Starting a martial art ? NOOB

Re:Starting a martial art ? NOOB (Big_Dick)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:59:13 GMT

Thanks Slideyfoot , that was a really usefull read !
Theirs a Jujutsu class which a friend attends near me.
I think im going to start going to that in prepaeration for going too mma after christmas. I have started doing a circuit training routine, And started last night which i found tough ! Didnt realise how unfit i am, I plan to do the circuit training 3 times a week, and also 3 gym sessions a week, I dont want to ever compete in mma im doing it more for fun and a hobby.

Re:Starting a martial art ? NOOB (slideyfoot)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:19:14 GMT

Big_Dick
Im wanting to start an martial art,

First of all, I'd recommend you take a look at the FAQ on finding a good martial arts school. In general, signs to look for are a competitive record, regular heavy contact sparring and 'aliveness' (if you're unfamiliar with the term, Matt Thornton has a long article on the topic describing what it is and why it's important: he is the man most associated with popularising the concept. One of his students also has a good piece on the topic).

If your interest is mainly in striking, the safest option if you want decent training is muay thai (which you'll also see as 'thai boxing'), along with martial arts like boxing and kyokushin karate. That's not to say there aren't good schools within other striking styles, but they tend to vary widely in quality.

If you're more interested in grappling, then BJJ would be an excellent choice, as the strong competitive element and ability-based ranking system generally results in high quality training. A cheaper option is judo, which is also much easier to find - the two styles are closely related, the main difference being that judo normally focuses on throws whereas BJJ is mostly about the ground. For more on judo, read the Bullshido.com article - there is an article on BJJ too (you could also check my BJJ Beginner FAQ). SAMBO is another good choice, but even harder to find than BJJ. Then there's wrestling, which is also great training for grappling.

Alternately, you could combine grappling and striking by cross-training in several arts, or at an MMA gym (though technically 'MMA' is a ruleset rather than a specific style). Examples of well known MMA gyms would be Team Quest and Miletich Fighting Systems.

There are also several school databases you could try. For example, for BJJ:

TrainJiuJitsu.com
Gym Database (BJJ, MMA etc)
UK Club Map

Their a decent mma club near me so going to give that a go as they have a beginners class. Can anybody outline a training plan that i can do before i start the mma classes as they dont begin till after christmas. I have never done a martial art or boxing before in my life so dont know where to start.

I'm not sure about MMA, but for BJJ, while it certainly doesn't hurt to get fitter beforehand, it isn't necessary. I'd strongly advise you to dive right in and start BJJ (or in your case, MMA), as your fitness and skill level will improve through attending class regularly. If you're holding off because you think you could do with a bit of preparation first, you may never get round to actually training.

Of course, in your case they don't start until after christmas anyway: is there judo or BJJ nearby in the meantime?

Re:Starting a martial art ? NOOB (monitor)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:46:02 GMT

Simple answer IMO.

Cardio and lots of it, you need to build up your endurance.

I thought I was fairly fit until I started Muay Thai and the first beginner's class wasted me.

If you want to continue lifting then keep it compound and build on muscular endurance.

Starting a martial art ? NOOB (Big_Dick)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:11:04 GMT

Im wanting to start an martial art, Their a decent mma club near me so going to give that a go as they have a beginners class. Can anybody outline a training plan that i can do before i start the mma classes as they dont begin till after christmas. I have never done a martial art or boxing before in my life so dont know where to start.
Can someone outline some basics, such as jogging through the week? skipping? Bag work ( and info on an effective routine) Also weights? Im gessing id just do the compound lifts and focus on Explosive power?
Thankyou