How It All Started
Back in 2019, I was tired of seeing the same cookie-cutter gyms pop up everywhere. You know the type - all mirrors and machines, zero soul. I'd spent 15 years competing in powerlifting and MMA, watching friends train in basements and sketchy warehouses because there wasn't a proper facility that understood what serious athletes actually needed.
So I cashed out my savings, convinced a few training buddies to come along for the ride, and we built Shadowthorn Empire from the ground up. Literally. We laid the flooring ourselves, welded the rig, painted every wall. That industrial space on Industrial Avenue? Yeah, the name wasn't lost on us.
Our Philosophy
We don't do fluff here. No juice bars, no spa treatments, no Instagram photo ops. What we've got is 8,000 square feet of platform space, heavy iron, combat equipment that'll make you work, and coaches who've actually been in the trenches.
Training isn't supposed to be comfortable. It's supposed to challenge you, break you down so you can build yourself back stronger. That's the empire mindset - you're not here to maintain, you're here to conquer.
We've watched members go from barely hitting a 135lb squat to competing at nationals. Seen folks walk in with zero fighting experience and step into the cage a year later. That's what keeps us going - watching people realize they're capable of way more than they thought.
This place runs on sweat equity and mutual respect. Leave your ego at the door, bring your work ethic, and we'll show you what you're really made of.
- Marcus Thornhill
Founder & Head Coach
