Learning Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) was a good way to survive for Dennis Cregier, who grew up in a tough neighborhood in Mount Kisko, N.Y.

Now 27 years later, the 41-year-old owns his own mixed martial arts school called Dragon Within and is about to celebrate the first anniversary at its current location of 11 Franklin Street, just off Route 114 in Salem.

“When I was growing up it was a tough place, but my hometown has changed a lot since then,” said Cregier, who holds a black belt in kickboxing/jujitsu blend and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. “My wife is from Marblehead, which is how I ended up here.”

Cregier has been in business for six years, first in Salem and then Peabody before moving back to the Witch City. He has spent the last 12 months at his current location.

“We have classes for ordinary people looking for a different way to get in shape, and I also train people wanting to fight,” he said. “We have a lot of kids as well as women and men of all ages. We can design a program to fit any goal.

“This is something you can do your whole life with good coaching and safe training. Quite a few women do it not only for fitness but also self defense, so our kickboxing classes are very popular.”

The ordinary person, he said, is mainly looking for a different way to exercise. “We give people a schedule to follow; some are here every day and others twice a week. Many add yoga or something else into their routine,” said Cregier. “We can accommodate whatever a person’s needs are.”

Cregier, who competed in both kickboxing and boxing in his home state, also trains the most serious MMA athletes who are preparing for a fight. Currently there are five in this special group of serious fighters training at Dragon Within, including one young woman.

“That’s not the majority of my population. Out of 50 people, I’ll have one or possibly two fighters,” said Cregier. “They may do some workout sessions with our regular groups, but they mostly train separately from everybody else. We’re not going to let them go up against the average person taking a class.

“(Lynn’s) Shannon Harney is getting ready for her fourth fight Oct. 30 at the Combat Zone in Salem, N.H. She only goes around 120 pounds, but she’s a little dynamo.”

Cregier said his most famous fighter is Salem’s own Greg Jackson. “He’s done quite well,” he said. “He hasn’t fought in about a year and is now helping me run our kids’ program. Another up-and-coming guy is Peter Wellman, who is from Arlington.”

Cregier said he uses the same training as the fighters do in his classes for the general population, but it is not as strenuous. In order to succeed in MMA fighting, Cregier stressed that fighters need to be adept at all facets of the sport.

“It’s part kickboxing, wrestling and clinching as well as grappling, which is like Brazilian ground fighting,” said Cregier. “You start out standing then take your opponent down, which is where the ground fighting takes over. The sport is growing in leaps and bounds. In five to 10 years they are predicting it will be one of the biggest around.

“I think the reason why (the sport) has taken so long to get big is because some people look at MMA as barbaric, but in fact it is very safe. You have to put in rigorous training sessions for seven weeks to get ready for a fight. Amateurs go three 3-minute rounds while pros have five 3-minute rounds. You have to be in great shape to do it because you go all out every second.”

DWMMA offers all kinds of martial arts with classes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Thai kickboxing, kids karate, adult karate, cardio and circuit training, strength and conditioning for people of all ages and every fitness level.

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Jean DePlacido is a part-time writer and columnist for The Salem News. Contact her at jmdeplacido@aol.com.