Dave Vacco is the head boxing instructor and the Boxing I instructor at Titan Fitness & Martial Arts. He also coaches the Penn State Boxing Team. Dave became involved with boxing as a student at Titan Fitness & Martial Arts five years ago. Since then, Dave has several years of experience competing as an amateur boxer under coaches John Robertson and Tommy Wilt, out of Altoona Boxing Club. Dave has also learned from Walter Kravitsky, Steve Bumbaco, and Walter Blake.
As a boxing coach, Dave has coached dozens of competitive boxers in hundreds of bouts, including four All-Americans, seven NCBA national qualifiers, and one national runner-up. In the 2009-2010 season, Penn State Boxers had 52 fights.
Dave has a life-long love of the sweet science. He teaches the “Boxer-mover” style, which involves slick footwork, out-fighting, and counter-punching. Dave treats boxing as a chess match, teaching his boxers to strategize and out-smart their opponents. The Boxer-mover, commonly called the “European Style,” or “in-and-out” style, is the most successful style on the international boxing scene, most notably utilized by the Cuban National Boxing Team. By taking advantage of the scoring system of amateur boxing, the boxer-mover style teaches a boxer to score and get out, building up points and out-hussling opponents. Dave learned this style from a former member of the Russian Olympic Boxing Team.
Dave also teaches aspects of “pressure-style” boxing, which involves relentless forward movement, head-movement, and attacking combinations. Commonly this style involves steady hussle, trapping opponents on the ropes or in the corner. This is the style Dave’s coach, Tommy Wilt, used to win 6 open-class golden glove state championships, competing on the U.S. National Team, and gaining a 21-7 professional record. Dave’s boxers have the pressure-style in their toolbox, allowing them to “switch gears” when the time is right.
Titan Fitness & Martial Arts is proud to announce its new schedule for the Fall 2009 semester. The fall schedule goes into effect on Monday, August 24 for existing students with beginning classes to start the week of August 31.
Introductory free lessons for new students will get underway during the week of August 17 and will continue throughout the months of August, September, and into the early part of October. Free lessons can be scheduled by calling the gym at 814/235-1015 or emailing us at info@titanfitness.com.
The following is a list of changes that have been made to the Fall 2009 schedule.
1. The youth martial arts classes will meet from 6 PM to 7 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays starting on Wednesday, September 9.
2. An intermediate mixed martial arts class will meet on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 and will serve as a preparatory class for the advanced mixed martial arts. All students who have completed the beginners MMA and Thai boxing beginners class qualify for this section.
3. Speaking of the advanced MMA class, it will move to the Monday and Wednesday 4:30 to 6 PM time slot to accommodate the new youth class schedule.
4. There will not be a no-gi grappling program due to the fact that we are including the grappling into all sections of the mixed martial arts programs.
5. Due to the exclusion of the no-gi grappling class, the vacated time slot is now being made available for sororities to have their own sections for women’s kickboxing. Special rates will be available on a per student basis for the sorority women’s kickboxing. Interested sororities should contact us as soon as possible as these slots are limited.
6. The Filipino martial arts class will be moved to 5 PM to 6:30 PM.
The present women’s kickboxing and boxing sections will remain the same for the fall semester.
If you have questions about the new schedule, call or email us. We look forward to a great fall semester will our new and present students. Enjoy the rest of the summer. See you all very soon.
Titan Fitness(formerly State College Martial Arts Academy) has been teaching boxing to men and women of all ages and experience levels since 1994.
Titan’s Coaches are not only excellent teacher’s of the fundamentals of the sport, but most of them have been competitive boxer’s themselves.
Titan Fitness has produced many accomplished Penn State Boxers, and currently is a training center for the Penn State Boxing team.
The boxing program at Titan Fitness is much more than just an avenue for competition. It is a great alternative workout to one’s normal workout routine. It is also a great cross-training activity to other sports such as: football, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, and many more!! Developing hand and foot speed, as well as, cardiovascular and muscular conditioning is a main philosophy of the program.
Titan Fitness offers a FREE LESSON to all curious or interested men and women of any age or experience level!
Titan Fitness & Martial Arts is presently accepting new students for summer classes. Those classes include mixed martial arts, women’s kickboxing, Filipino martial arts, and boxing. If you are interested in any of these programs, contact us at 814/235-1015 or via email at info@titanfitness.com to schedule your free lesson. Classes for existing students start during the week of May 18 with beginners classes starting the following week on Tuesday, May 26 (Titan is closed Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day).
Please visit our website for the class of your choice. You can then check our summer schedule to see if the class fits your availability. We look forward to a great summer and hope you will be a part of it with us at Titan Fitness.
Titan Fitness & Martial Arts is proud to serve the State College, Central Pennsylvania, and Penn State University communities as the area’s only full-time, full service martial arts, boxing, and fitness facility providing classes in mixed martial arts, Thai boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, women’s kickboxing, youth Jeet Kune Do, Filipino martial arts, and boxing, as well as specialized fitness programs. We also offer personal and small group fitness and martial arts lessons to better suit your individual goals and schedules.
Titan Fitness & Martial Arts is proud to be partnered with Lionheart Fitness & Tanning in downtown State College creating an alliance between the area’s premiere fitness & mixed martial arts operations.
Members benefit in number of ways:
- Central Pennsylvania’s only mixed martial arts cage
- The area’s only boxing ring
- Two sizable classrooms to accommodate multiple mixed martial arts, Thai boxing, kickboxing, and grappling/wrestling classes
- Heavy bags and other supplemental martial arts training equipment
- 20,000 square foot, state of the art fitness facility with the latest in cardiovascular and weight training equipment (no need to buy another fitness membership at another facility)
- Locker rooms complete with showers and sauna
- Located walking distance from the Penn State campus and downtown State College (no need to drive, find a ride, or buy a bus pass if you live in this area)
- Free Parking
- Tanning
- Day Care
If you are interested in one of our programs, you first have the opportunity to participate in a free lesson. This gives you the chance to try out and evaluate the class prior to making any commitment. You may schedule your free lesson by calling (814) 235-1015 or by stopping into the gym. We accept beginners on an ongoing basis and can easily integrate you into a class that has already begun.
Mixed Martial Arts Instruction
MMA – Combat Submission Wrestling, a Street Practical Self Defense and Fighting Sport System emphasizing Boxing, Thai Boxing, and Submission Grappling Techniques
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Martial art, combat sport, and form of self-defense that focuses on grappling, especially ground fighting.
Titan Fitness & Martial Arts debuted its new television commercial during Spike TV’s UFC Live Fight Nights earlier this year. The commercial features a fast-paced montage of the offerings at Titan to include Mixed Martial Arts, Women’s Kickboxing, Thai Boxing, Submission Grappling, Boxing, Filipino Martial Arts, and Elite Training.
The commercial is superbly paced by the song “Let ‘Em Go” by local band, The Clover. Titan Fitness would like to express its gratitude to the band for the use of such a perfect song for the commercial. You can visit this talented band’s My Space page at http://www.myspace.com/69leafclover to get more information about the band, sample their great original music, and view a schedule of upcoming appearances.
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.
Jake Winowich Advanced to Finals of the NCBA National Championships
Four Penn State boxers competed at the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) National Championships at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland April 2-4. Dan Testa and Luke Davis lost hard-fought decisions in the quarterfinal round on Thursday. Jake Winowich and Anthony Liotta were both victorious in their first bouts advancing to the semifinals and earning All-American status. In the semis, Anthony lost a close decision in his 139 pound bout. Jake was victorious advancing to the finals on Saturday. Jake lost but fought valliantly in Sunday’s final. Congratulations to all of the fighters and coaches on a great season and on the resurgence of Penn State Boxing. Titan Fitness has been proud to be associated with Penn State Boxing and looks forward to a long-standing relationship in promoting and supporting this fine program.
Former Titan Fitness boxing student and Penn State boxer Luke Davis was selected for an at large bid to compete at the NCBA Nationals to be held at College Park, MD from April 2-4. Luke was selected on the basis of his 3rd place performance at the Eastern Regionals of the National Collegiate Boxing Association. Luke joins fellow Penn State boxers Jake Winowich, Anthony Liotta, and Dan Testa to contest for collegiate boxing national championships. Congratulations to Luke and his teammates on their achievements.
Earlier this year, the Daily Collegian Online did a story on Katongo Mulenga, am amateur boxer and longtime member of Titan Fitness. The story features his experiences, goals, and aspirations.
