Superhuman Gym is a gym which stands in the Film Centre Building in Tardeo, Mumbai. The gym was created in 2011 as a source of taking the art of unarmed combat to common people and it now stands as one of the most important pillars on which the Indian MMA system stands. Within a span of 5 years Superhuman has not only established itself as arguably the best gym for MMA in India but has also played a major role in helping Indian masses learn what mixed martial arts is all about.
Superhuman Gym in South Bombay has helped a lot in the development of MMA as a sport in India. I recently had the opportunity to have a visit over there and the place was way better than I expected it to be.
Managing to get in touch with one of the founders of the gym, Somesh Kamra, I learnt more about the plans of Superhuman MMA and how it acts as a great platform for youngsters who want to try their hands at the world’s fastest growing sport.
What makes it unique? Well here you go.
Their ability to bring out fighters.
India is a developing country. It still has cities which do not have the basic facilities of electricity and resources for a person to take up any sport and hence even if they have the talent they cannot get the opportunity to perform on a stage. Superhuman has however has created a platform which provides a golden opportunity to these fighters to showcase their talent.
A perfect example is Bharat Kandare, who happens to be the former SFL featherweight champion and is currently in the USA training at the famed Jackson-Winkeljohn Academy in Albuquerque, N.M. Not many know that Bharat comes from a small town and didn’t have the basic resources to even fund himself to train in MMA, but if you look at him today, you will not believe that this huge 145 pound rising star was once not even given support by his own parents to continue MMA. When I spoke to him, he even recounts that without the support of Superhuman he wouldn’t have had reached this point of success and even says that Somesh Kamra, one of the founders of Superhuman, is the one who is responsible for his success.
Managing fighters.
MMA is not recognized as a sport in India by the ministry of youth affairs; hence the only recognized governing body of MMA in India is AIMMAA which is not a really strong governing body. AIMMAA holds no responsibility over the events, safety of the fighters and legal status of the fights. There were also allegations involving non-payment to athletes and wide spread corruption, hence finding an event safe enough to participate is very rare. Apart from that it has been pointed out several times that fighters cannot go main stream because of lack of resources and money. This acts as a major factor in the slow development of MMA in India.
In Superhuman things work out in a different way and aspiring fighters are allowed to train for free. When I was in conversation with founder Somesh he said, “I support MMA, I want to promote it in any way I can and helping aspiring fighters is the best way I can build MMA as a sport in India”. Fighters are given jobs as trainers in the gym and are given separate time to train. Apart from that they help their fighters find quality promotions where their safety as well as pay is guaranteed.
They provide resources.
As I have pointed out they have a super management team and are passionate about the sport, hence they do everything to make sure that their fighters have the resources to not only improve their game but also grow commercially by getting them quality fights and helping them get into better promotions.
Manjit Kolekar stands as a perfect example. She started as a boxer, soon she managed to get in touch with SFL and took part in their reality TV show Super Fight League Challenger. Manjit went on to win the reality show and is gaining huge popularity among the Indian masses. She also became the first female athlete to sign with the famed women MMA promotion Invicta FC. All these facts point out to one thing that it is one of the best MMA gyms in India.
Why am I pointing it out? Why is superhuman gym such a big deal? Why am I saying it is way better than every other gym in India?
India is a country where only cricketers get attention, apart from that most of the sports and their players receive no attention until they reach the main stream focus and gain popularity because of their performances. Most of the fighters come from a very humble background and cannot afford the expensive fees which the quality gyms expect. Hence despite having the potential they quit their career.
Also, even if they manage to earn enough money and continue their career at the same time, the MMA world is not free from politics. Promoters are often only concerned with their bottom line and can take advantage of the young eager athlete seeking to gain experience and make a name for himself. Sometimes fighters aren’t even paid.
Under these circumstances it is very necessary athletes have a guide who can help them grow both skills wise as well as commercially.
In addition even the large scale promotions in India are not really helpful. They do not focus so much on the development of the fighters; instead they focus more on the Bollywood which they bring by giving them fat checks rather than helping in promoting fighters and highlighting their skills.
As someone who wants to see his country shine in the world of MMA it is just a small measure to bring the attention of Indian MMA fans as well as aspiring athletes to this gym which can help them kick start their career.
-Paarth Pande
(@PandePaarth)
Contact info for Superhuman Gym:
[email protected]
http://superhumangym.in/
Nice read. Kudos to Team Superhuman Gym for almost single-handedly taking up the cause of MMA in India and shaping a culture of serious and champion indigenous MMA fighters… Good work Paarth for highlighting the difficulties that an average MMA fighter still faces in India and also for the fact that Mixed Martial Arts is fast catching the imagination of the nation as the fastest growing sport in India.
Thanks for your support.
I wanna join this gym:))
Nyc informative write up …
3 cheers 4 Superhuman Gym ..
Thanks for the read
Thank you for the read an your views.