Grappling champ finds victory in pursuit of health.
He is no stranger to training hard and it all paid off for Franklin resident and Bellingham business owner Scott Dwyer who recently took First Place in the 150 - 160 novice division at the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) 2008 Championships in Rhode Island.
Dwyer, a 41-year-old Medway High School graduate, defeated three game opponents, two by submission and included one in fewer than 30 seconds. Dwyer trains at the United State Mixed Martial Arts Academy (USMMA) in Bellingham, MA. He is the owner of Sprink Tech, specializing in commercial installation and maintenance of fire sprinkler systems.
"After winning my first match my nerves settled down and I became a little more relaxed. After winning the final match I felt that all the hard work I endured was well worth it!" said Dwyer.
Dwyer started Jiu- Jitsu with USMMA about one year ago and took Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes and had private instruction from USMMA instructor, founder and owner Tom Hafers.
"Having played hockey his whole life, Scott is no stranger to training hard," said Hafers. "In addition to winning matches, Scott's fitness level has shown a vast improvement which is a testament to his dedication and work ethic." He has also lost over twenty pounds in his pursuit of health and a challenge.
The two met when Hafers rented the property where USMMA presently exists from Dwyer. "Tom Hafers asked me to try the classes to see if I liked the work-out and I was amazed at the intensity and quickly became addicted to the whole experience," said Dwyer. "I started working out at USMMA about 10 months ago weighing 180 pounds and quickly dropped to 160. I weighed in at 157 for my competition, feeling better than ever," he added.
The training program, devised by Hafers, consisted of an intense 15 minute warm up of push ups, sit ups, running, lunges and sprawls, where Dwyer would drop to the ground and return to his feet running. He utilized this training program for as many as six days per week.
During each class, he learned two to three submission moves or techniques and would then drill with a partner. "Then we go live and grapple with six or seven different partners for a few minutes each trying to incorporate what we just learned," said Dwyer. "The work out is incredible and the atmosphere becomes very competitive as each night you try to better yourself to compete at a higher level," he said. "It is no longer just a work out, it has become a part of my life," he added.
Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu is a marital art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting with the goal of gaining a dominant position. This is done using joint-locks and chokeholds to force an opponent to submit. The art is based on early 20th century Kokokon Judo.
Grappling refers to the gripping, handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through various grappling techniques including choke and counters to various hold attempts. It is a mode of fighting used by different martial arts around the world. It is a collection of techniques and strategies aimed at defeating an opponent with throws, joint locks and pinning techniques.
Dwyer lives in Franklin with his wife and two daughters. While not grappling and training, he runs a sprinkler installation and maintenance company called Sprink Tech in Bellingham. He is currently training for his next competition.
The United States Mixed Martial Arts Training Center, located on Hartford Avenue in Bellingham, focuses on elevating the physical and spiritual well being of students through Mixed Martial Arts and Yoga. This is accomplished through a four-pronged approach to reality self-defense training centered in total body wellness.
The state of the art, 4 thousand-square foot training facility is complete with a 2 thousand-square foot padded MMA training floor equipped with heavy bags and conditioning equipment, a 15 hundred-square foot yoga studio, locker rooms, showers and a juice bar. To contact USMMA, call 508-966-5006 or visit their website at http://www.usmma.org.
»Flower Advisor »Sending Flowers Overseas
