Why I train
April 30, 2009If you ask ten people at FFA why they train in MMA, you will probably get ten different answers i.e. weight loss, self defense, competition, etc. Why do I train? Well, let me start from the beginning.
Ever since I can remember I’ve been fascinated by the martial arts and combat sports in general. As a young child I spent my Saturdays watching pro wrestling and Kung Fu movies. Later, the ninja explosion of the ’80′s permeated every form of entertainment I enjoyed; comics, film, and television. I bought every martial arts magazine I could find and constantly nagged my mother for Karate lessons. Finally, on my 15th birthday I began Tae Kwon Do classes. I studied Tae Kwon do for about nine years and achieved a second degree black belt.
I enjoyed my TKD training but felt it was just a piece of a larger puzzle. On November 12, 1993 the rest of the puzzle became clearer. This was the date of the first Ultimate Fighting Championship. This event was a dream come true; a no holds barred competition featuring various martial arts pitted against each other. Ever since watching those old Kung Fu movies as a kid I always wondered who would win if a wrestler fought a boxer or if a karateka faced off against a judoka. Well here it was, and it was real! Who prevailed in that inaugural ultimate brawl? A lean and unassuming jui-jitsu practitioner who barely threw a strike and was outweighed by all his opponents; Royce Gracie. Before the UFC, I had read about the Gracie challenge in Black Belt magazine, which claimed that the Gracie family was undefeated in no holds barred fights and that they could beat anyone with their form of self defense; they had even challenged Mike Tyson. Now I saw first hand that they could back up their talk and that grappling was the missing element that completed the martial arts puzzle.
Over the years I consumed everything NHB related I could. Along with the UFC this included the World Combat Championship, Battlecade, Shooto, Pancrase, K-1, Universal Vale Tudo, you name it. All the while I wished there was some place where I could learn the hybrid style of fighting showcased in these events.
That day came on February 14, 2002. That was the day I first stepped foot inside the Freestyle Fighting Academy. There were only about a dozen students back then and the academy was just a room with some mats. The instructors were a couple of kids barely in their 20s. I figured I’d pick up a few techniques and move on. Well, I’ve been here ever since and I have no plans to “move on”. Not only did I find a school where I could learn the techniques I had been seeking, but through my training at FFA, I have also had the opportunity to compete in MMA, boxing, and kickboxing. In addition to being a student and competitor, I have also had the honor of becoming an FFA instructor, allowing me to share the knowledge and experience I have accumulated through the years to help guide as many of you toward your goals as possible.
So why do I train? To get in shape, for self defense, to compete? Yeah, those are all good reasons, but there’s one other reason…for the love. I train for the love.
By: John Mangual
i was not very flexible until i start doing jiu jitsu but now that i am in the sport and stretching everyday my flexibility has increased greatly