How To Select An MMA Academy

[Experience]: Don't assume, know who you are dealing with. Ask questions. Research them and their team. Ask for a trial class. Politely ask details about their resume. These are all things that will help you further determine who they are and what they are about. Environment is key for most of us, so why not get a feel for it in advance? Even if a school doesn't offer a free trial class, which they should, I recommend paying a mat fee the first couple of visits. Once you have had a chance to work with their staff and students, then maybe consider them as your camp. Don't allow yourself to immediately get sucked into a contract. A true instructor should always have your interests before their own...

[Browse]: I often treat MMA / BJJ training as if it were the medical field. I want more than one opinion. Before settling in and throwing all of your eggs into one basket, shop around. I encourage all of our potential clients to check out other schools in the area because I am that confident in our programs. Besides, if they do check out another school and are more content with them, then my job as a sincere instructor has been done because I helped a student find an academy that best suits them and their needs...

[The Hype]: Don't allow yourself to become star struck with their location. Just because they have a store front property with 3,000 some odd square feet does not make them quailied to teach or legit. I have visited schools all over the coast and have often found that even the modest of locations have just as much (if not more) to offer than the big dogs across town. Master Lloyd Irvin runs one of the most successful MMA schools and affiliations in the country, and even his school is located on the second floor of an unassuming building in D.C. Master Lloyd Irvin, a world class trainer, teaching out of an unassuming building has students such as Brandon Vera, Mike Easton, Ryan Hall, and Mike Fowler to name a few. They are all at some point in their careers tied into Lloyd Irvin. So again, just because your "contractor" is driving a brand new fully loaded pick up truck doesn't necessarily mean that he's the right man to remodel your home. It could simply mean that at some point they invested in their appearance. Another good example is Rich Franklin. Franklin began his MMA training out of his father's 8 x 10 utility shed to later become a world renowned title holder...

[Curriculum]: Make sure that the schools you are looking at have organized programs. Classes that teach step by step instruction, classes that are geared towards beginners, classes that are geared towards advanced students. Programs that allow you to learn in a safe and controlled environment until you are ready to train and or spar with the advanced students. I see it all to often. How a beginner student will get matched up with an advanced student, get crushed, and will have gained literally nothing from the experience. A school should always have designated programs to accommodate all levels of experience, especially beginners. Fundamental training is a must for a new student because he or she should learn the basics that will help set up the foundation at which they will eventually build off of. Don't sell yourself short by missing the basics...

[Competing]: This is a very conflicting area amongst trainers, coaches and managers. Some feel you should wait a couple of years, others seem as though they want you to sign a waiver, collect your first months tuition fees and schedule you a fight the following day. That is crazy! I have spent the last several years seeking out some of the best trainers in the world to resolve this matter and at long last, I / we have discovered the truth and have designed a curriculum (The Phoenix Formula) that allows us to evaluate, monitor and progress our students accordingly. Fighters and trainers often make the misconception that because their students are fighting amatuer they shouldn't have to train as often or as intense. Wrong answer! Remember. You want to make a solid impression. Good fight performances get you noticed, and when you're noticed you are asked back, and getting asked back could very well lead you to a title shot. You also want to focus on the big picture, not just the upcoming fight. With my team, we look beyond the battle. We analyze the war. You want to begin your career on a good note and you want it to continue. This is when and where 'Independent Fighters' often go wrong. Who will train you? Evaluate your progress? Manage your competition / fighting schedule? Protect you from shady promoters that want nothing more than to schedule you against a guy that will pounce on you like a sacrificial lamb? These are also things you will want to consider when selecting a training center...

[Pricing]: As much as you all hate to hear it, you do have to consider the ol' fashioned phrase: "Ya get what ya pay for!" This does have some relevance in the world of MMA. Many beginners want to cut corners when and where they can, which is understandable and expected since they naturally wouldn't know any better. Again, shop around. Weigh out the costs to train, travel, time - efficiency, quality of the product and the character of the environment in which you are training. If you see an ad online or in a window that says "MMA Training - Just $30 bucks a month unlimited, first 3 months free and we'll throw in the gear", chances are it's too good too be true. On the other end of the spectrum, if your training tuition feels like a mortgage payment, you may want to reevaluate that situation as well. It has been suggested to me by a marketing expert that students will often lean toward the schools that are slightly above average in cost vs. the highest and lowest bidders. It's more or less a numbers game that people often use to help them decide what will best work for them and their financial circumstances...

That's all for now folks. I hope this in some way shape or form has helped you. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (Yorkbushido@aol.com). Sincerely Yours - Coach George