Starting a Mixed Martial Arts class

 I'm excited to announce that I will be teaching an MMA class. Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing a series of articles that will serve as a roadmap for our exploration of the many aspects of MMA. However, this class isn't just about techniques; it's an experiment in finding the most efficient and comprehensive way to impart knowledge and foster skill development within our limited class time. Inspired by principles like Aliveness, Progress Resistance, Progressive Chaos, Ecological Dynamics, and the Constraint-Led Approach, our sessions will be carefully crafted to create an adaptive learning environment.

MMA Overview



In the 1960s, Bruce Lee pioneered cross-training in martial arts, emphasizing the ability to fight across different ranges: kicking, punching, trapping, and grappling. His revolutionary approach laid the foundation for what we now know as mixed martial arts (MMA), earning him recognition as the "Father of MMA" from notable figures like Frank Shamrock, Randy Couture, and Dana White.

Fast forward to modern times, influenced by the Straight Blast Gym (SBG), we categorize these ranges into three primary categories: Striking, Clinch, and Grappling. The name "Mixed Martial Arts" itself speaks to the source arts we draw upon to address these ranges, typically:

Striking:

  • Boxing
  • Muay Thai
  • Kickboxing

Clinch:

  • Muay Thai
  • Wrestling (Greco-Roman, Freestyle, Folk)
  • Judo

Grappling:

  • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Catch Wrestling
  • Judo
  • Sambo

As MMA has evolved, the constituent arts have expanded with additions from other sources. With each art representing a lifetime's worth of knowledge, this results in a staggering amount of material. To help manage the content, it's worth noting that in the less restricted context of MMA, we do not employ the entirety of those arts, though we must address the integration of the ranges.

My goal is to chart a progressive, comprehensive path across these ranges, with the aim of eventually touching upon all three ranges in each session  – a concept inspired by Greg Souders. However, given the constraints of only two 1-hour classes per week, we'll need to be efficient and creative in our approach.

Fitting it all in:

  • We have two one-hour classes a week
  • Classes will be dense, with no traditional warmups
  • Eventually, we will address each range (striking, clinch, grappling) in a session, receiving approximately 20 minutes of focused training - the "totality" of MMA 
  • No time will be wasted on calisthenics
  • Maximize use of a partner

Retention of material

Given the vast amount of material, I want to paint the big picture in articles online, so you know what is out there. I will carve a path (slices and topics) using techniques from all three ranges. These will be strung together as a sequence, serving as the warmup after it's completed. Then we'll build the next sequence. Eventually, we will have a number of sequences that will serve as mnemonics for all techniques learned (how many techniques have you forgotten over time?). This approach is inspired by the 10 Planet Warmups.

Lessons will be available online, with QR codes for easy access, ensuring you can prepare or catch up if you miss a class.

Goal of the class

  • Functional skill in the three ranges - for everyone not just young, jacked dudes
  • Safety - you can teach functional skills without getting destroyed in the process
  • Retention of material - there's a lot to cover. Class notes will be published for each class tagged with the class notes label
    • I will try to take video as much as possible. It's clear that I can't keep up with editing the video so I've decided to start releasing unedited footage simply so the students can have some reference as soon as I can, with the hope of getting decently edited video available at some point later starting with Class 7

Teaching methodology sources

  • Aliveness and the 3 I's (Introduction, Isolate, Integration) from SBG
  • Progress Resistance
  • Progressive Chaos (a concept I developed)
  • Soon: Ecological Dynamics/Constraint-Led Approach

Stay tuned for in-depth articles exploring each component of MMA, as we embark on this exciting journey together.

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