When teaching or showing techniques to someone. Do you teach sport style of grappling first before showing them MMA style of grappling. What I mean by sport style no striking vs. MMA style which would have striking involved. what I usually do is show grappling with a gi first. Then submission grappling second, grappling without a gi. Then MMA . How does everyone else start teaching a new or beginner in grappling.
Bob :asian:

This is a good question.
I start with sport. Confadece in sport
starts the fondation.

Not all MMA guys start this way.
Striking is important so I feel U cant get stuck
On just Grappling.
Also cardio & phisical conditioning is verry important.

Boxing & Wrestling are verry good for Cardio & phisical conditioning.

But so are jumping rope, pad drills
& sparing.

Road Work is a tuff one for me cause run gets boring
( To Me )
Primo

I keep telling you Primo the best cardio is wrestling. Not grappling lol. Grappling you rest wrestling you attack attack attack no better conditioning in the world.

I would say teach sport so they can learn positions safley but let them know which to do in a fight when you are open to get punched, when it is good to be punched stuff like that.

Originally posted by JDenz

I would say teach sport so they can learn positions safley but let them know which to do in a fight when you are open to get punched, when it is good to be punched stuff like that.
This is my thoughts also. I feel getting the basics down first without adding the strikes is good thing.
Bob:asian:

Perhaps basics for 2/3 of the time and then for 1/3 of the time add strikes in.

I tend to favor having Three or four different levels, that can be broke down into sub-levels.
Level 1 Sport Grappling, done with a gi. No striking involved.
Level 2 Submission Grappling, done without a gi. No striking involved
level 3 MMA, striking and submission grappling together.
Level 4 Self defense from the ground. Would include, weapons, multipal attackers, cheap tricks (not the rock band).
Bob :asian:

any other MMA instructors out there??

Although I'm not really an Instructor I've been doing Martial arts for almost 11 years and can honestly one must learn the basics before moving on to using those basics and putting them all together.

Aghh! Zombie! :D

Anyways, we tend to start all areas right from the begining. No gi stuff though.

But depending on what day someone starts they might get striking, submission (no gi) or MMA as their first taste.

The grappling and the striking tends to be geared towards MMA. We even through some stick fighting in (with kicks/knees/punches/ground/clinch/etc).

I think it is entirely possible to teach MMA first and never teach sport grappling or striking as seperate aspects, but variety in training is good. Keeps things fun and new, as well as giving different perspectives on things.

I don't think gi training is neccessary to start, or really even desired. For the same reason Olympic style wrestlers don't see the need to start with Judo.