerings for those who simply want to get in shape or those who are looking to take a step up and train for amateur and professional mixed martial arts tournaments.

The gym's owner, Dave Englund, is one of the top rated and in demand Pilates instructors in Chicago and oversees many of the gym's popular as well as private Pilates classes.  Englund completed the Authentic Pilates Program and was certified as a practitioner and instructor by Joseph Pilates’ protégé Romana Kryzanowska. He became certified as an instructor of the Gyrokinesis® and Gyrotonic® systems in 2001 by the founder, Julio Horvath.

Five years ago, Englund founded the Evanston Boxing Club. He has boxed and coached over 150 matches, training 15 finalists in Chicago Golden Gloves tournaments and one national finalist.

"Ultimate Fitness teaches effective, authentic practices in an open, friendly atmosphere. We work together and share our enthusiasm and dedication in what we do. This club exists for our members. Our group classes have a supportive atmosphere where participants grow by learning from each other, and helping each other achieve their physical and emotional goals" states Englund.

In addition to Englund, the core MMA program is headed by Rick Sollo for Muay Thai and Jeff Serafin for Brazilian Jujitsu.

Sollo, one of the highest ranked Muay Thai instructors in the United States has trained numerous fighters in the past, some of which have gone to be UFC fighters. Along with other fighters from his former Aiki Training Hall including Marius Dan & Eric Makinen, Ultimate Fitness provides the premier Chicago Muay Thai training facility for those who wants to get in shape or have dreams of bigger things like the UFC or K-1.

Jeff Serafin studied Jiu-Jitsu with Jack McVicker and Megaton Dias.  He started training at the age of 15 in 1999 while in high school and has continued training through the completion of college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champain. Jeff has over 8 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training under his belt, to go along with 5 years of Jeet Kune Do, 4 years of Thai Boxing, and 5 years of Goshin Jitsu.  Jeff has been teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and MMA for the last 4 years. He has helped to produce national, pan am, and world champs in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as well as numerous champions in MMA.

To go along with coaching Jeff is also an active competitor in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission wrestling and MMA representing Team McVicker.  He has a 4-1 professional MMA record, a 1-0 amatuer MMA record, and a 132-31-1 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/submission wrestling record.  He has won many prestigious titles such the Extreme Grappling Open Professional Invite Only Division Championship at both Middle and Heavy Weight, C3 Professional Middleweight Division Championship, Bad Breed Submission Fighting Middleweight Professional Division Championship, and 4 times was the NAGA Expert/Advanced Division Champion. Jeff Was also invited to compete in the 2006 Abu Dhabi Combat Club North American Trials for a spot in the Abu Dhabi World Championships.

Englund states, "Our gym is extremely unique in that we cater to people from all levels of physicality and society that come together in a spirit of mutual respect and support. We're laid back, but intensely dedicated. Members can opt for the rough and tough boxing, mixed martial arts, Boot Camp, or they can choose Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi Come , Ballroom Dancing, Calisthenics,  Free weights, Treadmills, Stair Climbers, Rowing Machines, Advanced Weight Machines, Yoga, Woman's Boxing, etc. We even have kids classes and programs for parents who want to get their children get an early start in physical fitness and martial arts!"