Reno Academy of Combat, LLC

Went to the mma beginners class with zero experience under my belt. I have heard really good things about this gym, quality of trainers, and products this gym produces. This is why I thought it would be a good place to check out to help get me started in mma. The experience I had did not stand up to the standards which were set by my friends.
The beginner class is two hours long. There is no structure what so ever. You get thrown in with very experienced fighters who have no mercy on beginners. How are you going to learn when your brought to the point of exhaustion by being beat up on from experienced fighters?
Others may have a different opinion, however for me I need structured classes for me to learn.
The worst part… There is no AC! You break a sweat just by standing there. Seriously guys turn on some cool air! Even a fan would make the world of difference!

Not so good for me, I had no experience at all, and you get thrown in with experienced fighters to be punching bag, I was hoping for more instruction, and I didn’t like being pressured to do stuff when I was physically and mentally exhausted, all in all I wasted a lot of money, and left feeling worse than before, I would say this is a great place for confident experienced fighters, that doesn’t mean other people would have same experience, unfortunately my experience was exhaustion, defeat, and bad confidence

I recently enrolled in the MMA for adults. It’s $ 99 a month which at first seems steep, but for what you’re getting, I feel is well worth it. You can go to as many class as you want! There was also no enrollment fee. You do have to make sure you have all of the proper equipment to participate because you are actually sparring with each other, not mitts. They have all of the stuff you need plus a bit of retail that includes sweaters, t-​shirts, tank tops, shorts, and a pretty rad gym bag.
The place itself is very large and well equipped. It is locally owned by a great family and fairly central.
What I really love is the pride they take in themselves and their «product.» She showed me a wall of many individuals who went on to be professional fighters.
She also offered to help me get on track with my nutrition which proves even more they care a lot about their members rather than treating them like just another enrollment which is the vibes I get from most gyms.
For $ 80 a month they have kids MMA. I enrolled my oldest son Brayden. He is having a blast learning martial arts. The instructors are great at keeping the kids in line and paying attention. The daughter is actually one of the instructors. Brayden is the youngest in his class and sometimes has an issue with being a Chatty Cathy, she is very good at pulling him inside and redirecting his attention. What I loved more was that she had asked me if how she did it was okay. (she made him do push ups which I think is awesome!)
Just all around an awesome family, facility, and they have some really cool members.

I used a Groupon for cardio kickboxing to get started with getting fit at Reno Academy of Combat. It isn’t what I expected, I expected more of a «jazzercise» like kickboxing class. I had anxiety prior to going because I hate the «gym». But, the girl at the front desk (sorry I don’t know her name) was soooo nice. I’m almost 50, she is probably 22 or so and she treated me with such respect. I’m in pretty poor shape and very unfamiliar with the atmosphere and Heather made me feel incredibly welcome. She obviously loves sharing her passion and cares about the members. She is super attentive to each person and I think there were 30 people in the class last night. I think it will be fun to continue and I can’t wait to see the results.

On my second visit to this gym, we were freestyle sparring with partners and I was paired with another female in my weight group which is about 120 pounds. As I was sparring with this girl, Rick Collup, the owner and only instructor at the gym, comes up and kicks me so hard in the stomach it knocked the wind out of me. I got back up, although taken back, and he kicked me two more times in the stomach very hard and then powerfully man punched three times in the jaw. I didn’t even see these punches were coming, as I went back to sparring and wasn’t paying attention to him, thinking he was done.
I’m used to being hit and I don’t mind it all, otherwise I wouldn’t have been doing MMA, but this was obviously not a fight and not fair. This 200 pound 6’4 man is singling me out among all the other girls to prove how tough he is. What a man, he really knows how to take out an 18 year old half his weight. Even if he thought I was tough enough to take it that’s not an excuse for him to beat up on me with his whole body weight, because if he hit any of the other girls half as hard as he had hit me, they would have been in the hospital. He knew to hit me hard enough where he could hurt me without giving me a black eye. He was making me mad while causing me a lot of pain and he thought it was funny. He wasn’t kidding when he was beating up on me like I had assumed he was at first, his hits were hard and it quickly became clear to me that this wasn’t a fight but was a personal vendetta between an insecure man and his oversized ego.
This guy needs to get called out and should not even be considered an instructor. He kept taunting me with «What’s the matter?» and «You don’t even have a black eye yet.» Rick Collup is nothing but a big bully who can’t even teach. All we did was free style sparring with a partner the whole time, but you don’t get taught or given any real instruction or learn any techniques. I feel bad for the people who attend this place because they are somehow brainwashed by Rick into thinking that they are learning something. Rick Collup should not even be considered an instructor or a trainer on any level whatsoever. He does not «instruct» he just goes around bopping people on the head but there’s no point in him even being there, since he doesn’t actually teach you or show you anything. I wouldn’t wish upon any fighter to be «trained» by this pompous ego maniac asshole because he’s seriously just a big joke. Don’t waste your time, money, or skill with this clown.

Heather and Rick are amazing! Darien too!! Talk about a family owned business that truly has passion for what they do. I attended the cardio kickboxing classes for over a year before I move to Seattle six months ago, and I am still searching for something to even closely compare. Heather puts so much heart in to each of her clients and she DOES NOT charge enough for what you get in return from her. I have worked out with two local personal trainers and paid $ 35 per session totaling over $ 300 a month, Heather gives the same if not more personal attention and teaches you from start to finish. She corrects every move to make sure you are getting the right workout an not injuring yourself. You do not need any experience — Heather and Rick will teach you everything you need to know, and make sure that you feel like part of the family… All while burning 1000 calories and having a blast! Miss you guys so much!!!

I started kickboxing last summer at another place in Reno that was very intimidating and hard to follow especially for beginners. I found Reno Academy of Combat in Nov of 2013 and ABSOLUTELY LOVE it there. I lost a little over 12 inches total within the first month and was only going about twice a week back then.
Our instructor Heather is awesome! She really cares about your progress in technique and fitness goals. I am definitely feeling a difference with my energy level, strength, speed, and technique with her guidance. I’m totally addicted to her kickboxing classes and now go at least 4 times a week… it’s the highlight of my day during the week! And tonight I am trying No Gi Jiu Jitsu… something I’ve always wanted to try but haven’t had the courage to try til Heather encouraged me… especially for the self-​defense aspect as a women.
Heather also teaches Zumba classes. I go to her «Disco Zumba» after kickboxing for some extra cardio on Monday nights. For anyone who is kinda shy I highly recommend this class… it’s dark and she has fun disco lights lol! Even though I’m not a great dancer I love her classes they’re alot of fun and really get your heart pumping. I always feel great after class!
I highly recommend Reno Academy of Combat they are great place for all your fitness goals, very reasonably priced and a super nice family owned business.

All I can say is that Heather is amazing… her cardio kickboxing is such a great class and her zumba is soo much fun! Its a family business which is great and the price is reasonable. Heather really cares about your goals and pushes you to exceed your limits, plus you meet other great people that workout there to. :)

I have started taking the cardio kickboxing classes taught by the co-​owner heather. She, her husband Rick, and their daughter are all always so nice and helpful. Heather also teaches Zumba classes with a $ 5 drop in! You can’t beat that price! But the cardio kickboxing is by far my favorite. Its 45 minutes and every class I feel stronger. Every 2 weeks you weigh in and get measured, and they also help with nutrition advice. The only reason I give 4 stars is for no late or Saturday classes. But who knows maybe more people find out how amazing this place is and that will change!

If you are looking for a great workout, you will find it here. Heather and Rick make you feel like family from day one! I came here in okay shape. I can now say I am healthier than I have ever been in my life. The cool part is, you have professionals watching and assisting you with every move.
Reno Academy of Combat offers you personal training in a group setting with a very friendly atmosphere at an amazing price.
ZUMBA: Okay I wont lie the thought of this class scared me to death! I have been going now for over a year now and I am still loving it. Zumba is soo great for the core. Heather will have you smiling and laughing through the burn.

Not much to say but, I will be coming back to train again soon. The environment is nice and spacious, so you will not feel cramped doing what you want to do.

I have been dropping by the Reno Academy of Combat for more than 2 years and in my experience of 3 decades in the martial arts from judo and karate to Muay Thai, Aikido, Boxing and Combatives taught to US Special Forces this gym’s facilities, regimen, and atmosphere are among the best.
Rick Collup, the owner, and his team, consisting of jujitsu practitioner and trainer Nick Barbarigos and former collegiate wrestler Greg deLong, offer instruction in MMA, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Cardio Kickboxing, and standup fighting. The gym is stocked with heavy bags, banana bags, body snatchers, kettle bells, reactive targets, and weights; all the equipment a fighter needs for conditioning. More importantly, the gym has a good-​sized student body of various sizes and backgrounds to accommodate training needs. Rick’s wife, Heather teaches female classes including Zumba.
The goals of the students are as varied as the curriculum offered by the Academy. Some people enroll to lose weight and to get into shape and on certain nights the training runs through sequences more reminiscent of pro-​level basketball or football practice as opposed to the stereotypical view of a Martial Arts Dojo or a «Fight Club».
It is obvious from the onset that it is not all about knocking someone down with a single punch or choking someone out. An MMA fighter is an elite athlete and this conditioning is what can make or break a fighter in the cage. For those who want to really put their skills to the test in a legal and relatively safe way, Collup is the Promoter and Driving Force behind Reno’s local amateur fighting series: Ultimate Reno Combat. Which was recently voted the number one Amateur MMA event in the country by ISCF, the world’s largest MMA sanctioning body.
The gym does not offer creature comforts like showers, sauna, and steam… but the quality of instruction and training can not be had anywhere else in the area on such a consistent basis.
This is fighting, even with safety equipment, you will occasionally suffer a bruise or a sprain. To think otherwise is as absurd as going scuba diving and thinking you will not get wet. If you are afraid of getting hit there is always yoga and pilates.

This place is not for beginners. They have a «beginning MMA class» that is scheduled to be right before the regular MMA class, but in actuality its just one 2 hour long class. Safety and technique aren’t taught and instead they just beat on each other. I voiced strongly before the class that I am a very beginner and I left there with a black eye, a concussion (as verified by my doctor) and bruised ribs from MY VERY FIRST CLASS.
Highly not recommended unless you already have a good degree of experience under your belt.