Upper Cumberland MMA
First Class Survival Guide
Gear — keep it simple
- Athletic clothes (shorts or pants, t-shirt or rashguard)
- Athletic shoes for striking classes; bare feet for jiu-jitsu
- Water bottle
- Mouthguard (we sell boil-and-bite ones at the front for $10 if you forget)
- Hand wraps for boxing/kickboxing (loaners available for your first class)
- Rash guard for jiu-jitsu (any compression-style shirt works for class 1)
What to wear — general rule
- No jewelry. Leave it at home or in a locker.
- No zippers, metal buttons, or belts on shorts (catches fingers on the mat)
- Trim nails before class — yours and your kid's
- Hair tied back if long
- Shower or wipe down before class — it's a shared space
How the mat etiquette works
- Take off your shoes before stepping on the mat
- Wear shoes in the restroom and anytime you're off the mat — never walk barefoot off the training surface, then back on
- Listen when coach is talking — no casual chat during instruction
- If you need water or bathroom, just go; no permission required
- Say hi to training partners and new students
- After a round or drill, shake hands or fist-bump your partner
- Zero tolerance for poor hygiene, rudeness, or aggression off the clock
What actually happens in class
- Warm-up (8–10 min): mobility, light cardio, movement drills
- Technique of the day (15–20 min): coach breaks down a skill, you drill it with a partner
- Live training (15–20 min, optional for beginners): rolling, sparring, or pad rounds at your pace
- Cool-down, questions, class over
You don't have to
- Do every rep at 100%. Go at your pace.
- Live spar or roll. It's always optional, especially for beginners.
- Know anyone. First-timers arrive alone all the time.
- Be in shape. Everyone starts somewhere.
- Hide an injury. Tell the coach and they'll modify drills.
Arriving — step by step
- Show up 15 minutes early, especially your first class
- A coach greets you, gives you the tour, gets your waiver signed
- Change into athletic gear
- Join the warm-up with the rest of the class — don't overthink it
- Enjoy. You'll leave knowing one real thing better than when you came in.
Ready when you are.
Your 3-class trial is $30. Full refund after class 1 if not a fit. We'll see you on the mat.