This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.
David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 8
Sports
Oregon City was the end of the Oregon Trail in the early 1800s. Pioneers and frontiersmen traveled from across the country to take part in the economic hub of the West. Now martial artists and athletes from the city and surrounding areas can convene at a hub of their own. Pyramid Sports Training Mixed Martial Arts Academy is the newest addition to historic downtown OC.
Located at 1401 Washington St., the new gym brings a much needed diversity to the local martial arts community. Practitioners of all martial arts have a place they can exchange ideas with others and become more well-rounded combatants.
“I just want to give fighters a home,” said owner and head instructor Forrest Parkinson. “I want this to be a one-stop shop for mixed martial arts.”
Parkinson teaches the MMA class for adults, kids and young adults. He is a brown belt in Taekwondo and taught it for one and a half years. Parkinson taught Krav Maga for two and a half years. He also has wrestling and Jiu Jitsu experience.
His father Keith Parkinson is part owner of the gym along with Isidro Sanchez. Parkinson senior is a U.S. Olympic weightlifting coach; he worked with college and pro athletes on speed agility quickness, SAQ. Sanchez is a second degree black belt in Taekwondo.
Ryan Carr is also a black belt in Taekwondo and is a nutritionist; he will join the staff along with another certified BJJ instructor. Pepsi worked out a deal to sponsor the gym, helping with signs, donating Gatorade, waters and juice.
“Painting expenses were $6,000 over budget,” said Parkinson. “The last thing will be a platform [hanging] from ceiling for focus bags.”
Talesha Wood, Parkinson’s fiancé, painted the majority of the back rooms.
“We scraped the ceiling and sanded and spray painted, it was very hard,” said Wood. “Scraping was the hardest and keeping him [Parkinson] together. I knew one way or another he’d get what he wanted.”
According to Woods, they had looked at three different places before deciding on this one.
“I’m excited about this place because I can start practicing self-defense,” said Wood. “We can keep it all family and friends and none of us are greedy. We’ve made so many new friends.”
Membership dues will start at $99 a month for regular classes and go up to $200 a month for fighters until they compete. Then training will be free. Punch card options are also available. The 80-year-old building has given them challenges as they wanted to be open Nov. 1. The new gym is already home to five local fighters, including two women.
“I want to give women fighters a place to feel comfortable and not be treated differently,” said Parkinson.
Amateur female fighter Kacey Schreiber has a record of 3-0 and will fight for Pyramid. Amateur male fighter Jordan Carstensen has a record of 1-0 and will also fight for Pyramid.
Also fighting for Pyramid will be amateur Boxer/MMA fighter Jon Connors who has a record of 3-1in MMA and 4-0 in boxing. The training and curriculum will not involve testing, but instead will focus on performance-based rankings, much like Jiu Jitsu. Kajukenbo will have belt system. Curtis Frost Jr. is a U.S. Boxing coach who knows his stuff.
The gym has a very convenient amenity, a shower and also two bathrooms. They will also have lockers. Patrons can take a load-off in the lounge area, which features a couch and a TV.
Pyramid has a myriad of good equipment, including a great mat for grappling and a cage wall to practice against.
“If you train safe and smart, nobody gets hurt,” said Parkinson.
Carstensen works across the street at Spicer Bros. and saw the sign one day.
“The sign said Pyramid MMA,” said Carstensen. “I’ve had a little experience in MMA so I thought I’d check it out.”
Carstensen aspires to be an instructor some day.
“First fighting and see how I do and maybe coach,” said Carstensen.
He lists his strength as Jiu Jitsu.
“I need to work on my mentality for competing,” said Carstensen. “I had one fight, [won] 45 second TKO at the Washington Fisticuffs Gym event.”
He looks forward to his second fight.
With a good stable of fighters growing and qualified instructors available, the new gym has a bit to offer and if things go well it could turn into a local mecca of martial arts and sports training.
Located at 1401 Washington St., the new gym brings a much needed diversity to the local martial arts community. Practitioners of all martial arts have a place they can exchange ideas with others and become more well-rounded combatants.
“I just want to give fighters a home,” said owner and head instructor Forrest Parkinson. “I want this to be a one-stop shop for mixed martial arts.”
Parkinson teaches the MMA class for adults, kids and young adults. He is a brown belt in Taekwondo and taught it for one and a half years. Parkinson taught Krav Maga for two and a half years. He also has wrestling and Jiu Jitsu experience.
His father Keith Parkinson is part owner of the gym along with Isidro Sanchez. Parkinson senior is a U.S. Olympic weightlifting coach; he worked with college and pro athletes on speed agility quickness, SAQ. Sanchez is a second degree black belt in Taekwondo.
Ryan Carr is also a black belt in Taekwondo and is a nutritionist; he will join the staff along with another certified BJJ instructor. Pepsi worked out a deal to sponsor the gym, helping with signs, donating Gatorade, waters and juice.
“Painting expenses were $6,000 over budget,” said Parkinson. “The last thing will be a platform [hanging] from ceiling for focus bags.”
Talesha Wood, Parkinson’s fiancé, painted the majority of the back rooms.
“We scraped the ceiling and sanded and spray painted, it was very hard,” said Wood. “Scraping was the hardest and keeping him [Parkinson] together. I knew one way or another he’d get what he wanted.”
According to Woods, they had looked at three different places before deciding on this one.
“I’m excited about this place because I can start practicing self-defense,” said Wood. “We can keep it all family and friends and none of us are greedy. We’ve made so many new friends.”
Membership dues will start at $99 a month for regular classes and go up to $200 a month for fighters until they compete. Then training will be free. Punch card options are also available. The 80-year-old building has given them challenges as they wanted to be open Nov. 1. The new gym is already home to five local fighters, including two women.
“I want to give women fighters a place to feel comfortable and not be treated differently,” said Parkinson.
Amateur female fighter Kacey Schreiber has a record of 3-0 and will fight for Pyramid. Amateur male fighter Jordan Carstensen has a record of 1-0 and will also fight for Pyramid.
Also fighting for Pyramid will be amateur Boxer/MMA fighter Jon Connors who has a record of 3-1in MMA and 4-0 in boxing. The training and curriculum will not involve testing, but instead will focus on performance-based rankings, much like Jiu Jitsu. Kajukenbo will have belt system. Curtis Frost Jr. is a U.S. Boxing coach who knows his stuff.
The gym has a very convenient amenity, a shower and also two bathrooms. They will also have lockers. Patrons can take a load-off in the lounge area, which features a couch and a TV.
Pyramid has a myriad of good equipment, including a great mat for grappling and a cage wall to practice against.
“If you train safe and smart, nobody gets hurt,” said Parkinson.
Carstensen works across the street at Spicer Bros. and saw the sign one day.
“The sign said Pyramid MMA,” said Carstensen. “I’ve had a little experience in MMA so I thought I’d check it out.”
Carstensen aspires to be an instructor some day.
“First fighting and see how I do and maybe coach,” said Carstensen.
He lists his strength as Jiu Jitsu.
“I need to work on my mentality for competing,” said Carstensen. “I had one fight, [won] 45 second TKO at the Washington Fisticuffs Gym event.”
He looks forward to his second fight.
With a good stable of fighters growing and qualified instructors available, the new gym has a bit to offer and if things go well it could turn into a local mecca of martial arts and sports training.
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