Guys don't want to learn to fight..or maybe im weird

[Poonani Maker]

The world is confusing. Just when you think you have figured out what is going on your fall flat on your face. Stable jobs are non existent. Stable women are non existent. The only thing that is reliable is fitness and fighting. Those two things are an outlet in a chaotic world. A run is still a run and a jab is still a jab. There is purity and simplicity in exercise. I think this was one of the main tenets of the movie/book Fight Club. SB nation just did a good documentary on the history of paid fighters and this was that was their theme.

Also reading good books, no one can take that away from you, what's in your head. I like to whip up a concoction of Camomile, Cinnamon, Apple Cider Vinegar, Chaga tea, half a lemon, 24 ounces of boiled water, and read my current reading "War Through the Ages" by Lynn Montross where it talks about how a Roman soldier or Legion was made. It was hard, ever bit as hard as how our current military soldier was developed. If you stepped outta line, you were executed.

 

[Poonani Maker]

Wait..Tony Ferguson says he doesnt spar? He is gifted for real. I think Khabib has his number though. Khabib is just too strong and is too good on the cage.

April 18th will be a crescendo of MMA. I wish it was in Vegas and not NY, cause I could have gotten free tickets there maybe. I would have blown off my work obligations and gone. The judges are bad in NY too. Tony just works out like none other, you know that Mexican gas tank. Khabib throws around similar bodies like Ferguson's like ragdolls, but Ferguson trains VERY unorthodox and probably has muscles in locations no one else has. His training would get most people injured badly (for life even). The problem, I think, is Tony will be 36 (which while still not past his prime is right at the end) while Khabib is 31 or something still with that youth spirit/flexibility/awareness/perception/balance. No one is funner to watch than Tony though, and his last 7 opponents have been carved up like a pumpkin.

 

[Who Dares Win]

Training MMA is possilby the only sport I love in my life and I started in my early 30s after so many failure with soccer, basketball and tennis.

Fighthing is the only sport in which success or defeat are entirely on you and that alone makes me like it.

The benefit it grants outside of fighting itself are alone worth the effort and the commitment, no one is free unless he knows his limits and can push such limits when someone else stands in the middle.

Sparring is possibly the best thing a man can do, it simulates a fight while keeping it under control while at the same time allows your brain and temper to be tested and evolve.

I kid you not, I feel a renewed man since I started.

 

[Bible_Belt]

I trained mma for about 4-5 years in my mid 30s and fought a few times. That was ten years ago, when the sport was peaking in popularity. Local events in small towns were drawing up to a thousand people. I went to the first big local mma fight just down the road from me and was hooked from there. I eventually came to work for the promotion and saw a lot of different angles of the fight business. My former dojo/fight company is long out of business, but I would not trade the experience for anything else. I wouldn't mind my head being symmetrical again, but who wants to live forever?

It has always been about impossible to find sparring partners. It is supposed to be good exercise and training where no one gets hurt. 16 oz training gloves are like big pillows, designed to cushion blows. Boxing fight gloves might be 10 oz, but a lot of that weight is in the back, not over the knuckles. Unfortunately people have watched too many movies and think sparring is a fight, or that the object is to hit as hard as you can and do damage. People who have done real training before know that there is no point to hurting your training partner, because then you have no one to train with.

As far as usefulness in real life, I think everyone should get in at least a year or two of quality training somewhere in your life. That would place you in the top 1% of people as far as actually knowing how to fight. The very basics of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu such as guard, shrimping, and mount escapes can easily save your life someday.

 

[Pandora]

I trained mma for about 4-5 years in my mid 30s and fought a few times. That was ten years ago, when the sport was peaking in popularity. Local events in small towns were drawing up to a thousand people. I went to the first big local mma fight just down the road from me and was hooked from there. I eventually came to work for the promotion and saw a lot of different angles of the fight business. My former dojo/fight company is long out of business, but I would not trade the experience for anything else. I wouldn't mind my head being symmetrical again, but who wants to live forever?

It has always been about impossible to find sparring partners. It is supposed to be good exercise and training where no one gets hurt. 16 oz training gloves are like big pillows, designed to cushion blows. Boxing fight gloves might be 10 oz, but a lot of that weight is in the back, not over the knuckles. Unfortunately people have watched too many movies and think sparring is a fight, or that the object is to hit as hard as you can and do damage. People who have done real training before know that there is no point to hurting your training partner, because then you have no one to train with.

As far as usefulness in real life, I think everyone should get in at least a year or two of quality training somewhere in your life. That would place you in the top 1% of people as far as actually knowing how to fight. The very basics of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu such as guard, shrimping, and mount escapes can easily save your life someday.

Hey man I totally agree. I have two questions for you?

1.) Did your friends think it was weird that you became obsessed with MMA in your 30's? I am always self conscious when I start talking about MMA to people my age. I feel like they are judging me. They don't share my excitement about it. Yet they can talk about football for hours. Gun culture and martial arts are the 2 things I feel self conscious talking to my co workers and friends about. I have grown out of gun culture but not MMA.

2.) Is mid 30's too old to become good? Did you feel physical inferior to the younger guys etc Many people are say that you are past your prime etc etc

 

[Pandora]

Training MMA is possilby the only sport I love in my life and I started in my early 30s after so many failure with soccer, basketball and tennis.

Fighthing is the only sport in which success or defeat are entirely on you and that alone makes me like it.

The benefit it grants outside of fighting itself are alone worth the effort and the commitment, no one is free unless he knows his limits and can push such limits when someone else stands in the middle.

Sparring is possibly the best thing a man can do, it simulates a fight while keeping it under control while at the same time allows your brain and temper to be tested and evolve.

I kid you not, I feel a renewed man since I started.

Same here brotha. I don't understand why most guys don't share our enthusiasm with it. I will ask you the same question I asked Bible Belt. How did your family and friends respond to your new found obsession to it and did you feel past your physical prime.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Hey man I totally agree. I have two questions for you?

1.) Did your friends think it was weird that you became obsessed with MMA in your 30's? I am always self conscious when I start talking about MMA to people my age. I feel like they are judging me. They don't share my excitement about it. Yet they can talk about football for hours. Gun culture and martial arts are the 2 things I feel self conscious talking to my co workers and friends about. I have grown out of gun culture but not MMA.

2.) Is mid 30's too old to become good? Did you feel physical inferior to the younger guys etc Many people are say that you are past your prime etc etc

I started mma instead of taking the bar exam after law school, so my experience is a little unusual. I was dating a bpd girl whose last bf beat her previous bf to death with his bare hands in a fight over her. I knew he was coming for her when he got out, which he did 3.5 years later, but I was thankfully not with her at the time.

It depends on what you mean by good. You are probably not going to the UFC, and I don't count getting your ass kicked on an untelevised undercard as being in the UFC. The undercards are often a little crooked as to the matches made. Sometimes half the guys are chumps set up to fail. But you can be a respectable local amateur fighter, and that is a world above the average guy in regard to skill.

 

[stovepipe]

I've always wanted to train in some kind of self defense. Not just for learning how to defend myself, but also the art of disciple and self control. Can't tell you how many of my friends since I was kid told me it changed their lives for the better.

When I was 8 years old there was 2 brothers who's parents put them in karate I think at like age 4-5. They both excelled so fast it was amazing. They were doing the splits on 2 chairs like Van Dam when I'd go to their house. One of the brothers took it to a level I've never seen before. He ended up in Hollywood training Celebs for movies, music videos and he starred in movies and commercials. He was good friends with Wesley Snipes and Michael Jai White. He later transitioned to training elite UFC fighters. His discipline since I knew him till now has always shown me how mentally beneficial self defense really is.

A few years ago a buddy of mine started jiu jitsu. All he did was tell me how it changed his life in so many ways. He also excelled so fast, lost a lot weight, took it seriously, begin rolling with guys way bigger than him and winning. Once I get my health issues resolved I think im going to stop procrastinating and join a gym. Working out has always been a huge part of my life. It felt like an outlet to the crazy world in ways its hard to explain.

 

[Pandora]

I started mma instead of taking the bar exam after law school, so my experience is a little unusual. I was dating a bpd girl whose last bf beat her previous bf to death with his bare hands in a fight over her. I knew he was coming for her when he got out, which he did 3.5 years later, but I was thankfully not with her at the time.

It depends on what you mean by good. You are probably not going to the UFC, and I don't count getting your ass kicked on an untelevised undercard as being in the UFC. The undercards are often a little crooked as to the matches made. Sometimes half the guys are chumps set up to fail. But you can be a respectable local amateur fighter, and that is a world above the average guy in regard to skill.

I dont ever want to compete in the ufc or even amatuer. I just want to be able to defend myself against a guy trying to harm me. I want to be competent against regular people.

 

[Poonani Maker]

I dont ever want to compete in the ufc or even amatuer. I just want to be able to defend myself against a guy trying to harm me. I want to be competent against regular people.

Then it's not too late to start, UFC you must start in your teens and preferably already be an athlete and on the wrestling team and being the champ division one or division II kinda doesn't matter but a division 2 has only won a division one college championship once in history.

 

[Who Dares Win]

Same here brotha. I don't understand why most guys don't share our enthusiasm with it. I will ask you the same question I asked Bible Belt. How did your family and friends respond to your new found obsession to it and did you feel past your physical prime.

No one had anything bad to say about it but again I have no cvnts as friends and my family has very low credit and influece on my decision.

Regarding my physical prime in terms of strenght and stamina Im much better now than my early 20s, its just the life energy that is lower.
Sure I wont get into the UFC, not that I care since I dont want it to be my life and I will be fine by just winning a match in some local tournament in the following months.

Now talking about self defence, within 6 month if done correctly your skills are already much more than when you started, you could beat your old self earily while regarding being able to handle a bar fight I wouldnt say before at lest 9 months a year.

The point is that MMA not only gives you the skills and physical shape but most importantly gives you the mental preparation to deal with it as long as you attend the sparring sessions.

 

[Von]

I am 30 years old. I got back into martials arts at 30 years old after a 7 year hiatus.

Currently doing MuayThai and BJJ No Gi at Tristar Montreal.

Previous experience = 4 years of aikijutjisu + muaythai.(at the same time).

Every day for 7 years I would shadow boxe and visualize my aiki moves.

Why I stopped ? Don't know.. Too much school, trying to succeed in a business, dating.

Yet it's there I had the most "schedule free time" .

Now my business dreams collapsed, I am still working there but "salaried" and looking to change career or path into IT,Business, other stuff in finance. Because I don't enjoy the financial advice world anymore.

So I decided to go back to school and do martial Arts.

I told my wife: it's now or never, I have to do it.

Her answer after a few months: when you do martials arts.. It's when I see you the most happy and you always come back cheerful with a lot of energy.

At Tristar we do a lot of sparring (light), every day after the scheduled class. Tristar leave a lot of the fitness to yourself (only kickboxing does a workout pre-drills, the rest is 100% drills and sparring) but they work your techniques and sparring.

People don't understand martials arts, but it's heck of a great "anger management" .

I do my gym workout before every classes.. Never been fitter

 

[Pandora]

I am 30 years old. I got back into martials arts at 30 years old after a 7 year hiatus.

Currently doing MuayThai and BJJ No Gi at Tristar Montreal.

Previous experience = 4 years of aikijutjisu + muaythai.(at the same time).

Every day for 7 years I would shadow boxe and visualize my aiki moves.

Why I stopped ? Don't know.. Too much school, trying to succeed in a business, dating.

Yet it's there I had the most "schedule free time" .

Now my business dreams collapsed, I am still working there but "salaried" and looking to change career or path into IT,Business, other stuff in finance. Because I don't enjoy the financial advice world anymore.

So I decided to go back to school and do martial Arts.

I told my wife: it's now or never, I have to do it.

Her answer after a few months: when you do martials arts.. It's when I see you the most happy and you always come back cheerful with a lot of energy.

At Tristar we do a lot of sparring (light), every day after the scheduled class. Tristar leave a lot of the fitness to yourself (only kickboxing does a workout pre-drills, the rest is 100% drills and sparring) but they work your techniques and sparring.

People don't understand martials arts, but it's heck of a great "anger management" .

I do my gym workout before every classes.. Never been fitter

Oh man I'm jealous. Tristar is prestigious. Have you seen Firas yet? Btw you are lucky that your wife is so supportive. It is great anger management. Martial Arts give you a sense of calm.

 

[Pandora]

No one had anything bad to say about it but again I have no cvnts as friends and my family has very low credit and influece on my decision.

Regarding my physical prime in terms of streng

Regarding my physical prime in terms of strenght and stamina Im much better now than my early 20s, its just the life energy that is lower.

You mean once you get started you are good but its the getting started part thats become more difficult? Thats how I feel as i age also.

 

[Pandora]

I've always wanted to train in some kind of self defense. Not just for learning how to defend myself, but also the art of disciple and self control. Can't tell you how many of my friends since I was kid told me it changed their lives for the better.

When I was 8 years old there was 2 brothers who's parents put them in karate I think at like age 4-5. They both excelled so fast it was amazing. They were doing the splits on 2 chairs like Van Dam when I'd go to their house. One of the brothers took it to a level I've never seen before. He ended up in Hollywood training Celebs for movies, music videos and he starred in movies and commercials. He was good friends with Wesley Snipes and Michael Jai White. He later transitioned to training elite UFC fighters. His discipline since I knew him till now has always shown me how mentally beneficial self defense really is.

A few years ago a buddy of mine started jiu jitsu. All he did was tell me how it changed his life in so many ways. He also excelled so fast, lost a lot weight, took it seriously, begin rolling with guys way bigger than him and winning. Once I get my health issues resolved I think im going to stop procrastinating and join a gym. Working out has always been a huge part of my life. It felt like an outlet to the crazy world in ways its hard to explain.

Once you start please keep me updated on your journey. Hopefully u can resolve your health issues soon.

 

[Who Dares Win]

You mean once you get started you are good but its the getting started part thats become more difficult? Thats how I feel as i age also.

Yeah kinda like that, also I have to drag myself sometime to go to training sessions but once Im there its all cool.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Yeah kinda like that, also I have to drag myself sometime to go to training sessions but once Im there its all cool.

The opportunity to train with others who are more skilled than you, in a professional and controlled environment, is rare and valuable. My own trainer basically assembled the most talented guys around to train out of his gym and fight for his promotion. It was a great opportunity. I no longer have that opportunity, but I am glad I made the most of it while it lasted. So cherish what you have.

 

[Von]

Oh man I'm jealous. Tristar is prestigious. Have you seen Firas yet? Btw you are lucky that your wife is so supportive. It is great anger management. Martial Arts give you a sense of calm.

I've seen GSP, Firas (he teach some classes accessible to everyone). I follow mostly Sandro (the muaythai - Dutch kickboxing) coach, he trains GSP and other champs/fighters.

One of my previous muaythai gym coach is also at Tristar (that's cool).

It's a great gym with friendly people of all backgrounds (shady to superstar).

Personally not a fan of BJJ, I would prefer to do Judo or wrestling. But at Tristar they NOGI BJJ is mostly oriented to wrestling.

I've seen that my AikiJutitsu gives me a better stand-up grappling game than their BJJ students and I can hold myself on the ground..but I got a LONG way to go. Also, BJJ is sooo cardio intensive I gaz out too fast.

I am 203 pounds of muscle lol.

No martial Arts will make you "street efficient" per say (street fighting) but it will surely give you tips on how to hold yourself.

Thats the issue about Martial Arts (fake ones especially), they can teach you false confidence. Traditional Martial Arts get bad press due to phony teachers /Mma marketing/watereddown style to attract masses.. But true I would prefer to know MMA in the street than JeetKunDo/BJJ/Karate/kung fu etc.. Why? Because MMA is competition oriented with "no flash" .

Tristar gives a lot of emphasis on light sparring and security (they want you to have fun and come back). They do have a "MMA" is better mentality but no "clique or my club better than yours stuff" . It's all pure logic and fun.

Martial Arts should be mandatory now for boys especially to help them deal get in shape, learn progress.

Why I got back? It's fun, it's good learning, good self-improvement, good boy club.

Why Martial art is "weird" ? Because we live in a safe society, the collective find that since we in peace we don't need "fighting tools".

OP and others, you might like Tristar/Firas online podcast on YouTube (they go from FakeBJJ to Karate used to own Muaythai in Thailand to conditioning for fights to concussion to GSP futur to dealing with burnout etc.. They have great podcast of information)