u/Diligent_Vegetable79

tl;dr can I go to a class 1-2x a week and have it be effective?

*Background:* I have a black belt and was an instructor in one of these martial arts where you "do techniques, katas etc." with minimal-to-no sparring, and requires a semi-compliant attacker (think better than aikido, but worse than BJJ). I realised way too late my 1st Dan means nothing.

I've moved city and there is a local combat centre that does MMA, Muay Thai, BJJ (gi and no gi) , boxing and wrestling. Classes are 1h long, sometimes 1.5h.

I want join this place, but not waste my time/money if I can't go enough for it to be effective. I go to the gym to focus on my body 4x a week and do not want to change this.

I don't aspire to the level of competing seriously. I would just like better self defense and maybe even participate in a BJJ competition here and there (as this is required for belts right?), but not as my main focus.

I was looking to start a martial art(s) 1x a week and maybe bump it up to 2x a week. Ideally, I want grappling and striking (I would like BJJ and Muay Thai 1x a week each as opposed to MMA as I never really want to do an MMA fight, starting out with just BJJ 1x a week for a while).

So is going 1x a week enough? What about 2x? Should I just do MMA?

*Background*: I'm a physics grad (MPhys Physics 1st class and MSc medical physics) working as a medical physicist in NHS England (been a few years since I finished my masters in a Scottish uni that's not Edinburgh or St Andrews and I'm late 20's).

I'm looking for a career change and to move back to Scotland in a couple years into something more intellectually stimulating in the sense that it involves more maths. My current job just isn't cutting it and I feel like a technician.

I know I have no hope in London, or anything close to tier 1 or 2, but as much as I'd like a bit more money, I actually just want a interesting career rather than focus on earning 6 figures.

*Question*: Are quant research/analyst jobs in Scotland from Barcleys, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Blackrock etc., as mathematically involved as those in hedge funds and prop shops? Or is it more of a glorified finance job and not really quant?

I don't want the hassle of making a huge career pivot after years of training for a little extra money than I am now, just to not have a job that involves more advanced maths and isn't more intellectually stimulating than being a medical physicist.

Do I even have hope for the lowest of tier quant stuff in Scotland?

I have an integrated masters in physics and I was looking to get a job outside of academia, but still involving physics (or advanced math at least).

I've looked into medical and health physics. The only issue is I've heard people say mediacal physicists basically just do QA check, maintain equipment, calibrate it, make sure it's accurate, safe etc.

To me that sound more technical like a technician. By definition a technician applies science principles to maintain, calibrate and make safe technical equipment. Even the research invoving QA, by definition comes under a technicians role. (Amazing and important work, just not what I'm interested in after doing a degree in physics).

On the other hand, I can't find much about the actual day-to-day of a health physicist.

Do y'all consider yourself physicists?

Would this (or medical physics) be a good career if I enjoy physics, advanced math and programming?

Or I'm a better trying to look elsewhere?

Any help or perspectives greatly appreciated.