Do I need to be in shape to start?

No. You get in shape by training, not before it. Every class scales to your level, and your first one is free.

I've never done martial arts. Is that a problem?

It's the norm. Most people walk in with zero experience. Coaches teach fundamentals first, and beginners are never thrown into hard sparring.

Yes. Training is coach-led and controlled. You learn technique and control before anything else, and day-one beginners don't spar.

Absolutely. Kids and teens programs run several nights a week in MMA and boxing. It builds discipline, confidence, and respect.

Can women train here?

Of course. All ages, all skill levels, men and women. Everyone is welcome on the mats. No egos, no attitudes.

Your first class is always free, and memberships are month-to-month with no contracts. Single programs start at $50/mo for Women's Jiu Jitsu, $90/mo for Boxing, and $105/mo for Muay Thai or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on auto-draft. The $125/mo MMA All-Access plan covers it all — 2 nights MMA, 3 nights jiu jitsu, and 4 nights Muay Thai across the week. Come try a class and we'll walk you through the options.

Where is Team 515 located?

Team 515 is at 320 E. Tyler St., Longview, TX 75606, serving Longview and the greater East Texas area including Kilgore, Gladewater, White Oak, and Marshall.

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How to Start Martial Arts in Longview With Zero Experience

4 min read · Updated Jul 3, 2026

You get started by showing up to one class. That is the honest answer. You do not need to be in shape, you do not need to own any gear, and you do not need to have thrown a punch in your life. At Team 515 in Longview, coaches teach complete beginners every week, so walking in with no experience is the normal way people begin, not the exception. The hardest part is deciding to come. Everything after that, a coach walks you through.

The part nobody tells you first

Most people picture a martial arts gym as a room full of experts who will size you up the second you walk in. That picture is wrong, and it stops a lot of good people from ever starting. A gym is a place to learn, which means everyone in it was once standing right where you are, unsure and a little nervous. Team 515 runs on a simple idea: no egos, all levels welcome. You are not there to prove anything on day one. You are there to learn one thing, then the next.

The coaches here have real professional and amateur fight experience, some of it at the UFC level. That experience shows up as patience with beginners, not intimidation. Once you understand that the room is built for learning, the overwhelm shrinks into something you can handle.

You do not get in shape first

This is the most common reason people wait, and it is backwards. You do not get in shape and then train. You get in shape by training. Fitness is a result of showing up, not a requirement to walk in the door. A coach scales the work to where you are today, so your first class meets your current fitness, not some ideal version of you months from now.

The same goes for skill. Never having trained is the norm here, not something to hide. Coaches teach from zero on purpose.

Pick a starting point, but do not overthink it

Team 515 teaches a few different arts, and you do not have to choose perfectly before you begin. Here is the plain version of each.

Mixed martial arts, or MMA, blends striking, wrestling, and submissions into one sport. A submission is a hold that a partner taps to acknowledge, which ends the exchange safely. Muay Thai is striking with fists, elbows, knees, and shins. Boxing is hands and footwork. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the ground game, built on leverage and control instead of raw strength. Wrestling is takedowns and control, and it quietly sits underneath all of it.

If you want the widest base, MMA fundamentals touch all of these at once. If one art simply sounds more like you, start there. You can always cross into another one later.

What your first class looks like

Here is the concrete part, so nothing catches you off guard.

Show up about fifteen minutes early. Wear comfortable workout clothes, the kind you would wear to any gym. You do not need to buy gear for a first class. Bring water. A coach runs you through the fundamentals alongside other people at your level, so you are learning next to peers, not dropped in with veterans.

You will not spar on your first day. Sparring means practicing live against a partner, and that comes later, after you have the basics down. The first class is coached and controlled from start to finish. You are never thrown to the wolves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it cost, and am I locked in?
Memberships are month to month with no contracts, so you can stop any time. MMA All-Access is $125 a month. Single arts like Jiu Jitsu, Boxing, and Wrestling start at $90 a month, and Muay Thai is $105 a month.

When do adult classes meet?
The gym is open Monday through Thursday from 5:00 to 9:00 PM and Friday from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, and it is closed on weekends. Adult MMA runs Monday and Wednesday nights, with Muay Thai, boxing, and no-gi jiu jitsu on their own evenings. Times shift with the season, so call (903) 930-4599 to confirm before you drive in.

Where is the gym?
Team 515 is at 320 E. Tyler St. in Longview, and people train there from across the greater East Texas area, including Kilgore, Gladewater, White Oak, and Marshall.

Your first step

Starting comes down to one decision and one class. Your first class at Team 515 is always free, so you can walk in, meet a coach, and learn a little before you commit to anything. When you are ready, come train with us, or see the schedule and pick the night that fits your week.

Come Try Free See the Schedule