Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL martial arts instructor, owns the Chicago United Mixed Martial Arts Training Academy (CUMMATA). CUMMATA is located just outside of Chicago in Illinois. Moreno opened the academy after training as a martial arts instructor and a career as an HVAC technician. He was inspired to follow a career in martial arts after watching his co-workers in the HVAC industry become older, larger and less in shape.
CUMMATA offers instruction to people of all ages. Teenagers and adults participate in mixed martial arts. The school also offers instruction in karate for children, as well as special workshops just for kids. One workshop teaches children ways to avoid being bullied by others. The workshop teaches people how to handle a bullying situation without resorting to the same tactics used by bullies themselves.
A Kid Safe workshop offered by CUMMATA gives children the tools they need to stay safe in potentially dangerous situations. The workshop goes beyond the typical "stranger danger" lessons taught to kids. It teaches them to be confident and to respond in effective ways when faced with a dangerous situation.
Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL martial arts instructor, notes that the purpose of martial arts training is not only to teach people how to defend themselves. Mixed martial arts also teach people values such as respect, integrity and courtesy. The sport teaches children how to persevere and helps them develop leadership qualities. Moreno is proud to be able to help the next generation as well as current adults.
Although he is now the owner of a mixed martial arts academy, Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL martial arts instructor, once was on very different career path. He attended the Environmental Technical Institute from 2001 to 2002. The Environmental Technical Institute in Itasca, IL, is a skilled trade school that prepares people for careers in HVAC and welding. Students at the school spend seven or 12 months in a training program. While in the program, they get hands-on experience and training from experts in the HVAC and welding industries.
The Environmental Technical Institute was founded in 1973, specifically to meet the growing needs of the HVAC industry in Illinois. It was started by the same people who also owned one of the largest HVAC companies in the world. The school provides students with practical job knowledge. It also helps students with job placement. The school's Career Services department helps student create resumes, complete employment applications and prepare for interviews. Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL native, completed his program at the school in 2002. He earned a technician certification in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).
Moreno started his career as an HVAC technician by working with Fresh Air Services in 2005. He worked as a service technician and was responsible for diagnosing issues with commercial and residential heating and cooling systems and for repairing any issues. Although Moreno initially enjoyed his career as an HVAC technician, over the course of four years, his opinion began to change.
One of things that spurred his decision to change careers was the declining health of the people Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL native, worked with. People who had been in the industry for longer than Moreno were becoming less and less healthy as time went on. They gained a lot of weight and were less and less active. Moreno had been a fan of sports and fitness for his entire life. The idea of getting out of shape and putting on weight due to an inactive career and lifestyle did not sit well with him.
Mixed Martial Arts Academy
Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL native, decided it was time for a change in 2008. He took steps to change his life and career by opening the Chicago Unified Mixed Martial Arts Academy. In 2009, the school had taken off enough that Moreno was able to leave his position as an HVAC technician and focus solely on the academy.
Moreno became the CEO and owner of the school and also serves as the marketing director. As the director of marketing, Moreno is responsible for all communications from the school. He manages the website, email list and printed promotional materials. He also handles the social media pages for the school.
Training
People don't open mixed martial arts training schools without having some experience in the sport themselves. Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL martial arts instructor, trained under two masters, Melody Shuman and Ace Ramirez. His sport of choice is muay thai, a style of kickboxing from Thailand. The sport is also sometimes called the "art of eight limbs," because it makes use of the fists, elbows, shins and feet in combination.
The combat sport dates to the 16th century, when it was a part of military training under the reign of King Naresuan. The 19th century and the reign of King Chulalongkorn is considered the golden age of muay thai in Thailand. Although the country was mostly at peace during his reign, the style of combat developed and came to be practiced for self-defense and exercise.
The sport became modernized in the 20th century, as its popularity spread beyond Thailand. Muay thai was practiced as part of mixed martial arts and was often the preferred form of stand-up combat. As the sport became more popular, changes were made to it. Western fighters in particular worked hand striking from boxing into the combat sport, which was seen by some as controversial; it was thought that strikes diluted the sport.
The International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) was created in 1993 and is overseen by the Olympic Council of Asia. IFMA is made up of 128 member countries and is the governing body for amateur muay thai.
Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL martial arts instructor, focuses on Kru Muay Thai, a style of the sport that is for instructors. The system is designed to teach students to teach others, as well. Moreno provides muay thai instruction at his academy.
Karate for Kids
Karate and other martial arts styles have been shown to have a number of benefits for children. Learning a martial art teaches a child to stick up for and defend himself. It also teaches him to respect older people, to behave with integrity and shows him how to act like a leader. Along with mental and emotional benefits, martial arts training also has physical benefits, as it helps children get and stay in shape.
Children who come to CUMMATA for karate lessons are placed in a class based on their age and skill levels. Each child has a different reason for studying karate. Some want to work their way up to black belt status and to become masters of the sport. Others are just looking for ways to learn to stand up for themselves. Some kids decide to take karate because they saw it in a movie and thought it looked cool. Whatever a child's reason for learning karate, Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL instructor, and the other instructors at CUMMATA are happy to teach them.
Personal Development
Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL instructor, knows that personal and professional development is crucial. After leaving his job as an HVAC technician to focus on CUMMATA, Moreno also began taking classes at Elgin Community College in his hometown. Along with taking courses at the college, Moreno also sought to learn all he could through books. He read books on nutrition to help him develop his career in fitness and wellness. To sharpen his business knowledge, Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL businessman, also read career and business-oriented books.
By becoming an instructor and opening his own martial arts academy, Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL native has been able to follow his dreams. His goals for the future include changing people's lives for the better through the practice of martial arts. Moreno is deeply enthusiastic about conditioning and staying in shape. He knows the value of the discipline taught by the study of martial arts and wants as many people as possible to learn to appreciate that discipline.
CUMMATA typically has between 65 and 100 students enrolled at any one time. Moreno would like to see that number in grow in the future, as more people decide to take the steps needed to get in shape and improve their lives. Outreach is an essential part of the school's mission. Moreno and instructors have volunteered at festivals in the Elgin area, both to promote the school and to introduce more people to mixed martial arts. The school has put on exhibitions at the city's Green Fest and International Festival. It hopes to present at more festivals in the upcoming months and years.
Fred Moreno, Elgin, IL native also values his family and hopes to spend more time with them. Many members of his family live in Texas, so he makes regular trips to the state to see them, particularly during the holiday season. As a martial arts instructor who has trained with some of the best, Moreno understands the importance of having a strong family relationship, both with people who are related by blood and with people who are related by common interests.