# learning mma



## scotto (Jan 26, 2008)

just looking for a bit of advice on learning mma. I have been a martial arts fan all my life( im now 24) and have been following mma(mainly ufc and pride)for just over a year. I really want to learn mma but the main problem i have is the fact that i live in th shetland isles and the only thing close to mma we have is a karate club!

For this reason i am thinking the only solution is to teach myself with a couple of friends...i know it will be very difficult without the aid of experienced fighters/coaches to help out but i am sure we should be able to learn the basics at least. I would ideally like to learn muay thai, kick boxing and bjj and was wondering if anyone can recommend any good tutorial books or dvds that could help?

I am building a 1 1/2 storey house in shetland at the moment and i plan to turn the top floor into a gym with matts for bjj and various punch bags and training aids. me and my girlfriend plan on moving to the states in a couple of years so i would like to learn basics now so i have a bit of experience for when we go there.

Any help or advice on learning and training mma would be much appreciated!


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

There are some good books like, such as BJ Penn's MMA book, but you're not gonna get a good technique without a coach looking at your techniques mate, you'll develop something like a habit and when you start training properly that'll have to be a habit to get rid of.


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## Cha$e (Dec 11, 2007)

For technique breakdowns and tutorials i use

http://www.lockflow.com

This site has breakdowns of BJJ submissions, striking techniques, training regimes and many positions you can leanr yourself with a partner that's willing to be submitted.

As JayC said, if you dont learn from the proper sources you'll get bad habbits which you will have to un-learn when you find somewhere serious to train. Try getting some basic stretching drills done and get the ideals of some basic techniques down I.E. armbar, guillotine, RNC etc. If you have the basics down when you come to take the mat you will be able to understand how to apply them in certain situations a lot more efficiently than other relative newbies.

Good Luck


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## marso70 (Oct 10, 2007)

The main I found with the grappling is that although something like an arm bar may appearto look relatively simple, the reality is, its actually quite a complex series of moves and the only way to get this right is to train with a coach and partner.


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

I think that the Lockflow site is a good site for those who are fairly experienced, like 3 or 4 months and know the basics.


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## scotto (Jan 26, 2008)

thanks for the replies guys.I know its gonna be tough and will be near on impossible to learn good technique without a coach but i dont have any other option than to learn myself unless i move south


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## Si-K (Jul 23, 2007)

Hiya Scotto,

Basically, in the worst case scenario I would go to the karate classes, I trained in karate for 5 years - remember its the person using the techniques not so much the style that counts - sure Muay Thai will condition you alot more and is more real world - but trying to train yourself is near impossible as Marso pointed out you can train from a book but you will miss lots of little titbits that make all the difference and if you end up against someone who knows the move inside out - they will make you their gimp!!!lol.

I would suggest going the karate club as something is better than nothing - for beginner BJJ - I really like Renzo Gracie's - Mastering JuJitsu (book) - very basic, with a logical order - although would always take lessons if given the choice.

I am not biased in the above - I trained karate 5 years, muay thai 3.5 and BJJ (on/off for about 6 months), the other problem with learning with your mates is one of them trying to knock you out or slam on an arm bar (or something similar without control or understanding - then your laid off for 6 months with tendon, muscle or broken bones).

Final point - if you go to the karate and find you pick moves techniques up real easy this will then give you a basis for training out of a book as to being really unco-ordinated and trying to learn from new - I have found that as I trained in karate at a young age - I find it very easy to pick up moves and remember them in comparison to some people who look lost after being shown something 10 times...not sure if its muscle memory or something?.


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## scotto (Jan 26, 2008)

thanks for the advice si-k! i was just thinking about going to try the karate class before i read your reply and now i think i will give it a go! As you say its better than nothing and will maybe help me a bit if i do progress on to something else.

Might also look into the gracie bjj book to try and get some basic bjj skills from that. You never know, there might even be somebody at the karate class who has trained in other styles that could help me out


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

or if not you can always wrestle them to the ground and try and choke them out, im ordering the gracie book on si-k's advice, my bjj skills definetly need some help


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## Si-K (Jul 23, 2007)

I agree with Marc - his BJJ needs some help!!! LOL - your doing fine Marc - soon the student will overtake the *master (*see blind leading the blind for further details).

Scotto - your end sentence beat me too it - if the karate lads are really into the martial arts - they will know all about the UFC and maybe able to point you in the direction of some other/extra clubs...most of the men I trained with in my youth where also instructors - and you would have never known about their clubs had you not trained with them at the main dojo. Best of luck - and keep us all informed of your progress.


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

I can't wait to spar with Marc, I'll be catching him in all sorts of submissions, Triangles, RNC's, Armbars, all in the first second of the match!


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## Chibi Sean (Dec 21, 2007)

GSP started out with karate so I think you'll be o.k


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## Si-K (Jul 23, 2007)

Yeah, it sets a good foundation.

The only reason I started Thai was because I wanted more intense conditioning (which punching fresh air does not give you - also, at my age you feel the strain on your joins hitting nothing). I went to go boxing and then duh, realised I was always better kicking than punching hence Muay Thai - plus the extra focus re all the MMA events.

Everything followed on from their - but I think I picked up all the techniques quickly because of the past training and "body awareness" - my first 4 private (thai) sessions I did not get corrected once - on my 5th I was shown a spinning kick - which I kept screwing up - but that was down to the fact I was knackered and did not have the flexibility to carry-it of properly!.


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## Skygge (Apr 4, 2008)

Team Quest have released a book on conditioning and drills to help you be physically and mentally prepared for MMA.

If youre looking for good sites to help you with submissions try www.submissions101.com. It looks at both Gi and No-Gi submissions. There are various sites on learning MMA, its just the case of using google etc. to find them, or order some books/DVDs as Si-K has advised.


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## MMA-Guy (Apr 6, 2008)

Personal Training/instruction With Paul Semtex Daley At The Workplace Gym In Reading, Berkshire. For More Information Please Call:- 07528956775

Public Classes Wednesday 7-9pm And Saturday 11-1pm


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

MMA-Guy said:


> Personal Training/instruction With Paul Semtex Daley At The Workplace Gym In Reading, Berkshire. For More Information Please Call:- 07528956775
> 
> Public Classes Wednesday 7-9pm And Saturday 11-1pm


MMA Guy create a thread and put this in the fighters forum, and i'll sticky it.

Wish i was closer to reading, paul Daley is a legend, how much are the private lessons?


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## MMA-Guy (Apr 6, 2008)

marc said:


> MMA Guy create a thread and put this in the fighters forum, and i'll sticky it.
> 
> Wish i was closer to reading, paul Daley is a legend, how much are the private lessons?


Thinking public classes are Â£10 and "Striking for MMA" privates around Â£30 an hour.

at the Workplace Gym, 6 richfield avenue in Reading. Or call 07528956775


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

Â£10 a class? That sounds bullshit to me.


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## MMA-Guy (Apr 6, 2008)

JayC said:


> Â£10 a class? That sounds bullshit to me.


everyones entitled to there opinions. But IMO, Â£10 a class aint bad, think it's Â£5 for gym members. I'm not sure.


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

Back in the day it used to be Â£3.50 a class.

Â£10 is a very, very steep price. Â£30 a private is decent, and if you're a gym member Â£5 is good, but a Â£10 class is just McDojo type shit.

It's not me having an opinion, its me assessing that it's a massively steep price for an hour's lesson, and Im sure the training is not THAT good that it's worth Â£10.


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## MMA-Guy (Apr 6, 2008)

JayC said:


> It's not me having an opinion, its me assessing that it's a massively steep price for an hour's lesson


It's a 2hour class.


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

There we go then


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## tahir (Feb 15, 2008)

JayC said:


> Back in the day it used to be Â£3.50 a class.
> 
> Â£10 is a very, very steep price. Â£30 a private is decent, and if you're a gym member Â£5 is good, but a Â£10 class is just McDojo type shit.
> 
> It's not me having an opinion, its me assessing that it's a massively steep price for an hour's lesson, and Im sure the training is not THAT good that it's worth Â£10.


you are bang on mate!

im telling you one of the reasons why that there is not enough YOUNG talent is because we cant afford it lol

i have to go some free boxing classes just to keep training! i guess thats what you get when your a student


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

We've come to realise that it's for a 2 hour lesson. Which, logically, would be Â£10 in my gym.

However, if you pay for a 1 hour class, and there is another one after it, then the second class only costs Â£1.

So a 2 hour class in my gym costs Â£6.


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## Skygge (Apr 4, 2008)

in the gym i go to, the guy who took BJJ there (they were private sessions) became our new mma coach. it used to be Â£5 for each session, but he made an offer where its Â£6 for both mma and bjj, not bad for 2 1/2 hours.


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## MMA-Guy (Apr 6, 2008)

Now at 3spiritmma.co.uk :laola:


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

THREAD HI-JACK ALERT.

back to the point - i agree with Si on this, get down to the karate class. Theres bound to be someone there who knows someone else who know BJJ. I worked with a guy for 6 years, left the company and 2 years later found out he teaches ground work about a minute away from my house.

Ask about, something will turn up.

if theres nothing then theres a gap in the market for BJJ in the shetlands!


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