How To Choose The Right MMA Gym-Fully Explained
MMA is often seen as the fastest growing sport and we are not talking just about combat sports. No, MMA is taking over the world at a high rate and we can see more and more people signing up for MMA classes. Some of them sign up to pursue a pro career, while the other group trains MMA for fitness or self-defense. No matter what your goals are, in order to learn and grow, you must choose the right MMA gym.
Finding a gym and signing up for the classes sounds simple, right? We all know how to use google and find an MMA gym near our homes. But in reality, finding the right one might be harder than you think because there are many factors that separate good MMA gyms from bad ones.
In this article, we guide you through the process of finding the perfect MMA gym for you.
First step: Set your goals
The first step you should take is to sit down and find out what you want to achieve with your training. This is, perhaps, the most important thing in process of finding the right MMA gym because all other factors depend on what your goals are. Be honest with how much time you can dedicate to training, your age, family obligations, talent, or fitness level.
If your goal is to lose weight and get in shape, then you don’t need the best coaches in the game and sparring partners. Basic equipment, a good atmosphere, and hard workouts are all you need to burn calories.
On the other side, if your goal is to become a pro-fighter then you look for other stuff. You need coaches with a good reputation and skilled teammates to prepare for matches. Top coaching staff is there to help you structure a training camp, lose weight, and create a strategy. And let’s not forget that these gyms also have a lot of connections in the MMA business that can help you climb the ladder faster.
The last group of MMA students is the one that focuses on the self-defense aspect. In some way, people who want to learn self-defense should look for a mix of all factors. In most cases, a gym with average coaches but strict discipline and atmosphere would work just fine.
Second step: Find an MMA gym near your home
Finding an MMA gym near your home would be perfect. No matter what your goals are, we all want to lose as little time as possible while going to the gym. But this depends on many factors like the country you live in, how big is your town, or even how popular MMA is in your area. The sport is still growing and is yet to reach certain parts of the world.
MMA is very popular in the countries like the U.S., UK, Australia, or Brazil. Every single major town in these countries has a lot of MMA gyms at every corner. And it’s not just about the accessibility, these gyms are home to the best coaches in the world who train only the finest athletes. The amount of knowledge you can gain just by being there is truly amazing.
But the reality is, people from other parts of the world might not be so lucky. MMA is still growing and you might have a hard time finding a gym near your home, notably if you are from Europe for instance. You have plenty of options if you want to train Boxing or Kickboxing, but not MMA.
In this case, you have to take what you have. If there’s only one gym in your town, give it a try. It might not be perfect, but you have to start with something. In the case you are talented for MMA and want to make a career out of it, you can always pack your bags and move to a bigger town.
Third step: Attend the trial class
Once you have done your research and made a list of gyms near your home, it’s time to visit the first one and attend the trial class. In this day and age, every single MMA gym offers a trial class or even a free week of training. Be sure to use this offer to see if that specific gym fits your needs and if MMA is for you after all.
A lot of people get excited about MMA or boxing classes, and once they try it out, they realize it’s not for them. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Even if that happens to you, keep your head and spirit high, fighting is not for everyone, just like football or basketball.
To answer all the important questions, you should attend the trial class first. This way, you can see how the training looks like, feel the atmosphere and try some techniques. But above all, you should use this time to check various things like are there bullies in the gym? Quality of the coaching staff that will teach you how to fight? Is there a lack of hygiene in the gym?
For instance, bullies are a clear sign that you are in a bad gym. If you see one student beating the hell out of the other student while the coach remains silent, pack your bags and go home. The same stands for the lack of hygiene that can cause many serious diseases and infections.
Fourth step: Quality of the coaching staff
The state of the art facility and all the gear in the world mean nothing without the good coaches. Coaches and instructors are the ones that will teach you how to fight. They must be passionate and have a lot of martial art and coaching experience.
The good coaches are not just the ones that are experts in a specific martial art or are former fighters. No, good coaches are the ones who know how to pass the knowledge on to other people. They also keep the high discipline in the gym and push a group of people towards similar goals.
Good coaches know when to be patient, loud, silent, worried, strict, or have a serious talk with a student. They have a strong empathy towards their students and how to get the most out of their talent and potentials. It is a small science in some way and not everyone, no matter how skilled they are, can be a coach.
Bonus advice: Equipment
Don’t get us wrong here. You don’t need the best gear, equipment, and facility to learn MMA or become a good fighter. Many great fighters emerged from the gyms that had only basic equipment. But for sure, it’s always good the get the most for the money you pay.
First of all, the facility needs to be big enough so that all students have enough space to train. A lot of square space gives students a sense of comfort, coaches can observe the classes better, and it’s also safer. There’s nothing worse than a crowded gym which combined with the lack of equipment can turn into a disaster after a couple of days of training.
When it comes to specific gear, the gyms need to have enough heavy bags, jump ropes, punch mitts, and other basic MMA equipment. The last thing you need is to fight over the equipment, or wait for someone to finish so that you can start doing your workout. These are the basic needs and standards that every good gym should be able to maintain.
And once again, pay attention to whether the gym keeps a high level of hygiene or not. MMA is a hand-to-hand combat sport where people are in close contact with each other all the time. Dirty mats, toilets, or dressing rooms are an ideal developing ground for bacterias and infections.
