If you are 11 or older and thinking about training with us, you have two classes to pick from: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at 7:00 PM and MMA Kickboxing at 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday. The question we hear most from new teens and adults is which one to start with. Here is how they differ, and how to pick.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: the ground game
Jiu-jitsu is grappling. There are no punches or kicks. You learn to take someone down, control them, and get out from under them when you end up on the bottom. Then come the chokes and joint locks, and the small details that make them work.
- Takedowns and wrestling to get the fight where you want it
- Positions and escapes, including how to get out from under someone heavier
- Chokes and joint locks, and why they work
- Self-defense you can trust against a bigger, stronger person
The whole idea is that leverage beats size. Position and timing matter more than strength, so it is a great fit for smaller people and for anyone who wants self-defense that holds up when someone bigger grabs them. Class runs 7:00 to 7:50 PM.
MMA Kickboxing: stand up and strike
MMA Kickboxing is the striking side, put together the way it works in a real fight:
- Boxing: hands, head movement and footwork
- Kickboxing: kicks, knees and pad work
- Wrestling and clinch: control and takedowns, so your striking holds up under pressure
It is also the harder workout. Every class is different and every class is hard, and the conditioning builds real fight shape. If losing weight or getting back in shape is high on your list, this is the class you will feel the next morning. Class runs 8:00 to 9:00 PM.
Which one fits you
Start with jiu-jitsu if self-defense is the main reason you are coming in, you would rather learn without getting hit, or you like figuring things out. Jiu-jitsu rewards patience and detail more than raw athleticism.
Start with MMA Kickboxing if fitness is a big part of your goal, you want to learn to punch, kick and defend yourself on your feet, or you think you might want to compete one day. GHOW has coached amateur and professional boxers, kickboxers and MMA fighters for two decades, so if you do want to fight, you will have a corner that knows the business. If you do not, that is fine too. Plenty of people train for fitness and confidence and never step in a cage.
You do not have to choose
The two classes run back to back on the same nights, so you can train both in one evening: jiu-jitsu at 7:00, MMA Kickboxing at 8:00. They also fit together. The kickboxing class covers what happens on your feet and in the clinch, and jiu-jitsu covers what happens when it hits the ground.
You learn both from the same coach. Adam Guerra has been on the mat since he was four, fought professionally in NHB and MMA in Japan, Mexico and the United States, and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Whichever class you start with, he will be the one watching how you move.
You do not need to be in shape first
Most people start with no experience. Coach breaks every technique down so beginners and experienced students get better in the same room. One of our students started at 62, a retired Texas State Trooper, and put on muscle in her first few weeks. Teens 11 and up train in these classes too, and several parents train right alongside their teenagers.
Wear clothes you can move in. You do not need gloves, a uniform or any gear to try a class. If you want the full rundown, read what to expect at your first class.
Still not sure?
Pick the one that sounds more like you and come try it. Your first class is free, and after it the head coach sits down with you and talks through what fits your goals. You can see both times on the class schedule, claim your free class, or call or text us at (281) 331-4666 and tell us what you are after.
Ready to try one? Your first class at Guerra's House of Warriors is free, for jiu-jitsu or MMA Kickboxing.
Claim your free class