May 25, 2018, By Staff Report
Since opening in January, Hinds Combat Sports at 10-25 48th Ave. has aimed to be the go-to place for adults interested in learning Muay Thai or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, either for fitness, fun, or competitive fighting.
Now, co-owner and professional Muay Thai fighter Sean Hinds has begun offering the same type of training for kids and teens.
The new kids and young adult Muay Thai/Kickboxing program is led by Dave Moy–with the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program instructed by Michael Robinson.
These classes are for children ages 5 and up.
“We want to teach these students self-defense, confidence, anti-bullying techniques, respect and discipline,” Hinds said. “We recently started the kids’ program and have already got a number of students from Long Island City and other neighborhoods,” he added.
Muay Thai/Kickboxing is known as “the art of eight limbs” and originates from Thailand. Students are taught how to strike and neutralize their opponent using both hands, elbows, knees and shins. Jiu Jitsu, meanwhile, is a martial art from Brazil that involves bringing opponents to the ground and neutralizing them via chokes, holds and submissions.
The adult programs also instill confidence in participants, Hinds said, with classes targeted for adults of all shapes and sizes.
The adult Muay Thai program is headed by Hinds – an experienced instructor with multiple fights and championships to his name.
Hinds has over 20 years of experience and is credited for helping raise the profile of Muay Thai in the United States.
During the course of his long fighting career, Hinds says he discovered his love for teaching and developed extensive experience training and coaching students of all ages, as well as seasoned amateur and professional fighters.
“My life’s commitment is now to mentor teenagers and young adults, with a firm belief that practicing martial arts can help build the self-esteem and self-confidence necessary to carry them into the future,” he said.
Dominyka Obelenyte (center)
Meanwhile, the adult Jiu Jitsu program is led by Dominyka Obelenyte – a black belt from Lithuania who is a four-time women’s black belt world champion.
“Dominyka is someone who has taken on both men and women in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has come out on top,” Hinds said. “The techniques that she teaches can guide any man, woman or child to overcome anybody they perceive as bigger than themselves.”
In the near future, Hinds would like to see an all-female class led by Dominyka so she can encourage women of all shapes and ages to overcome any sense of weakness or insecurity they may face.
Outside of these programs, the studio has a separate weight room on site with a host of power lifting equipment and benches.
Readers can follow Hinds Combat Sports on Instagram ( @HindsCombatSports) to view clips of training sessions and classes.
For more information on their programs, pricing and promotions, including an “All Access Early Bird” promotion for the summer, visitors can contact the studio at (347) 292-9066 or visit their website at www.hindscombatsports.com
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