Nov. 30, 2015 By Michael Florio
Long Island City and Astoria residents can now break out their inner Rocky.
Supreme Team Boxing, a new neighborhood boxing gym, opened at 34-09 Queens Blvd. earlier this month.
The 1,900-square-foot center offers pro-style boxing and kickboxing classes, as well as self-defense courses, to men and women, according to owner Nelson Maldonado. The gym is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and offers one class from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. The weekend hours will soon expand, Maldonado said.
Supreme Team Boxing opened its doors on Nov. 9. Twenty members have signed up so far, Maldonado said.
Maldonado is currently running a special that will allow adults who sign up to pay $99 per month for unlimited classes. This special will run for the next couple of months. After that, the cost will be $108 per month.
Supreme Team Boxing also focusses on boxing training for kids.
Maldonado, 40, started boxing when he was 12-years-old in a Boys and Girls club. He said this class helped get him into shape, taught him confidence and introduced him to a sport he loves.
He believes that all children should have this opportunity, and wanted to fill what he saw as a void in the neighborhood for boxing lessons, especially for kids.
“I wanted to offer training to kids, just like I started to train when I was young,” he said.
Therefore, Maldonado chose Long Island City to open the gym because of the large number of schools, including high schools and LaGuardia Community College, which his son attends.
Kids’ classes take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Kids and teenagers can take boxing classes during this time. The center also has a study room so kids can do their homework while they wait for their classes to begin.
A kid/student membership costs $85.
However, Maldonado said he works with the children in the neighborhood who perhaps cannot afford the $85 a month and want to box.
“We work with the parents to donate whatever they can,” he said. “It can even be donating time, where the parents come and help out at the gym.”
“I couldn’t afford boxing lessons as a child but was lucky enough to receive them,” he added. “I want to give back to the kids.”
Currently, five kids have signed up.
In addition to seeing a need for a boxing gym, Maldonado said Long Island City was appealing for his business because the neighborhood continues to expand.
“Long Island City is growing and it is a great place to have a business,” he said.
The Supreme Team Boxing location was previously K2 Boxing Club. Maldonado renovated the entire center, including installing two showers and two bathrooms.
There are also Supreme Team Boxing gyms on West 30th Street in Manhattan and in Hollywood, Florida.
The gym has been operating in Manhattan at different locations since 1985. Maldonado came on board as a co-owner 15 years ago.
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