Jack Claffey is our kickboxing coach and one of the professional MMA practitioners fighting out of Fighting Fit Manchester. He’s been training in martial arts for over 20 years and went pro in 2022, first with bare knuckle boxing and then with MMA. He recently fought on the Cage Warriors card in Manchester, after a gruelling six-week fight camp, just weeks after getting his black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu.
Fighting Fit: Talk us through your martial arts journey
Jack Claffey: I started with Tae Kwon Do when I was around twelve, but my first real step towards MMA was when I started training in catch wrestling and later Brazilian jiu jitsu. I would help out the amateur MMA fighters at Fighting Fit with their grappling when they were preparing for competition, but I quickly learned I needed at least a basic understanding of striking or I was going to get hit – a lot – before I could grab ahold of them. The move from training partner to actual competitor was a natural shift.
FF: What has been the biggest difference between amateur and pro MMA?
JC: The main difference between the two is the round length. In the amateurs, you're fighting for three minutes at a time, so you can afford to sprint the majority of the match. In a professional fight, the five minute rounds feel like an eternity by comparison, so you have to be a little more conservative with your energy management.
FF: What’s your favourite part about fight camp?
JC: Having a very solid goal helps, because it creates a structure for your training. There's a specific person, on a specific date, that you have to be ready for. It's hard to come up with excuses to sleep in when you know the long term result is someone kicking your arse.
FF: What’s your least favourite part about fight camp?
JC: You don't get as much time to experiment with new tactics and techniques whilst you're in camp. You're not going to be developing anything new in the last few weeks of preparation, so it becomes more about the repetitions of what you already know works or have been working on. I really enjoy expanding my understanding of the sport and trying out different things, but that's more of an everyday training thing. I also desperately miss pizza during fight camp.
FF: What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned during this fight camp?
JC: I honestly feel like I learn more by helping others get through their fight camps. When you're preparing for something it's a “can't see the forest for the trees” situation.
FF: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your martial arts career?
JC: Everything comes from habit. There's never going to be one, singular training session that seals a future fight for you. It's the daily repetition of good habits that form a solid foundation for what you're trying to build. It's a cliche for a reason: this is a lifestyle. It's not a seminar. It's not a weekend retreat. It’s a lifestyle.
FF: Do you have any advice for people just starting out with martial arts?
JC: You'll never regret working hard for something you want. You may not get the results that you desire, but the days you turn up to the gym when you don't want to, the times you have to fight out of a bad position to keep going, never feel wasted.
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