Mixed Martial Arts in Indianapolis?

Does anyone know if there’s anything similar out there for training—maybe some Mixed Martial Arts, BJJ, or Jiu-Jitsu style stuff?

It really ought to be Judo and Mixed Martial Arts. I mean, look, Indianapolis isn't exactly some tiny little town; there’s no way they don't have at least one decent Judo or wrestling club tucked away somewhere.

Here’s what I found on Google:

JUDA JU JITSU CLUB "JUG II"
Address: GK "May 30th", Midwestern Ave 124/b. Telephone: 563 453
President: John Smith

JFK / JC "Youth"
Address: REISNER AVE 46A, Indianapolis 31 000
Telephone: +1 (317) 211 400

It’s like there isn't even an American presence over there.😕

Look, I’m fully aware there’s a 100% dedicated Mixed Martial Arts club around here, but let's be real—it feels like it's mostly just kids running around. It doesn't even feel like legitimate, competitive martial arts where you actually get thrown or work the ground... it's just play. And I'm not really looking for old-school wrestling, either. It honestly feels like Indianapolis is just too small of a city to have anything substantial in that department.

wanderingridge said:It’s not even really "sport" Judo... it's just throwing people around and then zero ground fighting.

😕

http://www.judoinfo.com/techjudo.htm

Zero ground fighting??
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu actually has WAY MORE grappling techniques than Judo does!!

gentleviper12 said:😕

http://www.judoinfo.com/techjudo.htm

Zero ground fighting??
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu actually has way more grappling techniques than Judo!!

True, but (as you probably know) most competitions allow about 10 seconds of ground work before they reset, unless someone is actively working a pin... For instance, a neighbor of mine is a brown belt, and at his gym, they really only drill what actually "works" within the rules of official Judo matches. Because of that, things like armbars and chokes are mostly just for show.

Zachary Bennett3 said:Take my neighbor, for instance. He’s a brown belt, and at his school, they only teach the stuff that actually "works" during official Judo matches. So, things like throws and chokes? They just skip over them.

I don't know... honestly, I'm at a loss for words here.
If someone can pull off a throw in Mixed Martial Arts—and I always bring up Fedor because the guy was a Russian Judo champion—then clearly that Judo technique had to be learned somewhere. Why do you think it doesn't work in a match?? The thing is, you only ever see Judo on TV during the World Championships or the Olympics. And even then, they usually only broadcast the medal rounds. The chances of seeing someone land a clean throw are slim because the athletes are just too damn good.

gentleviper12, I’m not questioning the skill level of veteran judokas at all. My point is more about how certain schools or clubs here in the States don't seem to prioritize ground fighting lately, mostly because referees have become a lot less tolerant of it during matches. It’s exactly those kinds of situations that worry wanderingridge the most, since he’s much more interested in the groundwork than just the setup to get there.
Anyway, let's stop derailing the thread now.😳

wanderingridge, think of Mixed Martial Arts as being closer to Luta Livre or Jiu-Jitsu without the Gi, so you aren't going to find much of that style around here. Your best bet would be to check out that Jiu-Jitsu club in Indianapolis and see how they run their sessions...

Zero ground fighting??

Look, I know my way around a Judo mat, but let’s be real—most clubs out there (honestly, probably the vast majority) just focus on the "sport" side of Judo. I know this because I have a girlfriend who trained back in Indianapolis—she’s even got her black belt—and she told me they focused strictly on the throws. That was it. They barely touched the groundwork, maybe just the basics like armbars, keylocks, or kimuras...
I specifically mentioned Mixed Martial Arts because I’m looking to train without a gi. I already do some grappling where I live now, but since I’m heading off to college in Indianapolis soon, I'm hoping there might be a club there that caters to that style.

Zachary Bennett3 said:gentleviper12, look, I’m not questioning the skill of the veteran judokas, really. It’s just that some schools and clubs here in the USA don't seem to put enough emphasis on ground fighting lately, mostly because the referees have become so picky about it... It’s exactly these kinds of situations that worry wanderingridge the most, since he cares way more about the groundwork than actually getting to it.
Anyway, let's stop derailing this thread already.😳

wanderingridge, Mixed Martial Arts is basically Luta Livre or Jiu-Jitsu without the gi, so you aren't going to find much of that around here. Your best bet is to check out that Jiu-Jitsu club in Indianapolis and see how they run things...

Hehe, I know what Mixed Martial Arts is! I mean, I practice it at home—unofficially, obviously, not in a gym—but maybe I'll move into an apartment in Indianapolis and keep at it. I specifically wrote "Mixed Martial Arts" instead of Judo or BJJ because I know there's no gi involved. As far as I know, we don't have it, but hey, maybe something will pop up eventually.

wanderingridge said:Haha, I definitely know what Mixed Martial Arts is. I actually practice it at home on my own—nothing official since I'm not part of a gym—but I might head over to a training center in Indianapolis to take things further. I made sure to specify Mixed Martial Arts instead of Judo or BJJ because I know there's no gi involved. As far as I know, there aren't many options out there, but who knows? Maybe something will pop up.

I figured you knew that.🙂 There are some BJJ clubs in NYC that focus on no-gi training, but honestly, finding something like that in Indianapolis is going to be a real challenge.

PS Training solo is great for getting started, though it can be a slow process and sometimes pretty painful—believe me, I've been there.👍

haha, it’s not even that I’m sitting at home; we’ve actually gathered a group of five or six in a gym here. We’ve got a decent amount of experience with Mixed Martial Arts, though maybe a little less when it comes to "experience with leverage," if you catch my drift. We end up training twice a week without any actual coach or instructor, but hey, I suppose anything is better than doing nothing at all. For the most part, we’re actually making some solid progress, but it looks like this might be as far as I go. Indianapolis, as far as that's concerned, seems a bit lacking in that department.

wanderingridge said:Haha, it’s not like we’re just hanging out in my living room. There are about five or six of us gathered in a local gym; some have a bit of grappling experience, while others are still figuring out how to handle the half-guard. We train twice a week without a formal coach, but hey, it beats doing nothing at all. We’re actually making decent progress, though it looks like this might be where my journey stays for now. As for Os, it seems a little lacking in that department.

I didn't exactly think you guys were all crammed into your living room... I started out about a year and a half ago myself; a few of us had some judo background, others came from Jiu-Jitsu, and it was a great way to start. I used to head over there on weekends with a buddy from the Democratic Party to spar with the crew. There's a small studio at the gym in my neighborhood where we practice our drills...
Man, those matches could be exhausting.😁
Lucky hunting!

hehe... we really ought to get together sometime... 🙂

I remember back in the Midwest, at the gym where I used to do kickboxing, there was all this talk about bringing in BJJ. Some of the coaches had gone over to the USA to train, and apparently, some instructor from the States was planning to head out our way... I'm not really sure what ever came of it or if they actually pulled it off. I'll look into it and let you know if you want the scoop.

Check out those views and let me know what you think. I just hope the club isn't packed with a bunch of massive, hulking dudes weighing 220 pounds each, otherwise I won't be able to get any actual work done here.😁

gentleviper12 said:Heh... we really ought to get together sometime... 🙂

Heh, maybe...
So, what's your weight, exactly?

A bit old... 68... but I've still got some life in me. I can hold my own in a scrap against guys up to 80 without breaking much of a sweat. Once they hit 85, though? Yeah, I’m giving it everything I’ve got just to stay level, and even then, I can barely catch them. Anything north of 90... well, at that point, I'm just trying to survive the night. 😁

What about you?

Heh, I’m sitting here about 150 pounds lighter than I used to be, but if I’m being totally honest, I have zero clue how I stack up against guys my size. It’s hard to tell when I’ve never actually rolled with anyone under the 180-pound mark. At my gym, there are basically just two of us hovering around the 185 mark—one guy used to be a solid 200, and the lightest dude there was just hitting 185 after weighing himself today. Anyway, everyone is at least thirty or forty pounds heavier than me, yet here's the kicker: we've been training for the exact same amount of time, and somehow, I'm usually the one coming out on top during sparring.
Last week, this guy rolls up to training claiming he did judo for a couple of years. After about ten minutes of us just grinding it out, I managed to lock him in an armbar from a triangle. I think I'm actually doing pretty well, considering we don't really have any formally trained coaches around here; most of us are just teaching ourselves by watching YouTube videos or digging through old instructional DVDs. That's why I'm asking—is there anything truly "professional" or high-level happening in Indianapolis?

Haha, looks like we’re all dealing with the same struggles. I’m sitting at about 160 lbs, yet I constantly find myself pairing up against guys weighing in closer to 200 lbs.😁 They’ve got that brute strength, like they spend every waking hour at a hardcore gym, and then you get that one guy who’s actually fast and agile on top of it all... It’s honestly such a headache! For a little while, I used to train with a buddy of mine who was a bit shorter than me but right around my weight class, and man, what a massive relief that was. Usually, though, I find myself just playing defense and waiting for an opening, because when there's that kind of strength gap, you really have to play it smart.