Stick-to-itiveness is central to circuit during MMA class

Sitting down is not allowed. A "never quit" attitude is mandatory for all in attendance. Water breaks are limited to 60 seconds. If one participant is late getting back to their workout station, the rest of the group suffers a punishment of more exercises.

No, this isn’t military boot camp. I’m describing the 50-minute "MMA Fight Fit" class offered at UFC Gym BJ Penn in Kakaako. ("MMA" stands for mixed martial arts.) The high-intensity class, led by professional MMA fighter Matt Bilancione, begins with a warmup in which participants run around the classroom shadow boxing and doing lunges, push-ups and other exercises to get the blood pumping.

Bilancione instructed the class I attended as if we were preparing for a fight or already in the ring. As the rounds progressed, it became a little more difficult. The goal was to maintain stamina and keep focused. Several members of the group shouted out words of encouragement. I was trying to maintain my rhythm and was afraid to speak because I thought that if I did, I just might collapse.

The circuits require students to punch and kick bags, support a one-handed plank position on a ball while punching it with your free hand, jump over a weighted dummy and sprawl facedown repeatedly, and perform ball squats against the wall, a definite killer.

We worked out at each station for about 30 seconds to a minute before moving on to the next one. Many of the exercises were designed to engage the core muscles, and all involved movements similar to those in martial arts. In addition, participants worked the abdominal area by doing sit-ups while holding a punching bag tightly between the legs and punching and elbowing the bag.

"It’s about a 1,300-calorie burn," Bilancione said of the workout.

The key to success, he said, is giving it your all and continuing to move throughout the class.

Bilancione circled the room like a drill sergeant, ensuring everyone was working at full capacity. The friend who joined me considered sneaking out of class at one point, but she opted to stay and ended up enjoying the experience.

Bilancione’s class is included in the "ultimate" gym membership, which offers an array of fitness, yoga and mixed martial-arts classes along with access to the 37,000 square feet that houses workout machines and an octagon for practicing mixed martial arts.

I assumed it would be more of a "guy" gym but was pleasantly surprised to see many females in the class.

Here’s a tip for men and women: Make sure to bring hand wraps to protect wrists and knuckles. I didn’t have a pair with me, which meant slapping the bags instead of throwing punches, which was not quite as much fun.

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"Tryouts" features exercise and wellness classes and other fitness activities. Reach Nancy Arcayna at narcayna@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4808.