Moses Lake's newest gym brings energy to the boxing community

Aug. 18—"For the next generation, definitely want to build something that they can have and train with." Jordan Hamman, owner Hamman Boxing MOSES LAKE — The city of Moses Lake welcomed its newest fitness club Thursday afternoon with the grand opening of Hamman Boxing. Jordan Hamman, the owner of the gym said he is excited to get this new chapter in his life started. "It feels pretty awesome, and the community's been a pretty big support this whole time," said Hamman. "We're getting a lot of positive feedback and everything, so that's really cool." He said the decision to push toward opening his own gym came from becoming the full-time sole custodial guardian of his three kids aged five, seven and 10. After years of working in construction, Hamman decided he needed to make a career change that allowed him more flexibility to raise his children. In his youth, Hamman had experience competing as a wrestler and a boxer. He started wrestling at the age of four and began boxing in middle school. "Just being in that kind of competitive sport and that competitive mindset since I was four is what kept me in the sports," said Hamman. "The morale, the friendships and the community that was made inside those mat rooms and the boxing ring was really cool. You can't find it anywhere else." With his background in athletics, Hamman said he decided to reach out to his brother who is a partial owner of a gym in Portland and see what it would take to start his own. "We sat down and really crunched everything, and I decided I could get back into a sport that I loved growing up, give back to the community and be there for my kids," he said. A place to train for boxing is something that has been in demand for Moses Lake as there are quite a few budding athletes and the only facilities exist outside the city. Hamman said he has already begun to get a steady flow of members, with two athletes signing on and showing up ready on opening day. With the opportunity to start his own gym, he said his goal is to build up the next generation of boxers. "For the next generation, definitely want to build something that they can have and train with," said Hamman. "You don't have to be a professional boxer to come in here; you could just be learning how to throw a punch. That's really what I want to do, it's just another outlet that these kids can come and enjoy themselves and kind of build a community." Hamman Boxing will offer both a general fitness membership along with a structured class schedule for those looking to go more in depth. Youth classes are scheduled from around 4-5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and teen/adult classes are scheduled from around 5-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hamman said for classes he plans to have people such as his brother or other members of the community with boxing experience come in to help with the curriculum. Those looking to just get a workout in without a class structure can still come in from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. "There'll always be someone here that can help you if you want to go that extra level or if you just want a good cardio workout or a good fun metric workout, then they've got you," he said. The gym itself will host sparring nights among its members Friday evenings but is also hoping to get some of the students in larger competitions around the area, said Hamman. "There are a few students where that is their main goal," he said. "They really want to compete, some already have amateur cards with a lot of fights on them. I want to be able to offer them a training facility that meets all their needs in their hometowns." As Hamman heads further into this new path, he said the prospect of giving the community another athletic avenue to explore is exciting. "I think it'll be fun to give everyone another outlet," said Hamman. "That's what I'm mostly looking forward to is the community that we'll build here in the gym."