EAST LANSING, Mich.– Michigan State University’s Mixed Martial Arts Club meets twice a week at IM Circle. In the building’s basement training room, students gather to practice, learn and support one another.
Each Wednesday and Sunday, the club runs through structured sessions with full intensity, all focused on one goal: physical and mental improvement.
The group consists of a diverse culture, with co-ed students from all college backgrounds and genders coming together for self-improvement.
The club has grown over the years, and is cost-effective most, as each student brings their own equipment, with many members of the club sharing what they have.
Henry Levin, a senior majoring in kinesiology and head grappling Jiu-Jitsu coach, said the sessions are as much mental as physical.
“Martial arts demands your full attention,” he said. “When you’re sparring, all your energy goes into learning, into your opponent. MMA lets you push aside school stress. It’s 100 percent focus, 100 percent presence.”
Levin also treasures the social connection just as much as the physical workout.
“I get to teach, practice, and just train with people who love the same thing,” he said.” It’s a great way to decompress, especially on Sundays heading into the week.”
Chinmay Chouthai, a junior majoring in genetics and the club’s medical officer, said practice is a break from academic pressure.
“It’s like the day before Christmas,” he said. “After a long day of classes and labs, stepping into MMA lifts everything. Wednesday gets me through the first half of the week. Sunday gets me through the rest. I’ve never left practice feeling worse. Only stronger, clearer.”
The club’s approach balances intensity with safety. Coaches demonstrate each move, break down sequences, and let members practice at their own pace. Some sessions may be intense to those who are new to the club but just like any other hobby, sport, or skill, everything that can be mastered has to come with practice.
“It’s about learning, not rushing,” Levin said. “Everyone here grows at their own pace.”
Many who are a part of the club come from diverse backgrounds with different interests. Regardless of previous experience in certain sports and physical activities, the club offers skills that are different from most sports many have played growing up.
“I wrestled in high school and, like, I did gymnastics,” Chouthai said. “Especially with sports, if you can find a sport that you really like that you have fun doing, and you have fun being around the people who are doing it, it's not really hard work, and it's still good for you at the same time.”
Peem Puvacharoen, a senior majoring in supply chain management and club secretary, described the experience as almost therapeutic.
“This community gives you a place to grow, physically and mentally. MMA has boosted my self-esteem. I know I can handle myself. I feel capable.”
Peem’s Wednesdays are packed: classes end at 2 p.m., a part-time job until 6 p.m., a quick snack, then straight to the gym to help clean the mats before practice. Exhaustion follows, but so does satisfaction.
“After practice, I go home, eat, and finally sleep, completely spent, completely satisfied,” he said.
The bond among members is immediate and enduring. Students from all backgrounds, international and local, come together, drawn by the same dedication to martial arts. Chouthai said the club teaches more than technique.
“Finding something you love, where it’s not work, is rare. Martial arts is that. The exercise comes naturally. The camaraderie is what stays with you. And having this focus in MMA helps me stay focused in my classes too. With majors like genetics or kinesiology, you can’t afford to lose concentration. This discipline carries over.”
Levin emphasized that respect and mentorship shape the club. “The people in charge set the tone. If we focus on learning from each other and staying respectful, that’s how the community grows.”
For many students, MSU’s MMA Club is more than a club. It’s a home. A place to release stress, build confidence, and push limits alongside peers who understand the pressures of student life.
At IM Circle, amid the mats and warmups, members find focus, resilience, and a shared commitment to growth. They leave practice not just stronger physically, but mentally ready to tackle the challenges of college life. Here, the lessons of college extend beyond the classroom. They live on the mat, together, every Wednesday and Sunday.
“I have never gone to an MMA practice and felt worse after,” Chouthai said. “I always feel better after. So I think it's about finding a group of people that you like to do it with and finding something that's fun but also active.”