Mixed Martial Arts Trainers Near Me

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FAQs:

What is a Mixed Martial Arts Trainer?

An MMA (mixed martial arts) trainer is a coach or instructor who specializes in training individuals in the discipline of mixed martial arts. Mixed martial arts is a full-contact combat sport that combines techniques from a variety of martial arts styles, such as boxing, wrestling, judo, taekwondo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. An MMA trainer typically has a background in one or more martial arts disciplines and is knowledgeable in a wide range of techniques and strategies. They may work with amateur or professional fighters to help them improve their skills and prepare for competition. They may also teach classes to recreational practitioners who are interested in learning mixed martial arts for fitness or self-defense.

What is MMA Training?

MMA training refers to the process of preparing for competition in the sport of mixed martial arts or for practicing the discipline for fitness or self-defense purposes. It typically involves a combination of physical conditioning exercises, such as cardio, strength training, and flexibility work, as well as techniques and strategies specific to mixed martial arts. MMA training may include drills and sparring sessions to practice various techniques, such as striking (e.g., punches, kicks, elbows, and knees), grappling (e.g., throws, holds, submissions), and ground fighting (e.g., wrestling, jiu-jitsu). It may also involve specific training methods, such as interval training, plyometrics, and sparring with resistance, to help fighters improve their endurance, power, and speed.

What is the Difference Between Mixed Martial Arts and Self Defense?

Self-defense could be one of the reasons you took up MMA in the first place, but they aren’t synonymous. Self-defense is inclined towards teaching individuals to fend off common dangers, while Mixed Martial Arts is a competitive sport. The other differentiating factor is that while self-defense doesn’t necessarily give your body a workout, Mixed Martial Arts also provides you with fitness.

Is Mixed Martial Arts Safe?

Mixed Martial Arts sports are combative. Along with the kind of freedom allowed in attacking your opponent, the level of injury tends to be high and can even be termed as dangerous at times. Nevertheless, research suggests that Mixed Martial Arts is safer than boxing (where much of the strikes are directly aimed at the head) and is even one of the safest full-contact sports. However, you must have a physically prepared body before venturing into it.

How Much Does Mixed Martial Arts Training Cost?

Estimating the cost of MMA training depends on factors such as your area, the number of times you plan to train, etc. Just the gym membership could cost anywhere from $70 to $220 a month. You also have to factor in additional costs for gear and food supplements.

What is the Best Age to Start Mixed Martial Arts Training?

The myth is that Mixed Martial Arts is only for adults. However, there is no age limit for someone who wants to improve their fitness or wishes to learn a combat sport. You could be 18 or 40, and you could still be the best MMA fighter in your area. One of the advantages of starting Mixed Martial Arts at the age of 15 to 17 is that your body is almost developed by then, and you have time to get into some amateur fights before full collisions.

Which Martial Art Should I Learn First in MMA?

There is a lot of personal preference involved in deciding on a base martial art for starting MMA, but one of the most popular choices is Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).  A major benefit of BJJ is that jiu-jitsu makes a fighter very strong on the floor even if they aren’t in a good fighting position, allowing fighters to turn the tables on their opponents. Once the MMA fighter manages to take his opponent down onto the ground, a solid foundation in jiu-jitsu gives them an edge against wrestlers and other types of ground fighters.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu may be one of the most popular types of fighting styles in MMA, but it isn’t the only one that has found favor among MMA champions. Here are some of the other fighting styles that are commonly found in the background of MMA fighters: 

1. Karate

2. Boxing

3. Judo

4. Wrestling

5. Muay Thai

6. Kickboxing

Each of the fighting styles used as founding styles in MMA offers its own sets of benefits and drawbacks. A Muay Thai or kickboxing MMA fighter may be stronger attacking with their feet, while a judo-based MMA fighter may be more focused on getting their opponent to the ground with a throw.

How Long Does it Take to Learn MMA?

When fighters talk about how difficult MMA is, the time it takes to master it is a major factor. Unlike other martial arts, which only feature one style, MMA incorporates moves from multiple martial disciplines. This means it takes longer to learn than other fighting styles. 

The amount of time it takes to learn MMA depends on several factors: 

1. Athletic ability: Fighters who are naturally athletic can often pick up MMA faster than those who are just getting started in martial arts from a lower fitness level. Having a generally high fitness level can make learning MMA easier because it increases flexibility, endurance, and strength.

2. Previous experience with martial arts: Since MMA requires fighters to know multiple fighting styles, fighters who already know one martial art style or several will be able to master MMA faster than those starting from scratch with no martial arts experience.

3. Amount of training: The amount of time it takes to learn MMA depends on how much time the fighter spends training in MMA each week. Proficiency can take anywhere from a thousand to ten thousand hours depending on the ability of the fighter, so those that spend more hours each week will pick the style up faster. 

4. Most fighters with previous experience can pick up the sport of MMA within two to three years with regular practice and sparring. Athletes with no previous martial arts experience can take up to five years or more to gain the foundation styles necessary to compete in MMA.

Is MMA Hard to Learn?

MMA isn’t hard to learn, but it does require the fighter to learn multiple types of fighting styles. This is more difficult than other more specific fighting styles, that require the mastery of one martial art for competition. Mixed martial arts also require more strategy in both defense and offense.

Is Learning MMA Worth it? 

MMA is worth learning for people who are already interested in martial arts or learning to fight. There are several reasons why a person might consider MMA a worthwhile sport to pursue: 

1. MMA is very effective for self-defense. Because MMA incorporates several different moves and styles of fighting, it provides a strong foundation for someone to defend themselves against an attacker in close-quarters combat. While it is not as effective as a fighting style against weapons, it is very effective in unarmed combat.

2. MMA is good physical training. Getting trained in MMA can boost a person’s physical fitness as well as their confidence and mental fortitude. MMA can also raise a person’s resistance to physical damage since it requires learning how to get hit in the ring. MMA also increases a person’s agility and stamina.

3. MMA can add to a fighter’s versatility. Picking up MMA means learning the ins and outs of multiple styles. For MMA fighters who want to compete in multiple fighting disciplines, this means MMA training makes them eligible for a wider variety of fights. Learning MMA can make it easier to pick up additional fighting styles.

4. MMA is popular. The increase in interest in MMA competitions means that if you’re interested in getting into MMA, chances are you won’t have any problems finding a local MMA gym willing to take you on. It also means you’re likely to find multiple choices for trainers and gyms in many areas. Many areas have a thriving MMA community. 

5. Someone who is thinking of getting into MMA to be a career fighter should take a good long look at the odds of wealth and stardom versus the odds of getting hurt in the ring. Professional MMA fighters take injuries that can lead to weeks of disability.

Can Learning Mixed Martial Arts Boost your Confidence?

Practicing mixed martial arts (MMA) pushes your body to its limits, getting you physically fit while teaching you to defend yourself if ever necessary. It’s a complete mind and body workout whose wide range of advantages can be enjoyed by adults and children, men and women alike.

Though primarily associated with fitness and self-defense, MMA can also boost your confidence and help you overcome life’s challenges. Boosting confidence is one of the biggest benefits of practicing mixed martial arts. Here’s how it does it.

1. MMA Lets You Focus on Individual Improvement

Practicing mixed martial arts allows you to focus on self-improvement; you can refrain from comparing yourself to other learners. The smallest successes gradually allow you to master a new skill and feel a sense of accomplishment. You’ll know you’re the only one responsible for your success and that it came through dedication. This reliance on yourself paired with the recognition of hard work paying off leads you to have more faith in your abilities.

2. It Allows You to Set Your Mind to a Task

It’s awful to give up on your goals when you don’t see results soon enough. But mixed martial arts success isn’t just about looking great. It’s also about enhancing your ability to focus and think. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of techniques and repetitions you need to master, and you will most likely do them wrong the first few times. By remaining persistent and focused, you’ll ultimately learn how to perform them perfectly. This, in turn, will give you the confidence to achieve your other life goals.

3. It Helps You Embrace the Unforeseen

From the instant you bump fists with your sparring partner, anything can happen in MMA. A lower-ranked opponent may defeat you. Letting down your guard may lead to frustration. But the sport will teach you to accept whatever the outcome. Just as every day can’t be great, you can’t expect to win every time you spar or compete. However, the skills you pick up in MMA will reflect in everyday life as you learn to embrace the unexpected and carry on.

4. It Teaches You Acceptance

Mixed martial arts are generally practiced in group settings which means you’ll meet all sorts of people. They will all, however, have one thing in common: their love for the sport. At its core, mixed martial arts classes will teach you the importance of socializing and increase your social circle.

History of Mixed Martial Arts

In 648 B.C.E., the Greeks added pankration (meaning all powers) to the Olympic Games. This was the first mixed martial arts fight. Fighters had no rules. Those Greek mixed martial arts fights ended only when one competitor was knocked out or submitted by raising his hand. These fights could go on for hours. The fights occurred in a square, small ring, forcing close-quarter combat. Techniques included strikes, choke holds, elbow strikes, knee strikes, joint locks, and kicks. This sport fell out of favor with the decline of the Greek civilization until it was resurrected in the 20th century in Brazil in the 1920s when Brazilian Jujitsu was developed and the sport of mixed martial arts was reborn. Many believe that the Greek mixed martial arts made their way to Asia where they became the catalyst for Asian martial arts.

In the early 1980s, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came to California where it became popular and spawned the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993. The “no-holds-barred” style was fought in an octagon cage but then evolved to make the sport a much safer, “cleaner” affair with actual rules, judges, time limits, and weight classes. This new style of Mixed Martial Arts is currently the fastest-growing sport in the United States.

Modern MMA competition became popular in the United States in 1993 with the advent of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. MMA has evolved from real combat situations to a more controlled sport to increase safety. Mixed Martial Arts is now a full-contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques taken from traditional martial arts techniques such as boxing, Muay Thai kickboxing, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. MMA rules allow most striking and grappling techniques from standing or ground positions. Rules prohibit some of the techniques taught in LOTAR-enhanced Krav Maga, such as groin strikes and eye gouges, for the safety of the participants.

The Difficulties of Learning MMA

While MMA can be worth learning for many fighters, there are also some challenges associated with MMA that can make it one of the more difficult fighting styles to learn. Here are some of the challenges that come with learning MMA:

1. MMA requires strategy. Being an MMA fighter means having to counter many different kinds of fighting styles. MMA fighters are required to have strategies not just for standing close-quarters fighting but also ground fighting as well.

2. MMA requires toughness. MMA is a full-contact sport, and MMA fighters take a major beating in the course of both training and competition. Even with protective gear, the strikes that an MMA fighter takes can be painful and slow-healing.

3. MMA requires versatility. Along with being able to defend against a wider variety of moves than a single-style martial artist, MMA fighters also have to be strong offensively in a wider variety of styles to be competitive.

4. MMA requires dedication. MMA requires learning more than one martial art, and getting a good foundation in just one style can take two or three years. To get good at MMA, a fighter may have to endure thousands of hours of training more than a fighter who specializes in one style.

The Four Pillars of MMA Strength

In MMA, a fighter needs to develop four main types of strength: explosive, pulling, and lifting.  Each of these categories is an important part of a combat athlete’s overall strength-training program.  Typically, fighters will use both free-weight and resistance-training exercises to develop their power in each of these areas.

1. Explosive strength: The ability to explode into action is a crucial part of securing an advantage in this sport and is what an MMA warrior seeks to develop through anaerobic conditioning.  Fighters want to develop their explosive strength to be able to rapidly take an opponent to the ground.  They also want to be able to land a series of rapid strikes that may lead to a knockout victory.

2. Pulling strength: This type of power is needed in all three levels of the match.  While standing up, pulling an opponent into a Muay Thai clinch could gain a fighter an upper hand in the striking game.  Similarly, wrestling for a position and pulling his opponent off balance can lead to a successful take-down.  When the bout goes to the ground, pulling his opponent into the guard can be an important defense maneuver.

3. Pushing strength: This form of strength is responsible for the power in a fighter’s strikes.  It is also key in pushing away from an adversary’s clinch, as well as pinning an opponent up against the cage.  Pushing strength is also used to keep a foe on the ground and unable to stand up when the fight goes to the mat.  If an MMA warrior ends up on the bottom, pushing strength may help him sweep his opponent and reverse the position.

4. Lifting strength: Being able to lift an opponent for a throw or sweep can earn a fighter valuable points should the match to a judge’s decision.  Lifting power is also required for take-downs as well as scrambling against an adversary in an attempt to stand back up if a match went to the ground.

6 Amazing Health Benefits of Martial Arts

Martial Arts is a great form of exercise as it has many health benefits. From physical fitness to mental and physical enhancement, martial arts paves way for people to reach their peak potential.

Even if you do not have any experience in martial arts, it’s a great activity to pick up. Here’s a list of six amazing health benefits:

1. Improves cardiovascular health

Martial arts require you to undergo vigorous exercise. The different drills increase your heart rate, helping you build good cardiovascular endurance. The only way to improve heart health is by participating in activities that make it work hard - and what can be better than martial arts?

2. Improves your flexibility

The high kicks throw, and acrobatic evasions are an important part of all the disciplines of martial arts. Disciplines like MMA and Muay help greatly in improving your flexibility. And having a flexible body reduces your risk of injuries.

3. Helps in losing weight

Martial arts is a moderate-intensity physical activity that allows you to burn up to 500 calories in one class. All the movements in martial arts are intense and help you burn calories faster. When you practice martial arts, you tend to have low food cravings. And when your eating becomes regulated, your body weight goes down automatically.

4. Keeps blood pressure in check

As most martial art techniques require intense training, it results in overall fitness. The repetitive movements you practice are similar to HIIT, which aids cardiovascular health and controls high blood pressure.

5. Improves reflexes

If you have ever noticed, good martial artists have very fast reflexes. Constant repetition improves your reflex and allows you to have a faster reaction time.

6. Helps you achieve an overall healthy lifestyle

Heavy calories are burned due to the total-body nature of martial arts workouts. It also regulates your natural craving signals and thereby reduces your food cravings.

The MMA Components

There are three core components of MMA that lead you to master or excel at the sport.

1. Striking

Attacking your opponent with any part of your body. Since MMA combines various arts, everything from punches to kicks to elbow strikes is acceptable.

2. Grappling

Holding your opponent and trying to take him or her down. It requires less strength and more technique.

3. Submission

Involves using body joint locks or chokes. These tactics get your opponent to submit and teach you how to free yourself from such positions.

How to Learn Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed martial arts use techniques from various combat styles to create what many call the ultimate fighting system. A competent mixed martial artist is comfortable with a fight taking place anywhere. They understand the intricacies of both striking and grappling-based styles. Most importantly, they know how to combine everything, which depicts what a real fight looks like. Learning mixed martial arts is a rewarding undertaking that gets you in the best shape of your life.

It improves your confidence, athleticism, strength, and endurance while teaching you practical self-defense skills. It also helps to get you comfortable with the idea of being in a fight. The little things you do when you start training mixed martial arts affect how well you pick up techniques you’re being shown. Here are 10 simple tips to help speed up your progression.

1. Train Consistently

You’re not going to become good at MMA if you train sporadically. Doing so often leads to you forgetting techniques and rubs off the physical benefits of training. Training consistently increases the likelihood of mastering the moves you’ve just learned.

2. Have A Base

MMA training involves learning techniques from different styles such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, Muay Thai, Judo, and wrestling. You are likely to develop a preference for one of these arts as your training progresses, typically the one that comes most naturally to you. Be honest with yourself when selecting your base, don’t pick one simply because it’s the popular flavor of the week.

3. Focus On The Fundamentals

Master the fundamentals before working on more advanced techniques. The fundamentals are often what separates the greats from everyone else at the highest levels of MMA. Even the professionals rely heavily on their fundaments such as footwork and jabs.

4. Master A Few Takedowns

Make it a priority to master a few takedown techniques, even if you prefer keeping your fights standing. The scoring systems used in MMA award points for takedowns, and a well-timed takedown can turn the tables in a closely contested round. You should master more than two takedowns if you’re a grappler who prefers fighting on the canvas. There’s nothing more frustrating for a grappler than being forced to stand and bang with an experienced striker. 

5. Don’t Neglect Takedown Defense

Learning how to defend takedowns makes you more rounded as an MMA fighter. It forces your opponents to stand and bang with you, denying them any points they could have scored from takedowns. Good takedown defense also helps to wear opponents down since takedowns require a lot of energy. 

6. Improve Your Endurance

Most people would think that fighting is all about skills and techniques. But, when you put two equally experienced and skilled MMA fighters in a cage, the better-conditioned fighter often emerges victorious. Your techniques become sloppy when fatigue creeps in, and your will to fight starts to fade away. It is not common to see fighters give up their necks or arms simply because they want a way out of a fight due to fatigue. 

7. Watch Fight Tapes

Sharpening your fight IQ will make you more efficient inside the cage. Watching MMA fights, particularly high-level ones, allows you to observe how experienced fighters react to different situations. Videos allow you to visualize, predict and experience the various situations and scenarios that would likely occur. Fight tapes also help create mental notes that make you more likely to react appropriately when placed in similar situations. Little things like knowing to clinch if you get hurt with a strike can turn the tide in mixed martial arts competitions. 

8. Sparring

Sparring gives you a chance to try out techniques you’ve learned in MMA classes on a resisting opponent. It is one of the essential aspects of mastering any martial art. You can’t be good at fighting by only running drills against compliant training partners. 

9. Build Core Muscles

Your core muscles are activated when you perform countless martial arts techniques. Strengthening your core muscles makes you feel stronger against opponents while increasing the explosiveness of your techniques. Training on its own builds your core, but you should also add core exercises to your fitness routine. Who knows, you might end up with a set of visible and developed six-pack abs in the process!

10. Follow A Fitness And Diet Program

Strength, balance, mobility, and flexibility training helps improve your performance inside the cage, so create a fitness routine that complements your MMA training. While strength and conditioning increase muscle mass and strength, dieting helps to remove excess fat on your frame.

The Seven Most Popular Types of Martial Arts

The term ‘martial arts’ refers to numerous systems and traditions for training and combat that are practiced for many reasons including self-defense, competition, military and law enforcement as well as to work on one’s mental, spiritual, and physical development. It’s also an incredibly popular way to stay in shape and keep on top of your fitness, health, and well-being.

Take a look at the top seven most popular martial arts practiced worldwide so you can get a sense of the wide variety of sports that sit underneath the umbrella of martial arts.

1. Karate – Japan

Arguably one of the most well-known of all martial arts, it features some impressive movements of powerful punches, kicks, and blocks. Karate originates from Japan in the early 20th century, where the Japanese word “karate” translates as “empty-handed”. The practice of karate centers around self-defense and combat. However, the philosophy of karate extends beyond the studio, where one will embrace working on principles such as discipline and respect, replicating these in everyday life as well as in martial arts practice.

2. Kung Fu – China

There are many different styles of Chinese martial arts and Kung Fu has been adopted as an umbrella term for all of these forms, some ancient and some more modern. It’s a popular style of martial art that has gained notoriety through film and television, where some famous practitioners include Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and Jet Li.

3. Judo – Japan

Judo is one of the more modern forms of martial arts, which means it has therefore been influenced by other forms that have come before it. It is a popular competitive sport in Australia and worldwide that demands both great mental discipline as well as physical prowess in order to overcome an opponent. The practice of Judo can involve techniques that allow participants to lift and throw opponents onto their backs, leveraging their strength against them. Once on the ground, they are then able to control their opponent by pinning them down and applying different techniques such as joint locks and chokeholds until their opponent submits.

4. Muay Thai – Thailand

Hailed as the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand, Muay Thai (aka Thai Boxing) dates back to the 13th century and was developed as a form of close combat. It is a full-contact sport that requires fighters to defeat their opponents by utilizing kicking, cinching, and hitting techniques as well as an element of grappling, where striking your opponent requires strong physical and mental discipline. It is another martial art that uses the body as a weapon for fighting.

5. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Brazil

A modified form of the Japanese martial art adapted by the Gracie family in 1925, the Brazilian version sees participants attempting to gain superior positioning over their opponent through the use of holds, chokes, joint manipulations, and locking of joints.

6. Krav Maga – Israel

Meaning “contact combat” in Hebrew, Krav Maga is Israel’s national martial art. It borrows features from various other forms including grappling and ground fighting from Jujutsu, traditional boxing punches, and kicks and knee techniques from Karate. Although Krav Maga was initially developed in the 1930s by a Jewish wrestler and boxer as a way to teach his neighbors how to defend themselves, it has gained popularity amongst the Israeli security forces and the special police. It is considered a violent martial art as there are virtually no rules and the main purpose of this practice is to defend yourself whilst attacking your opponent. On the field, it proves useful as a form of self-defense as it is more brutal than competition or sport.

7. Aikido – Japan

Developed and created in Japan in the early 1900s, participants are taught how to utilize the strength and energy of the attacker against them in combat, where one can disarm their opponent but not cause them serious injury. This makes Aikido another great option for self-defense.

Martial Arts Used in MMA

Mixed martial arts (MMA), combines several different styles of martial arts. The martial arts are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai, and Wrestling because these are the most popular martial arts used in MMA. However, many other kinds of mixed martial arts are used by fighters, too. These include karate, judo, sambo, taekwondo and more.

1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. The main focus for BJJ is submission holds used to gain joint locks on your opponent's arms, legs, or neck. It makes the fighter less dependent on strength, thus making it accessible for any weight class or age group. An individual with a small build could easily beat someone twice their size with the correct application of technique. The sport demands physical conditioning and an understanding of proper technique.

2. Boxing

Boxing is one of the oldest sports used in MMA. The sport is very technical and focuses on techniques such as uppercuts, crosses, jabs, etc. In boxing, one must use upper body strength and endurance to continue fighting with an opponent. Practitioners of either sport need to be physically fit and strong in the neck and upper body region. Boxing involves fighting against an opponent using punches from their fists until someone wins by knockout or scoring points during the match.

3. Muay Thai/Kickboxing

Muay Thai or "Thai Boxing" strikes are typically associated with knees, elbows, shins/feet, along with boxing punches used in combination to increase power. They are often used to target the body and head of an opponent. Muay Thai is considered the most-effective stand-up striking art.

4. Wrestling

Wrestling is the martial art used to take an opponent down to the ground, gain dominant control positions, and execute a pin (for points). Wrestling would likely be the second most successful martial art for MMA competition if it were not for the success of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Wrestling is a grappling sport that involves takedowns, controlling your opponent on the ground, and applying various holds to win by points or pinfall. There may be no other grappling as well-suited for MMA competition than wrestling.

Traits to Look Out for in a Martial Arts Instructor

Finding the right dojo is a lot more than just googling martial arts schools in your area. Some schools are better than others due to various reasons like the quality of the gym equipment, cleanliness, and the competency of the instructor. 

If you’ve never trained in martial arts before, you probably have no idea how to evaluate the competency of a martial arts instructor. No worries, here are the important things you should pay attention to when trying to figure out if an instructor is right for you. 

1. Excellent Physical And Mental Fitness

Instructors are constantly looking for ways to improve their techniques so they can serve their students better. Their physiques should be visual representations of all their hard work over the years. Imagine walking into a fitness aerobics class and the instructor looked like they were 40 kilograms overweight. That will probably be all you need to see to go check out another gym.

2. A Positive Attitude

A good instructor should have a contagious positive attitude that infects everyone around them. Their positive vibes should make you want to emulate their attitude. 

3. A Strong Passion For Martial Arts

Instructors often emerge over years of training. They are typically a lot more passionate about martial arts than the average student and they typically love helping other students improve. An instructor might offer them an assistant role based on how helpful they are during class, which is typically when they first realize they could be an instructor or own a dojo someday.

4. Ethical

A good martial arts instructor should be a paragon of virtue. They shouldn’t have a bunch of scandals surrounding them or lots of negative reviews from former students. Good martial arts instructors embrace the technical and philosophical aspects of martial arts training. They are honorable, respectful, and disciplined in their everyday dealings.

5. Excellent Communication

A good martial arts instructor is an excellent communicator. They are well-versed in communicating verbally and non-verbally with people of all ages and backgrounds. They often are educated in fields like psychology, kinesiology, and communications.

6. No Ego

A good martial arts instructor doesn’t have anything to prove. Most of these people have been martial artists for years before they even considered teaching, and they already have lots of accolades that show how good they are. 

7. Exceptional Martial Arts Skills

Your instructor should be the best martial artist in the class most of the time, and they should be way better than you. Competent martial arts instructors understand that they have to earn their students’ respect with their actions, not just their words.

8. High-Energy Teacher

A good martial arts instructor maintains high energy during their classes even on days they might be feeling a bit under the weather. Their passion for teaching martial arts outweighs any distractions they might have in their personal lives, and they are at their happiest when they’re on the mats teaching.

9. Understands The Fighting Mind

Another defining trait of an excellent martial arts instructor is their understanding of the fighting mind. They know exactly what to say to get their students over humps and can talk for days about things like combat visualization, meditation, and getting into the zone.

10. Constantly Improving

An excellent martial arts instructor never stops learning. Teaching your martial arts is part of their journey as a martial arts instructor and they are constantly striving to improve their skills. These people have a love for all martial arts, not just the style they specialize in, and regularly add new techniques to their training curriculum.

11. Doesn’t Play Favorites

A great martial arts instructor treats all students the same. Everyone gets to follow the same rules and meet the same requirements for belt promotions. Watch out for instructors who have favorites they pay more attention to during class regularly or instructors who had out belts to people who haven’t earned them. 

12. Never Gives Up On Students

Good martial arts instructor never gives up on their students regardless of how much they struggle on the mat. These professionals understand that everyone’s martial arts journey is different. Some people are natural, while others struggle with the most basic techniques. 

7 Signs that Show if a Martial Arts Gym is Right for You

Just as you wouldn’t commit to someone on the first date, you shouldn’t feel obliged to sign up at the first gym you do a trial at. It pays to shop around and visit several gyms to get the lay of the land. Some things to consider before signing off on the dotted line include the proximity of the gym from your office or home, the gym’s schedule, and most importantly, how comfortable you feel at the gym.

Here’s a checklist of things you need to take into consideration before you commit.

1. The Coach Bothers To Learn And Remember Your Name

No one likes to feel like they’re just a face in the crowd. If a coach takes the trouble to ask you for your name, it means that he assumes you’re there for the long haul and is a sign that he takes his job seriously.

2. The Coach Is Fully Present During Classes

It’s never a good sign when your coach seems distracted or always on his phone during class. If he is, it probably means he’s bored or not interested in doing his job well. The coach should lead and be invested in every aspect of the class, from warm-ups to drills and cool-downs. During drills, he should walk around the class to make sure that students are correctly executing techniques.

3. The Experienced Students Are Willing To Help You Out

One of the reasons why learning a new martial art is so intimidating is because everyone else already seems to know what they’re doing while you’re fumbling around feeling completely lost. A good gym, however, promotes a culture of goodwill and sharing, and ideally, you’d be paired up with more advanced students who’ll be able to patiently guide you along, at least during your first couple of months.

4. You Don’t Feel Pressured To Do Something You’re Not Comfortable With

Whether it’s because you’re still recovering from an injury, or not feeling particularly confident about your skills just yet, you should never feel bullied into sparring. It’s your responsibility to let your coach know early if there’s something you’re not comfortable with, and his to ensure that your safety remains a top priority.

5. The Coach Is Invested In Your Growth

It doesn’t matter whether you’re been training for one week, or one year. A great coach wants to see every one of his students improves, and that means he takes the time and effort to correct your technique, even if it’s just a simple jab or arm bar from the guard.

6. The Gym Is Always Clean And Dry

It’s not just disgusting to step into a pool of someone else’s sweat during warm-up jogs; you could be putting yourself at real risk of picking up a nasty skin infection like ringworm if the gym’s levels of sanitation are not up to scratch. Ideally, the mats should be given a quick mop after every session, as well as a thorough clean at the beginning and end of the day.

7. The Gym Is Well Run

At the end of the day, a gym is a business and should be run as such. Classes should run according to the schedule, and not be canceled at will. Before signing up, pricing, payment terms, and cancellation procedures should also be made clear to you.

Sources:

Locker Room

E Times

Engage

One

Evolve Daily

One Shot MMA

Legends MMA

Elite Training Center

Senshi Academy

MMA Training

Ground Control

 

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.