May 9, 2013
Like most Hamilton students, junior Pete McGraw makes an effort to get to the gym several times a week. However, unlike most students, he first has to drive 20 minutes off campus to New Hartford’s Mohawk Valley Mixed Martial Arts & Fitness Center before he can begin his training routine, which can last anywhere from three to six hours long.
McGraw trains at Mohawk Valley MMA six times a week to stay in shape for competitions every couple of months. He competes against members of other gyms who also train in Mixed Martial Arts, which include a combination of kick boxing, jiu jitsu and wrestling. Recently, McGraw won a fight in Binghamton, which brought his current competitive fight record to an impressive 4-0 for this year. He also currently holds the title of CNY Battleground 165 lb. Champion, a local regional promotion.
McGraw, surprisingly, has not been doing MMA his whole life. He grew up playing sports like football and basketball and was a member of the Hamilton men’s lacrosse team last year. McGraw had no interest in MMA until his freshman year at the College of Charleston, from which he transferred to Hamilton in 2012.
It was at Charleston that his close friend and resident advisor, who wrestled in high school, encouraged McGraw to join him at the local MMA gym and to follow wrestling competitions on television. After a lot of coaxing, McGraw finally agreed to find out more about what his friend did in his free time. To his surprise, he fell in love with the sport and immediately started training. After that, “the rest is history.”
After transferring to Hamilton, McGraw not only joined the local Mixed Martial Arts Center, but he also revamped the on-campus MMA club after its former head graduated last year. Each week, he trains several Hamilton students, some of whom join him at the New Hartford gym from time to time.
Though some people compete at the amateur level of MMA just for the fun of it and to get in shape, McGraw’s commitment to the sport is a much more serious one. To prepare for each fight, he takes part in eight weeks of “fight camp.” MMA athletes preparing for an upcoming fight will often do two-a-day practices during the first seven weeks, followed by higher intensity workouts during the last week in order to meet their fight weight.
McGraw emphasized that “since it takes that long to prepare and cut weight, one fight every few months is usually all we can do.” Having played seasonal sports like lacrosse and football in the past, McGraw added that training for MMA competitions is unique because “there is no off season.”
McGraw said that he enjoys doing MMA because “it is the most pure form of competition I’ve ever been involved in.” He also likes that while the sport is based on an individual’s training and performance, the other members of his team at the gym have been a consistent support group. Additionally, McGraw said, “My coach is like a second dad to me.”
Although several important coaches in the MMA division have told him that he has a promising future in the sport, McGraw has other career goals. “I want to go to law school and be a defense attorney,” he said. However, he may look into coaching on the side as a way to stay involved in the sport after college.
Based on his success thus far, it would come as no surprise if McGraw learns to lock down cases in the courtroom just as he has his competitors in the wrestling ring.
If you are interested in joining the MMA club on campus, contact Pete McGraw at jmcgraw@hamilton.edu.
No comments yet.
Comment Guidelines
Please log in to post a comment