Using MMA to build confidence
Mixed martial arts, known as MMA, is a combat sport. But it’s more than a sport for one local group they’re using it to build confidence. Team Resistance meets for MMA at the YMCA
It’s not just about practice, it’s also about confidence building.
“What I love the most is the passion and the love I have for it. For those others most of which, about 75% of the people I do train don’t have fathers and so they do look up to me in a sense as guidance. Not only am I teaching them to fight, but values in life and self-confidence and things like that,” says Max Riddle, Head Coach, and fighter.
“You learn to stand up for yourself and others that are being bullied. You learn to be more independent in life, be able to make your own decisions,” says AJ Baxter, fighter.
“My coach, he’s running an anti-bullying campaign because of course now bullying is a big problem amongst kids and even some adults and so to help boost confidence. Those kids and adults can come in here to learn and better themselves,” says Dustin Jones, Coach/fighter.
The lessons learned on the mat impact their personal lives.
“My mom had passed away, I don’t have any parents so I rely on these guys on my team to boost my own self up. It feels really great because what I’m doing for them they’re doing for me as well,” says Riddle.
“Personally, with my son, it definitely helped him a lot because he was bullied quite a bit and so when he started learning how to do mixed martial arts it gave him an outlet and a way to work through those things,” says Sean Vedro, Coach/fighter.
“I had a pretty rough childhood growing up so it’s kind of like a stress reliever coming here to work out. It’s helped me a lot. I’ve grown to be a stronger person, more independent,” says Baxter.
If you would like to try out the MMA class at the YMCA you can ask to try out the class. They have class Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more details, you can contact the YMCA or the Team Resistance Facebook page. For more information on Max Riddle’s anti-bullying campaign, you can visit that Facebook page.
