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Originally Posted by WheelmanSS
Thanks bud! I'm really nervous about stepping up. My power is very respectable, but I am not as fast and quick as I need to be to compete, I feel.
I started in boxing, and I love striking. So I am looking to get into some serious muay tai striking. I have messed around with some kick boxing.
I also want to get into BJJ and learn some transitions and ground game defense.
I would like to get into wrestling at some point, but I am a little nervous cuz I have had lower back problems in the past. Been cranking out the deadlifts and squats lately though, and been feeling really good.
That's sweet you have a Karate base. Good for balance and angles and stances. Do you feel it helped you a lot in your learning JJ?
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I think that the quickness and speed will come in time. My buddy trained me in a bit of Muay Thai as well, but it wasn't a complete training, more like an intro. I definitely do notice the difference in Karate kicks vs Muay Thai kicks.
I think that if you are going to be going full-on MMA, the wrestling portion is going to be essential. A good, high-level wrestler can hold down a JJ practioner any day of the week...unless the wrestler leaves gaps and openings for the JJ practitioner to capitalize on. hopefully you can do some therapy for your lower back; I know Greco-Roman wrestling does not have any leg hooks or trips, so you will have to rely on your upper body for that.
To be honest, I think that the reflexes I built up during my Karate days was about the only thing that I was able to transition over to Gracie JJ. JJ is mostly about efficiency and who can control distances better, but the way that Gracie JJ was taught was more for self defense, rather than tournament (like Gracie-Barra).