Average time frame from starting MT to competing?

[Torque]

I've been doing MT for like 4 or 5 months now, last week I was graded and I received a yellow praciat (level 8?). I go to Mike Miles' gym in Edmonton, Mike Miles National Muay Thai/Kickboxing.

I am really anxious to compete. My first month there I asked one of the instructors what I have to do to compete, they said keep your eyes on the bulletin board as we draft fighters once or twice a year. I said okay.

I can understand this, as they want fighters who are in it for the long run, and who have heart, etc. I am just really anxious to compete though. I am going to start booking a ton of private lessons, to show that I have a lot of interest in this. I just found out last class that as soon as you get all the required gear, you can spar during the sparring classes on Friday nights. I haev all the gear needed except the headgear and groin cup, so I am going to get those and start sparring. Hopefully this "fighter drafting" thing will happen soon as it's almost been six months.

Anyway I was just curious, if there are any MT fighters here, on how long it took you guys from starting, to getting into the ring for your first fight?

[Khun Kao]

I fought my first match after 6 months of training.

In my gym, we don't have an actual "SYSTEM" in place for becoming a fighter. We look for people who know their basics (ESPECIALLY defense), are well-conditioned, and have HEART. If you meet the requirements, we'll approach you about fighting.

[alexjxaver]

You need to start sparring firts, to see if you even like it. Hitting pads and getting hit are totaly deffrent. And some people just dont like getting hit, or fighting at all. You need to spar for a while before you even think about fighting.

[Torque]

You need to start sparring firts, to see if you even like it. Hitting pads and getting hit are totaly deffrent. And some people just dont like getting hit, or fighting at all. You need to spar for a while before you even think about fighting.

Heh, I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy fighting. The reason I took up MT was to get off the streets and fight in a safe environment (or reasonably safe).

[Damian Mavis]

DO NOT pay for a bunch of private classes at Mike Miles gym. If you aren't getting trained properly to become a fighter at your regular classes you ALREADY paid for then find another gym.

I trained 2 years before stepping into the ring but it was in Thailand and the only protective gear we wore was boxing gloves. I don't think people have to wait that long but I easily won with all my training experience.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[741]

DO NOT pay for a bunch of private classes at Mike Miles gym. If you aren't getting trained properly to become a fighter at your regular classes you ALREADY paid for then find another gym.

In my opinion, no matter the martial art/sport, if the coach is very good, then private lessons are definitely worth it. Since it is just you and the coach, it makes you more focused, because you know that all of the coach's attention is on you; you improve more and more of your bad habits each lesson(due to the coach's verbal and physical beatings). Your coach knows your weaknesses, and can focus more on getting rid of those weaknesses during private lessons. Also, there are a lot of tricks that a coach can teach you during private lessons that are not taught during a regular class.

Yes, you can properly train in just normal classes, however, your growth won't be nearly as fast as the improvement you'll be getting out of private lessons. And again, this is only if the coach is very good.

[Damian Mavis]

I know that personal training can be highly beneficial ( I get personal training every single day) but I think the high rates that most schools charge is criminal and that they probably hold back what they teach in class just to encourage you to fork out more money after already charging insanely high rates to begin with!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Torque]

I know that personal training can be highly beneficial ( I get personal training every single day) but I think the high rates that most schools charge is criminal and that they probably hold back what they teach in class just to encourage you to fork out more money after already charging insanely high rates to begin with!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Damian I am not sure if you're familiar with Mike Miles or not... But he has like 5 gyms, his gyms' prices are fair I think. I pay 45 CDN a month to go to as many lessons as I'd like, and I can also work out at their gym which is very up-to-date as far as equipment is concerned whenever I want to.

Private lessons are like 20 dollars per hour if you're solo, with you and a friend it's 30 an hour, you and two friends is 40 an hour.

To me, 20 bucks for an hour of excellent training is nothing. Some of my friends from school box, and the rates they've told me are outrageous.

[MuayThaiNevrDie]

First of all Your Gym Mike Miles is awsome. So they know what they are talking about. My first fight was after seven months of training. Just do what your trainers tell you. They know whats best.

[Damian Mavis]

Those rates are actually very reasonable, do all the Mike Miles gyms charge that?

Just a point of interest to irk you straight Muay Thai people, Mike Miles was a 3rd degree black belt in my style of TKD before he started Muay Thai and he used TKD to his advantage to win fights. If that doesn't bother you then you guys are just ruining all my fun!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[MuayThaiNevrDie]

Those rates are actually very reasonable, do all the Mike Miles gyms charge that?

Just a point of interest to irk you straight Muay Thai people, Mike Miles was a 3rd degree black belt in my style of TKD before he started Muay Thai and he used TKD to his advantage to win fights. If that doesn't bother you then you guys are just ruining all my fun!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

There are some goog tkd schools just most of them suck. Is your style the Olmpic style? Alot of good Muay Thai fighters did tkd look at Master Toddy.

[Khun Kao]

I was just at some matches in VA Beach (King of the Ring VIII) and a girl from a Kickboxing Team local to myself used a combination of Full Contact Kickboxing and Muay Thai to totally whip the living shit out of her opponent in a Muay Thai Championship match that was the highlight of the evening...

She used good Push Kicks, Leg Kicks, and Knees, but mixed in snap kicks and spin kicks (which were landing SOLIDLY) to keep her opponent off balance... and bloody.

It was a VERY EXCITING match!!!! The blend of Muay Thai & Full Contact Kickboxing techniques was used to perfection by this girl.

(by the way, it was Nicole Hess, Team Mi-Ki-Do, Alexandria, VA)

[Damian Mavis]

No my style is the original TKD, ITF. I try not to be prejudiced (and I have friends in Olympic style that kick ass) but we in the ITF often think of WTF (olympic style) as a glorified game of tag and a poor imitation of the real thing. Of course... the WTF spreads around the same propaganda about us!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[MuayThaiNevrDie]

No my style is the original TKD, ITF. I try not to be prejudiced (and I have friends in Olympic style that kick ass) but we in the ITF often think of WTF (olympic style) as a glorified game of tag and a poor imitation of the real thing. Of course... the WTF spreads around the same propaganda about us!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

I agree its like tag with your feet.

[Damian Mavis]

Ya that's what it seems like to me too but like I said earlier, I have a couple of friends here in Bangkok that do WTF style TKD and kick some serious butt. One of them has fought 6 times in Muay Thai and won almost every fight with a TKD teachnique, the other is just plain mean and scares me a little haha, he's knocked out olympic contenders and scalped a man with a kick in a street fight.

More interesting info: Recently they held a big tournament here in Bangkok that leads up to olympic choice (or was the olympic tryout...I am not sure) and one of the winners was an ex Muay Thai champ. Keep in mind he has been training WTF TKD long enough to get a black belt so all he did was take his instincts and reflexes and apply it to the TKD game that he has learned inside and out but still it is cool to see the skills transfer over. Actually the guys I have the hardest time sparring over here are ex pro fighters that now take TKD.... they know all my moves!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD