Frequently Asked Questions

1. I have never had any previous martial arts training before, can I still join?
2. What styles of martial arts/combative sports do you teach?
3. What credentials do the instructors have?
4. How much is a membership?
5. Do I need a uniform or any other equipment to start training?
6. How do I get started?
7. Do you have a competition team?
8. Are there age restrictions?
9. I have a belt rank from another martial art, can I still wear it when I train with you?
10. Does the academy have an MMA class?
11. What is the difference in your kickboxing program and the fitness kickboxing class at my local fitness club?
12. How does the belt ranking system work in Gracie Jiu Jitsu?
13. Does the academy have a Muay Thai program?
14. Does the academy have a boxing program?

I have never had any previous martial arts training before, can I still join?

Of course! Many of our current members have had little to no previous experience before coming to us. We offer a safe, friendly environment for martial arts first timers to train alongside our other beginners or with our experienced members. A team atmoshere is what we try to instill in our members. By helping one another excel, we build a stronger team with more training partners to help us succeed. 

What styles of martial arts/combative sports do you teach?

We teach four styles of martial arts/combative sports at our academy:

• Gracie Jiu Jitsu
• Kenpo Karate
• Kickboxing
• Wrestling

What credentials do the instructors have?

We have the number one martial arts coaching staff in the province! All of the instructors at our academy have extensive training and competitive backgrounds ranging from 10 years to over 25 years experience. Our Kenpo instructors all hold black belts in Kenpo Karate, our Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructors all hold official rank under Professor Pedro Sauer, our wrestling coach is a national silver medalist and our kickboxing instructors have all fought competitively in sanctioned events. All of our instructors come from competitive backgrounds in their respective disciplines. All of our instructors have first aid training. All of our instructors hold coaching certifications from either the NCCP or CASK or are recognized by FMA or the PSBJJA.

How much is a membership?

We offer membership packages which are both affordable and competitive with other martial arts gyms in the area. You can email, call or come in to the academy to discuss membership packages that fit your time and budget.

Do I need a uniform or any other equipment to start training?

You are not required to purchase any equipment on your first day at the academy. Jiu Jitsu and Kenpo Karate students can wear something comfortable for exercise in lieu of a uniform, while kickboxers can borrow gloves from the club stock. Once a prospective member chooses to stay with a program, they are required to have a uniform for Gracie Jiu Jitsu or Kenpo Karate and gloves, shinguards and handwraps for recreational Kickboxing. Competitive Kickboxing members are also required to have a mouthguard, athletic support and headgear as they are absolutely necessary for safe training.

How do I get started?

It is very simple to begin your training with us:

• You can call us at 709-738-8109 between 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
• Email us at info@michaelfoley.ca anytime.
• Drop by to speak to a member of our professional staff about our programs and membership packages during sceduled class times.

Once you have chosen a direction, you can walk right on to the mat and begin training with the group.

Do you have a competition team?

Yes! Competition is not a requirement in any of our programs but yes, we have a very well established and active competiton team. We use competiton to further develop the skill level of our students. Our primary focus is to make our students the absolute best that they can be and competition is a great way for a lot of people to reach the next level. We compete locally, nationally and internationally.

Are there age restrictions?

Yes, there are age restricitions for our Kid's programs. We accept school aged kids in our programs. Kids are required to be at least in their kindergarten year of school or older. We have no age limit for the adults.

I have a belt rank from another martial art, can I still wear it when I train with you?

Belt ranks from other martial arts systems do not usually cross over. No disresepect to your accomplishments but we have a strict ranking system in our Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Kenpo Karate programs that have been developed for a reason. For example, a red belt in Tae Kwon Do takes between 2-4 years to achieve and is the belt just before black belt, while, in Gracie Jiu Jitsu, red belt is the highest rank that there is and takes well over 40 years to achieve.

Does the academy have an MMA class?

MMA is the abreviated term for Mixed Martial Arts. MMA is not a specific style but a combination of styles put together in order to compete under a specific rule set. The three main components of Mixed Martial Arts are striking (from Boxing, Kickboxing, Karate and Thai Boxing), takedowns/throws (from Wrestling and Judo) and chokes and joint locks (from Jiu Jitsu). We teach the three main components of Mixed Martial Arts here at the academy. With us, you can train to improve one aspect of your mixed martial arts game, or cross train in all three components. 

What is the difference in your kickboxing program and the fitness kickboxing class at my local fitness club?

Our kickboxing program is competitive based and functional for self defense and the competition arena. It is the combination of three specific combat sports: boxing, karate and muay thai whereas, fitness kickboxing classes found at health clubs are aerobics classes with a martial arts theme. In fitness kickboxing classes, participants are focused on breaking a sweat while in our program participants are pushed to be at the physical, mental and technical level they would need to enter the competition ring. Whether you wish to train with us recreationally or competitively, you will get the same real kickboxing training and all the benefits that come with it, not the watered down aerobic version.

How does the belt ranking system work in Gracie Jiu Jitsu?

The belt system for Gracie Jiu Jitsu is based around seven colored belts for adults with three additional belts for kids under the age of sixteen. The belts for kids are white, yellow, orange and green - green being the highest rank that a person under the age of sixteen can hold. After a kid turns sixteen, the adult ranking system opens up to them which includes blue, purple, brown, black and the master ranks of red/black and red. A typical progression from belt to belt is 1-2 years from white to blue (or yellowfor kids) and 3-5 years between each additional belt excluding the master ranks. We also use a four stripe system to mark the time spent at each belt before black belt.

Does the academy have a Muay Thai program?

We are a kickboxing gym. Muay Thai is a huge part of our kickboxing program as several of our instructors and competitive team members have trained at different Muay Thai gyms in Thailand, Canada, the United States and Europe in order to compete under Thai rules. In order to compete under rules that allow clinching, knee strikes and kicks to the legs we had to train in the art that has perfected it. The skill sets of karate and boxing are the other two contributing sources to our kickboxing curriculum. Our kickboxing program differs from pure Muay Thai in two ways, the first being that we do not practice Muay Thai culture in our kickboxing program, though we do honour it, and the second is that we compete under a rule system where all kicks, punches and knees score differently than in Muay Thai. When you change the rules, you change the focus of the training. For further information, you can read the rules and regulations of WAKO and IFMA. We typically compete under the guidelines of WAKO. Our kickboxing competitive members compete under International rules, American rules, Thai rules and AIBA amateur boxing events.

Does the academy have a boxing program?

No we do not. Our competitive kickboxing team regularly competes in amateur boxing competitions to help improve their boxing technique and gain ring experience. In order to do this successfully, we have teamed with Hank Summers of the Torbay Rec. Centre boxing club.