Alchemy Martial Arts and Fitness, established in 2010, is Setauket's premier spot for martial arts and fitness for children as young as 4 all the way up to adult MMA classes and women's Cardio Kickboxing classes.
Alchemy was the forerunner of chemistry in medieval Europe, their practitioners set out with a task of combining various metals together to attempt to create gold. Here at Alchemy, we have taken that concept to combine the martial arts with any other form of fitness available today; to bring you the best possible training available.
The Vision Behind Alchemy
The owner, and head instructor Nick Panebianco has an amazing passion towards teaching and supporting children. Nick has an amazing philosophy on Martial Arts. He is able to combine his deep knowledge of physics with MMA and street smarts, while breaking it down so anyone can understand it.
Panebianco says: "I believe everyone in life has a dream they want to achieve and they need to find the courage and drive to make it a reality. I happened to be lucky because for me those two are one in the same."
The Journey to Alchemy Martial Arts
When Panebianco was 13, he walked into his first martial arts school with a humble goal of becoming a Power Ranger. But his goals shifted when he turned sixteen and had his first opportunity to teach younger students.
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Walking into the dojo as a teacher rather than a student was a surreal moment. He remembers looking at the students standing where he had stood, and seeing all their eyes now looking to him for guidance. He suddenly became the example, not just of what a martial artist should look like, but a person as well. Panebianco took his job as a role model very seriously and trained harder than ever, because it wasn’t just about him anymore; his ambitions had grown.
In 2007, Panebianco achieved his first-degree black belt: easily one of the greatest moments in his life. Finally in 2010, he graduated from SBU with a degree in Mathematics and one year later he opened Alchemy Martial Arts of Setauket.
Looking at it now, Panebianco thinks we’ve succeeded; our studio is a place where people of all ages and experience can share their knowledge, encourage each other, and better themselves both physically and mentally. Every day he gets up and live his dream.
Programs Offered at Alchemy Martial Arts and Fitness
Training under Alchemy will give you access to a well versed mixed martial art that has roots in the best parts of various styles such as Kempo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Western Boxing.
Kids Martial Arts Classes
Plenty of kids get caught up playing video games and eating junk food. They need an activity that captivates their attention and encourages a healthy lifestyle. Alchemy Martial Arts provides that as well as teaching them an all inclusive self-defense system to allow them to protect themselves. By enrolling your child in Alchemy's kid's martial arts classes, they will gain the discipline and confidence they need to succeed while learning an amazing self-defense system.
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Alchemy martial arts classes are structured to give your child the best in physical fitness while giving them the life skills they need to succeed. Here at Alchemy MMA, we believe the martial arts is more than just kicking and punching. We have perfected a system to instill a set of ideals that we believe to be crucial for a growing child.
Core Values Instilled in Children
We believe that the first step in a child’s martial arts journey is discipline. A child needs to understand that they are in control of their bodies and are capable of standing still and focusing if they choose to. This is established through our instructors who are experts in creating an authoritative presence in a positive, high energy environment. This way kids are learning to work hard and control themselves while still having fun.
A crucial element in a child’s martial arts training, respect is about treating others the way you want to be treated. Students are taught not only to listen and behave themselves in the classroom but to their parents and teachers as well. Instructors are hands on with each student to make sure they are understanding these values and are getting the most out of their training.
As a student of the martial arts, a child will learn to be accountable for their actions. They must learn the appropriate way to handle situations that will arise in their daily lives and control their emotions. Through various martial arts drills and friendly competition, students will begin to develop these skills and learn how to discern the proper response in future situations.
While training in the martial arts, a student’s confidence level increases as they move up through the ranks. They get physically and mentally stronger. The martial arts is a life-long activity, not just a sport. Just knowing that you have the tools to defend yourself and others gives a student great confidence!
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During their martial arts training, they are taught to strive for goals far beyond average. The best are those who push themselves to be better than everyone else around them regardless of the activity. Those students inspire others to achieve more and set their goals high. At Alchemy, we train all our students to be leaders. It is constantly reinforced that to make it to the goal of black belt, there is more at stake than just kicking and punching. A black belt is for life and the students who make it to that level are forever better because of it.
You can see a difference in the students that have been training for five years or more. That’s five years of learning how to focus with their eyes, mind, and body. These students are Champions. They possess a certain look and sound that other kids just don’t have.
Children are taught goals through the use of the belt system. As a student progresses in the martial arts, they can achieve new belts towards their eventual goal of black belt. We encourage our students to embrace this martial arts mentality outside of the dojo and set their goals high in their everyday lives. If you want something in life, it can be yours to achieve. No dream is too big if you are prepared to work your hardest and commit to that goal. A black belt never quits!
Benefits of Martial Arts For Children
Anti-Bullying Program
Bullying, by definition, is unwanted or aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated over time.
Kids who bully use their power-physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity-to control or harm others Verbally through name calling, inappropriate comments or threats of physical violence.
Alchemy Martial Arts schools have become widely known in their various communities on Long Island, for their strong anti-bullying program. Alchemy's philosophy involves shifting the power balance back into neutral ground.
With a background in martial arts training, your child will be physically stronger and faster, as well as better equipped with the appropriate skill set to defend themselves against potential bullies. In every class, students will be taught not only how to kick and punch but the appropriate times and ways to use their self-defense training.
Scenarios are brought up in a question-answer based environment, where the kids discuss with their instructors possible consequences and outcomes. Alternatives to fighting including avoiding potentially bad situations, finding an adult, and Options such as avoiding a fight, getting a teacher, or talking to the bully are discussed as preferable alternatives.
In fact, the number one martial arts philosophy for kids is that they should never have to fight. Bullies don’t pick on kids who are confident when they walk, make eye contact when they talk, and are as strong physically as they are mentally.
Adult MMA Classes
You don't have to be a fighter to train like one, at Alchemy Martial Arts & Fitness you can get involved in one of the fastest growing sports available. Mixed Martial Arts combines the best aspects of mulitple fighting disciplines to create one truly devastating fighting style. Combine that with circuit training, calisthenics, resistance training and live drilling you can get in the best shape of your life with workouts that target your entire body and are always unique so you never get bored or plateau! Get involved in a workout that will let you burn up to 1,000 calories an hour while having a blast!
Cardio Kickboxing
Here at Alchemy MMA and Fitness of Setauket and Smithtown, we prove that martial arts is not just for men. Cardio Kickboxing has become one of the most exciting women’s workouts nation-wide. Leave the stresses of everyday life at the door. Feel invigorated as you’re guided through an intense workout of kickboxing bag combos and strength training exercises all while energizing music blasts overhead.
Alchemy's Cardio kickboxing program is an hour long high intensity fitness class that combines kickboxing techniques, callisthenic exercises and circuit training to create the perfect full body workout. As our classes are taught by martial artists, you will learn real self-defense techniques, tone your muscles, achieve an intense cardiovascular workout, and see drastic weight loss results. Combined with strength training, high intensity circuits and callisthenic exercises, our workouts are constantly being redeveloped, and will never leave you bored.
Alchemy Fitness Academy's combine high intensity circuit training to their workouts combined with their martial arts knowledge to create a truly unprecedented workout experience. Use powerful Muay Thai kicks to help develop your leg strength, and engage your quads, glutes and calves to burn massive numbers of calories. Muay Thai kickboxing also uses a unique cross body knee strike motion that engages the abdominal muscles as well as the obliques in order to achieve a fully toned core. By incorporating techniques from western boxing, kempo and karate, you will learn to use simple and effective hand combos to elevate your heart rate, and tone your shoulders and arms.
Exercise any area of your body, whether upper, lower, or core, by improving range of motion, core strength, coordination, flexibility, joint integrity, as well as upper and lower body strength. As opposed to isolation training, the kettle bell’s unique design, allows for functional fitness training: the user trains both aerobically and anaerobically through one exercise, engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Repetitive exercises that use the resistance of your own body to build strength, increase flexibility and burn fat; they allow you to build lean muscle mass while developing endurance. As circuit training uses a variety of exercises and equipment and maximizes the effect of each, circuit training is an excellent option for people interested in weight loss and gaining muscle/strength but short on time.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
The Jiu Jitsu story begins with a master of Judo named Mitsuyo Maeda. He was a martial arts prodigy who eventually became one of the greatest fighters in the history of Judo. Maeda was born and raised in Hirosaki, Japan where he trained in classical styles of Judo, eventually entering the Kodokan to study the art. The Kodokan is one of the most famous Judo academies-even to this day-and was founded by the system's master, Professor Jigoro Kano, who referred to his art as Kano Jiu Jitsu.
One of Kano's top students and undefeated in Judo tournament competition, Maeda traveled to the United States in 1904 to spread the word about Kodokan Judo. Over the course of his career, Maeda fought in over 1,000 matches, grappling with and without the gi and fighting in "mixed" matches-commonly referred to as "no-holds-barred" fights that included striking and kicking. Maeda eventually retired undefeated after fighting in Great Britain, Europe, Cuba, Mexico-and finally Brazil. There, Maeda opened a Jiu Jitsu academy.
One of Maeda's students, Carlos Gracie, opened his own academy in 1925 after studying with Maeda for several years and started the now famous "Gracie Challenge" with his brothers. All challengers were welcome to come and contend against the Gracie fighters in no-holds-barred matches, but the brothers were repetitively victorious against fighters hailing from all different backgrounds.
The overall fighting strategy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is designed to equip a physically smaller or weaker individual with an effective method of defending against a larger and stronger attacker. When applying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques, leverage is paramount because it's the secret to the amplification and most efficient use of force. In the late 1980s, several members of the Gracie clan immigrated to the United States.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu became world famous in the mid-1990s when Royce Gracie racked up a string of victories in the early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitions, an event pitting martial artists and fighters of various disciplines against each other in "no-holds-barred" rounds. Just a short time after, Royce's brother, Rickson, went undefeated in similar tournaments in Japan, and other members of the Gracie clan were equally successful in Mixed Martial Arts events around the United States.
Special Programs
The "Percent a Pound" program is a New Year's Resolution we've come up with to help jumpstart your goals for the new year and to help you conquer the point where most people tend to abandon their resolution. We are looking for 15 people who are interested in making a positive change in their lives, not just with their fitness, but their overall health. These 15 people people will be entitled to a $19.99 all access pass to all of our programs! This includes Cardio Kickboxing, Boot Camp and Mixed Martial Arts classes!
At the end of your trial month if you realize what we have, that running on a treadmill or dragging yourself to the gym is boring and inconsistent at best and you want a workout program that keeps you interested and motivated then those select few can sign up under the "Percent a Pound" discount.
Birthday Parties
Looking to book your child's birthday party? We have tons of available themes ranging from Martial Arts to Ninja Warrior to Avengers to the Ninja Turtles. All birthday parties are an hour and a half of action packed fun full of fun games and costumes based around a theme on your choice! Got an idea that we may have not done yet? Learn more...
Testimonials
- "The children classes are well balanced with fun and provide skill instruction and drills to develop physical and mental confidence."
- "Sensei Nick's high energy level is consistent and contagious with the children."
- "Nick has an amazing philosophy on Martial Arts...He's a great role model for his students, including kids."
- "I was a regular at the dojo since they started...and I really miss my classes...The right mixture of Martial training with the Artistic education gives you something that you can use."
- "The teachers are amazing. I have two very 'energetic' children and they are always patient yet firm enough to yield positive results."
- "ALCHEMY Martial Arts of East Setauket has offered my son a positive experience...he has grown to be more respectful and diligent."
- "The cardio kickboxing program is great I get a nice workout and have fun while I do it. My whole family goes there because there is something for all of them to do."
- "I've been going to Alchemy Martial Arts of Setauket's adult MMA class for 6 months. Nick is very knowledgably and an excellent instructor. He keeps the class interesting and fun."
- "If you want to get in shape I recommend their Cardio Kickboxing. It's an amazing workout. Awesome instructors with a great atmosphere."
- "Her self confidence is through the roof, her physical and mental strength is unbelievable and the discipline that she has now is wonderful."
Ready to Begin?
Ready to change your life? Start your training today! Get to Alchemy Martial Arts and Fitness, try our action-packed classes and get in the best shape of your life! Have fun with a unique workout you won’t find anywhere else!