Newbie wanting to start some MMA training

[MMA Wannabe]

Whats up everyone. I'm from Honolulu HI where there are a few training camps available to me. I'm a newbie to this, but I've been a fan for quite some time. I'm very interested in learning some MMA. I took Karate for about 4-6 months when I was 13 years old. I'm now 19 going on 20 next march, and am out of shape. I'm sure if I entered any type of tournament I would get the crap kicked out of me because I'm so heavy plus I'm not too good. So I know I would have to drop a lot of pounds in order to train. I don't know if I have the desire to enter competitions just yet, but just want to train in the MMA world.

If you guys can give me some starter tips I would really appreciate it. Someone said that I had to start off at my local Judo camp but c'mon guys, I know that isn't true, is it? I have a friend who started off at a local Gracie camp and worked his way to a little better club here that enters most of the competitions in Hawaii. Anyways, I'm hoping you guys can help me out and get started in the MMA world. Thanks for your time, and I hope you can help. Laters guys!

Aloha,

MMA Wannabe

[SweepEm]

Dude, don't discount Judo.
it is a great martial art where you build from.

Many successful athletes have started in Judo and have progressed with great Judo skills to other martial arts.

You can be like some, going from school to school, but not to be good in any or focus on one where you are knowledgeable and then try another.

it just depends on your skill level.
It sounds like you need to build up to a good level of athleticism and then you can start to train hard.
Work slowly and don't burn yourself out.

I don't know if there are any MMA schools where you are at, if not, just try some martial art you like and see how far you go.

[MMA Wannabe]

There are quite a few of MMA academy's around here. The reason why I don't want to just start out at a judo dojo is because I'm 19 years old. It would take about another 5 years to become good/decent black belted or some high belt in judo then go onto MMA? That's not quite what I wanted. If I was 10 years younger no doubt I would enroll in Judo and then work my way up to another MMA. But as I see it, I don't have much time. I have one son, a girlfriend, and a job to take care of. Not much time to go work out at a Judo dojo then go to another MMA. I just wanted to see if I could start out at a MMA. I'll try my luck at a gracie camp down here in Hawaii. They don't compete much in the fights down here, so I guess it's where a begginer like me would go. Thanks for the advice, appreciate it.

[duchman]

Try at www.mixedmartialarts.com for gym's/fighting over there.

Judo, has bin the core training for Sakurai, Kikuta, Koshaka, Don frye

[JaredExtreme]

I can understand your lack of interest in judo Wannabe. Last year I enrolled at Judo Club at my college. I paid $20 for about 20 classes. I ended up going to about 4 of them before quitting. At the time Judo wasn't what I was looking for. I wasn't interested in learning how to fall 10 different ways and the throws were pretty boring. About a month later i found BJJ and I love it. That being said, it sounds like I'm bashing Judo. I'm not. I going to take the class again in January so I can master throws and trips (takedowns 2 points in BJJ tournaments.) But the key point here is to do a MA that you ENJOY. I took 5 times the punishment/ass kickings in BJJ than the Judo Club, but I stuck with it cuz I loved it. So do whatever MA you like most, and maybe try judo later.

[sccr06]

MMA Wannabe:
Like duch said, go to mixedmartialarts.com for a good listing of fight-gyms as well as martial arts classes.
If you aren't keen on Judo, that's fine but don't discount it for the wrong reason. Like Sweep said, there is a lot to be said for Judo. The falling practice (sorry Jared but I disagree with you) is essential. I started Judo when I was five and even though I take long periods off from training, the falls and rolls have stayed with me. It keeps you from getting hurt and teaches you how to take a fall; something very important if you face a good wrestler! The takedowns are the other plus. I can't tell you how many BJJ tourneys I've seen with competitors using crap-ass takedowns simply b/c they don't practice them.
You'll get something usefull out of just about everything you try.

[sidder]

If you want to get into mma, go study bjj. Once you have a foundation in bjj, you might want to supplement your takedown skills with some wrestling or judo (I think wrestling is more important than judo because it doesn't require a gi). As for, stand-up, kickboxing (muay thai) is great. I know this is kind of status quo advice, but it's tried and true. Skip the judo school for now, unless you have time enough left over for bjj.

[chubbyjesus]

damn man

go take some tai-chi...then follow up with some yogalates...youll be ready in a few months...matter of fact, try out for TUF 2...obviously, they like amateurs...

[EmptyneSs]

dude, u need to not even think of mma right now. you are getting way ahead of yourself. as u said yourself u dont train, are outta shape, and have a son, job and gf. u wont be competing in mma anytime soon. u need to be in the gym for awhile, in addition to years of martial arts training before u can even consider mma. u need to learn how to fight standing up as well as the ground. for now, just start working out regularly and searching for schools in your area to train at. find one u think is decent. doesnt really matter what, just train in somethign and get proficient in it and see were u wanna go from there, wich should take u minimum 3 years, and thats if u train intensly. i know hawaii has tons of martial arts schools. u just gotta choose one after u have looked around for a while.

personally i think judo pwnz. judo alone is extremely effective, and when u mix that with anything else its even more extreme. i trained hard in judo for 1 year, and it still helps me today. i have fallen so many times and saved myself due to judo falling and rolling skills. training in judo is a good idea, because it will teach u many of the most important martial arts skills there is.there is a reason that judo techniques are taught and used in law enforcement, as wel as military forces around the world. all it lacks is striking, but then again a good judoka doesnt even need to use a strike. if u become a blackbelt in judo, and then train in muay thai or boxing for a few years, u will have an extremely effective fighting style.

there are also danzan ryu jui jitsu schools and kajukenbo schools in hawaii. those woul be good too. kajukenbo would teach u striking, grappling, and weapons with realistic training, but its tough. u will get injured regularly if u train in kajukenbo.

i went to a bjj competition a few months ago. most of the bjj competitors had shitty as standup skills. they would just latch onto eachother and push and pull, and attempt takedowns that wouldnt work until one of em fell or tripped and brought the other down. the greatest part was this one guy got on mat in the white belt matches, but he must have been a blackbelt in judo, cause he would just slam these helpless whitebelts left and right. it was great to watch him just clean house. he would foot sweep, and then slam opponents out of nowere then just climb on top of em and pin em and rest while the helpless bjjers would squirm helplessly till time was up.

[cakegirl]

JKD Unlimited is in Honolulu, and they train in MMA (a great opportunity to go straight into it rather than going via some other martial arts)...

Jeremy (who posts on this site) trains there - I'm sure he'll find this thread eventually.