Ivey League MMA – Annapolis Area's #1 Choice for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Training

The other day I was chatting with my neighbor, when he told me that his grandson had been beaten up outside of bar. This person just happened to be leaving the bar when he was set upon by a couple people. My neighbor knew that I had been training Muay Thai at Ivey League in Annapolis, and started to ask me some questions regarding it as a type of self-defense.

The main thing about self-defense is to know what type of situation you are in and to have some contingency plan for when things take a turn for the worse. If you are up against three people your best plan would be to get away from them rather than stand and fight. But should you be forced to stand and duke it out, Muay Thai is something you want to have on your side!

All fights will typically start standing up, which is what Muay Thai is all about. Muay Thai is a stand up marital art that deals with effective striking. One kick, knee, or punch to the right area will ensure that you will be the last one standing.

The coaches who instruct Muay Thai techniques in Annapolis will show you the best way to throw that knee or punch, and trust me one good knee to your opponent will leave them on the ground in agony. The flip side to striking is obviously defense, which the coaches at Ivey League will also teach you.

They will show you how to slip a punch or block a kick and then counter with a punch or kick of your own. This is important because you do want to protect yourself while dishing out as much punishment to those that wish to do harm to you.

If you are looking for a way better way to protect yourself in a tough situation then look no further than Muay Thai and the folks at Ivey League in Annapolis! We will be happy to teach you all the techniques of Muay Thai to turn you into a self defense master!

May 15th, 2012 | Tags: annapolis muay thai, ivey league, ivy league, muay thai, muy tai, Self defense, self defense lessons, self defense lessons in annapolis | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

The turnout for the first Team Lloyd Irvin in house tournament was great. People from all the different academies showed up to do some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, both gi and nogi.

Team Lloyd Irvin academies reped were:
Crazy 88 BJJ
Ivey League MMA in Annapolis Maryland
Team Lloyd Irvin Camp Springs
Top Flight MMA
Beta Academy
Leo Dalla BJJ

The matches were fast paced and the crowd was awesome as well (and just as fast paced, hehe).

The stars for Ivey League MMA were Lania Nick, Alexia Lara, Jacob Miller, Holden Murphy, Shawn Johnson, Collin Whittier, Robert Mish, Emily and Drew Dvorak, Trent Drake and Alex Fogt.

Both the kids and adults gained valuable mat time by going up against other tough Team Lloyd Irvin fighters.

Keep in mind that this was a grappling only tournament, no punching or kicking. I thought I’d point that out so that parents didn’t think I was sending little kids into MMA cages!

It was cool for the kids because they got to not only meet Master Lloyd Irvin but also compete against his son, little Lloyd! I should add that Ivey League children are 0-5 vs little Lloyd…hehe.

All in all it was a great time had by all. Big congrats to Collin and Alex who won their weight divisions.

–Master Danny “The Half Guard Guy” Ives

May 14th, 2012 | Tags: Annapolis MMA, BJJ, danny ives, grappling, martial arts classes in annapolis md, maryland mma, mix martial arts, nogi, wrestling | Category: MMA | Leave a comment

Since I own a martial arts school I pretty much workout or train about 6 days a week, lucky me right?!

I get asked all the time what is the right amount of time needed in the dojo to make gains and get better at Mixed Martial Arts. The truth is that you don’t need to train 7 days a week to get good. No not at all. I recommend 2 days a week to start out and if you feel the need you can build to 3 or 4.

Unless you’re a pro MMA fighter like Anderson Silva you don’t have a need to be in the training room more then 2-3 days a week.

In those workouts I think a good dose of pad work (hitting mitts), working on the punching bag, brushing up on ground fighting and ground and pound drills should be a standby for anyone training in MMA.

There is an old saying and it goes like this “It’s not the time you put in but what you put into the time”. This is very true. Even if you workout 2 times a week but you put a lot of effort into those workouts you’re going to get good and get in shape aka lose weight.

So, don’t worry if you have a hectic schedule, or you have to find a babysitter. Just get in 1 or 2 workouts a week and you’re good!

The key is this, do something, get some work in, even if it’s only a little. A little is still much better then NONE…

–Master Danny Ives

Oh and check out the video below, it’s not bad at all.

May 10th, 2012 | Tags: annapolis md, classes, daniel ives, danny ives, ivey league mma, maryland mma classes, MMA, Team Lloyd Irvin, training, UFC | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

I was talking to some of the students the other night about the Palhares vs Belcher. If you didn’t catch it let me fill you in.

First of all it was a great fight and had lots of ground fighting action.

Belcher ended up winning via TKO from ground and pound inside of Palhares guard.

This is the main thing to note. While Palhares is a great fighter, no doubt there, he tends to be very one dimensional. Meaning that he uses his leg locks to win his fights….pretty much all the time and the only thing he wins his fights with.

There is nothing wrong with this of course and if you have one skill set that beats everyone then that’s awesome. However, once people figure out how to counter your one move you might and most likely will be in some trouble.

That’s what happened with Palhares. Belcher knew his only thing was the leg locks and kept the game tight and stayed out of that position. The thing that surprised me was that Belcher just said “I’m game” and hit the ground with Palhares and beat him at his own game.

The lesson of the day is that you shouldn’t have your fight game centered around one thing but rather be able to do a few things very good. Shooting for balance is always a good idea!

Check out some great Alan Belcher highlight videos below!

May 9th, 2012 | Tags: Alan Belcher, annapolis md, ivey league mma, MMA, Palhares leg locks, Palhares vs Belcher, pasadena, team lloyd irvin annapolis, UFC | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

Yes everyone things are jumping for Annapolis MMA!

The classes for MMA here at Ivey League in Annapolis are more packed then a can of tuna. What is all the hype about you may ask? Quite simply many people are looking for a different alternative to getting in shape, that does not include going out and pounding the pavement.

It is that time of year when the weather gets nice and everyone wants to look their best at the beach. We at Ivey League are more than happy to oblige your newfound fitness interests. Our Mixed Martial Arts classes offer the perfect all around opportunity to getting that beach body.

The MMA classes will give you an all inclusive cardio workout, a chance to get some killer abs, some amazingly toned legs and arms that will leave everyone wondering what you do in your spare time. As an added bonus not only will you be getting in shape but you will also be learning some amazing techniques!

Just think about the next time you hit the beach, your neighborhood pool, or just a cookout with friends and all that they will have to say about how great you look. The word is out and classes at Ivey League are filling up fast for Mixed Martial Arts! So before you are left wondering what could have been come here to Annapolis, join an MMA class and get your FUN and FITNESS on!

May 8th, 2012 | Tags: Annapolis, ivey league mma, ivy league mix martial arts, maryland, md, mix martial arts, MMA, mma classes, Team Lloyd Irvin | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

Anyone that watches or knows about Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) knows that Wrestling plays a huge role in winning fights and being the most well rounded you can be.

Here at Ivey League MMA, we train Wrestling a lot because we know how useful Wrestling is. It’s the glue that sticks Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai Kickboxing together!

We offer straight up wrestling classes on Thursday and Saturday. Thursday classes start at 8:30pm and for Saturday they start at 12pm.

Jack Dawson teaches on Thursday nights and Brandon Dlozio teaches Saturdays.

These classes are open to all students enrolled at Ivey League as well as folks on our 30 day free trial.

What will you learn in the Wrestling classes? You’ll get in great shape, learn a bunch and have fun, like with all the other classes.

Some of the things you learn with wrestling classes are:

*Double and single leg takedowns
*Sprawling
*Counter offense like shot to re-shot
*Takedowns off the cage and wall (very useful for self defense and UFC fighting)

Who are some of the best Wrestlers to watch in the UFC today? Check out some of the videos posted below because they have some great fighters and I’m sure you’ll enjoy not just the takedowns but also the smooth transitions.

May 4th, 2012 | Tags: Annapolis, danny ives, ivey league mma, maryland, md, Team Lloyd Irvin, teresa russin, wrestling classes, wrestling practices | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

Using Kickboxing Classes to Get In Shape!

Are you looking for something that will increase your cardio, help you lose weight, and get in awesome shape? If you fall into one or all of those categories then kickboxing classes at Ivey League MMA is the thing for you! Not only will these classes help you achieve your fitness goals but you will have an amazing amount of FUN doing it!

I know when I first came to Ivey League here in Annapolis I was looking for something fun and exciting to help me get into better shape. I had seen some mixed martial arts on television, and while I was sitting on my couch I had the bright idea to try it out. I had no idea what to expect, but I was pumped to to give it a go.

My first kickboxing class was incredible! After it was over I looked like I had just gotten out of the shower, I was so soaked with sweat. As I lay on the mat thinking of what the number on the bus was that just ran me over, I had only one thought; when is the next class?

I was hooked. In the couple months since starting kickboxing class at Ivey League my cardio has improved, my overall fitness has skyrocketed, I feel great, and when I look in the mirror I say, “Thank you Ivey League MMA.”

It doesn’t matter what type of shape you are in now, we take all-comers. If you take one kickboxing class you will be asking for more, and the best part is YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!

May 3rd, 2012 | Tags: fitness kickboxing, kickbox, kickboxing, mma classes, Muay Thai kickboxing, striking mma | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

Hi everyone!

Just an update on things here at Ivey League Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Children’s martial arts classes are nothing sort of booming! It’s been crazy because the classes have been so fun but at the same time this is the way that martial arts should be right?!

We have the summer MMA sessions starting soon and the kids are hyped (as they should be!). It’s a full 10 week session that goes 12 hours a day if need be. We have early drop off and late pickup for parents that need it (and most do).

Recently we had a belt testing for the kids. The kids did an amazing job in showing their mixed martial arts knowledge, and it is incredible to see how much they have improved! We here at Ivey League MMA could not be more pleased with how each of the kids have improved dramatically since their last belt test.

We’ll be sure to keep everyone posted on the goings on here at Ivey League Mixed Martial arts!

May 1st, 2012 | Tags: Annapolis, children's martial arts, danny ives half guard, ivy league mma, lloyd irvin, maryland, mix martial arts, MMA, nick moore | Category: Annapolis, BJJ, gracie jiujitsu, ivey league, maryland, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Severna Park, Team Lloyd Irvin | Leave a comment

Like every spring we have much going on here at Ivey League MMA.

To start with we have the in house Team Lloyd Irvin tournament
being held on May 12th, 2012.

This tournament will be for both adults and kids of all levels.

It starts at 8am sharp. If you’re interested please see Miss
Chrissy at the front for more details.

After that we have the summer sessions starting for the kids,
make sure that if you have a child you’re getting in on those
sessions because they produce nothing but big results.

On top of the results keep in mind we can and will watch your
child from 6:30am till 6:30pm Monday through Friday.

As far as upcoming tournaments go, we have of course the in
house. After that we head to the Naga in NC and then the
Naga in Virginia. That’s all in June btw.

In the later summer we have the battle at the beach Naga
held in Wildwood, NJ. That’s a big time great tournament
that’s in it’s 12th year of running. Don’t miss that one
if you can.

I think that covers it for the moment, If I think of anything
else I’ll be sure to post it and keep everyone in the loop.

Check out some cool videos below…

April 30th, 2012 | Tags: BJJ, danny ives bjj, karate, kickboxing classes, Martial Arts, md mma classes, mix martial arts, mma classes in annapolis md, Muay Thai kickboxing | Category: MMA | Leave a comment