For you guys who do mma/bjj

[Rumple4skin]

ive recently started at an mma school run by a pro fighter who is very good at this stuff and i have alot of fun learning. right now ive been focusing heavily on bjj and a little on boxing/muay thai. but im still pretty new to this and our class trains at an old building and is a pretty tight-nit group but everyone there is heavily into competing and i really dont feel ready at all. Do your schools have you compete in tournaments alot. You need to be liscensed to compete mma correct? and what are your matches like in either mma or bjj? do you get really nervous or not really?

[TheCrazyCossack]

My school is currently forming a team, led by one of the instructors at the school who is a professional fighter.

We are encouraged to compete in grappling tournaments... I havent heard much about just boxing matches or kickboxing.. and we are looking into getting amateur mma fights for the team.

We are never forced to compete, but its encouraged.

[ABaby]

Ill try to answer some questions. I don't ever compete in tournaments, I compete in fights.

In NJ at least, I had to get some basic certification to be licensed to fight in MMA. I've been doing Muay Thai since I was 5 1/2, and Ive been wrestling since I was 11, and been fighting Muay Thai since I was around 10, so the ring is where I feel most comfortable.

That doesn't mean I don't get nervous though. I am extremely nervous/anxious during the whole process (prepare to magnify that nervous feeling by 100x for your first fight), I just try to envision my fight while I relax. A few hours before I listen to some music that helps me get pumped (Non Phixion :]), and try to get focused for the fight. Then after weigh-ins, I get taped up (if Im fighting Muay Thai), then before its time for me to go up, I warm up and I hit some pads get a little sweat going, then I just stay focused until its fight time. Match usually goes something like we fight, and then they declare a winner or one of us gets knocked out.

Fighting is a big commitment, so if you don't feel up to it talk to your trainer and tell him. I've been fighting my whole life and I just recently told my stand up trainer I was going to commit all my time to wrestling, and I guess he couldn't do anything but accept it :/. Ultimately you are in control of yourself not your trainer or the people you train with.

My trainer trains about 100 people (group classes included), he fights himself, trains 2 professional fighters, and only 2 amateur fighters (myself and a female). I plan to turn pro on my 18th birthday :].

[Rumple4skin]

damn A-baby thats pretty impressive, i dont think id be so nervous if i had that much experience but your right its a pretty big commintment. i dont think id mind competing in no-gi bjj tournaments around here. its just so unatural for me to fight someone with rules in place and lots of people watching. Your classes are large compared to mine (8-12 people). I really only like to spar with experienced people beacuse the other beginners in my class do not get the concept of "light sparring" and no striking during bjj. ive had 2 young kids already making striking attempts at my face when i had them in my guard and i wanted to beat the **** out of them right then and there but held back. but my instructor trains us pretty intensely with us going all out during sparring alot of the time so we will win competitions. im really starting to see how these fights are more mental than physical (at least in my exp. i dont know about you). btw is getting liscensed to fight mma difficult or no? im not trying to get liscensed now but im curious.

[Kane Fan]

I don't like that you are feeling pressured to do something your not ready to do

[Rumple4skin]

yeah me niether but the clear majority of my class seems to be into competing. like 4 of us arent die hards who live and breathe mma. but our instructor is really young and so are most of the students. But im gonna talk to him next time i see him and let him now how i feel about this. hopefully he wont kick me in the face.

[Storms of War]

I've been doing Muay Thai since I was 5 1/2, and Ive been wrestling since I was 11, and been fighting Muay Thai since I was around 10, so the ring is where I feel most comfortable.
Wait, so you didn't compete in Muay Thai until you were 10? Or is that a typo or what?

[ABaby]

Wait, so you didn't compete in Muay Thai until you were 10? Or is that a typo or what?

Yeh, my parents thought I would get brain damage or something retarded like that. Realisticly, a person could be ready for their first amateur fight long before that.

[Fatal-Fury]

A majority of MMA fights ive been in were/are 3rd party tournaments; that means not issued by our club moreso just a date and time at your local bus station stand.

Many have been physical stand and strike (True MMA imo :D); which got abit messy (bruised knees, chipped teeth, cut tendons). As for grappling, you risk far less and its a great experience; the sheer exhiliaration in combination with ectasy is something great.

BJJ is great for that you compete alot; very few injuries take place. Rumple4skin my advice is you go out there and give it all you got; for all you know you are profecient and will win.

But it always comes down to you. Health is a greatest wealth ^^ dont risk your health for anyone; that means your trainers/sensei's.

[Bad_Vibes]

I started training in grappling and boxing as a form of self defense just like people used to join karate and tae kwon doe schools. I wanted to learn something that was no nonesense and was more concerned about actually being able to fight than earn a belt.

The hardest part for me, besides the staph infections, has been staying focused on that and not on competing like 95% of the other guys are there to do. For me going twice a week consistanlty is my goal. Problem is I get caught up in what everyone else is doing and feel I should be going there 5 days a week to make any progress. However, looking back I've come a long way over the last couple of years doing it in moderation, whereas when I start pushing it to much I end up getting sick or burnt out for a while.

Figure out why you are really there and no matter what your goals are don't burn yourself out trying to learn to much to soon.

[Rumple4skin]

Bad vibes i totally get what your saying. im looking to learn bjj to compete but the mma part i can see using for self defense. i dont see myself in a real fight putting an armbar or triangle choke on someone. im only gonna train the muaythai/boxing part once a week.

[bjjwraslter7]

Bad vibes i totally get what your saying. im looking to learn bjj to compete but the mma part i can see using for self defense. i dont see myself in a real fight putting an armbar or triangle choke on someone. im only gonna train the muaythai/boxing part once a week.

That's my problem with bjj, way too much focus on being on your back. Yeah you can submit someone from there...but wouldn't you rather not be on your back getting hit a bunch of times? And are you really ready to break someones arm in a streetfight when you do get that armbar? Cause I doubt they are just gonna tap and say good job you win. I think wrestling is much more practical. Focusing on takedowns and keeping someone else on their back is a great way to fight.

[littleFred]

BJJ is not really for self defense. It can certainly help, yes, but like you said, unless you are willing to break something in a street fight... not much help. The positive aspect to it is just learning to be comfortable on the ground. 90% of fights end up there so it's something you should be comfortable with.

If ANYONE doesn't want to compete, don't. How hard is that. If you don't think you are ready to step into a ring, you'll get yourself hurt. Confidence, like in any sport, is crucial.

I got into this fairly recently. My girlfriend of six months is from Thailand and and she and her kids are die hard fighters. Her son is ranked in the top 5 in the country in his weight class in BJJ. Very serious. I've been heavy into sports my entire life and this is just another one that I have picked up.

[HardGainer82]

Don't EVER compete if you don't feel ready. Simple as that.

[Confucius Taoka]

Compared with Muay Thai training, how intense is BJJ?

[kbickham]

ive recently started at an mma school run by a pro fighter who is very good at this stuff and i have alot of fun learning. right now ive been focusing heavily on bjj and a little on boxing/muay thai. but im still pretty new to this and our class trains at an old building and is a pretty tight-nit group but everyone there is heavily into competing and i really dont feel ready at all. Do your schools have you compete in tournaments alot. You need to be liscensed to compete mma correct? and what are your matches like in either mma or bjj? do you get really nervous or not really?

YOU dont wanna go fight mma right away.....trust me. BUT...a bjj tournament is a GOOD idea. you train ALOT harder, and focus on learning ALOT better when you have a tournament coming up, its a really good learning tool. plus, afterward, you're really ready to come back and kick ass- its really good motivation. don't worry about winning or loosing right away, worry about getting better.

btw im in texas- where do you train?

[Kane Fan]

BJJ is not really for self defense. It can certainly help, yes, but like you said, unless you are willing to break something in a street fight... not much help. The positive aspect to it is just learning to be comfortable on the ground. 90% of fights end up there so it's something you should be comfortable with.

If ANYONE doesn't want to compete, don't. How hard is that. If you don't think you are ready to step into a ring, you'll get yourself hurt. Confidence, like in any sport, is crucial.

I got into this fairly recently. My girlfriend of six months is from Thailand and and she and her kids are die hard fighters. Her son is ranked in the top 5 in the country in his weight class in BJJ. Very serious. I've been heavy into sports my entire life and this is just another one that I have picked up.

I know this is like sterotyping but it strikes me as funny that the kid is from Thailand and is highly ranked in BJJ