MMA Gyms in Louisville, KY
Looking for gyms in Louisville, Kentucky to train in MMA? There are many great mixed marital arts gyms in the Jefferson County area, but selecting the gym that is right for you requires a bit of research and investigating. Start by looking for gyms that teach a complete MMA game. Such gyms should have a competent Muay Thai kickboxing program that offers sparring in a ring or cage. Equally important, such gyms should give top-notch Brazilian jujitsu instruction without need for wearing a gi (traditional uniform). Coaches and instructors should have previous fighting experience in their various disciplines and preferably an MMA background.
Make sure you find a gym that has a suitable training environment that won’t compromise your workout routines. The best gyms have large floor spaces that are covered with clean workout mats. If a gym is too cramped or overly crowded, it will restrict your range of movement and increase the chance of accidental contact with other students. Good gyms will also feature a large selection of heavy bags. These bags should stretch from head height to near ground level, so that a full range of strikes can be delivered to the bag. In addition, the gym should be well stocked with other training essentials, such as Thai kickpads, boxing focus mitts, and belly pads.
MMA Gear In Louisville
Like with most other sports, mixed martial arts requires specific equipment for proper training. Starting with attire, Students should wear shorts and T-shirts to class. Prospective students may wish to buy MMA shorts, which are styled after board shorts and offer excellent coverage and range in motion. Good MMA shorts, from brands like Sprawl and Venom, are suitable for any training activity, as they are made from robust, hygienic enhanced high performing materials. Some MMA practitioners choose to wear rashguards in place of a T-shirt. Rashguards act like a second skin, and are designed for jujitsu and MMA training specifically.
MMA gloves or boxing bag gloves should be worn when hitting heavy bags or punch mitts. These gloves are designed to protect the hand and wrist and are essential for keeping the skin on the knuckles intact. Hand wraps may be additionally worn depending on how much protection is needed. Boxing style sparring gloves are to be worn during sparring exercises. These gloves are typically 16 oz in weight and will help protect training partners from sustaining serious injury. Both sparring and bag gloves should feature a Velcro only enclosure. Competition gloves, which usually have laces to secure the gloves to the fighter’s wrist, are too slow and cumbersome to put on and take off during practice. In some gyms, headgear is worn during sparring. Headgear is recommended for anyone who spars regularly. For Muay Thai training, shinguards are worn to protect the feet and shins. A decent pair of shinguards will cover the full area between the knee and toes and will be rigid enough to deflect hard impacts.
To round off the list of essential MMA gear, every fighter should have a decent mouth guard. Forgo the use of the cheapest boil and bite mouthguards. Instead, spend a bit more money and get the kind that uses two or more materials in its construction. This will allow for better molding and protection for the teeth. Finally, invest in a comfortable fitting groin cup. A foul cup should be worn at all times during practice, even in non-sparring activities and jujitsu training.
Muay Thai in Louisville Kentucky
The standup striking style of choice for modern MMA warriors is Muay Thai kickboxing. Muay Thai teaches the use of punching, kicking, kneeing and elbowing to delivery a barrage of punishment to an opponent whilst on the feet. This style also encourages the use of clinching to deliver hard strikes when both fighters are tied up and too close to use kicks or punches. Training in Muay Thai will improve a fighter’s flexibility, speed, power and timing. The style is also excellent for improving cardio stamina and mental toughness.
Brazilian Jujitsu in Louisville, KY
When a fight goes to the ground, and it often does, Brazilian jujitsu is used to control and attack an opponent. Suited for attacking and defending from either the top or bottom position, Brazilian jujitsu is a fascinating style that utilizes body mechanics and leverage to turn the tables on an opponent. Gracie jujitsu’s signature moves are its chokes and joint locks, which can often finish a fight quickly and effectively. It is said that practicing jujitsu is similar to swimming in mud. Jujitsu uses ever muscle in the body, often many at once, and delivers an excellent all-round workout. Make sure to find a gym with brown or black belt level jujitsu instructors that know how to combine jujitsu with true MMA fighting.
Greco-roman Wrestling, Judo and Karate in Louisville, Kentucky
Since MMA is an amalgamation of various fighting styles and marital arts, techniques borrowed from other sports besides Muay Thai and jujitsu can be useful to MMA practitioners. Greco-roman wrestling has long been a style used in the MMA arena. Greco-roman wrestling’s takedowns, tackles and ground control continue to be used by today’s top fighters. Judo’s hip throws and leg sweeps are also used by MMA competitors and are suited for use in the clinch position. Karate, taekwondo and other traditional martial arts offer a wide range of striking techniques that are not always seen in MMA competitions. Such moves may be useful to surprise an opponent or deepen a fighter’s toolbox of techniques.
MMA Gear and Clothing
Whether you are looking for MMA gear for training or MMA clothing for after workouts, you can find stores in the Louisville, KY area that sell official MMA name brand clothing and equipment. Look for top labels like Sinister, Tapout, Warrior Wear, Affliction and Venom MMA. Get quality MMA gloves from Hayabusa, Isami and Ouano. Buy MMA gear for your grueling workouts from brands like Sprawl and Inspirit. Dress fashionably and know that you are buying battle tested workout gear and clothing that is specific for MMA.