MMA fighter Schneider opens up gym

Mixed martial arts fighter Brandon Schneider has gone into the fitness business. The current amateur Tuff-N-Uff light-heavyweight champion has opened up a fitness gym called, “The House of Fitness” in town with two other partners, Johnny Garcia and Tiffany Gertken. The new gym is located at 301 Oxbow, Suite 9.

He said he wants to bring mixed martial arts to the kids of Pahrump and so has geared his classes to teaching kids wrestling, jiu jitsu, Muay Thai kick boxing and MMA.

“So far the kids love it and keep coming back,” Schneider said. “The kids work hard and are exhausted when they leave. I give them what they want. We want to make it so all sports can come here and train, like cheerleading. We are even expanding the mats into the next room. Our goal is to be open all week long.”

For now, he currently teaches four classes for the kids at the gym, which has been open for the past two weeks. He has about 10 students and growing.

“I am teaching MMA, wrestling, Jiu jitsu and Muay Thai to the kids,” he said. “I do this on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I try to make it affordable for the kids and will negotiate with the parents if they are having problems paying.”

Schneider said so far the parents think the classes are great.

Gunner Cortez is a young wrestler who is now 10 years old and he loves it, said his mother, Lee Cortez.

“There are no wrestling classes like this,” she said. “We have been coming to all the classes and taking it slow. Gunner is working on a little of everything. I wish this class was here a year ago.”

Rob Jenkins and his son Zachary, who is seven years old, said his son has been coming now for two weeks.

“We heard about these classes from Brandon when he coached them in baseball,” Rob Jenkins said. “My wife, Brittany, said the kids love coming here.”

Brittany Jenkins said summer activities for the kids are hard to find here in town.

“It was hard to find a sport or activity that my son really likes to go to, ” Jenkins said. “I didn’t take them to class one time and they cried. The kids always want to come here.”

The other two partners are both certified fitness instructors and are teaching adult fitness classes. Garcia has 25 years as a personal fitness instructor.

Gertkin and Garcia teach both men and women.

“Every session is different and we concentrate on tightening and toning the body,” Gertkin said. “We also address proper nutrition. We have a 30-day fitness and nutrition plan and a 90-day program.”

Adults are taught from 5:45 to 8 p.m.

For more information contact 775-537-9553.

Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com