Alright, so I wanted to talk a bit about my journey getting into MMA training, kinda sparked by watching guys like Sam Oropeza fight. Seeing local guys putting it all on the line, you know? It got me thinking.
Getting Off the Couch
I wasn’t exactly athletic, spent most of my time working, then vegging out. But watching those fights, seeing the discipline and grit, especially from someone relatively local like Oropeza seemed back then, made me think, “Maybe I could try something.” Not to become a fighter, heck no. Just to get in shape, maybe learn to handle myself a tiny bit.
So, I looked around for gyms. Found one that didn’t seem too intimidating, full of absolute killers. Signed up. First few classes? Man, I felt like a total fool. Couldn’t even get the warm-ups right without gasping for air. Everything felt awkward – throwing a punch, trying to sprawl. My body just didn’t want to move that way.
The Actual Grind
I decided to stick with it, though. Made myself go three times a week. It was rough. I remember the first time we did live rolling, even light stuff. Got pretzelled up instantly. Didn’t even know what happened. It’s one thing to watch it, totally another to be in it.
My focus wasn’t on anything fancy. Forget spinning kicks or flying knees. I was just trying to grasp the basics:
- Learning a decent jab.
- Figuring out how to move my feet.
- Trying not to get submitted in ten seconds flat on the ground.
- Enduring the conditioning drills – those were brutal.
There wasn’t one magic moment where it all clicked. It was slow. Like, really slow. Some days I’d feel like I made a tiny bit of progress, maybe I defended a takedown attempt better than last time, or landed a clean combo on the pads. Other days, I’d feel like I forgot everything, totally useless.
I kept thinking about the toughness I saw in guys like Oropeza. Not just the physical part, but the mental game. Showing up, pushing through when it sucks. That became my goal. Just keep showing up. Keep trying.
Where I’m At Now
It’s been a while now. Am I ready for a cage fight? Absolutely not. Not even close. But I’m definitely fitter than I was. I feel a bit more confident, generally. The biggest thing, honestly, is the discipline it built. Making myself go train even when I’m tired or don’t feel like it.
I still feel awkward sometimes, still get tapped out plenty. But I understand more now. I can see the techniques, appreciate the skill involved way more than when I just watched. It’s less about wanting to be some tough guy fighter and more about the process, the learning, and just doing something hard. It’s been good for me, this whole MMA practice thing.
