# Rock N Roll Fight Company > Private one-on-one MMA coaching in Ventura County, CA, by Coach Rex Pena: no-gi jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing, self-defense, kids and women-only sessions. Rex travels to the client while the new gym is built. Since 2008. Book by Instagram DM or phone. ## About Rock N Roll Fight Company ("Rock N Roll Fight Co.", RNRFC) is a mixed martial arts coaching business founded in 2008 by Rex Pena in Ventura, California. Rex holds three black belts (first-generation Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Kenpo, Tang Soo Do), turned professional in MMA at age 42, and coached six fighters who reached The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC, including Tony "El Cucuy" Ferguson (TUF 13 winner, UFC interim lightweight champion). The gym previously operated from downtown Ventura; a new location is under construction. Until it opens, all training is private and mobile: Rex comes to the client anywhere in Ventura County, CA (Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Ojai, Santa Paula, Port Hueneme, Fillmore, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley). Rex is also the frontman of the Ventura band The Pretty Uglys. Website: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ ## How to book There are no prices or sign-up forms on the site. Rates are discussed personally with Coach Rex through Instagram direct message. The first step is a conversation. - Instagram DM: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfightcompany/ - Phone or text: 805-759-1133 - Email: Rexyrnr@gmail.com ## Services (all private, one-on-one, delivered at the client's location) - No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu: the specialty; wrestling-first grappling and submissions - Muay Thai & Boxing: pads, clinch, footwork - MMA & Fight Camp: sparring, game-planning, cornering for competitors - Kids & Youth: ages 6 and up, parent present - Women Only: striking, grappling and self-defense - FightFit: conditioning circuits, no sparring - Fight-Day Corner: Rex preps, warms up and corners athletes at point Muay Thai sparring and point boxing matches when their own coach is unavailable: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/corner/ - Fight and fitness gear (rash guards, tees) available at sessions ## Key Pages - Homepage (why train, and how Rex solves it): https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ - About Coach Rex and the gym's history, in order: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/about/ - Training (disciplines, how private sessions work, gear): https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/training/ - Fighters trained by Coach Rex: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/fighters/ - Book (Instagram DM, phone, email): https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/book/ - Blog: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/blog/ - Areas served (one page per Ventura County city): https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/ - Ventura: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/ventura/ - Oxnard: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/oxnard/ - Camarillo: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/camarillo/ - Ojai: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/ojai/ - Santa Paula: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/santa-paula/ - Port Hueneme: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/port-hueneme/ - Fillmore: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/fillmore/ - Moorpark: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/moorpark/ - Thousand Oaks: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/thousand-oaks/ - Simi Valley: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/areas/simi-valley/ - Ask Coach Rex (help center: straight answers by topic): https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/ - Getting started: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/ (Your first session, where it happens and how to book it.) - Self-defense: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/ (What you can actually learn, and how fast.) - Kids & teens: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/ (Sessions for kids and teenagers, at your house.) - Women's training: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/ (Women-only sessions and starting from zero.) - Competing: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/ (First matches, fight camp and what Rex does in your corner.) - Gear & prep: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/ (What to wear, what to bring, what Rex brings.) - No-gi jiu-jitsu: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/ (Grappling without the gi: guard, takedowns, submissions, tapping.) - Striking: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/ (Boxing and Muay Thai: punches, kicks, pads and the clinch.) - Training at your place: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/ (Space, flooring, garages, parks and what happens when it rains.) - Fitness & health: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/ (Age, weight, old injuries, soreness and recovery.) - Coach Rex & the gym: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/ (Rex's record, the gym's history and what's happening with the new space.) - Privacy policy: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/privacy/ - Terms of use: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/terms/ - Sitemap (human readable): https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/sitemap/ - RSS: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/rss.xml - Sitemap: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/sitemap-index.xml ## Ask Coach Rex (113 answers) Evergreen questions answered by Coach Rex, grouped by topic. Index: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/ ### Getting started: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/ Everybody starts somewhere, and most people who message Rex have never trained a day in their life. These are the things they ask before the first session. - What happens in my first session? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/first-session/ You talk, you warm up, then you learn two or three things and drill them until they feel like yours. About an hour, one on one, at your place. - Do I need to get in shape before I start? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/do-i-need-to-be-fit/ No. Rex turned pro in MMA at 42. The session starts where your body is today, and the conditioning comes out of the training. - Is this safe if I have never trained before? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/safe-for-beginners/ Yes. One on one means every rep is watched, nothing comes at you that you have not been taught, and nobody spars until they are ready. - Where do sessions happen? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/where-sessions-happen/ Wherever you are. Your garage, your backyard, your living room, a park or a community room, anywhere in Ventura County. Rex brings the mats. - How do I book a session with Coach Rex? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/how-to-book/ Send an Instagram DM, or call or text. Tell him your city, what you want to train and when you are free. There is no form to fill in. - What is no-gi jiu-jitsu? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/what-is-no-gi/ Grappling in shorts and a rash guard instead of a gi. Control, position and submissions with nothing to grab. It is Rex's specialty. - How often should I train? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/how-often-to-train/ Once a week builds a skill. Twice changes you. The number that matters is the one you can hold for a year without stopping. - Can I train with my friend or my partner? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/training-with-a-friend/ Yes. Small groups of two or three who already know each other train together, and you get a live partner to drill with instead of only me. - Can Rex travel to my town? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/can-rex-travel-to-my-town/ Yes. He covers all ten Ventura County cities and the towns in between. Far corners like Simi Valley get grouped onto set days. - What does private coaching actually mean? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/what-is-private-coaching/ One coach, one student, one hour built around you. No class, no schedule to fit into, no strangers watching. Rex comes to your place. - I'm nervous about my first session. Is that normal? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/what-if-im-nervous/ Completely normal, and it is one of the reasons private coaching exists. Nobody is watching. You can say you are nervous out loud. - Can I book one session just to try it? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/can-i-try-one-session/ Yes. One session, no package, no contract. Try it, see how it feels, and decide after. Nobody is signing you up for anything. - How long before I actually get better? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/how-long-until-progress/ You leave the first session better than you came. Real, reliable change shows up around eight to twelve weeks of steady training. - I don't know what I want to train. Is that a problem? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/getting-started/not-sure-what-to-train/ No. Most people arrive that way. Tell Rex what you want out of it and he picks the tools. You do not have to name a style. ### Self-defense: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/ Self-defense is the reason most people in Ventura County pick up the phone. Here's what Rex teaches, what it takes to make it stick, and what he won't promise you. - Can I learn self-defense in a few sessions? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/self-defense-in-a-few-sessions/ You can learn useful things in the first hour. Making them work when you are frightened takes longer. Both are worth doing. - What should I do if someone grabs my wrist? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/someone-grabs-your-wrist/ Principles beat tricks. Make noise, move your whole body instead of just the arm, work against the thumb, and leave. Then drill it with a coach. - Will I have to get hit? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/do-i-have-to-get-hit/ Not to learn. Striking runs on pads and bags. Contact is a choice you make later, it goes up slowly, and it stops the moment you say stop. - What is the single most important self-defense skill? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/most-important-skill/ Noticing early. Everything else is what you do after you already missed it. Second most important: getting back to your feet. - Isn't avoiding trouble better than fighting? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/avoiding-trouble/ Yes. Always. The catch is that people who can actually fight are far better at avoiding it, because they have nothing to prove. - What if the person is bigger and stronger than me? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/bigger-stronger-attacker/ Assume they are. Size is real and technique is real. Leverage, position and angles are how smaller people have always handled it. - Does sport martial arts actually work in a real situation? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/sport-vs-street/ The parts that involve a resisting human, yes. That is the whole point. What changes outside is the rules, the surface and the stakes. - What do I do if I end up on the ground? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/if-i-end-up-on-the-ground/ Get back up. The ground is somewhere you pass through, not somewhere you stay. Learning to stand up safely is the first thing Rex drills. - What about more than one person? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/more-than-one-attacker/ There is no technique for three people. Do not go to the ground, do not stand still, keep them in front of you and leave. Distance is the only plan. - Do you teach weapon defense? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/weapons-defense/ Principles, yes. Magic disarms, no. The honest answer to a weapon is distance, exits and compliance with property demands. Give them the wallet. - I'm in my sixties. Can I still learn this? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/self-defense/self-defense-in-your-sixties/ Yes. Rex turned pro at 42 and trains plenty of people older than that. The plan changes, the skills do not. Check with your doctor first. ### Kids & teens: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/ Rex has coached kids and youth since 2008, and a private session is a soft way in for a shy kid. These answers are for parents deciding whether to book one. - Is my kid old enough to train? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/is-my-kid-old-enough/ It depends on the kid more than the birthday. Rex has coached kids and youth since 2008 and will be straight with you about yours. - What does a kids' session look like? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/kids-session/ Movement and games to start, then two or three simple skills drilled properly, then something fun to finish. About an hour, at your house. - My teen is getting bullied. Can this help? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/teen-getting-bullied/ Usually, and not the way people expect. Most of the time the fight never happens. What changes is how your kid stands, speaks and holds eye contact. - What happens in my kid's first session? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/kids-first-session/ Talking first, then movement, then two or three real skills drilled properly. You stay and watch every minute, and I tell you straight after. - My kid doesn't listen to me. Will he listen to a coach? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/will-my-kid-listen/ Usually, and it stings a bit. Different voice, simple rules, and something he actually wants to be good at. It is not personal. - Will learning to fight make my kid more aggressive? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/does-this-make-kids-aggressive/ Almost always the opposite. Kids who know what they can do stop needing to prove it, and the rules about when you may use it come first. - My kid is shy and hates group classes. https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/shy-kid/ Then a group class is the wrong room. Private means no audience, no getting partnered with a stranger and no waiting your turn in front of everyone. - My kid wants to compete. What's the path? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/kid-wants-to-compete/ Skills first, then a small local tournament, then bigger ones if they still want it. Rex has taken people from a first class to a first fight. - Can my kids train together? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/siblings-together/ Often yes, and it works well when they are close in size. Sometimes they do better apart. Tell Rex their ages and how they get on. - Can my teen train for their school sport? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/kids-teens/teen-other-sports/ Yes. Footwork, balance, hip strength and getting back up carry into football, wrestling, soccer and most other things they play. ### Women's training: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/ Women-only sessions have been part of this gym from the beginning. These answers cover how they run, who they're for, and what happens at the first one. - What are women-only sessions? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/women-only-sessions/ Private sessions built for women: self-defense, no-gi, Muay Thai or conditioning, one on one with Rex, at your place and your pace. - I am a woman who has never trained. Where do I start? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/woman-starting-from-zero/ With one session and a conversation. No fitness, no gear, no partner needed. Tell Rex what worries you and he builds around it. - Can someone else be there while I train? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/someone-with-me-during-session/ Yes, always. A friend, your partner, a parent. Anyone you want in the room or the yard is welcome to stay for the whole hour. - Do I have to spar? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/do-i-have-to-spar/ No. Plenty of women train for years and never spar. Contact is a choice you make later, it rises slowly, and it stops the second you say stop. - I've had a frightening experience. Can training feel safe? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/after-a-bad-experience/ It can. You set the pace, nothing happens that you have not agreed to, and anything you do not want stops the moment you say so. - I'm pregnant or just had a baby. Can I train? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/pregnant-or-postpartum/ Ask your doctor first and go with what they say. Rex is a coach, not a doctor. With their green light he will build around whatever you are cleared for. - Can I train with my daughter? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/mother-and-daughter/ Yes, and it is one of the better ways to start. Same skills, a partner you actually trust, and nobody watching either of you. - What self-defense should a woman learn first? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/what-women-learn-first/ Distance, noticing early, a loud simple voice, breaking grips and staying on your feet. Leaving beats winning every single time. - Can I train with a group of friends? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/womens-training/training-with-friends/ Yes. Two or three women who already know each other train together regularly, and it makes the first session far easier. ### Competing: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/ Rex has walked fighters from their first class to The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC, and he still corners amateurs at point events. These answers are for anyone thinking about competing. - How do I get ready for my first amateur or point match? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/first-match-prep/ Prep sessions weeks out: the rules, the scoring, your best weapons and a simple plan. Then fight week, then somebody in your corner. - What does Coach Rex do in your corner? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/what-cornering-includes/ Check-in and rules meeting, hands wrapped, a proper warm-up, then water, the clock and one or two clear instructions between rounds. - Can private sessions really get me to a fight? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/from-first-class-to-first-fight/ Yes. Rex has taken people from a first class to a first fight, and six of his fighters reached The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC. - How do I know if I'm ready to compete? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/am-i-ready-to-compete/ When you can hold a game plan under pressure, take a clean shot without falling apart, and you want it for yourself. Rex will tell you straight. - What's the difference between amateur and pro? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/amateur-vs-pro/ Amateur is unpaid, shorter, with more protective gear and tighter rules. Pro is a licensed job. Almost nobody should start by aiming at pro. - Do I have to cut weight? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/do-i-have-to-cut-weight/ Mostly no. Pick the division your body already sits in. Big cuts make you worse on the day, and anything drastic is a doctor's call. - How long is a fight camp? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/how-long-is-fight-camp/ Six to ten weeks for most first-timers, once you already have a base. Skills and plan first, sharpening in the middle, quiet at the end. - Can I do a grappling tournament instead of a fight? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/grappling-tournaments/ Yes, and for a lot of people it is the smarter first step. Nobody punches you, the rules are clear, and you still find out plenty. - What does fight night actually look like? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/what-fight-night-looks-like/ A long day, a lot of waiting, then it goes fast. Check-in, rules meeting, wraps, warm-up, walk out, and an honest debrief after. - What if I lose my first one? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/what-if-i-lose/ Then you lose one. You still did the thing almost nobody does. The debrief afterwards is worth more than the result on the night. - How much sparring is in a camp? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/competing/how-much-sparring/ Less than you think, and none of it is a fight. Controlled rounds at a level you can handle, heaviest mid-camp, quiet in fight week. ### Gear & prep: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/ You need less than you think to start. Rex brings the equipment; you bring yourself and a bottle of water. - What should I wear and bring? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/what-to-wear-and-bring/ Clothes you can move in, a bottle of water and a towel. Shorts and a t-shirt or rash guard. Bring a mouthguard if you already own one. - What gear does Rex bring, and what do I buy? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/what-gear-rex-brings/ Rex brings the gloves, pads and mats. You buy nothing to start. Later you will want your own mouthguard, and then your own gloves. - How long is a session? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/how-long-is-a-session/ About an hour. Long enough to warm up, learn something and drill it until it holds. Want it longer, shorter or split two ways, ask me. - What gloves should I buy? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/what-gloves-to-buy/ Buy for what you actually train. One pair of 14 or 16 oz training gloves covers most people. Rex brings gloves until you know. - Do I need a mouthguard? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/do-i-need-a-mouthguard/ Not for your first session. Buy one before any contact work, and never share one. Boil and bite is fine, a dentist can do better. - Rash guard or a t-shirt? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/rash-guard-or-tshirt/ A t-shirt is fine to start. A rash guard is better for grappling: it stays put, saves your skin and gives your partner nothing to grab. - When do I need shin guards? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/when-do-i-need-shin-guards/ When you start kicking a partner instead of a pad. Bags and pads do not need them. Sparring and most events do, and the rules decide the type. - Should I eat before a session? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/eating-before-a-session/ Yes, but not much and not right before. Something light an hour or two out. Training hungry goes badly, training full goes worse. - How much water should I bring? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/how-much-water/ At least 32 oz, more in summer or outdoors. Drink through the day, not just in the session. Bring a bottle you can refill. - How do I keep my gear from stinking? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/gear-and-prep/keeping-gear-clean/ Wash the clothes after every session, air the gloves out, shower when you get home, and cover any cut. Hygiene is a safety thing in grappling. ### No-gi jiu-jitsu: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/ No-gi is Rex's specialty and the thing most people know least about before they start. These answers explain the grappling side in plain language. - Gi or no-gi: which should I learn? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/gi-vs-no-gi/ Same art, different handles. The gi gives you grips and patience. No-gi is faster and closer to a real fight. Rex teaches no-gi. - Are there belts in no-gi jiu-jitsu? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/belts-in-no-gi/ Yes, the same white to black belt ladder as the gi. You just are not wearing one. Rank is earned slowly and nobody here is selling it. - What submissions does a beginner learn first? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/first-submissions/ Usually the rear naked choke, the armbar and the guillotine. A handful of finishes you can hit on anybody, drilled until they are boring. - What is 'guard' in jiu-jitsu? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/what-is-guard/ You are on your back with the other person in front of you, controlled by your legs. It is the position that makes jiu-jitsu different. - Should I learn takedowns or pull guard? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/takedowns-or-pull-guard/ Learn takedowns. Pulling guard is a sport habit, and the ground is a choice you want to make, not one that gets made for you. - What does tapping mean, and when should I tap? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/tapping-explained/ Tapping is how you say stop. Two clear slaps on your partner, and everything ends. Tap early, tap often, and nobody thinks less of you. - What is rolling, and when do I start? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/what-is-rolling/ Rolling is live grappling: both people going, both people resisting. You start when the basics hold up, and it starts slow and positional. - Do I need to be strong to do jiu-jitsu? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/strength-vs-technique/ No. Strength helps and it is not the point. Technique, position and timing beat muscle, and jiu-jitsu exists to prove exactly that. - Are chokes and armlocks safe? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/are-chokes-safe/ In training, yes, because of the tap. They are applied slowly, you quit when you feel it, and your partner lets go straight away. - How much of jiu-jitsu is useful for self-defense? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/no-gi/jiu-jitsu-for-self-defense/ Most of it, if it is taught with the street in mind. Getting up, breaking grips and not being pinned matter more than any finish. ### Striking: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/ Rex still holds the pads himself, so striking gets coached rep by rep. These answers cover what you learn first and what it feels like. - Boxing or Muay Thai: where should I start? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/boxing-or-muay-thai/ Start with boxing hands either way. Muay Thai adds kicks, knees, elbows and the clinch. Rex teaches both, and they share a stance. - Why does everything start with the jab? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/why-the-jab-matters/ The jab is your ruler, your shield and your setup. It measures distance, it interrupts, and it buys the room for everything else. - What is pad work? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/what-is-pad-work/ Your coach wears mitts or Thai pads and you hit them. It is how striking is really taught: live targets, instant feedback, no damage. - Do I need to wrap my hands? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/wrapping-your-hands/ Once you are hitting hard or often, yes. Wraps hold the small bones and the wrist together. Rex will teach you the wrap in a session. - How long before I can kick properly? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/learning-to-kick/ A usable low kick in a few weeks. A kick that feels like yours takes months. It is a whole-body turn from the floor up, not a leg swing. - What is the clinch? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/what-is-the-clinch/ Standing striking range where you are grabbing each other. Knees, elbows, short punches, and the doorway into takedowns. - How do I learn not to get hit? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/not-getting-hit/ Defense is mostly distance and position, not fast hands. Feet first, then guard, then head movement. You can learn most of it untouched. - Does kicking hurt? What about shin conditioning? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/does-kicking-hurt/ Early on it stings, mostly because of bad technique. Shins toughen from normal pad and bag work. Nobody here is rolling bottles on them. - Should I buy a heavy bag for home? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/heavy-bag-at-home/ Eventually, not first. A bag repeats whatever you already do, good or bad. Get the technique honest, then buy one and use it properly. - Can I train striking purely for fitness? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/striking/striking-just-for-fitness/ Yes, and plenty of people do. Pads, bags and footwork, no sparring, no fight talk. You still learn real technique, which is the point. ### Training at your place: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/ Every session right now happens where you are. These answers cover what makes a good space and what Rex does about the ones that aren't. - How much space do I need? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/how-much-space/ About a parking space to start. A two-car garage is plenty, a flat patch of lawn is better, and the mats come out of my truck. - Can we train in my garage? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/training-in-a-garage/ Yes, and it is the most common place sessions happen. A two-car garage with the cars out is plenty. Rex brings the mats. - Can we train at a park? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/training-at-a-park/ Yes, and grass beats concrete every time. Park rules vary by city, so check what is allowed before you book a public space. - What happens if it rains? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/what-if-it-rains/ You move indoors. A garage, a living room with the table pushed back, a community room. Rex texts you the morning of and you sort it out. - I live in an apartment. Does that work? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/apartment-training/ Yes, with some adjusting. A cleared living room handles technique and pads. For anything with falling, you go down to the lawn or the complex gym. - What about flooring? Do I need mats? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/mats-and-flooring/ No. Rex brings mats in the truck. You buy nothing. Grass is the best free surface, concrete is the worst, carpet is fine for standing work. - Will this bother my neighbors? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/neighbors-and-noise/ Less than you think. Two people on mats is quiet. Pad work is the loud part, and it is easy to move the time or close the door. - Can Rex train me at my office or my gym? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/office-or-your-gym/ Yes, if the space allows it. Offices and building fitness rooms work well. Commercial gyms usually need permission from the owner first. - Can my family watch the session? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/mobile-training/who-else-can-watch/ Yes. It is your house. Partners, parents and kids sit in all the time, and for a nervous first session it usually helps. ### Fitness & health: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/ Most people who message Rex are worried they are too old, too heavy or too broken to start. These are the honest answers, and none of them are medical advice. - Am I too old to start? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/am-i-too-old/ No. Rex turned pro in MMA at 42. Private sessions move at your pace, around your joints, with nobody younger to keep up with. - I'm overweight. Where do I start? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/im-overweight/ Here, in a private session, at the pace your lungs set. No room full of people watching. Rex builds the first sessions around what you can do today. - I have an old injury. Can I still train? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/old-injury/ Usually yes, once your doctor has cleared it. Tell Rex exactly what it is and what you were told, and he builds the session around it. - How sore will I be afterwards? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/how-sore-will-i-be/ Sore for two or three days after the first few, mostly in places you did not expect. It fades fast once your body knows the work. - Will this help me lose weight? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/will-this-help-me-lose-weight/ It helps, and it beats a treadmill for staying interested. But food does most of the work, and nobody here is going to promise you a number. - How do I recover between sessions? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/recovery-between-sessions/ Sleep first, then water and food, and move gently on the off days. Most people who stall out are not undertrained, they are underslept. - I have asthma. Is that a problem? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/training-with-asthma/ Usually not, and plenty of fighters have it. See your doctor first, keep your inhaler on the mat, and tell Rex before you start. - Should I lift weights as well? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/should-i-lift-weights-too/ If you like it, yes, and keep it simple. Skill work comes first. Lifting supports the fighting, it does not replace time on the mat. - How do I avoid getting hurt? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/fitness-and-health/avoiding-injury/ Tap early, warm up properly, say something the moment it hurts, and do not let pride keep you in a round. One on one removes most of the rest. ### Coach Rex & the gym: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/ You should be able to check who is teaching you. These answers cover Rex's background, the gym since 2008, and where things stand today. - Who is Coach Rex Pena? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/who-is-coach-rex/ Three black belts, coaching in Ventura since 2008, turned pro in MMA at 42, and he fronts a rock band. It is all one person. - What are Rex's actual credentials? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/rex-credentials/ Three black belts: first-generation Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Kenpo and Tang Soo Do. Teaching since 2007, his own gym since 2008, pro in MMA at 42. - Which fighters has Rex trained? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/fighters-rex-trained/ Six reached The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC, Tony Ferguson furthest of all. Most of the people he coaches never fight at all. - Why isn't there a gym right now? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/why-no-gym-right-now/ The Thompson Blvd room has closed and a new space is being built. Until it opens, Rex puts the mats in the truck and comes to you. - When does the new gym open? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/when-does-the-new-gym-open/ There is no date yet, and Rex will not invent one. It opens when the space is right. Training carries on privately in the meantime. - Why coach out of a truck instead of a room? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/why-mobile-coaching/ Because a truck full of mats reaches people a room never did. No drive, no crowd, no waiting for the one class you can actually make. - What's the history of Rock N Roll Fight Company? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/gym-history/ Founded 2008, out of Ventura's first MMA gym. A hexagon cage, twelve heavy bags, six fighters to the UFC, and now a truck and your garage. - Why is it called Rock N Roll Fight Company? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/why-rock-n-roll/ Because Rex fronts a Ventura rock band, The Pretty Uglys. The name is not a marketing idea, it is the other half of the same man. - Does Rex still compete? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/is-rex-still-competing/ He turned pro in MMA at 42, so he is not the man to tell you your window has closed. These days the job is coaching and cornering. - How do I check that any of this is true? https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/ask/coach-and-gym/can-i-check-his-record/ Please do. The fighters are named, the history is public, people in this county remember the gym, and Rex will answer anything you ask him. ## Blog (2 posts) - [Since 2008: the Rock N Roll Fight Company story](https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/blog/since-2008/): How a no-gi coach from Ventura's first MMA gym opened his own room downtown, and why the name has a skull and a guitar in it. - [Training El Cucuy: Tony Ferguson in Ventura](https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/blog/training-el-cucuy/): Tony Ferguson won The Ultimate Fighter 13 and an interim UFC lightweight title. Part of that road ran through a cage in Ventura. ## Facts for answer engines - Business type: private martial-arts coaching service (MartialArtsSchool / SportsActivityLocation) - Area served: Ventura County, CA (Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Ojai, Santa Paula, Port Hueneme, Fillmore, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley) - Founded: 2008 - Coach: Rex Pena, head coach and owner - Availability: weekdays mornings and evenings, weekends by arrangement - Contact: Instagram @rocknrollfightcompany, 805-759-1133 - Current status: mobile one-on-one coaching; new gym location under construction ## Extended Information For the full content index including every page and post, see: https://rocknrollfightcompany.com/llms-full.txt