# Couple Questions (Considering MMA as a Hobby)



## LoneRider (Nov 4, 2012)

I recently have been (re)reading an old favorite book known as Power to the People by Pavel Tsastouline. The gist of the book is in twenty minute of work, for four working sets (two each of deadlift and a press of some sort) one can build a fair bit of strength. Having used programming from the book for a year plus three times a week I will attest to the validity of the method. At 168 lbs I can currently deadlift 405 lbs and when I did Jiu Jitsu in California five months ago that greater strength helped quite a bit when skill was equal. 

My question is, will a minimalist strength program (done twice a week) be a good help for taking up MMA as a hobby? I know time constraints such as a full-time job (US Army), possibly mandatory unit PT, and the like can impact recovery as well. I'm gonna look into schools when I PCS after I finish the US Army Engineer Captain's Career Course and graduate school at Missouri Science and Technology. I'm also curious about what to look for regarding a school that is beginner friendly. I'm hoping to get stationed at either Fort Lewis, WA or Schoffield Barracks, HI. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Mz1 (Nov 7, 2012)

I don't see why not. All gym owners are out to make a living. They won't just throw some new person into the cage to fight, get beat up and lose potential students. The training and cardio is certainly tough, but so are most aerobics classes, Zumba, etc. if you go through the whole thing w/o cheating. No shame in slowing down or taking a breather. I take 3 back to back, one hour classes 3x per week at least as part of my fight training while most people have a tough time surviving just one class.....but this took me a good amount of time to build up such endurance. In the beginning, I was also gassing out in the 1 hour classes and took breaks while others ran around me.

Most students in MMA gyms don't even want to spar hard for knockouts, let alone fight in the ring/cage. Which is why they stay away from sparring class or only spar in Jiu-Jitsu. No problem with that neither. MMA gyms just gives you the option to really become a fighter if you chose to....and generally, the instructors will encourage you more towards competing. Many people will later discover that they actually do enjoy fighting yet, never thought before that they would.


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## LoneRider (Nov 18, 2012)

> I don't see why not. All gym owners are out to make a living. They won't just throw some new person into the cage to fight, get beat up and lose potential students. The training and cardio is certainly tough, but so are most aerobics classes, Zumba, etc. if you go through the whole thing w/o cheating. No shame in slowing down or taking a breather. I take 3 back to back, one hour classes 3x per week at least as part of my fight training while most people have a tough time surviving just one class.....but this took me a good amount of time to build up such endurance. In the beginning, I was also gassing out in the 1 hour classes and took breaks while others ran around me.
> 
> Most students in MMA gyms don't even want to spar hard for knockouts, let alone fight in the ring/cage. Which is why they stay away from sparring class or only spar in Jiu-Jitsu. No problem with that neither. MMA gyms just gives you the option to really become a fighter if you chose to....and generally, the instructors will encourage you more towards competing. Many people will later discover that they actually do enjoy fighting yet, never thought before that they would.



Sounds good. My background is mostly striking (Krav Maga and Boxing with some Wing Chun) with some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu mixed in so I've got some familiarity with some of the techniques. Some schools I've seen (for instance the Gracie Barra ones) require MMA interested types to have a certain number of classes in striking and grappling before hand. Is this a good type of school for an MMA, but not martial arts beginner?


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## martial sparrer (Mar 19, 2013)

of course 100 %.  when yu take up martia arts.....you are training yourself to be a fighter, warrior etc.  i know people that only lift weights and consider themselves martial artists because they are training themselves to be deadly in combat


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