What are MMA gym hierarchy and training camps like?

Oceanmachine

Oceanmachine

Tidwell belt
Banned
Joined
Jan 21, 2020
Messages
9,619
Reaction score
5,664
I did some bjj and little muay thai back in day that is it. on and off for a few years and I never really got involved deep into the gym so I dont know what its like and my gym didnt have any great elites at it.

What is it like at say AKA

Do the biggest guys command the most respect?

Say you at AKA back in the day with Cain, Cormier, Rockhold and Khabib how does hierarchy work?
 
I trained casually at Jackson's only very briefly, mostly because I felt like I was there to be a punching bag for guys looking to impress someone and get some actual fights, but I recall Rashad telling me and another guy to move off of the mats away from him. He was doing some speed bag work or maybe shadow boxing in a corner, and I guess since we were practicing some BJJ in his general vicinity (we were there first, but whatever) he wanted us completely out of his way. He was low key about it, and even though we were there first, we didn't argue and just moved.
 
Achilles00 said:
I trained casually at Jackson's only very briefly, mostly because I felt like I was there to be a punching bag for guys looking to impress someone and get some actual fights, but I recall Rashad telling me and another guy to move off of the mats away from him. He was doing some speed bag work or maybe shadow boxing in a corner, and I guess since we were practicing some BJJ in his general vicinity (we were there first, but whatever) he wanted us completely out of his way. He was low key about it, and even though we were there first, we didn't argue and just moved.
Click to expand...
you're probably harmless looking stick. I'd sub him right there
 
Achilles00 said:
I trained casually at Jackson's only very briefly, mostly because I felt like I was there to be a punching bag for guys looking to impress someone and get some actual fights, but I recall Rashad telling me and another guy to move off of the mats away from him. He was doing some speed bag work or maybe shadow boxing in a corner, and I guess since we were practicing some BJJ in his general vicinity (we were there first, but whatever) he wanted us completely out of his way. He was low key about it, and even though we were there first, we didn't argue and just moved.
Click to expand...

Didn't you show him some of the shoops we have made for him?

<{anton}>
 
Depends on the gym, I've never sacrificed my training to help another fighter regardless of money being made. If that Woodley shit happened you tell them to fuck off. Your health for your fight is not his concern and his health for his isn't yours. Either work together or get the fuck out.
 
I used to train with Cain at Aka when he was a champ. The vibe at the gym was different during that time Cain really inspired everyone and showed that we could all get a belt if we worked hard enough since one of us got one.

It was hard sparring day and I was sparing with Cain at the time. (I was still learning English at the time and Cain spoke Spanish)
I opened up with a double jab to body kick combo and Cain ducked on my kick so he got hit in the face.He became furious I clearly understood he wanted to teach me lesson in front of everyone.

I put me in a thai clinch and destroyed me with knees and then tried to humiliate me with a ankle pick takedown.

Reaching down he broke his back. He fell on the ground in pain and then lost consciousness.

I tried to do Cpr on him but broke his ribs. Haven't seen him train since.
 
A while ago I wanted to start training at team alpha male, but I kind of thought it was prison rules and thought I would need to prove myself to get accepted there. I remember how they were pointing out all the important details in the maneuvers and thought wow, these guys are real pros. I was doing drills and Uriah Faber asked me if I need a spot, so I figured it’s now or never
I stood over him and started fingering his chin, and the whole team came at me like it’s kindergarten recess and beat the shit out of my legs until I fell, then they beat the shit out of all of me to the point where I had to crawl to my car.
To this day I get jumpy snd nervous when a little kid runs up to my legs
 
Last edited:
I was one of several guys brought in to train with Jorge throughout his career-defining run last year. My worst fear was that he would be a douche; I was apprehensive based on the tough-guy persona he's been playing up to great success. It turned out that despite his goonish exterior in the media, in training he was the consummate gentlemen. A courteous training partner, Jorge was a diligent athlete who was first to show up and the last to leave. Between sessions, I even frequently spotted him reading the classic of Spanish literature Don Quixote, by Cervantes. There are, however, stills rules of hierarchy in the gym that must be respected. I remarked to my other training buddy how astonishingly literate Jorge Masvidal was, and how he should reveal this side of himself to MMA fans rather than the miami-goon caricature that moves the needle. Jorge didn't like that. He picked me to spar. After exposing him with a dutch hand-trap (I suspect Kamaru Usman heard about this weakness of Jorge's from those present) Jorge placed me in a Muay Thai clinch and destroyed me with huge knees to the body. I crawled back to my car wincing in agony, as Jorge' lackeys jeered, screaming at me not to mention Don Quixote.

You have to respect the hierarchy.
 
One of my gyms had a few pro's in it and one that was fairly significant in the UFC. They were always nice to me and always helping me out when I asked for pointers. The mat and cage and what not were always basically theirs to do as they needed. They would drop in and start instructing you without provocation and I always appreciated that. That was Oakdale/Merced/Sonora MMA.

One gym I trained at was a kung fu gym (my original art) that made an MMA team. They got their asses handed to them at a few local casino events and then they dropped the whole MMA thing. They were always trying to do leaping tiger hidden dragon shit from their back and during grappling and they got tooled by Cesar Gracie purple belts in MMA. It's in the foothills of NorCal so they had some old high school wrestlers with retard strength that did better in competition but still lost. The owner was a 5'4" guy with obvious bipolar or some shit going on, had a serious charles manson cult leader vibe. The hierarchy there was all belt based which was fine by me since I was just one off of black at the time. I brought in some sparring experience (they did NOT spar there before they tried MMA) and did really well against the owners son and their favorite brown belt that got wrecked by BJJ guys.

In a Cesar Gracie school I trained at I mixed in with the professional fighters (regional places like Gladiator Challenge, Rebel Fighter, etc.) and helped them prep for their fights by sparring and what not. I firmly knew my place though -- these dudes were all Cesar blue belts and I was a white belt and routinely had to fight for my life to ever tap someone or get a good dominant position. But, regardless of that, everyone was treated as equals and nobody was ever disrespectful. They always took the time to walk you through how they tapped you or what you should have done.

At Urijah faber's gym though, watch out. You better not even look at the pro fighter's sessions on the other side of the mat or they'll think you're there to spy or sizing them up. Literal manlet central and this is coming from a guy who is 5'9" and 160 at the time. Urijah was hella cool though, endless cardio/conditioning. I've never been to a gym that trained harder at cardio/conditioning/endurance.
 
Masturbin said:
I used to train with Cain at Aka when he was a champ. The vibe at the gym was different during that time Cain really inspired everyone and showed that we could all get a belt if we worked hard enough since one of us got one.

It was hard sparring day and I was sparing with Cain at the time. (I was still learning English at the time and Cain spoke Spanish)
I opened up with a double jab to body kick combo and Cain ducked on my kick so he got hit in the face.He became furious I clearly understood he wanted to teach me lesson in front of everyone.

I put me in a thai clinch and destroyed me with knees and then tried to humiliate me with a ankle pick takedown.

Reaching down he broke his back. He fell on the ground in pain and then lost consciousness.

I tried to do Cpr on him but broke his ribs. Haven't seen him train since.
Click to expand...
They wont let me into a gym because I told them I had a Sherdog account.
<{UberTS}>

<NoneOfMy>
 
I was training at Jackson's in 2018, first day I walked up to Arlovski and clocked him good. Face plant knock out, they kicked me out for life after that.
 
Are you 8. There’s hierarchy from jr high I college to any job you will ever work at in your life. or even literal ants.
And you wonder what’s it’s like for guys who fight for a profession?

You’ve never been in a gym or out or your house if this is a question.
 
Boss HM-2 said:
Depends on the gym, I've never sacrificed my training to help another fighter regardless of money being made. If that Woodley shit happened you tell them to fuck off. Your health for your fight is not his concern and his health for his isn't yours. Either work together or get the fuck out.
Click to expand...

This guy has never actually been to a martial arts gym
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,266,138
Messages
57,381,418
Members
175,688
Latest member
classicalthunder

Share this page

Back
Top