Fighting Spirit
Hybrid Combat Club Incorporates Diverse Martial Arts Disciplines and All Ages
Writer / Lois Tomaszewski
Photography Provided
Fighting often gets a bad rap, but with the guidance of a skilled and trained coach, it is a sport that can build strength, confidence and even character. Travis Smith, the owner of Hybrid Combat Club in Plymouth, helps others achieve their best in this physical activity, at which he has trained for more than a decade.
Fighting in a controlled environment is fun, Smith says. Fighting in an uncontrolled environment is chaos. The vast majority of people dont like chaos.
Hybrid Combat Club specializes in creating a safe place for participants to practice and develop skills in a variety of martial arts styles. Members of the club hone their skills in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, wrestling and kickboxing.
I look at all of these and other martial arts as art forms, Smith says.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has its roots in a traditional Japanese style, and is focused on combat sport maneuvers such as grappling, ground fighting and submission holds, with the goal of taking the opponent to the ground, controlling the opponent, gaining a dominant position, and using techniques to force submission via joint locks or chokeholds. It is one of the martial arts used in mixed martial arts competitions.
Muay Thai is another combat fighting style that utilizes a standing start and incorporates the use of fists, elbows, knees and shins. It is a common part of kickboxing because of these techniques.
Smith himself was a mixed martial arts fighter, known as Travis the Hybrid in the Michiana Fight League. He has trained under coaches in the area including Todd Brown, an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. The late Bob Reed, the legendary Plymouth High School wrestling coach, added Smith to his coaching staff. Smith took over as coach of the high school team upon Reeds retirement in 2020.
I love being able to coach people, Smith says.
During the off-season, the high school and middle school wrestlers practice at Hybrid Combat Club. These team members include Smiths sons, Cayden and Wesley, both 16 (both are on the high school team), and daughter, Angel, 13, who competes on the Lincoln Junior High School wrestling team. His oldest sons, Gavin, 22, and Dominic, 19, serve as head coach and assistant coach for the Lincoln team.
Hybrid Combat Club requires a membership. Smith offers private lessons during the morning and afternoon, and the gym is open for classes in the evenings for members.
It is not like a gym or fitness club, he says. It is designed specifically for practicing the martial arts that Smith specializes in. Members have access to the facilities and some weight-training equipment. Fees are structured for payment on a monthly basis, and there is no contract.
Members can select the martial art they want to focus on. The fee for kickboxing is $80 per month, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu is $90. Wrestling training costs $50 per month, and a combination membership is $120 per month.
Smith realizes that this form of physical sport may not be right for everyone. It can provide benefits for anyone at any age. Everybody comes together on the mat, Smith says.
Whether its for competition, for exercise or to learn self-defense, Hybrid Combat Club is open to all interest levels and ages. The youth wrestling club is open to children in kindergarten through eighth grade, and membership also includes people in their 50s and beyond.
The training is physically demanding, so anyone considering taking up combat sports should weigh the decision against their current health. For the right person, combat sports can improve strength and agility. They can also boost confidence, discipline, respect for others perspectives, and respect for the sports themselves.
Hybrid Combat Club is located at 2251 North Oak Road in Plymouth, in the northwest end of the Walmart parking lot. For more information, call 574-767-0874 or visit hybridcombatclub.com.
