Thinking about giving MMA a try. Tips?

[Shai Hulud]

Hello, MT Community.

So I'm thinking about giving the Mixed Martial Arts gig a try. As is I have roughly two good years invested in JKD, and (more recently) two and a half with the Keysi Fighting Method. I've been researching on basic rules and guidelines, obviously disappointed to find out that most of what I've been drilled to do under KFM are illegal or impractical for the sport. I'm dropping my Caveman program and augment my existing body-weight and kettlebell training programs to make more time for this. I've decided to use the programs outlined in the RKC Book of S&C from Dragon Door Publications to form the core of my conditioning supplement. Any advice? I hear the conditioning programs from Martin Rooney (Training For Warriors, Warrior Cardio, etc.) are pretty good too.

Any other tips on how to proceed? I'm looking for good arts/styles I can cross-train to plug in the gaping holes in my KFM base after MMA rules apply. In my immediate area I have access to instructors for boxing/kickboxing, Muay Thai, Savate, BJJ and my old JKD training centre. Most of these guys are friends, since getting more formal instruction from bigger centres is going to be a challenge due to budget constraints (also extends to a trainer or equipment I may have to get to myself, but I can spend for the essentials). I'm at a loss with where to go from here.

Hell's horses, who knew it'd be this complex right from the get-go.:dramaqueen:

 

[drop bear]

Well you have a few options. You can convert all your illegal moves into legal ones. So eye gouges become punches,groin kicks become leg kicks. And then jump in a ammy mma fight and see what happens.

We did that with some bjj comps and even thrown some boxers into c class events. Mma is designed to be sort of safe. That is the point.

Or you could do do a fast tracked wimp to warrior style event that will give you a twelve week training program and then put you in the cage at the end of it.

http://wimp2warrior.com.au

Or you could just train mma for a bit.

 

[Shai Hulud]

Well you have a few options. You can convert all your illegal moves into legal ones. So eye gouges become punches,groin kicks become leg kicks. And then jump in a ammy mma fight and see what happens.

We did that with some bjj comps and even thrown some boxers into c class events. Mma is designed to be sort of safe. That is the point.

Or you could do do a fast tracked wimp to warrior style event that will give you a twelve week training program and then put you in the cage at the end of it.

Or you could just train mma for a bit.

Do those fast-track programs really work, though? Or maybe I just haven't heard of any of them here in Wrexham.

 

[drop bear]

Do those fast-track programs really work, though? Or maybe I just haven't heard of any of them here in Wrexham.

At a good gym and provided the guy has some natural talent then yes. You are backing that up with two years ma experience regardless so you are ahead of of the curve.

The idea is that you are trained up enough to live through the experience.

 

[Shai Hulud]

At a good gym and provided the guy has some natural talent then yes. You are backing that up with two years ma experience regardless so you are ahead of of the curve.

The idea is that you are trained up enough to live through the experience.

Sound advice.

There's a nearby MMA/cross-training gym that I'll have to check out for such a module then. I'll see what I can do about converting some of the illegal techniques and adapting them to MMA as well. It's really the conditioning I'm itching over here - last thing I want is to be gassing out in the middle of a round and getting it handed to me.

 

[drop bear]

Sound advice.

There's a nearby MMA/cross-training gym that I'll have to check out for such a module then. I'll see what I can do about converting some of the illegal techniques and adapting them to MMA as well. It's really the conditioning I'm itching over here - last thing I want is to be gassing out in the middle of a round and getting it handed to me.

Get fitter. A c class should be three minutes not five by the way.

Just make sure the mma gym has a real fight record. Mma is not allways mma.

 

[Shai Hulud]

Just make sure the mma gym has a real fight record. Mma is not allways mma.

Do go on.

 

[Buka]

You will learn so much in MMA training, you will have so much fun....you go, girl, you won't be sorry.

 

[Shai Hulud]

You will learn so much in MMA training, you will have so much fun....you go, girl, you won't be sorry.

I hope so. I've been reading books on the subject - everything from Chael Sonnen's Voice of Enlightenment, to Forrest Griffin's Got Fight?, to GSP's The Way of the Fight, BJ Penn's Book of Knowledge, and even Bas Rutten's Big Book of Combat. Definitely the multifaceted sport I pegged it to be from day one - the challenge now is actually getting in there and repeating the whole JKD/Bruce Lee process of singling out what works for me and really conditioning myself for the sport.

 

[drop bear]

Do go on.

A lot of clubs will cash in on the idea of mma. Some will even throw you in to a fight with no real idea what they are doing.

 

[Tez3]

Wales has a couple of the best MMA clubs in the UK sadly they are in the south of Wales, too far to travel I think. I'm not sure what is up in the north, I've asked a mate if she knows anything, she's down south. I do know some good fighters/instructors to look out for up north though, Ashley Williams, Gareth Roberts and Russ Williams. Rosi Sexton also runs seminars for female MMA around the country, she's across in Manchester usually but is a mine of information and very supportive of female fighters.
MMA is great fun, I started it over 14 years ago after doing karate for a long time, got into the fighting, promoting, coaching, judging etc. and reffing which is brilliant fun.
Fights for girls are still fairly hard to come by here, due to lack of women fighters but it is getting better as more women enter the sport. Cagewarriors is a big promotion that is good for women, we do have some dodgy shows still but a good coach will have the contacts for the better shows. Feel free to give me a shout if you need any help.

 

[Shai Hulud]

Wales has a couple of the best MMA clubs in the UK sadly they are in the south of Wales, too far to travel I think. I'm not sure what is up in the north, I've asked a mate if she knows anything, she's down south. I do know some good fighters/instructors to look out for up north though, Ashley Williams, Gareth Roberts and Russ Williams. Rosi Sexton also runs seminars for female MMA around the country, she's across in Manchester usually but is a mine of information and very supportive of female fighters.
MMA is great fun, I started it over 14 years ago after doing karate for a long time, got into the fighting, promoting, coaching, judging etc. and reffing which is brilliant fun.
Fights for girls are still fairly hard to come by here, due to lack of women fighters but it is getting better as more women enter the sport. Cagewarriors is a big promotion that is good for women, we do have some dodgy shows still but a good coach will have the contacts for the better shows. Feel free to give me a shout if you need any help.

Thank you for that terrific reply, Tez

Are you aware of any happenings around Wrexham? Or at least around the neighboring townships and cities? There are a few training centres around Wrexham, but none really catering to the MMA crowd. The lot of them are more traditional, and I believe there's even a Taichi place somewhere around here.

Whereabouts in the north could I check out for that? I don't think I'd really be able to commit if I had to travel to Cardiff or Swansea every so often. Any leads would be lovely.

Thanks,
Ally

 

[Tez3]

Thank you for that terrific reply, Tez

Are you aware of any happenings around Wrexham? Or at least around the neighboring townships and cities? There are a few training centres around Wrexham, but none really catering to the MMA crowd. The lot of them are more traditional, and I believe there's even a Taichi place somewhere around here.

Whereabouts in the north could I check out for that? I don't think I'd really be able to commit if I had to travel to Cardiff or Swansea every so often. Any leads would be lovely.

Thanks,
Ally

I have friends looking for me, one of them Ricky knows a place but can't remember what it's called, we are beating him until he remembers lol. He's a nice ad really can't fight, he commentates on boxing and MMA fight nights, we don't hold that against him though. South is too far to travel for training regularly but they have some quite good shows down there for when you are ready to fight.
Ok just as I was typing I got a message, Dougie Wildman has a gym in Telford about an hour away he says, and there's also 'Elite' in Oswestry. More details to follow.

 

[Tez3]

Here we go, Dougie Wildman is at Spartan Gym. Have a look, tell him Irene (moi lol) gave you his name. www.spartanmma.co.uk

 

[Shai Hulud]

Here we go, Dougie Wildman is at Spartan Gym. Have a look, tell him Irene (moi lol) gave you his name. www.spartanmma.co.uk

Thank you very much indeed, Tez.

Telford, eh. I'll try and pay a visit before November's out. I'll shoot you a personal message and let you know how it goes when I do!

Cheers lady,
Ally