MMA Classes

What it is

Mixed martial arts brings the combat sports together. A single exchange can start with a jab, turn into a clinch, end in a takedown, and finish on the ground, so MMA training teaches you to move between those phases without stopping to think about which sport you are in. It is striking meeting grappling meeting wrestling, organized into one structured system.

The building blocks come from arts Apex teaches on their own:

• Striking from boxing and Muay Thai: punches, kicks, knees, and the footwork to manage distance.
• Takedowns and scrambles from wrestling: shots, sprawls, and getting back to your feet.
• Ground control and submissions from jiu-jitsu: holding position, escaping bad ones, and finishing.

An MMA class stitches those pieces together. You learn to transition smoothly between stand-up and ground work, to strike your way into a takedown, and to defend one when it comes at you. The training is structured and safe, and it is coached by fighters who have been there. Dalash, Head MMA Instructor at the Sterling academy and an MMA coach at Ashburn, is a professional MMA fighter with more than 20 years across combat sambo, wrestling, and MMA.

Apex keeps one coaching standard across both academies, two schedules to choose from, and MMA shows up on each in a different shape, described below.

Who it is for

You do not need experience to start MMA. It suits adults who want skills for every range, standing and on the ground, athletes crossing over from a single discipline, and kids and teens who like variety in training.

At the Sterling academy, MMA runs for four bands:

• Kids 6–9: striking and grappling fundamentals in a safe setting, building well-rounded young students.
• Youth 10–13: the same fundamentals at a pace set for ages 10 to 13, sharing the Kids time slot with the coach splitting the room.
• Teens 14–17: complete martial arts training for teens ready to commit, with structured progression, held at the adult class times.
• Adults 18+: striking, wrestling, and ground work combined into full MMA training for every level.

At the Ashburn academy, MMA is for Adults 18+. New students start with a free Intro to MMA class held at the Sterling academy (45714 Oakbrook Ct #160) on Monday and Wednesday evenings, then join the full Adult MMA class for members on Tuesday and Thursday nights in Ashburn. Ashburn members can also add the members-only Clinch and Grappling for MMA sessions. Younger athletes at Ashburn build their base first in wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and striking, then step into MMA when they are ready.

What a first class looks like

Book your free class online and check which building it is in; Ashburn's Intro to MMA meets at the Sterling address. Arrive about 10 minutes early, sign the waiver, and tell the coach whether you have trained any combat sport before and whether there is an injury to work around.

A structured warm-up comes first. The technique block might cover a striking combination one night and a takedown or ground escape the next, and you drill it with a partner at a controlled pace. The class closes with live work, which stays optional for beginners. If you are new, the coach can keep you drilling while more experienced students go live.

Wear athletic clothes with no zippers or pockets, since they can catch on a partner or the mat, and bring water and a towel. Nothing else is needed for day one; if you stay, the coach will point you toward the gear worth buying. In MMA generally, that list tends to start with a mouthguard, and gloves and shin guards follow as training gets more live.