Don't be this Guy at MMA Class or at the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club

The Smart Guy

This guy likes to talk and talk and talk about MMA training. This is about the only way he is likely to break a sweat at the local MMA class - from all of the talking. Often times The Smart Guy is a "book geek" or a "math geek" who has found his way somehow into a real MMA fight training club. If the over-intellectual can be distracted from his own chatter somehow, he tends to become a very, very technical fighter. Left to his own devices, however, this guy will enter the MMA Gym, do a few drills, roll with one guy, and then float around the gym chatting incessantly at MMA fighters who are taking a short break from strenuous training. He's not so irritating at first, but after the millionth reference to The Ultimate Fighter show on cable, or after he tries to verbally describe some little used grappling technique for the fiftieth time, you will realize he is draining on your training and fast. Offer this guy lots of encouragement, but at some point cut off his speech altogether and get and keep him moving. If you can keep him moving and training constructively he's likely to leave the chatter behind on his own after his understanding of the fundamentals grows large enough that he can enjoy the MMA game. Often these guys are the most addicted to the sport after things take hold and if you can keep them from going on too long they can make good coaches.