Not sure where to focus

[jododiddly]

I've been doing MMA,BJJ, and Muay Thai for a month now. I enjoy all MMA being my favorite. Most people who do MMA have a background in some other type of fighting. I'm trying to become the best that I can as fast as I can and I'm unsure how to effectively train in these 3 areas. As of right now I do MMA on Mondays and Wednesdays, Muay Thai on Tuesdays, and BJJ on Thursdays. BJJ is offered everyday and I'm thinking about taking that class more often. Thoughts?

[cline]

It's different a lot of places but isn't your MMA built primarily on MT and BJJ?  Ours is.  I don't BJJ just b/c of my interests and only so much time in a day.

 

I know most of our MMA folks do MT and BJJ and alternate nights of the week. 

 

I also know that our professional fighters DO NOT train 7 days a week and there is no no no no need to train more than 1 hour a day unless you are seriously on the road to professional fighting soon. 

 

5x week is more than enough.

[jododiddly]

No plans on becoming a professional fighter. I'm just having a lot of fun. Truth is I want to become better faster because some of the guys don't take me seriously.

[cline]

No plans on becoming a professional fighter. I'm just having a lot of fun. Truth is I want to become better faster because some of the guys don't take me seriously.

 

That's a different problem.  5x week MAX is sufficient.  I'd alternate with the MT BJJ and MMA if you like them all.  You will not get better faster by going more - you will get tired and sloppy.  You need to rest and recover and let your brain rest b/c so much in fighting is also brain.  It's exhausting, isn't it?  At our gym they recommend new folks (<2 mos) keep it to 3x/week.  If you get tired or sloppy you risk injury, risk injuring a partner, and just can't improve.  If you "ingrain" poor technique, it's hard to undo

 

Now if they aren't taking you seriously, it could be a couple of things.  My gym has a lot of women who are seriously badass and coaches that totally respect women.  Does your?  If not, it might be unusual for the guys.  Have a talk with the coaches.  Our coaches use both men and women in demos, chat up men and women equally, etc. 

 

If it's not the culture of the gym, is it just a couple of guys?  Our guys are a smidge mixed.  Some don't want to work with women.  One guy was "afraid" to hit me until I kept convincing him it was okay and until I whacked him.  He got over it.  I've found newer guys more reluctant than guys there for a while.  And, truth be told, some dudes just won't change.  Avoid those dudes.  Talk with coach too.  Coach might not realize it's going on.  My coaches would be pissed if they though it was going on .

 

Finally, just do a double check.  We have a few women at the gym who are there to have fun, to "get in shape", tone up for bikini season, etc.  They have painted nails (one has artificial nails), wear make up to the gym, one wears scandalous tops, one got talked to about revealing clothing, they wear jewelry, they chat and talk during class, and several of them are honestly afraid to get hit or kicked.  One told me IN TESTING to stop hitting her - honey, it was boxing sparring!  She said "I don't want to get hit, don't hit me in the face, stop hitting me".  Ugh.  Now she's nice as can be and I like her but she will never ever ever be taken seriously by the guys.  No guys pair with these women ever.  They are nice, they are fun but even I keep my distance.  I socialize on the way in or out of the gym but once I start wrapping my hands, I'm done with them. 

 

MMA is still a man's world.  You'll get the most respect by demanding it from the guys and earning it at the same time.  Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself (talk to coach) and as much as it sucks to say "watch what you wear" - watch what you wear. 

 

Another example?  I was buying new boxing gloves and people were saying get pink, get purple... oh hell no.  What freakin professional fighter has pink gloves?  none.  I bought black.  Period.  I want to be taken seriously.

 

What do you think it is at your gym?  I love having women on this forum thread!!

[jododiddly]

I'm the only adult female doing MMA. There is a 15 yr old female but she doesn't ever make contact and doesn't want to get hit. Its really only a hand full of guys that don't want to fight with me and I know I shouldn't care but that leaves me fighting the same 3 or 4 people all over again. I'm with you on the whole no pink gloves thing lol. My coaches are great! I just don't want to have to complain to them unless there is a real problem.

[cline]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.  If you are the only adult female, it's lack of exposure.  Actually what you need the coach to do is to demostrate to the others that you are serious. 

 

I would ask coach, privately, to help you work with other partners and express that you've felt some of your classmates were reluctant to work with you.  Coach should be able to discretely help - like assign partners for drills, etc.  Our coach was doing just that yesterday.