How do you decide if MMA training is right for you?

MMA has become incredibly popular in recent years, both as a form of exercise and as a competitive combat sport. It is a combination of several combat disciplines, which makes it a very practical choice for budding athletes.

However, it is also one of the most complex and demanding sports to master. MMA fighting styles don’t fit into one box, making it difficult to put together an effective regimen. Experienced fighters must train for years before finding the perfect balance of kicks, punches, grapples and ground movements.

One of the first questions you should ask yourself is, why do you want to get into MMA? Is it just to exercise, learn self-defense or become a professional fighter? Maybe you want to achieve all three, in which case you need to be prepared for the grueling nature of the sport.

MMA will push your limits in terms of strength and endurance. All traditional martial arts are designed to do the same thing, but unlike karate or judo, mastering MMA involves an eclectic mix of martial arts, hence the name.

MMA defined

There are six main disciplines in MMA: wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, boxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo and Karate. Combined, these fighting styles come under the three main MMA skills of striking, grappling, and submission.

Most fighters focus on one or two skills at most, but it’s not uncommon for a talented fighter to be proficient in all three areas of combat. It’s incredibly difficult to achieve this level of performance, but let’s not get carried away just yet.

Training as a beginner

First and foremost, novice level training. Trainees who have never practiced martial arts before might have a rude awakening with their first lesson, and you should be ready to test your maximum strength and endurance from the start.

Training for beginners is all about determining if you are a good striker, grappler, or submission fighter. It can be quite overwhelming at first, and most people who quit tend to do so within the first few weeks.

There’s no way to sugarcoat it, MMA training is tough. But if you’re willing to push yourself and work hard to achieve your fitness goals, you can turn your body into a weapon and gain confidence in the process.

Training as an experienced fighter

If you already practice martial arts, your experience will determine your initial regimen. For example, you may have already studied Jiu-Jitsu, in which case you can devote less training time to grappling and submission.

The idea is to become an all-around fighter, so you need to focus on your weaknesses to improve. It takes patience and perseverance, but an intense dedication to self-improvement is a defining quality shared by all prized fighters.

You don’t have to fight anyone if you don’t want to, but it’s important to remember that this is a combat sport. The only way to test yourself is to fight against opponents with a similar skill level, so there will always be at least some form of physical confrontation.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see why MMA has become so popular. It takes the best of each major martial art, stringing these elements together to form a fighting style that represents the pinnacle of modern combat sports.

Many of us dream of becoming the next great fighter, complete with celebrity lifestyles, endorsement deals and hordes of adoring fans. But it’s more than difficult to get to that point, and world-class fighters like Connor McGregor and Israel Adesanya have gotten where they are with no shortage of blood, sweat and tears.

Ultimately, the octagon is where you prove your worth as a fighter, but there’s a lot of preparation that goes into it, from sparring sessions and fight camps to strict diets and routines. daily. You must be ready to make sacrifices in terms of freedom and free time, which could also have an impact on the rest of your life.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to take MMA training too seriously, it’s still a great form of exercise. It will improve your strength, balance, coordination and fitness, but the intensity of a typical workout can be off-putting to some.

Our best advice? Give it a try by trying out a class at your local gym. You will quickly find out whether or not this is the right training for you.