Just who is qualified to teach mixed martial arts?

Question

It can take decades to prove a system or method of fighting in the ring and in the streets. Not just cage matches or even years of "kids dishing out some pumishment." The boxer mentioned has fighters in a known and competitive circuit.

I do know every school or coach has to start somewhere. So I don't want to sound like I am critizing everyone who teaches MMA but only time and the record will tell.

Answer 1

To me if you train with anyone that says they teach MMA then its' bs.  You need to train in the full art not "parts of this" and "parts of that" c**p.

Answer 2

Very good question.  In traditional martial arts it does/should take 10-20 years to train someone to a point where they are qualified to teach on their own. I've been involved in the martial arts since the 1960's. What I find unsettling is that MMA schools are popping up on every corner. I had not even heard of MMA until a few years ago. Makes me wonder how many are really qualified to be teaching it. Surely many of the guys opening these schools are not qualified.    

Answer 3

Somebody who has either fighting experience or who has coached successful fighters before. Somebody who puts people from the gym into competitions and yields results. And most importantly, somebody who knows what they're doing.

If you have previous experience, you can tell whether or not an instructor is full of c**p by watching and participating in the class. You can also ask and verify the records of people who fight under their banner. Or see if you can find the competition records of the teachers. You could also ask around on MMA and Martial Arts forums to see if anybody knows anything about the school. THere are tons of different ways.

From a personal perspective, I've done almost all of the above. but most importantly, the proof is in the pudding. Before I started training at my MMA gym, I had no previous grappling experience. I've been doing it for about 14 months now. I can hold my own and win against people who've been doing it for similar amounts of time but at other gyms, plus I out-grapple untrained people who have 20-70 pounds on me, which I couldn't do before. I've gotten dramatically better; that's enough for me.

EDIT:

Yoho, that's not true. Somebody can definitely teach MMA.

It's one thing to be able to strike, another to be able to wrestle, and another to be able to have good Sub-grappling skills. These skills are separate and to be able to blend them seamlessly is a skill into itself -- the skill that the sport of MMA is all about. Where BUT an MMA class can you practice striking-to-takedowns, ground and pound, and things like that? (Daido Juku, Shooto, and Combat Sambo, which are essentially the same thing.)

And it is debatable whether as to whether or not it's most effective to learn your skills separately then blend them together or to just learn it all in one package from the start. I, myself, believe in cross-training in the individual arts and having one or two classes a week where you mix it together. But either way, the class where you put it together is necessary, is legitimate, and that's what an MMA class is.

Answer 4

In the early years of the UFC, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace wrote an editorial that advised the following:  pick a base style, and stick with it for at least five years.  After that, you can venture safely into other disciplines to supplement your core.  

Is this the only answer?  Of course not.  But, it's clear that what constitutes "true" MMA is subject to debate as others have grappled with questions over which style is "best," most pure, closest to what its founder intended, etc.  In the end though, I think only you can decide whether or not you're happy with your training, its quality, and/or the quality of instruction.  

Take your time.  Consider all views in this important decision.  But, I don't recommend letting someone else's opinion be the foundation of your decision one way or the other.  

Answer 5

Just about everybody and anybody seems to be able to teach ANY martial art nowadays.

Does MMA suffer from McDojos or McCoaches just like the other styles?

Answer 6

I jumped right in and I'm a licensed trainer in Ky now.  My qulifications are my wife, my dog spot and the cheeseburger I ate last night.  I've never been "Some guy down the street" or a "kickboxer" h**l I'm not even a mailman!!  The one thing I do have though is a MMA team and my own system and team are recognized by the "Independent Martial Arts Federation".  You can check out my progress at http://www.myspace.com/mmatopguru My likes are puppies, big b***s and cold sodas. My Dislikes are ruined wet dreams, bad hang overs and cheap toilet paper.

BTW here's a story I think you may find very interesting: http://ballardboxing.tripod.com/id82.htm... read this whole story.  This story is basically how I got my start, but I'm not Gary Russell nor do I lay claim to be.

One more thing isn't this like asking what makes a garbage collector a garbage collector? or what makes a factory worker a factory worker? .... I mean you are that you are right?  Check out my myspace too you might even learn something.