MMA - how to start?
Discussion
How easy is it to get into MMA as a beginner? I am looking to get into a new sport, for fitness, fun and stress relief. It also helps that I am often mired in self loathing so would probably enjoy being punched in the face 
MMA is something that I think would catch and keep my attention, a sport that I often enjoy watching, but as someone with absolutely no martial arts experience (and having never thrown a punch in anger) is it easy to get into as a newbie?
If it helps I am in decent shape if not a very powerfully built PHer, 27 years old (if thats not to old to start learning?)
Any recommendations from PH MMA'ers on how to get started?
MMA is something that I think would catch and keep my attention, a sport that I often enjoy watching, but as someone with absolutely no martial arts experience (and having never thrown a punch in anger) is it easy to get into as a newbie?If it helps I am in decent shape if not a very powerfully built PHer, 27 years old (if thats not to old to start learning?)
Any recommendations from PH MMA'ers on how to get started?
Join a BJJ gym, great for fitness and open to all ages and levels of fitness and ability. No getting punched in the face but relying on technique and initiative is better suited to some of less well built PHers 
http://www.combatsport.co.uk/
http://www.combatsport.co.uk/
At the risk of being controversial there is an alternative route to combat based fun and fitness.
If you don't fancy shelling out a ton on a Gracie Barra regulation Gi, signing a 12 month contract and then being upsold rashguards, seminars & patches and then signing another contract for the striking classes and another for the conditioning classes then you could always go the old fashioned route of finding a good boxing gym and a Judo class near you.
If you don't fancy shelling out a ton on a Gracie Barra regulation Gi, signing a 12 month contract and then being upsold rashguards, seminars & patches and then signing another contract for the striking classes and another for the conditioning classes then you could always go the old fashioned route of finding a good boxing gym and a Judo class near you.
Halb said:
What's this talk of contracts?
Try to train at Gracie Barra schools and you'll be presented with a 12 month no get outs contract, most likely administered by Ashbourne Management. Ashbourne being the company who were the subject of a six year Office of Fair Trading investigation which resulted in 13 variations of their contracts being unfair to the point of being unenforceable. click
At a GB affiliate school I used to train at (GB uniforms compulsory) they had their own contracting process. When I initially signed up it was for 12 months with get outs for injury among other things. Between the time I signed that contract and the time I suffered a grade 3 AC joint separation at the hands of a raging gym rat who ignored my tap they had altered the contract for new members to be a 36 month (!!) contract with no get outs. They claimed that they had notified me by email and that my continued use of their facility constituted acceptance of terms.
It took a solicitor to get them to back off from that one.
I've trained BJJ at various points since the late 90s and have a real love of the sport but will never again train within that network. Luckily I'm still in touch with a few others who have had similar run ins and we can roll together without having to kick up to King Carlos.
There's tons of stuff on the net about this, a random Sherdog thread gives a flavour:
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f12/gracie-barra-get...
Edited by HerrSchnell on Sunday 23 December 19:53
I started thai boxing at 25.
Never been a sporty person. The only sport I did when I was a child was tae kwon do and a bit of boxing, but gave that up when I hit my teens. Worked with someone who had just had an mma fight and thought I would give it a go again. Didn't really fancy the whole rolling around on the floor with men part of it though so found a thai boxing gym instead.
That was 2 years ago. It's pretty easy to get into. Just find a gym or class and go along. If you like it, you'll go back. Go back enough times and you find yourself getting better. Then you'll want to fight.
Every one I've met has been really helpful and friendly and our local gym is like a little community, I really enjoy it.
Never been a sporty person. The only sport I did when I was a child was tae kwon do and a bit of boxing, but gave that up when I hit my teens. Worked with someone who had just had an mma fight and thought I would give it a go again. Didn't really fancy the whole rolling around on the floor with men part of it though so found a thai boxing gym instead.
That was 2 years ago. It's pretty easy to get into. Just find a gym or class and go along. If you like it, you'll go back. Go back enough times and you find yourself getting better. Then you'll want to fight.
Every one I've met has been really helpful and friendly and our local gym is like a little community, I really enjoy it.
davey68 said:
Jimmyboy how have you found the training? I've read muay thai is pretty tough on the body and conditioning work is full on?
It's not too bad, certainly gets you in shape though. Having said that I've been carrying broken toes on each foot for the past 6 weeks or so now, as every session they just get injured again. But thats not the training as such, that's just me been an idiot and not resting them properly!It is easy to pick up and carry injuries, but I haven't had any thing too bad yet, but I would imagine MMA or any other contact sport is exactly the same in that respect.
I think in the UK it's easy enough and you can progress at your own pace and do as much or as little as you want and certainly the coaches at the gym I train at are pretty switched on with regards to peoples abilities and needs, I've never trained in Thailand though so that might be a whole different ball game.
I'm certainly in the amateur end of scene, I've done a few interclub, non decision fights but would quite like to try a C class pro fight in the future. My normal week involves 2 or 3, 1 hour classes with half an hour or so of sparring at the end. 2 half hours of 1 on 1 training with a coach. Then normally an hour or 2 of pads and sparring at the weekend if I can squeeze it in.
I guess it helps if you have a decent level of fitness and flexibility to start with but any responsible trainers will build you up slow and most will have beginners classes to get the basics and bring the fitness and flexibility along at the same time.
It's easy to get into, google a few local gyms, check up on their credentials (ideally the coaches will be people with good competition experience)
I'd try a few of the gyms and stick to paying per class until you're happy you've found the right gym and want to stick at it
Leave your ego at the door as if you want to get involved in the rolling/sparring etc early on you'll get brought down to earth pretty quickly
I started when I had just turned 24 and am now nearly 30, my previous experience was only boxing and a bit of a gym obsession. I never intended to compete but soon found it totally addictive and now MMA is a massive part of my life
See it as a chance to learn and remember to keep comparing yourself with how you were when you started rather than against the other guys in the gym, it makes it a lot easier then to be positive and be spurred on to keep improving
I'd try a few of the gyms and stick to paying per class until you're happy you've found the right gym and want to stick at it
Leave your ego at the door as if you want to get involved in the rolling/sparring etc early on you'll get brought down to earth pretty quickly
I started when I had just turned 24 and am now nearly 30, my previous experience was only boxing and a bit of a gym obsession. I never intended to compete but soon found it totally addictive and now MMA is a massive part of my life
See it as a chance to learn and remember to keep comparing yourself with how you were when you started rather than against the other guys in the gym, it makes it a lot easier then to be positive and be spurred on to keep improving
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