ORANGE — John Sibley spent some time on a cool, clear October night being the recipient of a demonstrative overhead sweep by his Brazilian jiujitsu instructor, a black belt in the sport.
Later on, he could be seen grappling with a fellow grown man, applying grip mechanics to avoid being taken to the ground before taking a break from the symphony of thuds and splats of bodies hitting the red mat beneath their feet to talk with a reporter.
“I love this place,” he said. “I’m here every class, every day, all week, Monday through Friday, from when I get out of work to when we wrap up here and I go home.”
The place is Roberts Family MMA, a 3,000-square-foot facility tucked away on New Athol Road that Robby Roberts has leased since July of last year.
“As far as I’m concerned, if it just covers its own expenses — which it does — then I’m good,” Roberts said.
The mixed martial arts school offers classes in a variety of disciplines, including Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) and Muay Thai. BJJ is a control- and submission-based martial art that originated in Japan and was refined in Brazil and the United States. Muay Thai is a combat sport that combines stand-up striking, sweeps, and grappling. The school also offers classes in striking and martial arts. Roberts, 48, works days as an Erving Paper Mill superintendent and moonlights at the facility.
“I leave there and I come here and I do this,” he said. “I’m here Monday through Wednesday, and Friday.”
Sibley, a blue belt in BJJ, participated in martial arts for about five years as a teenager, and he and his teenage son, Rylan, are now two of Roberts Family MMA’s 70 memberships.
“I always, always had a passion for it. And jiujitsu is a very real-world, useful martial art,” he said. “And size discrepancy is far less of an issue. My son’s 15 and … he can roll with any of these adults and hold his own.”
Todd Chiasson, 23, another BJJ blue belt, started wrestling at age 12 and said that sport, which Roberts coaches at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School, is similar to jiu-jitsu.
“I like the instruction, mostly. Robby’s a really technical guy. He knows what he’s talking about. He’s had a ton of experience,” Chiasson said. “I’ve also known him for a really long time, since I was, like, 12, doing baseball and stuff with him. So we’ve got a really close relationship, but he’s got a really good technique — really understanding guy.
“It’s … a great environment,” he continued. “I think one thing that he really preaches is that there’s no bullies, you know, no bad people here, so kind of keeping that nice, friendly environment going, while also giving people a good workout and good instruction. I think things are great here.”
Barefoot and wearing his blue gi, or traditional BJJ uniform consisting of a kimono, pants, and a belt, Roberts said there is no reason for anyone to be intimidated by martial arts, as he said practitioners are some of the finest people he’s ever met.
“Everybody here works with each other,” he said.
Roberts explained that he grew up in the very physical, confrontational environment of Leominster’s public housing projects. He dealt with bullying until he hit a growth spurt in high school and he was a professional mixed martial arts fighter for 15 years. Videos of some of his fights can be found on YouTube. He said he offers mixed martial arts classes only when students have proven they can defend themselves.
“It’s not full-contact classes,” Roberts said, adding that full protective gear is required. “[When] I came up, we used to just punch each other in the face all the time. You know, I’m almost 50 and my brain is a mess. … If you want to spar here, even the light sparing, which we do on Friday, which anybody can do, you have to have approved sparing gloves.
“You can’t just have any gloves, because some gloves are made for hitting the [punching] bag … some are pro fight gloves,” he mentioned. “Sparing gloves are specifically made to reduce impact.”
There are eight guided Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes at Roberts Family MMA each week. Roberts explained BJJ exploded onto the global scene in 1993 with UFC 1, which featured practitioners of various sports, including boxing, sumo, shootfighting, and taekwondo, competing in an octagonal cage to determine the ultimate discipline. Legendary BJJ practitioner Royce Gracie won the event and two of the following three.
Roberts said the various martial arts help improve fitness, learn self-defense and gain confidence. He said a workout invigorates the heart because punching, kicking, and striking at an opponent all require force and energy, and this can help cardiovascular health.
Cutting back on processed foods and saturated fat and participating in martial arts is also a good way to get your blood pressure and cholesterol under control and maybe even eliminate the need for related medications.
According to Roberts, martial arts also can help reduce back pain by strengthening one’s core muscles — the ones in the middle of your body, including your pelvic floor muscles — and aid weight loss by burning calories.
More information is available at: www.rfmma.com.
