Stay Fit at Downtown’s New UFC GYM

By Layla Joseph

Pittsburgh’s first UFC Gym held its grand-opening on June 21, allowing community members to find their strength and train with professional coaches and state of the art equipment. On opening day, residents were invited to enjoy giveaways, demonstrations, vendors and mingle with guests like former Pittsburgh Steeler Ryan Shazier and former UFC Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn.

The downtown location is one of over a hundred locations around the world, making training programs and rewarding exercise accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels.

Ty Hill is the operational manager at Downtown’s UFC Gym. He is bringing his fitness and management background to work behind the scenes at the new gym.

Hill said that everybody can benefit from the UFC Gym, no matter the age or fitness level.

He said that whether you are a youth looking to learn new skills or get in shape, a teenager looking into college sports, an adult looking to learn self-defense there is a program and coach for whatever you’re looking for.

“Maybe you need some guidance, personal training or you haven’t been to a gym before,” he said. “Everything we do here in the UFC is based on coaching. If you’re here, 90% of the time you will be working with a coach.”

Hill said that the establishment isn’t just a gym, but a health and fitness facility. He said that no matter what background you come from, no matter your age, there is something that can benefit your body and life.

“Add more years to your life and add more life to your years,” Hill said. “Basically that means as you work out, you’ll get healthier and hopefully live longer. You’ll also be adding more life to your years with more energy and more positive feelings.”

UFC’s mission is to empower the fighting spirit in you. Hill said that “you” is really anyone that walks through the doors. While customers at the gym might not be Ultimate Fighting Champions, they have their own battles and fights everyday.

“There are different things that everybody battles through, everyone is different,” he said. “We want to empower their fighting spirit through that.

The UFC Gym is three stories high, with different features and amenities showcased on each floor. The basement showcases 30 yards of turf, a mixed martial arts octagon, and projectors for fight nights and other UFC events.

The main floor welcomes customers to a UFC team shop allowing potential customers and members alike to grab merchandise and equipment. The main floor also hosts multiple different training rooms for yoga, Brazilian jiu jitsu and other activities.

The Recovery Room can also be found on the main floor, which holds state of the art equipment and offers redlight therapy, tanning, spray tanning, Normatec and hydro massage.

The recovery package costs $150 per month with discounted rates for members.

“The easiest way to break down the value is comparing it to one professional massage, you’re going to pay anywhere from $80 to $120 for that one hour session,” he said. “For the same price, you can get a one hour massage here for the rest of the month.”

Hill said that the top floor is 40,000 square feet and hosts boxing rooms, a free weight area, and everything else that would be in a standard gym.

Pittsburghers who are interested in touring the facility or purchasing a membership should contact Manny Lopez, the gym’s general manager, for more information.

Lopez can be contacted by phone, email or in person at their Fifth Avenue location. Call (724) 749-5737 and ask for Manny or reach out by email manny.lopez@ufcgym.com.