No, you will get into shape as you train. We have a series of exercises you will learn as you progress through the curriculum, which will enable you to perform the self defense techniques in the ring or the street.

Two to three 1-hour classes per week are recommended, as is practicing at home. If you want more individualized attention as you progress through the curriculum, we offer 1-hour private lessons which can help further progress your skills.

No, you are not too old to begin martial arts training. Many people have the misconception that you have to start young to be successful. In truth, martial arts focus not only on the physical apsects, but the mental as well. It's never too late to learn something new and begin improving your lifestyle.

You are still more than welcome to train at Mac's Gym. We have plenty of members that just do martial arts for physical endurance and a healthy lifestyle. Martial arts like kickboxing, Muay Thai, TaeKwonDo, and BJJ are typically anaerobic exercises that function similarly to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and plyometrics. Therefore, our members get a lot of physical benefit, regardless of whether they intend to compete or enter into an actual fight.

For your first class, just bring yourself and some clothes to work out in and we will provide the rest. After that, you will need to purchase hand wraps, gloves, Muay Thai shin guards, mouth guard, and (for men) a cup. Those are the only things that are required for class. If you would like, you can also get head gear for more intense sparring sessions. You can also buy your own jump rope if you prefer to not use the ones that the gym provides.

Kickboxing and Muay Thai are both striking martial arts, but they differ significantly in their techniques, origins, and fighting styles. Kickboxing, which emerged in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s by combining elements of traditional Karate and Western boxing, primarily focuses on punches and kicks. Its stance is often more upright and dynamic, designed for quick movement, clever timing, and powerful exchanges. Kickboxing eventually moved into other regions, like the Netherlands, which created evolving techniques in the sport. In contrast, Muay Thai, known as the "Art of Eight Limbs," has a much older history, originating in Thailand and incorporating punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and clinch work. The clinch, a key aspect of Muay Thai, allows fighters to control their opponent and land strikes at close range, which is not commonly allowed in most kickboxing rules. Muay Thai fighters often adopt a more squared stance, focusing on balance and the ability to land powerfully precise strikes.

The only thing you need for our BJJ program is a black gi and belt. BJJ focuses on body mechanics and grappling techniques, so there is a lot less equipment involved than striking martial arts.

Most of our BJJ classes require a gi. Mac's Gym has a large focus on traditional martial arts, and that includes the traditional practice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, we do offer no-gi on Fridays at 7:15 p.m.

Absolutely not. We have both kids and adult TaeKwonDo programs. Many MMA fighters are TaeKwonDo black belts. If you want to compete, TaeKwonDo is a great place to start. TaeKwonDo is also a good program for adults who want to set goals for themselves and work toward each belt.

Between two and three years, depending on the time you have to devote to progressing in your TaeKwonDo skills. Black belts signify that you have mastered the basics, so you will achieve your black belt once you reach that level of mastery, no matter how long it takes.

Safety is our top priority. Since TaeKwonDo is a physical art that focuses on defensive techniques, there is some risk, but we use every precaution, including protective gear, to ensure our students are as safe as possible.

You need to have very similar gear to our kickboxing and Muay Thai classes. This includes gloves, shin guards, mouth guard, and cup (for men). However, the gloves that you need are specific MMA gloves, which are small open finger gloves with padding on the knuckles. We specifically require MMA "sparring" gloves because they have more padding than regular competition or pro MMA gloves.

Our MMA program requires coach approval because it can include some advanced fighting concepts, and we don't want some of our newer students getting hurt. However, it is not required that you have a grappling or wrestling background.

No, it is not required that you have any grappling or wrestling experience to take MMA. You do need coach approval, but that is just because we want to make sure you are generally advanced enough for the MMA program to be beneficial to you. While we highly encourage all of our students to take BJJ and having a BJJ background will help you in MMA, it is not required to participate in the program.