Help me pick a gym

Ilk

Ilk

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So I just moved cities again and I have been researching fight sport gyms.

There are 2 I have found out to be ok and not too far away from me. I want you to look at their videos and in general help me which one looks more legit.

https://www.facebook.com/Desant.MMA/ this is the first one. It seems more grappling and MMA oriented. The hours are a bit bad, but I will figure it out. My ex kick boxing coach who is a pro MMA fighter trains grappling here. The head coach is a promoter and a main figure in MMA in Bulgaria.
Pros:
- I do not have much grappling experience so I think I will learn a lot here.

Cons:
- not good enough hours for training.
- huge groups and I am thinking the environment may be a bit non controlled so gym heroes may have a go on me
- they train pros

https://www.facebook.com/Vokil.Varna.Bulgaria/ this one is kick box and MT gym. The coach is in the Bulgarian MT federation, is an active referee and has two Masters - one in coaching MT and Kick box from National Sports Academy. I will feel more confident here as I have trained kick boxing and boxing.

Pros:
- it seems they have smaller groups and the environment seems better controlled
- good training hours

Cons:
- they do have some spectacular amateurs but no professionals
- one of their facebook posts says they will be changing hours due to amateurs going to a competition


The best is that both clubs are at the same address it is a sports complex. I can try them both of course. But I am not sure what to chose.
 
What are you trying to do? I assume MMA? If so, I'd go for the first one with grappling classes. Work on your weakness. And why is training pros a con? It should be good that they have legit pros.

You would be more comfortable in the other one but you won't learn/improve much.

Really depends on what your goals are. If you not trying to grapple or do MMA then no point in being in the first gym. I'd say try them both out and see which one fits you.
 
I am just training to stay fit and get all the positives from practising a fight sport. I am almost 32 and started with fight sports 4 years ago, so it is kind of late of looking into it as a career choice :)
Learning how to fight, keeping in shape, learning new techniques, stress release, confidence in self and in general self development are key to what I want to get from fight sports. If I ever get in top shape and land an amateur fight for a charity event I may sign up, but that is all.

Training pros and top amateurs is a con for me, because it creates a very competitive environment and often gym wars. I ve been in a boxing gym like that. Especially if head coaches have experience in professional promotion, the guys are trying to make some money with their top fighters, they do not care for the white collar sport enthusiasts like me, or the guard thugs comming to the gym. As long as these last 2 help preparing their money or fame guys they are good in letting people having a go at each other. And I am not ok on getting beaten up or getting an injury.

I am doing soccer in a semi pro mostly amateur level, this half season I could not find a team to play for but I was kind of switching places. I hope I land a team after the winter. Now here there are some career choices I can get as a second job. Pretty easy to land decent paying refereeing job or coaching kids if I invest time in education as I have a long youth experience of about 10 years and mostly amateur or semi pro football. If you refer 4 games per month you get the minimum wage and it all takes about 8 hours per month. You can do more games if you have the spare time. Coaches spend a couple of hours with kids per day and get a decent salary out of it. And there is a ladder to climb with better payments as a ref or career development as a coach.
 
If that's your approach, then gym 2. Gym 1 seems to have too much conflict with your current lifestyle and schedule. Smaller group is always better, in large conglomerate chain gym, you'll never get the attention even if the coach really wants to, there's just too many people to give specific pointers. Hell, sometimes I teach classes and our class averages at 10-12 people, and I find it very difficult to get everyone the experience.

Head coach being a promoter is a problem imo. You'll be used as a body to feed the competitors, esp. if its a gym war culture.

There's nothing wrong with ammys. The title "ammy" makes it seem like novice, but really its the same. Pro is in the context of profession, as in its you job. People assume if its your job you naturally have to be good at it, but we've all come across people in our professional lives who are crap-tacular at their jobs. The fight game is no different. The only real difference (from MMA/MT context) is the lack of elbow and knees to the head. No payment as well. I'm not sure how the fight scene is in BG, over here where I am, going pro is an absolute nightmare to get through legislation so nearly everyone's ammy. Quite a few being very high level as well (20-30 fights).
 
Its easier to licence for pro matches here. You just have to be willing to go out. Fight sports are very famous. Boxing is huge, but there is not a lot of pro boxing going on, while there are plenty of MMA events going on. You can do 2-3 fights per year if you are up to and can make about 15k BGN out of it which is slightly above the medium range of earnings of the average male in the country. Considering you have to live extremely healthy live style, and often travel to get access to top coaches or if you live in Sofia paying coaches becomes expensive it is not worth it. Most of the guys work as drivers and security for rich people or guards in night clubs as a second job. However both career choices make it hard to lead a good and healthy life style therefor their careers end in about 10 pro fights.
 
I was under the impression that Bulgaria has many decent Judo and Sambo clubs? Why not try those? Correct me if I am wrong.
 
It sounds like there is more chance you will compete in kickboxing out of the second place given they are interested in training amateurs. I would want to tick off "amateur kickboxing/Muay Thai match"
 
bobthebuilder said:
It sounds like there is more chance you will compete in kickboxing out of the second place given they are interested in training amateurs. I would want to tick off "amateur kickboxing/Muay Thai match"
Click to expand...

Actually yeah. I went to look for the gym, but ran into a friend and we drifted into a long talk. I am going soon to see it.

Hotora86 said:
I was under the impression that Bulgaria has many decent Judo and Sambo clubs? Why not try those? Correct me if I am wrong.
Click to expand...

You are wrong. I am not awared of a single judo or sambo club and I have lived in the 2nd and 3rd biggest city here.
 
Well he is not that famous here. Pulev at the other hand. Boxing is huge right now. Clubs even have hot chicks some of which go amateur. Pun intended!
 
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