No. I could
end this blog article right here, but let me elaborate :)
Most people
wrongly assume that the only people training in Mixed Martial Arts are those
individuals who want to compete in MMA type events, like the UFC, but that
couldn't be further from the truth. The majority of our students, let's say 90%
of them, just want to learn how to defend themselves, get in shape, relieve
stress and build their confidence.
You can see
from the picture below that there are people as young as 14 years-old to adults
in their 50's in this particular class. You can also see both men and women
training together. There are also students in this class who are just starting
out and there are students who have been training for over 8 years. We have
students training with us from all walks of life...firemen, police officers,
lawyers, high school principals, business owners, engineers, marketing
directors, mothers, fathers and even grandparents. Some of these students have
a lot in common with each other, but many of them don't have much in common
except for the fact that they love training in Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing and MMA.
Everyone
training at our academy has a different reason for why they started training
and the goals they want to achieve. For some people, they just want to lose
some weight, get in shape and get healthier. Other people labor in a very
stressful work environment all day and they look forward to coming to the
academy three or four days a week to relieve some of that stress. Some people
started training because they wanted to become more confident. And for some,
they started because they wanted to learn how to defend themselves if they were
ever put into a situation where they needed to.
It's true
that there are students who sign up because they want to compete in MMA events,
and we do our best to prepare them for that, but the large majority of people
who train with us do so because they watch the UFC on television and they want
to be able to do the same cool techniques their favorite fighters do. They
don't have any intention of ever setting foot inside the cage; they just want
to learn the same techniques they see being used inside the octagon and have
some fun. They're not looking to go to work the next day with a black eye;
they're not there to be the next Georges St-Pierre; they're there to learn some
cool techniques in a supportive and friendly environment.
A few weeks
ago I was sitting at my work desk and I kept asking myself this question,
"What is our school about? If I had to describe to someone what our school
is about in one sentence what would I tell them?" And here's what I came
up with - "Next Level Martial Arts training system is about taking
average, ordinary guys and giving them the skill set of a UFC fighter." I
personally would rather spend my time training someone who just wants to learn,
have some fun and do this as a hobby over someone who wants to be the next
Chuck Liddell. The reason for this is because the man or woman who wants to be
a "fighter" tends to be more self focused than anyone else inside the
academy. They tend to think that everything needs to revolve around them - the
workout, the lesson plan, the class structure, the techniques we train, etc. On
the other, the student who's there just to learn and have some fun tends to be
more of a team player. They're not there just for them; they're there to help
others and be supportive of their training partners.
So, do you
have to want to be a fighter in order to train MMA? No. You can have a lot of
different reasons for wanting to train, and being a fighter doesn't have to be
one of them. For me personally, I just love Martial Arts. Ever since I was a
kid I loved watching Bruce Lee movies and pretending that I was the man to
defeat the villain in that final fight scene. Today, not much has changed. I
watch just about every UFC event, but instead of pretending to be fighting for
the UFC championship, I break down fights and analyze the techniques and
fighting styles of my favorite fighters in order to bring my students the most
in depth and detailed instruction possible.
The most
important thing is not why you want to train in MMA; the most important thing
is that you actually go and do it. Go find a reputable school and sign up for a
trial. Most schools offer some type of introductory trial offer like "3
Classes for $19.99." Try a few classes to make sure they have exactly what
you're looking for. Make sure they have a solid program with legit black belts
in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kickboxing teaching the classes. And be sure to ask
their instructors what certifications they have to make sure they're not some
pretender who thought it would be cool to open up his own "fight
gym."
If you have
any questions feel free to send me an email to james@youngstownmartialarts.com.
I will do my best to answer any questions you have. You can also reach me by
dialing 330-550-4324. Hope to see you on the mat!
Grace To
You,
James
Terlecki
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