I hate exercise!

I want that known right up front.

I don’t like feeling my own sweat. I don’t enjoy the exertion, and I abhor the fact that fat woman don’t have cute & functional gear to work with.

At Pride Fighting Academy, none of my exercise pet peeves matter – I’m too busy riding the best kind of endorphin high from executing that one boxing move I always wanted to, after watching an Action Film.

Frankly, this place is fun.

I’m scared to label it a gym because, to a layman, it doesn’t have that burden of responsibility to discipline yourself  on treadmills, weights, and bikes.

“Pride Fighting Academy is a mixed martial arts training facility that focuses on developing the skills of Boxing, Muay-Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling and combat sports conditioning.” – Mike Mouneimne, PFA

Walk me through what to expect, as a Beginner

At Pride Fighting Academy: You warm up with skipping ropes and stretches, and get guided into How-not-to-fuck-up-your-wrists-101 by one of the gyms OG trainers.

This is not the place for superior attitudes & those seeking unyielding hierarchical trainer/trainee interactions.

There are actually no sequestered ‘Beginners’ & ‘Pros’ sections here, firstly.

Everybody at Pride Fighting Academy, is training together…seems intimidating, but your fellow attendees & the patient trainers, are ridiculously helpful – firm, without being asses!

You get to put on musty boxing gloves, practice combination kicks in a secure teaching environment, spar with a rotating pool of rando’s, and not realise how time flies until the trainers call time.

It’s damn exhilarating!

Talk to me about Price & Times

R850 per month is a damn fine deal.

Download the online training schedule, and you’ll note it runs Monday – Saturday, from 06:00am – 18:30pm.

The classes offered here are varying, and are spaced out in a very convenient manner for working folks with maybe only an hour or two a day, to spare for their Cardio.

I recommend getting a taste of professional Boxing techniques (this includes footwork drills, pad work, and bag work) with one-on-one personal training – Mike or Erick are both great!

Try Jiu Jitsu or Wrestling classes alone, or get the best of all worlds, and get the prepaid monthly membership package.

Oh, did I forget to mention fighting is not the only thing available?

Try Self-Defence, or Yoga classes with  co-owner & trainer Jess.

I stretched out everything during yoga – save for my hair – and it resulted in the best sleep of that month.

What class I love most?

Muay Thai

All the guilt I used to spend lying in my bed, thinking about how many minutes it would me take to reach peak skinny in one day (while my debit order payment steadily decreased my already pitiful net worth), is redirected at Pride Fighting Academy.

I now spend an unholy amount of time, excited to perfect my form, punch a bag firmly, and execute a Ronda Rousey-level combination kick.

My trainers lie to me the way I like to be lied to, so I am convinced I’m getting better every week!

Gym Vs. Fight Academy

I’m sure you would be able to find fancy gyms around Cape Town, with their fluorescent lighting blasting your insecurities clearly, while you jump onto a machine & rage against your body in a lacklustre manner.

However, Pride Fighting Academy is honest training, with proficient fighters of renown.

Their facilities have just enough going for it, not to considered a grunge pretender…and delivers even more once you pick a class.

Simple rules to follow when training here, include:

• Being flexible about whose training you, and who/what to spar with
• Returning equipment (ropes, weights, gloves etc.) back to where you found it, when done
• Working on your Personal Space issues because most of the training involves getting up close
• Wiping down equipment (handles, sweat stains on mats etc) when done – that’s just hygiene courtesy people!
• Bringing your own towel, because duh!

Sum It Up

The gift of Pride Fighting Academy, is more than a skilful, toned bod; The true gift of their regiment, is instilling anybody and everybody who goes there, with a genuine zeal of excitement, for exercising!

Pride Fighting Academy

2A Roodehek St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001

Tel: (+27)82 660 2129