Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: a grappling art based on leverage. The objective is to control and submit the opponent with a joint lock or choke. Practiced with and with out a gi.

Judo: A grappling art focusing on throws using leverage. Practiced with and without a Gi. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) combination of: striking & grappling.

Wrestling: A grappling art focusing on taking the opponent down, controlling him or her, and pinning.

Karate: for the traditional martial artist, stresses discipline, and respect. Meditation, bowing, techniques, drilling, and sparring are included.  All students wear a gi. A belt ranking system is used.  

Cardio Kickboxing: This cutting edge workout class will get you into shape in no time flat. You no longer have to throw borring punches and kicks in the air. Now you can put the gloves on, pair up with a partner and hit the pads with the same combinations, world champions use to win in the cage and ring. The class begins with a warm up, stretch, then moves to pad work, abs, and a cool down, all while listening to music. Your coordination, power, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular fitness will improve.

Muay Thai Drills: The stepping stone between hitting pads, and sparring, you'll learn the intricate offensive and defensive technique you will using in sparring.

Muay Thai Sparring: This is where you put your conditioning and your skills to the test in a live situation. The objective is to safely prepare the student for a real fight.

Strenth and Conditioning: With a 2X World Powerlifting Champion in house, who has over a decade of training amateur and professional athletes, the fighting arts academy is ready to help you reach all your fitness goals, no matter if they are simply to trim up and be in better health or to have the mind blowing conditioning of an elite fighter.

Fighter Training: The Fighting Arts Academy consists of a network of 3 Schools and is home to 34 professional and amateur MMA fighters, boxers, Muay Thai Fighters, and Grapplers. The training programs are put together by 15 experienced coaches. No matter where you are in your career the Fightin Arts Academy will push you to the next level.

 Fighter Managing: This is one of the most overlooked areas in the fight game especially for young athletes eager to jump into the fight game. Planning a fighters career to keep them in the best physical and financial state of well being is in the fighter's best interest. Proper fighgter management takes a solid understanding of the fight game, and a true caring for the fighter. 

Women: The Fighting Arts Academy is a great place for women to come get in shape, have fun and learn to protect themselves.

Kids & Tots: Classes are taught in a fun, exciting, and safe manner, using drills and games. Children will learn discipline, and respect. They will learn team work, self-defense, and will improve their balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, power, and endurance. 

Teens: What better way to keep your teens off the streets and from hanging with the wrong crowd? Many young people who have teetered between taking the right path and the wrong one have made the right choice after being exposed to the discipline, respect, and camaraderie the Fighting Arts Academy provides. 

All Levels: Whether you are a seasoned professional fighter or have not worked out in years, the Fighting Arts Academy is just right for you. It is a place where you can feel comfortable and will be encouraged no matter what your ability is.

Rankings: Every student has the option of pursuing a belt rank in Brazilin Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Grappling, the Fighting Arts Academy's own hybrid brand of MMA.

Clinics: The Fighting Arts Academy holds regular training clinics, and intensive camps to improve the skills of the student in a fun way  that goes above and beyond that of regular class. 

Seminars: The Fighting Arts Academy holds regular seminars taught by top notch teachers from other schools, many different disciplines, and from all over the world. These seminars have included 2 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seminars, 4 Wrestling Seminars, 1 Muay Thai Seminar. The Fighting Arts Academy will continue to host seminars taught by outside coaches to improve the skills of its teachers and students.

Instructors  

Mike Gibbs was born in 1979, grew up in Athol Massachusetts and has lived in the area ever since. Even as a toddler he took an interest in combative sports, when he was  first inspired by Rocky and then the Karate Kid. From that point on he watched or read anything and everything on the martial arts that he could get a hold of. Though there were many traditional schools in the area, none of them appealed to Mike. It was as if there was something missing. It wasn't until he watched UFC 5 live on Pay-Per-View that he believed he had found a system of martial arts that really works. Like so many enthusiastic teenage fans of the UFC, he had no idea that what would become MMA would one day encompass the world the way it now does. 

  After seeing the UFC for the first time, he sought to learn the grappling techniques the fighters were winning with at the time. He joined a local school offering a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program under the Gracie Association. From there he searched for a more complete system and found Grand Masters Shihan Walt Lysak (Co-Founder of ICAT, and Sento Martial Arts), Jr and Charlie Lysak, both of whom he stays in close contact with and holds much respect for. Walt was the first person to teach Mike striking, wrestling, leg locks, and proper street self defense. It was Charlie (founder of Primal Strength Training & Co-Founder of Sento Martial Arts) who taught the training that would produce the kind of animalistic strength and power needed to win a fight. Through Walt, he met Jeremy Libezweski, the man who would be his mentor in the fight game. Jeremy taught Mike his very technical Muay Thai, and MMA system and his advanced philospohy on martial arts, fighting, and coaching. With his life long dream to fight having been crushed by a heart complication, Mike set his goals on coaching and to this day has had no better teacher and admittedly feels he owes his success to Jeremy. To this day, they remain the best of friends.

 -Gym Manager,F.A. Academy Gardner Founder, Head Trainer

1. Certified Trainer and Cornerman under The Fighting Arts Academy.
2. Has cornered and trained over 10 professional and amateur MMA fighters including:

• Ben Young
• Christian Stickney
• Paulo Gomes
• Kemal Banatte
• EIF Middleweight Champion: Justin "Smash" Torrey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yun5T0yA70o
• Hudson Valley Muay Thai Coach: Brendan Weafer 
• The Fighting Arts Academy Founder & Head Coach: Jeremy Libiszewski. 

     3. Cornered in over 30 Amateur Boxing Fights

     4. Cornered in 2 MMA Title Fights

     5. Cornered in 1 World Title Boxing Fights

     6. Trained over 20 Amateur and Professional Boxers

     7. Trainer of 20 Competitive Grapplers 

     8 Trained 6 Police Officers

     9. Trained 7 Correctional Officers  

• Youngest black belt under the Sento Method
  having trained under the founder of the
  system, Lyzak.
• Currently is a 2nd degree black belt under the Sento Method
• Holds a 3rd degree black belt under the National Jiu-Jitsu Society
• 18 years experience in martial arts
• Three time North American Grappling Champion in the Advanced middle and light weight divisions
• Has a 2-0-0 record in amateur kickboxing competitions
• World Extreme Challenge veteran, which is one of the largest mixed martial arts events in the world
• Two time winner of the North American Grappling Championship Team Award. Edged out the Renzo Gracie Academy for the Team Championship

Teaching Accomplishments

• Trains professional fighters in kickboxing, grappling and mixed martial arts
• Teaches defense seminars for the police and military personnel
• Teaches women's self defense programs, specializing in physical and psychological strategies
• Promotes personalized weight loss training and optimal health
• Promotes self-respect, discipline, confidence, character, self-esteem in children, adolescents and adults