MMA Experience

MMA Experience

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is becoming very popular and the fastest growing sport all over the world. According to Seungmo et al. (2008), it is among the games that have been around far longer, with a growing exponentially each year.   I have grown to love to sport, and I owe it to my father, who made me join MMA.  My father was a regular boxing fan, and he made me watch PPV events ever since I was a small kid. I remember watching the likes of Iron Mike on those eras of boxing, and he made me an avid boxing fan to date.  However, on many occasions, despite my dad spending vast amounts of money on PPV events, he would complain about how wrestling was a fake sport. I finally realized he was speaking the truth around the age of 10.

Nonetheless, that did not deter me from joining MMA, and ironically I got into this sport when I stopped training Karate. At that time, I was living in Ireland when I bought a UFC 54 in a nearby store, and watching those fights made me dive into the MMA world.  When I moved to Kentucky, I immediately enrolled in my Jujitsu training classes.

Human beings are competitive, whether for land, food, or bragging rights (Wei, 2007). Our social institutions, when combined with the animalistic nature, teaches us to be better human beings than others. That is what MMA has taught me over the years.  One fateful morning, I was tired of doing my usual morning, and I wanted something different to alternate with my running. That is how I landed at Team Oyama MMA Gym.  Initially, a friend who had attended the gym had recommended me when I shared with him how I was interested in the sport. The staff was friendly, and the front desk, headed by Roman, was very welcoming.

Moreover, the instructors are also helpful in promptly answering theoretical questions. They are all high-level fighters who compete from time to time.  That day, they introduced themselves and were able to orient us on basic moves that would get us started.  The General Manager is also a force to reckon on, very friendly and cheerful when you make a connection. However, despite his constant enthusiasm, his classes are more robust.

McDonald’s classes are always a big punch. He taught me how to execute a kick and how to land hooks. He is incredible, and his exercises make one feel sore for several days. On the other hand, Shane is technique-driven and has a class for combos and drills. His levels are challenging and fun despite the feeling of soreness, and you end up coming back for more. He is the primary instructor who improved on my less fit body.  He stood out as an outstanding personal trainer, who never gave up on me despite the many times I felt like giving up due to frustrations of being uncoordinated.  He encouraged me even though I was losing hope. I gradually picked up the combos, and as time went by, my technique improved.  He commented to me and told me how proud he felt for not giving up.  Starting this sport, I was arguably the most difficult person to deal with, but Team Oyama, MMA, through the help of best trainers, made me love working out in that gym. Next on the list was beginning Muay Thai and begging BJJ, which was stellar cardio kickboxing.

Overall, the gym is pretty intense, and I made sure that I took up their free lessons and Groupon monthly classes. The Nogi Jiu-jitsu classes are exciting and are taught by Wes, the lead instructor.  Wes is technical, and his demos and instructions are always at a first-rate. Additionally, the more experienced students are still eager and helpful in passing down their knowledge. The more classes I took, the more I felt confident in my abilities. The cardio kickboxing is a nonstop 75 minutes of hard sweat, and it helped men my basic knowledge of punching. However, I noted that if someone is new to the idea of punching a heavy bag, then it would be well first to take a group boxing lessons elsewhere to familiarize the techniques involved. Also, they do not offer Nin-Jutsu classes, and un inquiry, one of the lead instructors, claimed he had no idea of that class. The instructors only do the most powerful techniques.  Again, in this sport, there are some moves and techniques only left to the real fighters. Nonetheless, the unity and sense of family under the leadership of coach Oyama keeps you going.

I also had a chance to train at Kings MMA, located at Huntington Beach, CA. Unlike Team Oyama MMA, Kings MMA gym is spotless and sanitized. However, their charges are a bit expensive when compared to Team Oyama and other gyms in the vicinity. The atmosphere is motivating, positive, and respectful. Besides, the instructors are talented and knowledgeable about the aspect of MMA.  They have created a safe place for people from all walks of life and backgrounds to learn BJJ and Muay Thai.  One thing I noticed at Kings MMA is that they focus on fundamentals, they intimately watch you refine the technique and constant drilling. Also, they do not have favorites, despite prior having some knowledge on BJJ and Muay Thai, they insisted on building me again from scratch. They aim to see you grow and refine your techniques by giving you sparring techniques.

They built me up again from the ground and made it even more fun and memorable. All the members are fun to work with since they have something new to bring to the table. These can range from skills, weight, and speed that is not only interesting but varied.  Whether you are there to learn to be competitive, make new friends, for self-defense, in need of something new, be active, or shed a few pounds, Kings MMA is the place to be.  Additionally, training BJJ and Muay Thai has given me a spirit of perseverance, endurance, courage, and much more, which I understand is beneficial to everyone. Overall, training with Kings has enabled me to learn practical self-defense skills, be confident, and make many friends. If that is not enough, I have been able to explore myself on the physical, mental, and spiritual journey, and it is thanks to Kings MMA.

The last MMA gym I have visited is the Hard Knocks MMA, which I happened to train currently. Situated at Fort Lauderdale, the gym is also exceptional in its own making. The first time in that gym, I was not only invited by the trainers but the fighter as well who train there as Pro and Amateur.  I felt some sense of relief, and never at one instance did I feel pressure to do anything that I did not want to. The instruction was smooth, and I transitioned so fast, bearing since I knew some of the tips and techniques. Becoming part of the family at Hard Knocks MMA was the best decision I ever made.  Activities are done with contagious passion and attention to detail. The trainers, on the other hand, create this perfect environment where each one invests in each other for mutual success.  In particular, Bill and Jake teach professional classes on a personal level to help someone reach their goal faster. The facility attracts a variety of students from Amateur fighters, those who want to achieve their fitness goals, and those that only want to check out.  Hard Knocks has a unique culture that is inviting and has an edge.

Bruce Lee once said that for a person to believe in his skills, he must first learn to empty his cup (Lee, 2015). By doing so, they have an inflated sense of their ability., who are either found out or left out.  Joining an MMA comes with that timid fear of failure of the thought of being incapable of fighting.  In most cases, many people feel intimidated for the lack of effort and forgetting that the best people tried and failed.  Hence, as I reflect on my experiences at the MMA, I challenge myself even more and get better at the sport. I struggled to get my coordination together, and through hard work, perseverance, and asking for help, I have mastered my skills, and every experience has taught me to even better for more.  Further, I have bizarrely learned that I enjoy fighting. This explains why my mother always reminds me of how I was a “stubborn kid” while growing up.

Contrary, no one likes being hit; nevertheless, I have no problem with it.  In MMA, the real fighters have to take a few hits to establish a position for themselves.  Many people think rugby players as being harsh, but it is a different experience when you stand in front of a person and get yourself kicked, and taken down. Whereas in rugby, there are two contact sessions weekly; the game is played on weekends. In MMA, out of the five or six days that one trains, four of them are always at peak intensity.  I am not particularly robust, but when you learn a skill, there is no better feeling.  Since registering membership with various gym classes, I have had no time for boredom. It is an excellent experience for total body workout. Exercise, in general, relieves my stress levels, but punching a bag full of the sandbag is indeed liberating.

References

Lee, B. (2015). Bruce Lee’s striking thoughts: Bruce Lee’s wisdom for daily living. Tuttle

Publishing.

Seungmo, K., Greenwell, T. C., Andrew, D. P., Lee, J., & Mahony, D. F. (2008). An

analysis of spectator motives in an individual combat sport: A study of mixed martial arts fans. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 17(2), 109.

Wei, S. U. N. (2007). The view of the life of human beings in competitive sport [J]. Journal

                    Of Physical Education, 8.