The average recreational martial arts practitioner trains for about 4 to 5 hours per week, under qualified supervision and instruction. Put quite simply, that is not enough to qualify as a competitive combat athlete. Competitive fighters, both professional and amateur, need to spend at least 4 to 5 hours per day in training. Just because a combat athlete might only be able to receive a few hours of training and instruction per week from a qualified source, doesn’t mean that that’s the only method of training available. A dedicated warrior will self-train in many areas throughout any given week to increase his or her performance level. Fighters can work on their lesson material on their own, everyday, to improve movements and maneuvers, and hone their reflexes by repetitive reinforcement. They should physically condition themselves, everyday, to increase their levels of strength, stamina, and athletic ability. They should actively stretch, everyday, to keep their bodies flexible and pliable. They should study, read, and research materials that pertain to their sport (and art forms) to increase their knowledge and understanding of what they do. These areas of self-training can only be done by the individual athlete. Those that self-train religiously are the ones that end up being truly great, as opposed to the others who are merely average, or good at what they do. Fighters meet with their instructors and coaches to receive new information, new challenges, new material, and to review and critique existing knowledge and skills. To expect the instructor and/or coach to hold their hands through every facet of training is basically an insult. It is up to the fighters, as dedicated warriors, to train and push themselves in those areas so that when they are with qualified supervision, they can progress further, learn more, and go beyond what they did before. That will not happen if the fighters don’t self-train seriously, and rigorously.

Make no mistake, this is not an easy lifestyle to embrace. To a large degree, any rewards these athletes might receive will most likely not be vast recognition, fame, or wealth. The true rewards from choosing this life are far more personal and subtle than that. Making the commitment to the warrior lifestyle is nothing short of answering a calling from deep within oneself. Warriors are warriors not just by occupation, but by disposition. The ones who lack that true disposition might visit that world for a little while, but they will never stand the test of time. When making this commitment, one should consider the following quote, “See to it that you temper yourself with one thousand days of practice, and refine yourself with ten thousand days of training.” – Miyamoto Musashi

Real warriors will always hold themselves to a higher standard. This is how champions train – everyday! It isn’t easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. If you want to be the best at something, you have to be a fanatic about it. You have to love it – completely, because just liking it won’t get you through the day!

Professor & Chief Master Instructor Trainer, Charlie Ward is a highly respected martial artist, fighter and coach. He has studied martial arts for 35 years, and is ranked, with teaching certifications, in multiple art forms. Charlie specializes in Muay Thai, Boxing, and Tai'kor CQC (Close Quarter Combat). He also has a strong background in Pankration, Tactical Grappling and Arnis/Escrima Stick Fighting.

Known as the MMA Professor, Charlie teaches accredited MMA and Muay Thai classes at Arizona State University. Currently, his is the only program in the country where students can receive college credits for studying Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai. The friends and colleagues that Charlie has trained and fought with over the years were practicing MMA before MMA was ever a technical term. He has witnessed, and been a part of, the evolution of this sport and training style since its inception.

Charlie is known as a tough, but fair, instructor – who provides challenging and innovative training methods for serious martial artists, combat athletes, and Muay Thai or MMA fighters. He is a skillful teacher and coach, and he goes well beyond the normal methods of training and fighter preparation. Charlie believes in providing the most complete and comprehensive martial arts and fitness education possible to his students. His instructional courses and seminars in Close Quarter Combat and Functional Strength Training have been attended, and recommended, by State, Government, and Private Agencies.

Having been a professional NHB fighter for 12 years in the U.S. and overseas, Charlie has a wealth of actual experience and practical knowledge to pass on to students and fighters. At 6’1”, and 270 lbs., he was recognized as a ferocious and versatile super-heavyweight in the ring, cage or on the mat.

Charlie retired from competition as an NHB champion, with over 150 fights, and more than 70 knockouts. He now fully devotes his time to teaching his craft to his students, and coaching fighters and combat athletes.