The Age of Southside Dojo has Returned!

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 8/27/2009 11:36pm

About two weeks ago, I moved back to Kalamazoo, the town of my birth. This was principally the result of my graduation from college, and the desire for work/not paying rent while working out my Fulbright. Both of which I get from living with parents and working for my dad. Not the most glorious lifestyle, but it works for right now.

One of the main upsides of living in Kalamazoo is Southside Dojo. It's a martial arts co-op way out on the ass end of town, with unlimited classes for 25 dollars a month. Yeah, be jealous. Be jealous right now. My schedule tentatively looks something like this:
Monday: Muay Thai 8:00-10:00
Tuesday: Judo 6:00-8:30, MMA 8:30-10:00.
Wednesday: Muay Thai 6:00-8:00
Thursday: Judo 6:00-8:30, MMA 8:30-10:00
Friday: Muay Thai 8:00-10:00
Saturday: Karate with my old coach from high school 12:30-2:30
All of this with an eight and a half mile bike ride on each end of the workout.
I just want to say, even though I know it's been said a thousand times before, Muay Thai is fucking awesome. I really don't want to be another Muay Thai nutrider on Bullshido, but damn, is it fun. It's filling a long-absent desire for padwork in my life.
Judo, likewise, is awesome. I know, I know, Judo nutriding is even more an epidemic here than Muay Thai nutriding and mock it at every chance I get, but I still know in my heart of hearts that Judo is awesome ****. The judo program is where Southside's roots are, and they have quite a good crew of competitive black belts there.
I went to MMA for the first time tonight. I learned some slick armbar re-counters, boxed with some guys, and all round was quite pleased.
Karate has been treating me pretty well, with my coach focusing more on fighting and less on kata. This is not part of the above magical co op, but it's the dojo where I first started MA at, and it still has a special place in my heart.
I'm considering getting into some amateur MMA matches (and hell, maybe even some amateur Muay Thai fights) at some point, though I'm mostly concerned with getting my ass in gear for the time being.
So basically, my life is pretty much ideal MA wise right now.
Here's the website for the school. I'll write a proper review for the reviews section at some point.
http://www.southsidedojo.com/

**1point2** · Posted On: 8/27/2009 11:58pm

If you're trying to gloat and lord your lovely situation over us, it's working.

No judo comps?

**Sley** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 12:21am

I've stayed in the hotel's by the highway their, never realized that the place had an awesome Gym like that...

**Purpleskunk** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 12:41am

place is huge for only 25 dollars a month..

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 12:04pm

Originally Posted by Purpleskunk

place is huge for only 25 dollars a month..

It's massive. And they've got a good set of training equipment - heavy bags, crash mats, jump ropes, extra gloves, etc.
I think I might try some Judo comps at some point, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I won't like them. It seems like a lot of the arbitrary scoring and referee interference that I hated in karate originally came from Judo.

**meby** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 12:39pm

Man am I jealous $25 a month!

**permahudef** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 1:19pm

Sounds pretty awesome!

Are you really planning on training 4 hours a day twice a week? And 2hrs a day on your other days?
...I need to get my butt to the gym more...

**tideliar** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 1:41pm

You complete bastard. yes. i am very jealous :)

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 3:48pm

Originally Posted by permahudef

Sounds pretty awesome!

Are you really planning on training 4 hours a day twice a week? And 2hrs a day on your other days?
...I need to get my butt to the gym more...

That's the plan.
Oh yeah, and I think I'm going to get a pair of pink thai shorts for Muay Thai. Because really, once you're already doing Muay Thai, other notions of manliness fall to the wayside.

**tideliar** · Posted On: 8/28/2009 5:08pm

A lot of my co-workers are Thai. They brought me blue & gold shorts last time, but told me pink are coming next... have to get over these silly Western notions of pink =...