Los Angeles Martial Arts Experimental Training Group

A Community of Practice for Experimental MMA Training

Together we find better ways to fight train.

This group is a community of practice for creative martial artists who want to explore new training approaches together.

Who We Are
We are not experts or instructors. We are a collection of BJJ practitioners, wrestlers, and strikers fascinated by modern training philosophies and excited to see where they can take us. Think of this as a study group that meets on the mat.

For example, together we will exploring an ecological or Constraints-Led Approach (CLA).

By drawing inspiration from leading coaches and researchers, we will:

• Design Problem-Solving Games: Collaboratively build game-based scenarios with specific rules ("constraints") that challenge us to adapt and find what actually works.
• Foster Adaptability and Creativity: Move beyond rigid, pre-programmed responses to cultivate a more fluid and intuitive martial art that is unique to each of us.
• Learn Together: Share resources like podcasts and articles, discuss the ideas, and then immediately test them in a supportive training environment.

Who This Is For This is a place for anyone with an open and experimental mindset. You'll fit right in if you are:

• A BJJ practitioner, wrestler, or striker of any level who is curious about different training methodologies.
• A dedicated martial artist who loves thinking about the "why" behind your training.
• Looking to supplement your regular training with a creative, collaborative, and thought-provoking session.
• Happy to learn, fail, and discover alongside your training partners.

To ensure a productive and safe environment, we ask that you are:

• An Active Practitioner: This group is for people currently training or recently training at a martial arts gym who are committed to improving. It is not designed for total beginners.
• A Collaborative Partner: This group is not for egos. We are looking for people committed to the growth of others as well as themselves.
• Able to Meet on the Westside: If you live on the Eastside and this sounds interesting, we highly recommend checking out Common Ground Jiu Jitsu—they are the only place I’ve found in LA that uses this approach.

What a Typical Meetup Looks Like: A Team Lab, Not a Shark Tank The focus is on mutual growth, exploration, and safety. A session might involve:

• Discussing the plan for the training session.
• Exploring a few "training games" or constrained drills.
• Reflecting on the games - what went well, what didn’t.
• Ending with rounds of collaborative, controlled sparring where we try to integrate the principles we've explored.

If you're excited by the idea of joining a community that's experimenting at the edge of skill acquisition, we invite you to join us. Let's explore these concepts, share what we learn, and see how far we can push the art of training together.

Join the group to get updates on our first meetup!