New boxing gym offers training beyond the ring

Meeting a martial arts fighter named Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, you expect some snarling, enraged brawler, not a polite, soft-spoken man who gently holds his young son’s hand and keeps a copy of the Bible sitting prominently on his desk.

He’s not the only one going against type. The gym where Jackson trains is also not the typical venue where boxers and martial artists work out. The boxing ring isn’t covered with a thick film of grime, the floor mats aren’t permanently stained and dented, and there’s no grizzled veteran coach yelling, “Stick ‘im with an uppercut!”

Jackson, a mixed-martial arts professional, trains at No Limits Fighting Sports and Fitness in Irvine, a 2-month-old facility where pros and regular Joes alike train in boxing, kickboxing, jujitsu and muay Thai, or Thai boxing, in which opponents use kicks and punches along with elbow and knee strikes. Teachers are also pro fighters themselves, often featured (usually scowling, fists raised) in promotional posters hung around the place.

No Limits is unusual because of its size -- 15,000 square feet, about three times bigger than many similar boxing or martial arts facilities -- and the quantity of equipment. A small gym holds weight machines, free weights and several cardio machines; there’s a separate room for jujitsu training and one for boxing and kickboxing, where some 35 heavy bags hang from movable rollers. The pro training area has a boxing ring, mats, a few heavy bags and an octagon cage, used for mixed-martial arts contests. Pro and amateur competitions are held here; the last jujitsu amateur tournament drew about 500 people. Chiropractic services and skin care are also available, and fighters can drop off their kids in a separate child care room while they train.

The place smells vaguely of cleaning fluid and new vinyl, with a hint of sweat. Housed in a former print shop on a strip of similar warehouse-type businesses, it may not fit the stereotype of fighting gyms, but it seems well suited for tidy, suburban Irvine. Orange County is home to a number of fighters because of its proximity to Las Vegas and Indian casinos, both primary hosts for fights.

The multiple facilities at No Limits help make training less chaotic, says Jackson, who’s preparing for an upcoming Pride fight in Japan, one of the country’s popular mixed-martial arts competitions. “When we train we usually have to go to three different places,” he explains. “We’d have to go to a jujitsu school in the morning, then my coach’s gym in the evening. Then once or twice a week we’d go to a high school to wrestle. Some days I’d get confused about where I’m supposed to be, and then I’ve got my coach cussing me out.”

Jim Santaniello and his wife, Karen, started the business after successful careers in general contracting and real estate, respectively. Jim is a tall, trim, white-haired 57-year-old who proudly shows off the 45-pound weight loss he says he achieved after a year and a half of jujitsu training. His fitness epiphany led the couple to start talking about opening a place where novices could train with professionals, and pros could train with top-notch coaches, all under one roof. Cofounders are Jackson, Santaniello’s jujitsu trainer Juliano Prado, mixed-martial artist Bobby Gamboa and mixed-martial arts and boxing coach Colin Oyama; they, in turn, have brought students and pro fighters.

Classes in jujitsu, cardio kickboxing and boxing are offered at lunch and after work, drawing men and women, working people and stay-at-home moms who like this fitness niche. There are also children’s classes. The atmosphere is a mix of serious and casual; pro fighters stroll quietly through the room on their way to train as students in a cardio kickboxing class are put through an intense workout that leaves them gasping for breath.

Tracy Lester signed up for cardio kickboxing wanting to spice up her exercise routine, which consisted mostly of walking. “I feel better, and I’m in better shape,” says the 39-year-old at-home mom from Santa Ana as she wipes her face with a towel. “I like that the teachers are professionals, because I know they’re getting in a ring and fighting with someone. They have real life experience when it comes to showing us techniques.”

Rozlynn Avila was apprehensive about signing up for cardio kickboxing and boxing classes after becoming bored with her regular gym workouts. “My fear was that coming to a gym like this, everyone was going to have a skill level that was so high, and I’m coming in as a novice,” says the 26-year-old Long Beach publicist. “But it’s not intimidating at all. If you want more, they’ll show you more, or you can just come in for a little workout.”

Pro fighters are screened before training or teaching here, Jim Santaniello says.

“If you don’t have the right personality, you’re not in here,” he says. “You have to have the right character, the right ethics, because when you’re dealing with the public, that’s really important. So if someone needs assistance in anything, they can be comfortable getting it.” Fighters who want to teach are selected for their ability to relate to rank beginners.

“We want to show what serious athletes these people are,” says Karen Santaniello. “It takes dedication to be at the top of their game.”

It also takes a strong stomach to watch them compete. “We’ve gotten to know them so well,” she says, “I agonize over the guys when they’re fighting.”

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Jeannine Stein can be reached by e-mail at jeannine.stein @latimes.com.