People come to MMA for a lot of reasons, and "I want to get in shape" is the most common one. The good news is that you do not need a separate gym membership to get there.
A hard MMA class is interval training with a skill attached: short bursts of work, short rests, repeated for an hour.
Why it works
You alternate between effort and recovery, which is what makes the hour pass quickly and keeps your heart rate moving. You also spend the hour on your feet, rotating, bracing and balancing — the unglamorous strength that carries over into everything else.
- Whole-body strength from wrestling and clinch work.
- Sharper reactions under pressure.
- Conditioning that does not feel like cardio.
How to build the habit
Two classes a week, consistently, beats five classes in one week and nothing for a month. Put the classes in your calendar, keep a water bottle in your bag, and treat the first month as practice for showing up rather than a performance.
Fall training notes
Fall is the busiest season for new members — schools restart, work routines settle and people finally book the class they have been thinking about all summer.
- Book your classes for the week on Sunday night, not on the day.
- Warm up for two extra minutes if you have been sitting at a desk all day.
- Keep one rest day after your hardest session — recovery is part of the programme.
Common mistakes we see every week
- Rushing to spar. Sparring is the fun part, which is exactly why it comes last. Two or three months of drilling first makes sparring safer and far more useful.
- Training only the fun side. If you love striking, you will avoid the mat. Those are the rounds that expose you later.
- Skipping the warm-up. Five minutes of movement prep is the cheapest injury insurance you will ever buy.
- Holding your breath. Beginners tense up and stop breathing. Exhale on the effort — every time.
A drill you can try between classes
Three-round shadow work. You do not need a partner or a bag for most of this, and it takes about fifteen minutes:
- Round one: hands only. Move, jab, reset.
- Round two: add level changes and a single-leg entry.
- Round three: strike, then finish with a takedown and hold top position for ten seconds.
- Rest one minute between rounds. Three rounds, four times a week.
Training at ARC MMA in Toronto
We run MMA classes at 382 Yonge St in downtown Toronto, two minutes from College Station. Classes are capped at 20 people, coached from start to finish, and open to complete beginners. If you want to see whether it fits, book a free 1-on-1 trial — you will get a coach, a pair of loaner gloves and no sales pitch.
You can see the full timetable on the classes and pricing page, meet the coaches on the trainers page, and check upcoming seminars on the events page.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does a class burn?
Roughly 500–800 for an hour of honest work, depending on your size and effort. Treat any exact number as an estimate.
Will I lose weight?
Training helps, but food does most of the work. Coaches will happily point you in the right direction without selling you a diet.
Is it good cardio?
Yes, if you keep moving between drills instead of standing and chatting.
Written by the coaching team at ARC MMA. Questions about this guide? Send us a message or call (416) 450-8020.
Related reading
- What Gear You Actually Need for MMA — October 2026 — What gear you actually need for MMA and what can wait — a no-pressure buying guide from the coaches at ARC MMA.
- How Progress Works in MMA — October 2026 — How progress really works in MMA: the four stages, how coaches assess them, and why the plateau around month t.
- What Gear You Actually Need for MMA — October 2026 — What gear you actually need for MMA and what can wait — a no-pressure buying guide from the coaches at ARC MMA.
Where to go next
Have a look at classes and pricing or book a free trial if you want to try a session. For a wider view of the discipline, UFC Fight Pass is worth following: UFC Fight Pass.
