# gettin into mma



## iceman574 (Jun 2, 2006)

hey i was wondering if eny of you know how to go about gettin into mma i live in the uk and have done a little boxing thats it i would love to give mma a go as i love the sport to death can enyone piont me in the right direction is there like mma schools you can go to or do i have to like train in varios styles


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## Paw (May 23, 2006)

Check your pms


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## fullpitch (May 30, 2006)

I would keep my fights in the gym and have my fun that way unless I had years of experience in martial arts and grappling and was in the best condition of my life while still being in my prime. otherwise I'd stay out.


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## tappingUout (Apr 13, 2006)

open the phone book and check out local gyms for the arts...all depends on what you want to learn...


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## The Don (May 25, 2006)

also do an internet search or ask around in your local gyms


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## Paw (May 23, 2006)

Which county do you live in and I will put the link to the directory to all the clubs in the area. You wont find any MMA schools here in the UK already looked.


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## iceman574 (Jun 2, 2006)

i live in leeds/uk i have been wanting to get into it for a while i guess i am wantin to learn some, boxing, wrestling, ju-jit-su- and some submission skills


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

I don't know if there's any BJJ in the UK, but I would suggest that with some boxing. If you think you're going to just be able to dive right in you have the wrong idea.

I've been training MMA since I was 14 and even though I have a good MMA record, it's because I waited 4 years before I took my first fight. You got to think about how old you are and whether or not you're going to be able to get into this and compete with guys who have been doing this since childhood.

Good luck.


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## iceman574 (Jun 2, 2006)

well i am 20 years old i consider that to be very young i learn very fast if i can manage to find a place that will help me me a more rounded fighter i think i might have a good chance i am very athletic and very strong for my size i am 5 foot 6 and weigh 63kg and can bench just over 100kg i am very strong and and i do not have a bulky frame i rekon i would be at a advantage i would be a lightweight and i would be stronger than most my opponents i know strenth is not the most inportant attribute in mma but it helps with the right training no dout in my mind i would kick ass i know i have potentiol it just seem no one knows how to get into this shit


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

Sure. Look around town for promoters who work with any kind of fighting. Ask them about where to look for MMA. I can't give you any help outside of that other than never turn your back on another fighter, even outside of the ring.

Usually if you find a gym, your trainer will have an idea.

By the way, 20 is old to be starting your training. Most guys start with their martial arts training in middle school or high school. Some start as you as 8.

Good luck.


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## iceman574 (Jun 2, 2006)

startin age has really nothin to do with it i have seen events were a guy aged 30 odd had only started fightin at 26 and still whooped ass when i started boxing i was beatin people who had being doing it years before me it all comes down to natural talent, abilitly to learn. and detumanation what the point in statin at 8 you aint gonna take it seriosly at that age i pick up skills very easly and if i find somewere that will train me i know ill be able to beat people who have been doing it longer it happens in mma all the time experiance is only has good as the fighter who posses it e.g ritch franklin used to be a teacher only started fighing less than 5 years ago now he is dominating the middleweight division why natural talent mean while evan tanner who has tons of experance can not seem to hang with the big dogs do not tell me that 20 is to old i know that if i was trainind in mma for 3 to 5 years thats all the time i would need thats all tito had and look at him


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

That is a really good point, dedication is what matters. But you're going to have to put alot of time in to keep up with people who have been doing this their whole lives. Rich Franklin gave his entire life up and dedicated himself entirely to MMA for 4 years and that kind of dedication doesn't come along very often.

I also think you underestimate the dedication of youths and the heightened ability to learn at a young age.


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## iceman574 (Jun 2, 2006)

i get what you are sayin but the fact remains i am 20 i am in my prime and will be for many years to say its a bit to old is sill if i was startin at 30 then you would have a point but like i sead experiance is only as good as the fighter who posses it i feel i have potentiol but will never no untill i give it it go i wish i was american it would be easyer to get into not many people over here are really aware of mma making it hard for me to get into


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## fullpitch (May 30, 2006)

ice makes a good point. gracie was a 4th degree black belt at the time he beat the black dragon who held 10 different black belts. there are naturals that fight good without training then there are people without talent that learn slow. at 20 if youre a natural I'd say go for it and enjoy it whether you got into the ufc or not but someone over 30 thats not gifted I'd say start training at a local gym if it pleases you but dont consider yourself a badass and expect to get into the ufc.


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## The Don (May 25, 2006)

20 is not too old to start I am 28 and thinking of competeing, granted I ahve been training on and off since I was about 6 so I have that going for me, but I know I need to get in a bit better shape and am planning on entering a few grappling tournaments first to get the feel of competition again


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## Eminem (Jun 4, 2006)

Go to a submission grappling gym.
But you need one that doesnt show you sport Ju Jitsu make sure it's MMA.


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

Sport jiu-jitsu?!? Are you talking about jiu-jitsu only competitions?

Jiu0jitsu might be a sport but as far as I know all of the schools that I've been to (and that's a few) teach practical jiu-jitsu.


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## Eminem (Jun 4, 2006)

*I have been to alot of Gyms and a few of them teaches sitting guard and way's to play from the guard that would get you knocked out in an MMA fight.*


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

Well that's surprising and disappointing. I just assumed that if you were permitted to run a Jiu-jitsu place that you knew what you were doing. . . oh well.

Where abouts in Jersey are these schools (I'm assuming that they're near to you)?


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## Eminem (Jun 4, 2006)

Royler Gracie academy In North Jersey

Dave Adiv was the instructor my Father used to go there and got me into it.


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

I don't know Dave Avid, you have an idea of his credentials?


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## Eminem (Jun 4, 2006)

Dave Adiv 

And he does not Compete,From what he said is "No need to compete,Why compete? and lose" Basicly people will think less of you,and Hes a black belt


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

Yeah, his backround's like I'd figured it would be: lots of competition in Jiu-jitsu, none in MMA or anything else.

The idea is to learn the fundamentals and the tricks that make individual technique important. A guy like Adiv might not teach you how BJJ fits into MMA, but most people can figure it out for themselves.

I do agree, though, that you should find somewhere that focuses on MMA grappling. Look for somewhere were the teacher also has a judo backround or a kempo backround (not all grappling, but equally as important). That way he/she can show you how it all fits together.


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## Eminem (Jun 4, 2006)

When i hit 18

I was thinking of going to a straight up Boxing Gym for a couple years and then finding a Grappling gym that fits more into MMA.I did boxing last year for a few months.

But what do you think??


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## The Don (May 25, 2006)

curious, why a Judo background. I mean Judo was my first art. so I have nothing against it but I am just wondering your reasoning


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

I just don't think that BJJ is really that efficent if your takedowns aren't effect, and the basic BJJ takedowns aren't as hard as the majority of Judo takedowns. That second or two while your opponent is transitioning from standing to groundgame is really great when looking for submissions and you need to be the one taking down to work.

After I watched Royce v Kimo a couple of times I realized why the fight took so long. Royce couldn't get rid of Kimo's balance and if he had a basic knowledge of Judo he would have grounded him alot quicker.

If you're going to be a grappler then you gotta also make sure that you can get to the ground. Jiu-jitsu works sometimes, but you can't always stand for that long looking for the right takedown.


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## The Don (May 25, 2006)

ok yea I can totally agree with that with judo being my base art I found it very helpful when I took other styles, espically when taking throws or being thrown I knew how to react and was not shocked by hitting the ground when thrown where most people take a second or two to react where unless the throw was exceptionaly hard or I just landed wrong which is rare to my judo training I react faster then most expect me to


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## Eminem (Jun 4, 2006)

Wrestling take downs


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## The Don (May 25, 2006)

what about wrestling take downs?


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

Wrestling takedowns require no real form (this is from years of experience in Roman-Greco and freestyle). All they do is throw your strength against your opponents limbs. If your opponent is allowed to use strikes, which they aren't in wrestling competitions, you will get your face broken.

Example: Terry Martin v Sandman If you rush in like an idiot thinking that you can just trample another MMA fighter you will probably get destroyed. Judo throws require clinching first, which protects you from punches, and then removes your opponent from their base, which means you don't have to use nearly as much muscle.


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## The Don (May 25, 2006)

umm yea I knew that, but great explination, I was meaning though to the previous poster who said.. wrestling take down, I was asking what about them... I really should quote more often


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