Swinging for the fences

  • Published
  • By Airman Christopher R. Morales
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  "I was most scared walking up to the cage. I didn't know how the fight went until I saw the video. I was controlled by instinct and muscle memory alone."

Senior Airman Zack Throckmorton, an F-22 Raptor weapon systems loader with the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, went into his first cage fight in Richmond, Virginia in March of 2002 unprepared but willing nevertheless.

"I went in there with no training and didn't even make the weight for the 155-pound division," Throckmorton said. "That was not the place to be at my age and point of experience. My opponent, Zack Carter, was 23, and I was 18 and dumb."

After seeing Throckmorton lose his first fight, Coach Danny Ramirez took the novice under his wing at the River City Hapkido Gym in Richmond and put him through, in Throckmorton's words, the most intense training he has ever endured.

In a matter of two weeks, Throckmorton organized a rematch with his rival and won just a minute and 27 seconds into the second round with a successful guillotine choke.

With proper training and a determination to win, Throckmorton was able to redeem himself.

He continued to train and won his second official fight three weeks before going to basic military training.

Throckmorton was raised in Virginia with his mother and little brother. When he was six, his mother put him in a taekwondo class to learn self-defense, he said.

He received his black belt at age 12, stopped at age 16 and then picked up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from a friend.

"Martial arts is my only constant in life; people come and go but there are always gyms," Throckmorton said. "Bad break-up? Go to the gym, get twisted like a pretzel and you just forget about it."

Going to the gym and offering rides to friends also reduce his chances of getting into bad situations, Throckmorton said. He also serves as a bay chief for Yukla Hall, helping Airmen after hours.

"Zack is a great kid and has a lot of love for martial arts," said Jarid Symens, head coach and owner of Martial Arts Alaska, where Throckmorton trains. "Every time he comes into the gym he is eager to learn and works diligently."

Throckmorton starts work at 6 a.m. and works till either 3:30 or 5 p.m. and goes straight to the gym six days a week - it adds up to more than 20 hours of training each week.

"You train not to get it right, but until you can't get it wrong," Throckmorton said. "In martial arts, a person can never get worse, only better."

Throckmorton has sacrificed a lot to dedicate his life to fighting; minimizing his free time and limiting his intake of unhealthy food and drink.

"If you want this, you train for it - eat, sleep, wake up for it," Throckmorton said. "I will prove to my coach I want this."

He needs to be in peak physical and mental condition to beat someone with just as much desire to win.

"A mixed martial arts fight all depends on who's comfortable where: on their feet or on the ground; top or bottom," Throckmorton said.

The key to a MMA fight is to get your opponent out of their comfort zone, Throckmorton said. That is why you train to be a well-rounded fighter.

Throckmorton splits his training time between the Elmendorf Fitness center, and a private gym which teaches Muay Thai, boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, MMA, fitness and self-defense. The gym's motto is 'no ego, no attitude, just hard work, respect and honor.'

"Through teaching martial arts and fitness, we inspire people to do more with their lives," Symens said.
Throckmorton still goes to train despite being a bay chief and recently pinning on Senior Airman, which both require a lot of time helping younger enlisted members.

"It's tough. It sucks," Throckmorton said. "There are days I think 'Why am I doing this?'

But I remember, I want to fight in that cage."