Just Starting. Have Questions.

[RiptideMom]

I am a 38 year old Mom of three and started cardio kickboxing classes several months ago for weight loss and conditioning. I love the classes and wanted to progress learning better form of punches and kicks so signed up for a mixed martial arts class taught at my same gym. I have mixed feelings about the MA class. I have loved getting instruction on proper technique for punches and kicks but hate the wrestling, sweeps, throws and also don't know if I'll be able to not hold back when sparing. It is just one other girl and me and I don't get the workout that I thought I would.

Essentially my questions are:

Should I expect a good work out from an MA class?

Is there a big risk of injury (I unjured my knee during a throw last night) with all MA types or just some?

If I am more interested in sport and conditioning than self-defense is MA right for me?

Because only two of us signed up, I am thinking the class may terminate, is there a particular MA type that could be recommended for my situation?

The class is supposed to be an hour and my instructor cuts it off at 45 minutes, is 45 minutes the norm for MA classes? Seems like I am spending a lot of money for not a lot of instruction.

Thanks for any help you can provide

[vertigo]

Should I expect a good work out from an MA class?

Absolutely.. I've been involved in MA for over a year, and I'm in the best overall shape I've ever been in. It's still a physical and mental challenge every day I go to train. I really enjoy it.

Is there a big risk of injury (I unjured my knee during a throw last night) with all MA types or just some?

I'd say while there may be some MA that may have a slightly higher risk of injury, I'd have to say that injury is a possibility in any MA, no matter what. I would also have to say that if you watch yourself and recieve proper instruction, the risk of injury is (generally) pretty low (I've been training over a year, and have only had one injury, that kept me from training for one day).

If I am more interested in sport and conditioning than self-defense is MA right for me?

It could be - there are some MA that are more aligned towards sport and conditioning. I can't tell if your current class is one of those, but there definitely are some MA's out there for what you're looking for.

Because only two of us signed up, I am thinking the class may terminate, is there a particular MA type that could be recommended for my situation?

Sorry, I'm pretty worthless here I'm not very knowledgable about all the types of MAs out there; I will defer to someone more knowledgable (I know you're out there! ) on this one.

The class is supposed to be an hour and my instructor cuts it off at 45 minutes, is 45 minutes the norm for MA classes? Seems like I am spending a lot of money for not a lot of instruction.

How many times per week is this class? It's pretty tough to pass judgment on a 45 minute class without knowing the amount of classes you have. I have 2 hour classes 3 times per week; I have no clue if this is common or not, though.

I know there were some pretty general answers in there, but I hope they helped a little.

[JusticeZero]

>Should I expect a good work out from an MA class?

Depends, but generally. However, it isn't just a bunch of cardio. Not everything that is a workout involves you bopping and getting your pulse rate up. Some of it is coordination, strength, efficiency, etc. And the focus of a MA class isn't to just 'get more exercise', the exercise is secondary.

>Is there a big risk of injury with all MA or just some?

Some.

>If I am more interested in sport and conditioning than self-defense is MA right for me?

Honestly, you should work more on the self defense stuff, regardless of whether it makes you 'uncomfortable'. Especially if it makes you uncomfortable. Expand your horizons and take charge of yourself.

As far as worrying about not holding back, i've heard that from other females. In every one of those cases, I had at some other point stopped defending against them, because it had become apparent that their "dAngERouS attack of *berzerk fury*" lacked sufficient commitment and focus to make a kitten feel uncomfortable, let alone injure a training partner. People are not made out of tissue paper and thin glass. Work through it.

>The class is supposed to be an hour and my instructor cuts it off at 45 minutes, is 45 minutes the norm for MA classes?

Depends on a lot of things. My class is 90 minutes long. Twice a week. If I had more classes in a week they might be shorter.

[RiptideMom]

Thanks so much for your replies. Very helpful and have gotten me motivated. I agree that I need to work through my comfort level. I think one of my problems as a women is that I have always been on the large/muscular side and have been brought up to protect for my femininity so I tend to try and cover up my strength. I think that is why when I am hitting a bag I don't have to hold back and it feels really good. I know I can work through this and make more than a kitten feel uncomfortable.

Oh, about my class - we meet twice a week for 45 minutes but since only two have signed up we may be moving to one day for 1.5 hours per week. I'm not sure the one time a week will be sufficient for me to learn but I will hang in there for now.

Thanks again!

[cleung]

Sounds like you went with the wrong style for your interest. Martial arts have a wide range of styles. Some will appeal to others more while some will appeal to only certain crowds. Do some research and check out a few different schools with different styles. You have to pick the right one for you. My website has an article on choosing the right school for you.

[kivikala]

The topic is a bit old but there are some good questions asked, and with anything in life there is often no wrong answers.

"Should I expect a good work out from an MA class?"

I believe that any good MA program will have it share of aerobic activity. Baring that most workouts should be strenuous. I feel you should leave a workout tired but elated. The workout should push you to your limits and just a bit beyond so you have to constantly grow to keep up. But not so much that it destroys you in the process.

"Is there a big risk of injury (I unjured my knee during a throw last night) with all MA types or just some?"

Various MA have more or less risks depending on the activity. A well run class geared to the level of participants should not result in any injuries at all. I do not count sore muscles as injuries. Properly trained, and provided you learn, you should not be injured in any class.

"If I am more interested in sport and conditioning than self-defense is MA right for me?"

That depends on the school. For my school I'd have to say what I teach and how I teach does not match your goals. Another school may be entirely different.

"Because only two of us signed up, I am thinking the class may terminate, is there a particular MA type that could be recommended for my situation?"

Again that depends on the school, the students, the programs offered. It's sort of like would you expect much turnout at say weight-watches for a karate class?

"The class is supposed to be an hour and my instructor cuts it off at 45 minutes, is 45 minutes the norm for MA classes?"

Again this varies per school. For myself a minimum of 2 hours and not a second less is what I feel should be offered. I'd like to see the old days again where 3 and 4 hour classes were the norm. I can't count the number of times I got home after midnight. A 2 hour workout gives appropriate time for warmups and warmdowns, time to introduce new techniques and review old stuff, plenty of time for kata and kumite so everyone gets to participate. At the HS I teach I had to pull teeth to get my MA classes as double sessions (2 x 55min blocks) so I would have enough time to actually teach something rather than just babysit for 55 minutes.

So to me, anything less than 2 hours is just short of criminal.

[fylcon]

There are a lot of 35+ mom's who take karate at out school. Many of them take classes both with the kids as well as regular adult classes getting the best of both worlds. You'll get a good work out and there is something to be said for spending time exercising with your child.

fylcon

[TheAnimal]

Yea, mixed martial arts is no joke. They're going to (or at least supposed to) teach you how to fight hardcore with little or no rules.

[Menjo]

Yea, mixed martial arts is no joke. They're going to (or at least supposed to) teach you how to fight hardcore with little or no rules.

I'd say about a third of the time this isn't true. There are alot of mixed martial art places that have now begone to get alot of "mcdojos" as well as their traditional counter parts.

[TheAnimal]

Yea, mixed martial arts is no joke. They're going to (or at least supposed to) teach you how to fight hardcore with little or no rules.

I'd say about a third of the time this isn't true. There are alot of mixed martial art places that have now begone to get alot of "mcdojos" as well as their traditional counter parts.

what!? nooooo! i can handle stupid karate mcdojos... but not mma! this is blasphemy....