MMA

I started MMA at 40 and felt completely out of my depth in the first class. Most people were twenty-something and athletic. I was neither. But the coach adapted sessions to my level and nobody made me feel unwelcome. Recovery takes longer at my age, and finding a gym with quality striking and grapp…

I had zero athletic background when I started MMA. First class I was completely lost — everyone seemed to know the language of cage control and I didn't. My guillotine choke was nonexistent. I nearly didn't go back. I did go back. And the first grading 7 months later was one of the proudest moments…

I've done gym, running clubs, and team sports. The MMA community is different. There's something about shared struggle around ground and pound and grappling vs. striking balance that creates a genuine bond. People at my gym remember everyone's name. Higher belts and better athletes make time for beg…

A friend dragged me to a MMA trial class. I went to be polite. I was terrible. I went back because I couldn't stand being terrible at something. That was 5 months ago. The Muay Thai clinch I stumbled through in that first class is now something I teach to newer beginners. wrestling base has become …

People describe MMA as a workout but that undersells it. After 6 months your body moves differently. The Muay Thai clinch drills reshape how you use your hips, shoulders, and weight distribution in ways that carry into everything else you do. It's not just fitness — it's body literacy. Understandin…

I track everything, so here are actual results after 12 months of MMA: significantly improved cardiovascular fitness, noticeable strength gains, and a flexibility improvement I didn't expect. None of that came from a gym program — it came from learning cage work and understanding scrambles. the cag…

Around the 7-month mark in MMA I hit a wall. My progress with ground and pound wasn't improving and I felt like I was spinning wheels. It's apparently common but that didn't make it less frustrating. What helped: going back to fundamentals with my coach, spending more time drilling scrambles slowly…

When I started MMA I had no idea what to buy. I over-researched, bought the wrong things, and wasted money. Here's what I've learned: start with basic MMA gloves. Don't spend serious money until you know you're committed and until a coach has watched you move. The premium version of everything in M…

After 10 months of training MMA I entered my first competition. I lost. It was the best thing that's happened to my development in the sport. Competition exposes gaps in your game that rolling or drilling never will. My guard passing fell apart under pressure. My understanding of transitions was th…

I'd been training MMA for two years when I picked up an injury that kept me out for four months. Coming back was harder mentally than physically. My double-leg takedown had regressed and grappling vs. striking balance I'd taken for granted needed rebuilding. takedown defence becoming instinctive wa…