my bad luck

[el pollo loco]

Ok so I finally gathered up enough money to start training in mma. But since there's been another death in the sport my parents changed their mind and said I can't do it. Can anyone help me?

 

[bubkusjones]

Tell them that that's been only the second death in regulated MMA since its inception. Tell them that more people a day die or are permanently maimed/disfigured/disabled driving their cars, or working in normal jobs (like construction) than die per year in proper MMA.

The reason it's such a big deal is because it's so rare.

They only thing you can do is talk to them. Take them to the school you're going to train at and have them talk with the trainers, and maybe other trainees or any fighters they have. They can explain the care and safety measures taken in both training and in actual fights.

They may still say no. If you're not 18, you're out of luck. You're a minor, so it's their decision.

 

[nip102]

try to do boxing, mma will seem a whole lot safer

 

[Human Bass]

Ask them why they driver cars if thousands of people die doing that every year.

 

[SteelHammer]

explain to them how it's something that motivates you. it has a bad rep but it puts you in great shape and it's a great hobby

 

[Old Man]

Tell them if they don't let you train, then there will be a death in your household.

OK, that was just a joke dude. Please don't do that.

When I was 15 I was training TKD and I got in trouble so my parents told me I had to give it up as punishment. I told them that I wouldn't do that. So my Dad went to my instructor and told him I wasn't to train anymore. But since I was paying with my own money from a job I worked, the instructor told my Dad he wouldn't keep me from training. I ended up training martial arts for another 15 years, so I was glad I stood up for myself.

 

[Cannon_6]

"OK, I'll just take up smoking dope instead."

 

[vjvj]

Try to have a rational conversation with them about media hype vs. reality. See if they are willing to go to the gym and talk to the trainers; they will probably be surprised to see how nice the staff is and how safe the environment is.

It could also be that your parents want to prevent you from pursuing a fight career. Good luck if that's the case... You might have to wait until you're 18.

 

[Steakeater**]

+1 on boxing, BJJ, MT, Wrestling

 

[el pollo loco]

Thanks guys. I'm going to try to convince them again tomorrow

 

[c0r1nth14n]

Try pointing out that people die and/or are injured in every single high school sport (I assume you're in high school?), from football to baseball to cheerleading. In fact, cheerleading is actually more dangerous than training MMA.

 

[TMMAray]

There has been an average of 1 high school cheerleading death per year for the past 25 years, with around 20,000 injuries reported per year.

There has been an average of 1 pole vaulting death per year for the last 20 years (also, pole vaulting has the highest number of deaths per participant of any sport).

You know, I was going to list a solid 10 or so examples of dangerous sports that people don't consider dangerous, but really if you google the incidence of serious injury/death for nearly any sport, it will exceed MMA.

So basically, let them suggest an alternative, and then drop some knowledge on them.

 

[Davis "Badzooka" Badzik]

Join your wrestling team or do boxing.

 

[Execute]

Go start a fight and get your ass kicked like in Fight Club. Then guilt trip the shit out of them afterwards and make it look like MMA would have been valuable.

 

[kicker]

If you have money just go and train few times. They will become secure when they see you as a whole. With a nose.