Fighters
Maturity is a funny thing. I think it’s funny and paradoxical that I spent most of my childhood idolizing and emulating the fighters and tough guys from the books and movies I devoured in my youth, and now that I’ve spent the last 5 years training and competing and working with fighters I no longer feel the need to prove my manhood or challenge every other alpha male I run into.
As a troubled teen with a chip on my shoulder I thought that being a man meant solving my problems with aggression and now I go out of my way to resolve issues in a healthier manner. Chalk it up to getting older or that dreaded word maturity but I believe that training in martial arts not only calmed me down but gave me a sense of responsibility for the skills I was being taught. You will hear instructors at Elite talk often about martial arts being as much mental as they are physical, and I appreciated the emphasis on control and what was expected out of me as a student. There is also the aspect of being able to compete and “leaving it all on the mat” that I found refreshing and cleansing when my life was in turmoil. The legal and physical ramifications of being a tough guy are no longer things I want in my life, and I have the positive influence of Elite Training Center to thank for that.
I know MMA Mixed Martial Arts and combat sports in general are sometimes viewed in a violent or less than positive light, but without fail most of the martial artists and fighters I have met have impressed me with their kindness and welcoming attitude, and it is a privilege to be able to pass that on.
~Travis Williams
Elite Training Center
1628 South Pacific Coast Highway,
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 543-1600
www.elitetrainingcenter.net
Fighters
