Backyard MMA

Any kind of learning is important. Nothing wrong with downloading some instructional stuff and playing around with it in the backyard with friends. Just be sure to take proper safety precautions. If you're just messing around, you probably won't pick up much, but if you're more practicing than play fighting than you're bound to pick up technique, just not as fast as going to a proper gym. Either way, any learning is better than nothing.

While nothing can beat the instruction of a experienced and certified instructor. You have to make the best of any situation, if you enjoy doing it and see benefits, then keep at what your doing and refine it, with Books and Instructionals at least.

Sounds like you are into some Man to Man Action hahahah. JK I never tried it and I think it's pointless but that is just my point of view.