MN MMA Team

Hey Team!

We’re already one month into the new year! This month’s topic is on teamwork. Here at The Academy, we know better than anyone, how important teamwork is to the success of our students, our fighters and to the legacy of this school.

Without a solid team to train with, it is very difficult to learn and progress to your full potential. It’s because of supportive teammates that we learn about our areas of weakness, we learn how to perfect our strengths, and we’re consistently held accountable for our progress.

After 20 years of business, we know that another key ingredient to a great team is quality students. Students that are dedicated, mentally strong, and have a genuine passion for the martial arts and fitness. We understand that not every that walks through our doors possess these qualities at first, but through their training here, it is our priority and hope that people gain these characteristics because of the teamwork they participate in every week.
So how does one become a good teammate?
This may seem like an easy question, but sometimes we can get so focused on our progress that we forget to help and contribute to the progress of our teammates at the same time. Sometimes it’s the other way around – we invest a lot in the progress of our teammates but don’t get constructive feedback in return. Other times we feel insecure about our skills, so we draw inward and feel apprehensive about training, and then we quit.

As coaches, we are here to tell you that being a part of a team starts with being a good team member yourself. Here are some words of wisdom to think about:

By pushing your teammates, you push yourself!
Whether you are holding pads, you’re sparring, or your doing a hard circuit in bootcamp, pushing your fellow teammates when they’re struggling is a great way to boost motivation and to help them get the most out of their class. It’s as simple as saying, “C’mon Jon, 2 more kicks!” Or “Let’s go Amy, you can do this!” These are simple words of encouragement, but when you feel like can’t muster the strength to do one more push up – and someone is there to encourage you, you usually push through and do it.

Accountability.

One of the major benefits of training with a team is that you consistently have people around you that can and will hold you accountable for your progress. One thing you can do to increase accountability is to make plans to train with fellow teammates outside of class. This not only increases morale and cohesion, but it betters your training and theirs.

Diverse training partners.

While it’s great to have people that you train with on a regular basis, it is also helpful to make an effort to introduce yourself and train with classmates that you haven’t met before, or with classmates that are newer to the program. Training with a diverse group of people allows you to receive feedback and suggestions from people who difference experience levels and different perspectives on training.

Regardless of where you’re at in your training, making it a priority to be a good team member as well as a good student is critical to not only your progress but to the progress of others. As you move forward in your training, keep this in mind at all times. You only have great things to gain from it.