The Method of Knowledge Is Experiment

With its rise in popularity in the past two decades or so, mixed martial arts (MMA), these days is widely recognized the world over as a great way to get active, get some exercise in the gym, meet and interact with new and interesting people, and choke them totally unconscious. 

Just kidding kinda! 

(But seriously.)

Dear reader, if you’re looking for a training program or a gym experience that works your mind and well as your body, as well as a space wherein you can share and take part in a community of like-minded people, you should check out Method MMA, a gym that specialized in all levels of mixed martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and striking training. 

SmartShanghai had the chance to visit Method MMA and learn about their open, welcoming, and even inspiring approach to the killing arts.  

Introducing Method MMA

Established in 2022, Method MMA by Tsibizov Team affiliated with Frota Academy, offers world-class mixed martial Arts (MMA), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), striking, and wrestling training in Shanghai. Method provides a safe, clean, really welcoming, and really awesome environment in which to get active and develop your skills. 

They cater to students from all nationalities, genders, creeds, backgrounds, and walks of life.  Whatever your motivations may be for stepping on the mat, you can personalize your own training commitment at Method. If you’re entirely new to the sport and are just looking to give it a try or are a high level athlete looking to meet and train with like-minded people, you'll find a real community at Method MMA. 

Method's Available Classes: BJJ, MMA, Striking

The classes at MethodMMA break down into three broad categories, with further specialization available at all skill levels in each:

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

All things Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu taught, from fundamentals to sparring to  competition classes, including dedicated classes for Gi and No Gi training.

MMA

All levels of MMA. These are more rounded martial arts classes, with several disciplines practiced, including BJJ, wrestling, and striking.

MMA Striking

These are mixed martial arts training classes dedicated to developing your striking game specifically, studying techniques from boxing, Muay Thai, and kickboxing.

Method's Class Schedule Works Around Yours

Method MMA is open and running classes seven days a week. Monday to Friday, they offer early morning classes for early risers from 7am, noon classes for jobless types, and blocks of evening classes at 7pm and 8pm for nine-to-fivers. On the weekends classes are generally available and running from 11am to the early afternoon. 

When classes are not in session, the gym is available for open mat training, with Method MMA members having access to the facilities to pursue their own individual goals. 

The schedule is arranged to suit the individual needs of people who are coming to the sport from different levels of commitment, from casual students who want to get into the gym once or twice a week to more dedicated students who want to train harder and have enough time with coaches and fellow students to hone and develop advanced skills. 

The Gym and Facilities

The gym space is two floors, with the main training area on the ground floor. In there, you’ve got your open mats, equipment, punching bags, kettlebells, and a big screen television for video analysis lessons. On the second floor is a smaller training space for smaller classes. That’s also the area in which coaches film training videos for content for their online platform. 

Everything is clean, disinfected three times a day, padded and super safe — walls and mats and everything. 

Method MMA also has access to nice and large changing rooms with lockers, lots of shower stalls, and sauna. 

They also have a PlayStation. 

(Maybe you’re not going to be using that too often but it’s still worthy of note.) 

Method MMA’s Coaches: Boris Komlik, Head Coach

Method MMA’s head coach is Boris Komlik, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Siberia who has been a multi-medalist in competitions across Russia and China, and who formerly ran his own BJJ gym in Irkutsk, Russia. Among his career competing highlights is a second place finish in the World Championships, in the brown belt category for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

(The man's a lethal weapon but also really super nice!)

Method MMA’s Coaches: Rustam Boboev

Born and raised in Panjakent, Tajikistan, Coach Bobo (on the left) began wrestling at the young age of 7 years old. He is a Tajikistan National wrestling champion, amongst numerous other accolades. With almost two decades of wrestling experience under his belt, the brown belt is a valuable addition to the Method MMA coaching team. 

In addition to being a wrestling and BJJ at Method, he’s also an MMA Coordinator at UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai.

Method MMA’s Coaches: Xu Huai Qing

Xu Huai Qing (far right… obviously) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt under Kemal Akagündüz of former Absolute MMA Shanghai, now known as Method MMA.

Huai Qing started training jiu-jitsu in 2018 just for fun and fell in love with the sport. Since then, he’s competed over 15 times — recent medal finishes in Singapore and Thailand — and has found ways to build on his game with each experience. He received his brown belt in September 2022, in Shanghai.

When asked about some of his proudest competition memories, Huai Qing looks back on submitting an opponent with an anaconda, beating an opponent he’d previously lost against, and the first time he ever finished a match with a heel hook.

They've Got Classes for Complete and Total Beginners

One of the great aspects of Method MMA is that they’re experienced and able to take on students who are completly new to martial arts — and even sports in general. Like, people who might have heard about MMA or Jiu-Jitsu or seen it on TV or in a movie or something but are coming from zero working knowledge. 

Depending on your own athletic background, they offer a complete beginner’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu option, which is very small class sizes — say 5 or 6 people meeting once or twice a week — learning from ground up in a fun, approachable, oh-good-this-won’t-kill-me kind of environment. 

The main goal of these beginner classes — in which you learn movements and drills — is to learn the why behind techniques as apposed to the how of a given technique. Learning the why gives you a safe, solid foundation on which to build knowledge and experience. 

Every individual progresses at their own rate but, generally, after a month or two of these introduction level classes, students are able to move on into the schedule proper, continuing into BBJ, MMA, or striking — or all three. 

But Even If You’re Coming with a Little Training…

For students coming with some athletic background, and maybe even some training in something like wrestling or boxing, you can join the main classes outright.  Students at Method MMA run the gamut from beginners to high level professional athletes who train and compete professionally. The open schedule makes it suitable for hobbyists — people with day jobs who are looking to train once or twice a week in a class with people at their skill level — to full members who use the open mat time slots to pair and group up with others to work on their own training goals. 

Adult classes are equal parts men and women, ages 18 and up.  

Some students specialize in just one area and some mix up the classes to either change the workout type or pick up new skills.

For Little MMA Champs: Kids Classes Also Available 

Method MMA’s kid program follows a curriculum that keeps a balance between making things fun and playful for children but also keeping things focused and goal oriented. The mental training aspect of the training comes into play with their kid’s program as well, in that in addition to getting students active and exercised, the lessons also focus on teaching discipline, hard work, and the importance of following through on what you start. 

Your Typical Method MMA Class

Classes are conducted in English and Chinese, run by local and expat coaches.

(But this is Shanghai so they can probably talk to you in Russian, German, and Italian as well).

In hour-long blocks, depending on the specific focus on the class, they basically start with a warm up period to get the sweat flowing. The majority of the time is going over techniques — say, submissions, sweeps, and / or takedowns — with some drills and positional sparring. The coaches work with the students directly to improve form and technique, and answer questions.  

Classes are conducted with a safety first mindset. Coaches are well cognizant of students’ limits and are dedicated to keeping the proceedings injury free. 

Why Mixed Martial Arts?

People are coming to train at Method MMA with their own motivations. For many, it’s the fitness aspect of it, and it’s a fun and interesting way to get some regular exercise in. The physicality of it makes it a great way to relieve stress and work through the tensions of the day. The fact that you have to interact with other people as well, as apposed to just a private gym session on a treadmill, makes it more engaging.

You’re meeting new people, developing relationships, learning from and with them, taking real skills and abilities away with you outside of the gym. 

Team Building Classes and Events Available

Method MMA offers a fun and unique opportunity to companies and firms looking to increase personal bonds between staff members, while enabling them to punch, kick, and wrestle that work stress away. With coaches who can conduct custom Team Building classes in both English and Chinese in a bunch of different areas — MMA, Boxing, May Thai, BBJ, and self-defense — group sessions with your staff are a great way to encourage creative thinking and problem solving skills, build trust, and improve communication.  See the contact information below to get in touch with them for more information.

Beyond the Mat: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Is a Mental Workout

One aspect of BJJ training that many people gravitate towards is the mental workout. The sport is all about coming up with rational solutions to problems that present themselves, confronting, thinking through, and overcoming challenges. The emphasis on rationality, clarity, and remaining calm in adversity is something that people bring with them outside the gym as well in their daily lives. 

It's like chess. 

(Full contact chess.)

Community and Life Outside the Gym

The community aspect of MMA training is one of the aspect Method MMA focuses on and cultivates. They regularly host social events outside of the gym, including demo and open mats at market and festival events, weekend BBQs, competitions, and more.  The gym is about having fun and enjoying the process as a community. They host belt ceremonies a few times a year in which the gym comes together to celebrate each others’ progress and achievements.

Class Fees and Contact Information

Catering to the individual needs of their students, classes can be purchased individually — starting at 250rmb per session — and in package deals. For people looking for more intensive training and unlimited gym privileges, they also offer memberships in three-month, half year, and full year options with “unlimited training”.

To speak with them directly for some free consultation about getting started on your mixed martial arts journey and which classes are right for you, scan below to contact them through WeChat or by phone at 131 2273 9973.

Special Free Trial Class Offer: Method MMA are serving up a free trial class for SmartShanghai readers and first time guests until the end of May. Ask about it to get signed up.

MethodMMA also has branches in Harbin and Foshan, check out their MiniProgram for address details.