Benefits of MMA Training

Mixed martial arts (MMA) have become extremely popular over the past 25 years. One of the first times that the sport was featured on a large scale was in 1993 by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 1. Back then, there was little difference between mixed martial arts and no holds barred fighting except that the fighters weren’t allowed to gouge their opponent’s eyes, fish hook them, or bite them. 

That still left a lot of room for some dirty moves such as low blows and hair pulling. Since then, MMA has developed more rules and it has become a very popular and much safer sport. MMA events usually fill arenas and they draw huge television audiences around the world. 

As MMA continues to flourish, a growing number of people are participating in the sport. Some of the intrepid people that train in MMA have dreams of turning pro and becoming the next UFC or Bellator MMA champion but a lot of them train for other reasons. From a distance, MMA looks like nothing more than a brutal blood sport to some but those who have taken a closer look see that there is much more than meets the eye. MMA training has a lot of benefits and more people are enjoying those benefits every day.

Learning New Skills

Mixed martial arts is exactly that. It’s not boxing, it’s not kickboxing, and it’s not wrestling. MMA combines many disciplines and each one takes time and dedication to master. In fact, very few people never truly master these arts but they become quite proficient. Many people enjoy the challenge of learning something new and MMA offers them an opportunity to learn an awful lot. With each new skill comes a sense of satisfaction.

Self-Defense

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that everyone who trains in MMA has a desire to become a professional fighter. While training programs focus a lot of attention on attacking opponents, a lot of time is also spent learning how to defend yourself. One benefit of MMA training is that you learn more than one discipline which allows you to defend yourself much better if you are in a dangerous situation. Many men and women take part in MMA training for this reason alone. Knowing the skills that are taught in MMA training allows you to walk around knowing you would be able to effectively repel a mugger or anyone else who would want to do you harm.

Better Physical Health

The typical MMA training program consists of kickboxing, wrestling, and grappling although many fighters learn other disciplines that help them become better fighters. As you train in each of these disciplines, your body gets a complete workout. Kickboxing training involves intense cardiovascular workouts that will push your heart and lungs to the limit. Then there is all the training that is designed to build muscle and burn fat. Almost every muscle from your head to your toes gets toned and your core will become stronger than ever. MMA training will greatly improve your flexibility and make you much more agile, speedy, and steady on your feet. 

Improved Mental Health

MMA training builds confidence. Learning new skills, building muscle, and increasing one’s endurance are just a few of the things that make people feel better about themselves. MMA is a sport in which quick reactions are necessary so fighters learn to be more focused. You might not think that taking a hard blow during a sparring session would have too many benefits but it does. It teaches you to endure physical pain and makes you less fearful. 

People who train for mixed martial arts will spend their fair share of time pounding on heavy bags. Sure, this is helpful for building strength and endurance but it’s also a great way to relieve stress and clear your mind. Let’s not forget about how good it is for your self-esteem when you get positive feedback from your trainer or from family and friends who notice the changes in your physical appearance.

Getting Started

The hardest thing about starting any program is finding the courage and discipline to do it. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about dieting, breaking a bad habit or starting MMA training. You need to convince yourself that you can benefit from MMA training and, once you do, the next step is to visit an MMA training facility. Don’t be shy. Chances are that you will be greeted by a friendly face who will be more than happy to show you around and answer any questions.

How To Find A Good MMA Training Gym

Don’t feel obliged to join the first MMA gym you visit. The person who greets you and shows you around might be the nicest and most helpful person on earth but you need to make sure the gym and the staff can meet your needs. One of the first things you should do when you are looking at a particular MMA gym is find out about its reputation. This can easily be done with a quick internet search before you even go there. If it seems to have good reviews, then that’s a good sign. 

Mark Muñoz is a retired professional mixed martial artist who had a lot of success during his career and he says the four criteria to consider when choosing an MMA gym are chemistry, team strength, attitude toward sparring, and location.

Chemistry

Mark points out that teammates are a lot like a family in that tensions arise and rivalries develop. He suggests that you meet the people at the gym, watch some practice sessions, and talk to the trainers about what you want to achieve. Remember that you will be spending a lot of time with these people and you want to feel welcome and comfortable around them.

Team Strength

In this case, team strength means finding a gym where you can work on your weaknesses. If you are a strong kickboxer but you need more work on your grappling, then you want to choose a gym that will help you hone your grappling skills. You also want your gym to have other fighters in your weight class.

Attitude Toward Sparring

Good trainers maintain control over sparring. A good trainer will never allow someone to get pummeled especially when it comes to beginners. Watch some of the sparring and see if the trainer maintains order. The trainer should be actively instructing the combatants and the fighters shouldn’t be trying to injure each other.

Location

You might think choosing the right location means finding the closest gym. It doesn’t. It means finding the best gym to learn the different disciplines. It’s rare that you get the best training in each discipline at the same place. You will more likely find that you are better off going to one gym to learn Jiu-Jitsu and another to undergo wrestling training. Granted, people in smaller towns might only have one choice and that would probably suit a person who wants to get in shape rather than be a world champion. 

However, those who want to pursue a professional MMA career might have to accept the fact that they’ll need to travel if they want the best training. It’s really no different from most other sports in that regard.

Conclusion

If you want to get stronger, healthier, faster, and more agile, then you should absolutely consider training in MMA. The sense of accomplishment you feel as you progress and increase your endurance will boost your confidence and self-esteem to levels you have probably never experienced. There’s a good chance that there is an MMA gym close to you so do yourself a favor by dropping in and seeing what MMA training is really all about.