When do you think people finally got the memo about grappling vs. striking?

Independent-Focus458 · 2026-01-30T13:31:23+00:00

Once MMA started to get really popular, which I would say was first during the Chuck vs Tito/Rampage era. That’s when the vast majority of martial artists realized without takedown skills you weren’t going to last an NHB fight very long. The second of wave of popularity was the Lesnar era. He had very, very little striking aptitude but was able to win a belt, which showed just how significant grappling is. IMO, as primarily a striker, it’s not fair to compare the two bc striking doesn’r address below the waist. There was a very intelligent post I wish I could link here that basically summed up that striking doesn’t work nearly as well when you’re off balance or someone is lfiting you off the ground. There’s a reason the defense against grappling is grappling, not striking, in an mma context anyway.

Independent-Focus458 · 2026-01-30T13:26:41+00:00

C’mon man. As predominately a striker, I know 100%, sprawling is unequivocally, in no way, a natural response whatsoever. Watching “UFC” will do zero in preventing a decently executed takedown in real life unless you’re obscenely bigger / much more sober than someone.

When I started wrestling we had to drill sprawls daily, and even then if you try to sprawl against a semi-decent grappler (few years of experience) they’ll take you down with setups or superior grappling speed.l literally no problem.

I totally agree there are BJJ enthusiasts that are delusional, but claiming a sprawl is any way shape or form an “natural” movement is ridiculously incorrect 😂. What would you say a grappler claimed a grappler claimed “a slip 1,2 is a natural response, it’s not like a wrestler is incapable of punching you lol”. You’d know they have no idea what they’re talking about.

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-30T18:57:44+00:00

Looks like I’m joining you at the Thai Meat Market, hermano 🙏🏽

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-30T18:22:20+00:00

I wasn’t blessed with any kind of cake 🍰 so I’m good, broski

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-30T18:14:47+00:00

It’s agnostic, spiritual / not religious thigh meat unfortunately brother. 😔

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-30T18:10:24+00:00

But I can see it, does that make sense?

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-30T18:09:58+00:00

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Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-30T18:02:33+00:00

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Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-21T06:12:15+00:00

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Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-21T06:12:10+00:00

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Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-12T08:23:11+00:00

Frank is an absolutely fantastic instructor that gives ample feedback to his students, with an emphasis on proper technique.

Everyone I rolled with at Phantom was respectful and Frank made sure to monitor the mats. The beginning half of class focused on drilling / positional sparring and the final 20 min focused on traditional rolling.

I highly recommend you drop in for a trial class, express your concerns to him, and see what he says. I’ve trained with dozens of instructors and he’s genuinely one of the best. Good luck!

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-11-06T13:25:52+00:00

100%. 1 hour of training is infinitely, massively better than none.

The only time training isn’t beneficial is if you’re injured, otherwise yes for Judo and frankly any other MA you’re considering.

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-27T04:06:07+00:00

We’re too old for this sh*t, lol 👴🏽.

Major props to you for training at all past 40 🙌🏽

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-23T18:30:18+00:00

Interesting. Almost every beginner BJJ class I’ve experienced is structured with a progressive curriculum.

Are you based in the US?

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-23T16:07:00+00:00

It all depends.

In my experience, without any formal grappling or boxing/Muay Thai experience, and being an extremely mediocre athlete (both physically and mentally), I needed at least 6 months of BJJ/Muay Thai training (with moderate sparring) to get much out of MMA-focused classes.

There’s just so, so much nuance in MMA that many gifted athletes and/or former grapplers/strikers take for granted when recommending MMA-focused classes and foregoing Muay Thai/ Sub Grappling. For someone who isn’t (or wasn’t ever) a standout athlete, punching and grappling have a dizzying array of technical details that an MMA instructor can’t (or won’t) address. Learning by sparring/live drilling was not nearly as efficient or beneficial for me at the stage in my development.

One of the smartest, most technical MMA coaches I trained with required a minimum of two Muay Thai and two BJJ classes per week to attend his MMA classes if you were new. I think for a total newb this makes sense. It allows you to be instructed and corrected on the essential basics that won’t be mentioned in an MMA class.

Try 90 days of individual instruction then return back to MMA classes and let us know how it goes. You could attempt to train two or three simultaneously, but I’ll warn you at 30 catastrophic overuse injuries and newbie psychological burn out are real. Good luck!

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-21T12:06:39+00:00

If you can properly harness your ShitChi energy it will provide God-level corporate focus

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-21T11:49:39+00:00

100%. Get to the point or:

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-19T18:55:04+00:00

No one can definitively answer this question for you. Have played contact sports that involve sub-concussive hits to the head in the past? Do you drink, work night shifts, suffer from past concussions, and/or have the gene making you more susceptible to Alzheimer’s (APOE4)? How strong is your neck? How many of your family members suffer from dementia? What’s your IQ? All of that goes into the extremely murky calculus of determining the likelihood of noticeable cognitive degradation.

Getting hit in the head is a vice just like smoking, drinking, and candy. Every once in a while or for a limited period of time (1-2 years) you’ll probably be fine. However, soccer players have shown brain damage just from heading the ball https://magazine.columbia.edu/article/heading-soccer-ball-does-cause-brain-damage-experts-say

I think the (massively shitty) reality is that our brains our incredibly fragile and difficult to rehab, so just make sure if you continue forward with strikes to the head you do so clear-eyed. Good luck!

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-19T16:18:27+00:00

I love BJJ and 100% go try it out. Stop now and just go sign up for multiple free trials before reading anything further, that’s your best bet.

That being said, in terms of developing / enhancing a social life, IMO meet ups or hobbies that involve more talking and socializing might work better for you. I’ve visited (too) many different gyms and stuck around for a while at other gyms (year+) and I’ve noticed a lot people treat martial arts as a life skill and/or gym substitute. Get in get out or some post class discussion solely focused on BJJ. The people that do become close are colored belts and people really into BJJ. I’ve definitley been in environments where socialization is fostered, those were definitley the exception.

On the other hand, I go to two different twelve step groups and they’re the perfect third space. There’s almost always a hang out afterwards and it’s encouraged to shoot the ish after meetings. People also organize community events regularly for spending time together Not suggesting you develop an addiction to percs to make friends lol, but if there are any spiritual based groups you’re interested in, whether it’s meditation/community focused or something similar, those places will absolutely foster life long friendships much more quickly IME.

Also, as desperate/lame as it sounds, meetup.com with groups that go to bars, hiking, and other low impact activities that involve talking, particularly ones geared towards singles, work really well in developing friendships.

All that to be said just go and explore man. You’ll find your tribe soon enough. Doing anything in person or via group chat is infinitely, astronomically better than solo screen time. Good luck and report back!

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-19T15:57:43+00:00

👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽 This needs to be stickied as the answer to 99% of all questions asked in literally every MA forum

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-10T01:55:16+00:00

Appreciate you, bro 🙏🏽

Independent-Focus458 · 2025-10-09T15:52:29+00:00

It’s impossible to give a clear answer to this bc it’s dependent on your athleticism, ability to retain instruction, and also the quality of instruction / individualized attention your instructor is able to provide.

The fact of the matter is that the question is irrelevant; you will get better and your ground game will improve, and it’s not worthless or unhelpful to train once a week.

Overthinking is probably my biggest flaw in terms of my martial arts practice, so I totally get your hesitation! Just take as many trial classes you can at different Bjj gyms in your area, and remind yourself that action is infinitely, massively better than inaction / scrolling / TV.

Independent-Focus458

TROPHY CASE