Absolutely not. While you will get in the best shape of your life, this is a technical martial arts program designed to teach you how to inflict damage and defend yourself. We do not punch the air to the beat of music; we hit heavy bags and utilize partner drills to ensure your technique works against physical resistance.

No, you will not be a target dummy. Our "Ecological" approach allows beginners to play contact games where the speed and intensity are dialed down to a "safety first" level. Our MMAX Kickboxing classes focus on heavy bag tasks with some very light partner tasks from time to time. That being said, our 6:45 MMAX Live Kicboxing does a lot of light, partner work while our MMAX+ Kickboxing classes, for advanced students, have significant partner contact but no one gets punched anywhere unless they "sign up" for that level of contact.

In short, "No." No beginner will ever be punched in the face.

High kicks look great in movies, but they are rarely the most effective tool in a real fight. Our system prioritizes low kicks, knees, and boxing combinations that rely on leverage and body mechanics rather than gymnastic flexibility. You do not need to be able to do the splits to be a devastating striker at KMAA.

If you are interested in becoming more flexible though, KMAA does have stretching classes that focus on becoming more flexible for combat related abilities (kicking, strangles, etc.)

Pure Muay Thai is effective, however the traditional stance proves problematic when wrestling is introduced. Because KMAA is an MMA academy, we modify our striking curriculum to ensure you are safe in all ranges of combat. We teach you how to strike effectively while maintaining a base that allows you to sprawl and defend against a takedown attempt; with strikes or without.

That being said, to our knowledge, KMAA is the only East TN gym to produce a Glory Kickboxing athlete. So the striking that we teach is effective in the cage, in the street, and in the ring.

For your trial class, comfortable athletic clothing is all you need; we will provide loaner gloves to get you started. Once you join the tribe, you will need to invest in your own 16oz gloves, shin guards, and a mouthguard to participate in partner drills safely. We can recommend specific brands that offer the best protection for the heavy-hitting, pressure oriented style we teach.

We respect all martial arts backgrounds, but you will likely need to adjust your stance and mechanics for the realities of full-contact striking. We don't "start you at the bottom," but we will ask you to empty your cup and learn our specific "Striking for MMA" structure. Your previous sense of distance will be an asset, but we will need to re-engineer your defense to account for many things that traditional martial arts training doesn't prepare you for.

When it comes to your previous experience we may ask you to start in one of our beginner classes, but this is so that we can get to know you and you can get to know us. If you have the right temperament and the right attitude, it's entirely possible that you will find yourself in the advanced classes within a week or two; though it often takes longer.

In our nearly 30 years of doing this, we've met FAR too many people with an "extensive karate background" who, it turns out, practiced karate when they were 4 years old until 8 years old... which we don't consider "extensive" nor do we consider that much of a "background" if you're 38 years old. This is just the unfortunate reality of people being concerned they won't be taken seriously unless they "fluff up" their resume. We will know what your background is within about 30 seconds of watching you train.

You don't need to make things up. We'll like you just the way you are :-) We just like you way too much to let you stay, "just the way you are."

Absolutely; we prioritize longevity and your ability to function outside the gym. Our constraint-led training model allows you to develop high-level defensive reactions and "fight eye" without absorbing heavy head trauma. "Hard sparring" is reserved for our competition team and is strictly optional; you can become a dangerous striker without ever engaging in a full-contact war.

We believe that true self-defense relies on pressure testing against resisting opponents, not theoretical scenarios with compliant partners. In our program, you hit targets that move and hit back, forcing you to develop the timing and power necessary to end a confrontation quickly. Unlike "scenario" training, our kickboxing builds the athletic engine and genuine knockout power required to neutralize a real threat.

Is Kickboxing all you'll need for self defense? Absolutely not. We would strongly recommend you train in our MMA classes to develop a more well-developed sense of range, takedowns, striking, wrestling, and groundfighting.

If you want weapons training or more of a Reality, Based Self Defense martial art then we strongly recommend the Inayan School of Eskrima. The Inayan School of Eskrima has been operating in East TN for more than 30 years and have been leaders when it comes to weapons training as well as empty handed training. We believe very highly in their art and some of our coaches have trained in their system.

This is the biggest myth in martial arts; you do not "get fit to fight," you fight to get fit. Our classes are scalable to your current fitness level, allowing you to push your own pace while our games-based approach distracts you from the physical exertion. You will find yourself building cardio and core strength much faster than you would on a treadmill because your mind is engaged in solving tactical problems.

Competition is encouraged for those who want it, but it is never a requirement to train here. The majority of our students are here to build lethal skills, confidence, and fitness without ever signing a fight contract. However, you will train alongside active fighters, ensuring that the techniques you learn are the same ones being validated under the bright lights of professional competition.