In today’s economy, many businesses are just looking out for themselves.  It’s refreshing to see a company that really helps out its clients.

State College is nicknamed “Happy Valley” because during the Great Depression, the area was deemed recession-proof.  Whether this is still the case today or not, saving and earning money is important to everyone, and one local business is helping customers achieve this.

The cost for a gym membership at Titan Fitness is $30 a month and does not charge registration or initiation fees, unlike other gyms.

Facilities offered include use of all weight training, cardiovascular, martial arts and boxing equipment, as well as various types of classes, instruction and personal training.

What makes Titan different from other gym facilities is that they pay customers for referrals. Their referral policy gives students $20 cash for each student that enrolls from them simply telling the new student about Titan Fitness. The only requirement is that the referred students enroll for at least three months.

Titan Fitness is a continuation of the State College Martial Arts Academy and opened on June 2, 2003. The former owner and head instructor of SCMAA, Bill Gebhardt, passed away from cancer.

Located on 412 W. College Ave., it’s convenient for students living downtown, with several bus stops both across and down the street.  About two-thirds of Titan’s current memberships belong to high school and college students.

“Our students are excellent representatives of our products and services,” Titan Fitness owner Paul Zelinka said.   “We wanted to find a way to reward them for spreading the word about their experience at Titan Fitness.

Zelinka was the manager of the State College Martial Arts Academy and ran his own personal training business, Titan Fitness, out of the facility.

According to Zelinka, many students have already taken advantage of the referral policy, many of them being “repeat referrers”.  Getting the money is a strong reinforcement for repeat referrals.

There are several distinctive features to Titan Fitness that can’t be found at any other facility on campus.

Their offerings of mixed martial arts and women’s kickboxing are different from anything available on campus.  In addition, their experienced staff provides students with a unique workout, while teaching them important skills of safety and well-being.

So forget about holding a garage sale or walking dogs to earn some cash.  Improve your health, have fun learning awesome skills, such as mixed martial and kickboxing, and recommend Titan Fitness to a friend!

We at Titan Fitness are proud to announce that we have just reached our six year anniversary.  We re-opened the gym on June 2, 2003 and have been going ever since.  We were fortunate to be given the opportunity to continue the operation of the gym despite the loss of our instructor, Sifu Bill Gebhardt, owner and head instructor of the State College Martial Arts Academy, the predecessor to Titan Fitness.

The management and staff of Titan Fitness would like to thank all of the students through the years who have entrusted your training to us and supported this gym during the past six years.  None of this would have been possible without you.  We look forward to continuing to serve you in the years to come.

Paul Zelinka is the owner of Titan Fitness & Martial Arts.  Mr. Zelinka has been involved in the fitness and martial arts industry since 1992.  He is a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise.  Prior to his ownership of Titan Fitness & Martial Arts, Mr. Zelinka was the general manager of the State College Martial Arts Academy from 1993-2002.  He studied Thai Boxing under Sifu Bill Gebhardt.  Mr. Zelinka re-opened the business in June of 2003 under the Titan Fitness (the name of his personal training business) to continue the martial arts legacy of his late friend, Bill Gebhardt, as well as his personal training business.  In 2006, Mr. Zelinka received the State College Area Jaycees Outstanding Fitness Leader award.

In addition to his personal and group fitness training, Mr. Zelinka created the Elite Training program.  This program is a high-intensity training program that combines exercises from weight training, calisthenics, plyometrics, and isometrics into a variety of different formats to promote muscular confusion that will lead to higher levels of fitness and conditioning.  Paul also serves as the Titan Fitness & Martial Arts beginning boxing instructor.  He also teaches private and small group lessons in boxing.

Sifu Bill Gebhardt was the owner of the State College Martial Arts Academy, the gym that preceded Titan Fitness.  He would have turned 45 years of age today.  On the date of his birth, we commemorate and celebrate his life.

Bill Gebhardt was a world class martial artist.  He trained under martial arts legends such as Dan Inosanto, Chai Sirisute, Francis Fong, as well as mixed martial arts pioneers like Erik Paulson.  He was certified under Dan Inosanto in Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts and under Chai Sirisute in Thai Boxing.

Sifu started the State College Martial Arts Academy on August 20, 1991 at 134 E. Foster Avenue with the dream of passing on his knowledge of martial arts to his community.  In January of 1992, Sifu won second place in full contact stickfighting in the super heavyweight division at the World Championships in Manila, Philippines.  This created such a buzz that people all around the Centre Region wanted to train under him. 

As the business expanded so too did the need for space.  In July 1993, Sifu moved the Academy to 412 W. College Avenue (the present home of Titan Fitness) where it remained until his passing.  During this time, Sifu’s positive influence through the martial arts was far reaching. Youth and adults alike benefited from his caring nature and willingness to help anyone in need.  He gave free lessons to at risk children and to those who couldn’t afford lessons.  He felt so strongly that martial arts could turn around lives in the way it did for him that he wanted to extend that offer to anyone willing to put forth the effort.  He only asked that people try and do their best.

His giving nature toward children really came into being due to the most important event of his life, the birth of his son Jordan on August 19, 1994.  He always viewed children as the future and wanted to do his part to ensure success for young people.

Sifu trained champions, taught everyone from three year olds to Penn State football players, gave to those in need, and changed lives.  The world will be a better place for having had him for the time it did.  Those of us who knew him were so fortunate.  To be able to call him Sifu, mentor, and friend, was and will always remain an honor.

We will continue to carry on his legacy by striving to meet the standard of excellence Sifu set for us through the Gebhardt Martial Arts program.  Sifu Bill Gebhardt: always loved, always respected, always remembered, never forgotten.