Tips For Choosing The Right MMA Instructor
These days it seems like almost everyone wants to learn a form of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
Maybe you want to learn MMA because you want to build a better body, maybe you are doing it to improve your health, maybe you want to learn an effective means of self-defense, or perhaps your life's goal is to get into the UFC octagon yourself and become a champion.
Whatever your reasons, if you are going to get involved in MMA, then you are obviously going to want the best possible instructor.
So, what makes a great MMA instructor, and how do you find them? You should start your search for the best MMA school and instructor by asking around and looking online.
Keep in mind however that if you really want to learn MMA, then you should stay away from Karate and Tae Kwon Do schools that may just be advertising MMA types of training.
Instead, you should look for a school and an instructor that actually teaches MMA -- not just stand up, and not just grappling and ground fighting, but real, all-around Mixed Martial Arts, like The Lab Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Fredericksburg, VA.
A big giveaway for if a school doesn't offer real MMA is if the school doesn't have "MMA" or "Mixed Martial Arts" in the name, this is a definite red flag that it most likely won't offer you a professional MMA training atmosphere.
Next, check the MMA school out for yourself.
What kind of people are training there? Of course there will be many new students starting out in any good MMA school, but does it look like the instructor is doing a good job of getting people in shape and teaching them to train hard? Is the school well equipped? Does it have plenty of training bags? If it is the real deal, it will most likely have a UFC-style cage so that you could train for real and get used to what it is like to be locked in with real fighters.
See if you can sit in and watch a training session or two.
Next, interview the instructor.
Does the school's MMA instructor really have an actual black belt in a Martial Art like Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that has proven to be so extremely effective in the octagon? Has the instructor really spent time in live MMA fights? If so, did they win, and what was their record? Are they still in shape, or do they look like they haven't trained for 5 years and they sit on a chair during class? Ask lots of questions.
You will quickly find out if they really know what they are talking about from the way they answer.
Real MMA instructors who know the game will reply and talk about things like footwork and skills specialization.
Finally, if an MMA school and instructor is really worth it, and they really stand behind their training, they should be offering some kind of free trial.
Not just one class, but preferably a 30 day trial so that you have the opportunity to really analyze how effective their MMA teaching is for your personal goals, and how well their classes will prepare you for the most important parts of your training.
Maybe you want to learn MMA because you want to build a better body, maybe you are doing it to improve your health, maybe you want to learn an effective means of self-defense, or perhaps your life's goal is to get into the UFC octagon yourself and become a champion.
Whatever your reasons, if you are going to get involved in MMA, then you are obviously going to want the best possible instructor.
So, what makes a great MMA instructor, and how do you find them? You should start your search for the best MMA school and instructor by asking around and looking online.
Keep in mind however that if you really want to learn MMA, then you should stay away from Karate and Tae Kwon Do schools that may just be advertising MMA types of training.
Instead, you should look for a school and an instructor that actually teaches MMA -- not just stand up, and not just grappling and ground fighting, but real, all-around Mixed Martial Arts, like The Lab Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Fredericksburg, VA.
A big giveaway for if a school doesn't offer real MMA is if the school doesn't have "MMA" or "Mixed Martial Arts" in the name, this is a definite red flag that it most likely won't offer you a professional MMA training atmosphere.
Next, check the MMA school out for yourself.
What kind of people are training there? Of course there will be many new students starting out in any good MMA school, but does it look like the instructor is doing a good job of getting people in shape and teaching them to train hard? Is the school well equipped? Does it have plenty of training bags? If it is the real deal, it will most likely have a UFC-style cage so that you could train for real and get used to what it is like to be locked in with real fighters.
See if you can sit in and watch a training session or two.
Next, interview the instructor.
Does the school's MMA instructor really have an actual black belt in a Martial Art like Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that has proven to be so extremely effective in the octagon? Has the instructor really spent time in live MMA fights? If so, did they win, and what was their record? Are they still in shape, or do they look like they haven't trained for 5 years and they sit on a chair during class? Ask lots of questions.
You will quickly find out if they really know what they are talking about from the way they answer.
Real MMA instructors who know the game will reply and talk about things like footwork and skills specialization.
Finally, if an MMA school and instructor is really worth it, and they really stand behind their training, they should be offering some kind of free trial.
Not just one class, but preferably a 30 day trial so that you have the opportunity to really analyze how effective their MMA teaching is for your personal goals, and how well their classes will prepare you for the most important parts of your training.
