MMA or Lifting?

[Halochaox]

I started training in MMA when i was 19 years old. I did wrestling when i was 17-18 years old. Now im 20 and my problem is that i keep training in a inconsistent way. Last summer i was at the gym 4pm and i was out around 10pm Mon-Fri. MMA was my life and i always wanted to keep and reach to the top level. Every since the beginning of this year, ive been slacking. I be going to the gym for a week then ill stop for 3-4 months straight. Mainly my problem is that im small. I'm only 5'7 weighing 135 with a slim body frame. Jiu Jitsu is my problem and everybody at my gym probably outweighs me by 40-200 pounds. I feel like im not getting better, my mind is draining, i feel like giving up which i did already. Im at a point where i was thinking i should lift to bulk up, and do wrestling in college for 2 years. After graduating from college, then i will probably head back to MMA training. Is this a smart idea? Should i just stick to MMA (Muay Thai and BJJ) and progress from there even though im small? Should i just bulk up and do wrestling for 2 years THEN do MMA? I feel like my mind is bipolar because one day i want to train but the next day i want to lift and i cant make up my mind.

[krakkerz]

I started training in MMA when i was 19 years old. I did wrestling when i was 17-18 years old. Now im 20 and my problem is that i keep training in a inconsistent way. Last summer i was at the gym 4pm and i was out around 10pm Mon-Fri. MMA was my life and i always wanted to keep and reach to the top level. Every since the beginning of this year, ive been slacking. I be going to the gym for a week then ill stop for 3-4 months straight. Mainly my problem is that im small. I'm only 5'7 weighing 135 with a slim body frame. Jiu Jitsu is my problem and everybody at my gym probably outweighs me by 40-200 pounds. I feel like im not getting better, my mind is draining, i feel like giving up which i did already. Im at a point where i was thinking i should lift to bulk up, and do wrestling in college for 2 years. After graduating from college, then i will probably head back to MMA training. Is this a smart idea? Should i just stick to MMA (Muay Thai and BJJ) and progress from there even though im small? Should i just bulk up and do wrestling for 2 years THEN do MMA? I feel like my mind is bipolar because one day i want to train but the next day i want to lift and i cant make up my mind.

Seriously, if you're smaller, BJJ (and Muay Thai for that matter) should be right up your alley. It takes more work earlier on than it does for the bigger guys, but after you get your own gameplan together and learn to play to your strengths, you start equalling or beating them. It takes time, though, and it will be no different in wrestling.

You seem to be suggesting that you can't study MMA and lift at the same time. That is rubbish.

If you're having trouble with motivation and want to bulk up, cut back your training. If you are training 30 hours per week, as you say above, you will likely get burned out. You need to have some down time and some easier cycles. Try cutting back the more intense sessions and spend a couple of months working on technique and replace some of the intense conditioning with your lifting.

See how that goes. The most important thing is understanding that you have to crawl before you can walk. It's going to take time and effort to go forward - especially as one of the smaller guys in the gym.

[DCSpartan]

stuff like MMA requires daily focus. Why not just lift and find a kickboxing or BJJ class to do on the side?

[boxinggsxr]

best advice for your age and not knowing what you want to do as a pro is take every fight you can and every grappling tournament and you can still jump up in weight. what matters the most in bjj is technique, when i fought Muay Thai and Boxing the only thing that helped me was being comfortable in the ring and cage and doing what i've done for so many years. AMATEUR IS NOT PRO...so you wont carry that record over so take as many fights as you can and i'd highly suggest Boxing if your gona do mma....and yes you can compete and move up in weight at same time and def stick with wrestling

[LurkAlot]

first i think you should consider what weight class suits you best, 5'7 walking around 135, i would suggest 145 or 155 weight class. one thing imo you should try bulking up, while still training MMA. I think this goes further tho, for some reason seems like your slacking motivation. you need to find it in you, work out and focus and what you really want? thinking a few months back i wast sure what i was wanting, i started working out and it helped cleared my mind i sat down a week ago after a workout tired and out of breath from hitting the punching bag. I told myself, this is what i was meant to do, for the longest ive liked working out, practice martial arts since 7, didt make it to college because lifes choices that were not in my control. but this is and will be in my control like its in YOUR control Halochaox. That same day i thought this through i said to myself. anyone can motivate them self, just aim to prove everyone wrong, succeed, because you can. bulk up and go back to rolling some BJJ have fun with it, learn and practice practice practice practice, thats the cycle.

listen to this closely, then get up and go get what you want.each and every day.


(Delete [space] between / and watch?v
youtube.com/ watch?v=hEx6Mqxwfz0

[ErikLeeHayes]

I coach a mixed martial arts team in my town. I think a huge helpful factor for you is getting yourself a coach as they keep you motivated. I have several 3-125pounders, 1 135 pounder, 3 155ers, a 185er, and myself a heavyweight. Bulking up is a terrible idea for mma, bulk muscle does very little for you and most of the time ruins flexibility (unless you stretch in ridiculous amounts). BJJ was formulated to make it possible for a smaller person to manuever and defeat much larger opponents, strength has little to do with it. Wrestling is a very good strength grappling, but also, like BJJ if done with good technique shouldnt matter your strength level as much as you think it does. Weight lifting for strength is always a good idea, but bulking in size and weight just puts you in a higher weightclass where people 20 pounds heavier are cutting to. My 125ers can sweep my 185er because they are better technicians. As far as Muy Thai, like with boxing, all of your strikes are coming from your hips and core, so build endurance and strength in your core and the power will come. My jab with clean technique will put the lights out faster than a wild haymaker. Clean precise cutting blows is muy thai, all the blunt force striking you see in streetfights doesnt work in an mma competition.

So the steps here are as follows:

Decide amongst yourself whether you are in it or not, and stick to that choice.
Find a great coach, one that is willing to invest his time into you ( I find alot of coaches tend to treat it like a chore rather than a passion)
Remember, this choice of doing one or the other (MMA or Lift) is silly, why not have the best of both worlds?


My experience: Age 22
15 years of wrestling in various styles. wrestled since elementary and am skilled in 4 styles now (freestyle, folkstyle, greco-roman, and catch "cache")
jujitsu since 11
4 years of boxing
1 year tkd
3 years of Muy Thai (kickboxing) and I know how to viciously use all 8 weapons
6 months of krav maga
current judoka
started actual mma training at 13
Have only lost 1 mma bout(was outweighed by 103 pounds)
have only lost one jujitsu match
amassed over 140 wins in wrestling with under 30 defeats



Now if only I could get in shape I would make use of all of my talents. :P Take care, make a choice, stick with it, and whether you think you can or cant you are right.

[bballer18]

Do what you enjoy most.

[xxRAWRKITTYxx]

Your a bantamweight in UFC classes. Nothing wrong with being small i wouldn't suggest bulking up with weights if you want to do MMA takes away from your cardio and flexablity. I've done bjj for many years now and I'm 5'7 125lbs i have no problem submitting 200lbs men. Don't let them get to you if your MMA gym isn't making you feel at home find another one. I like to train with girls though in most gyms there aren't many so I'm stuck training against guys twice my size. Its more about training your techniques than your muscle. You can have all the muscle you want but if you have no techniques then it will be tough. Watch some early Royce Gracie fights those always help motivate me xD