With the emergence of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) we are introduced to a “new” form of combat sports where essentially it is a combination of various forms of martial arts and therefore many have considered it to be the “best” martial art to learn.
What is Mixed Martial Arts?
As the name suggests it is a mixed/combination of various forms of martial arts. In the early days many consider Boxing as the best martial arts to learn. But when you watch the first UFC event the winner of the combat sports tournament is not a boxer. The winner is Royce Gracie and he holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu or BJJ which is a form of grappling discipline where the emphasis is to beat someone on the ground using body locks and strangles. This result has inspired many people to learn BJJ and overtime other forms of martial arts techniques and skills are also implemented and it becomes the sports as we know today
Nowadays MMA has found its own place in combat sports. We can find MMA gyms/programs almost everywhere. Do you want to try an MMA program? Here are some benefits that you can get from trying a MMA program.
Effective and Realistic
While majority of martial arts are effective, it is highly unlikely that one discipline can simulate all of the possibilities of a real fight. MMA is developed with the goal of making it as realistic to a real fight as possible. MMA fighters will have skills in both striking and grappling disciplines because that is what it takes to be a good MMA fighter. And for the average guys you will have a massive advantage when dealing with the normal street thugs that you often see in daily life.
Increase Confidence
Training MMA will need you to be disciplined. Similar to other sports MMA requires some degree of discipline. It requires the discipline of both mind and body. An MMA program teaches you to have the mental fortitude to eat right, sleep right, and train right.
Improve Body Coordination
When you are sparring or fighting with an opponent, you need to strike with jabs, kicks, punches, and each strikes needs to flow seamlessly. You need to be able to quickly make a decision and make immediate adjustment to things like timing, distance, and more to deliver and avoid blows. Those things will increase your body and mind coordination tremendously.
Physically Demanding
Sparring (Kickboxing/Muay Thai practice during training) or grappling (wrestling or BJJ) for 3-5 minute rounds is absolutely brutal cardiovascular activity, which is why fighters are usually in excellent physical condition. There is no treadmill or stair-master in the world that can beat the benefits practicing how to fight with limited rules
Shed Fat and Gain Muscle
If you are looking to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, you can ask the trainer to give some type of circuit training that combines weightlifting and sparring. This exercise will force your body to work aerobic and anaerobically. And if you combine it with the right diet program you will be able to lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously. Do note that you will have to be extremely disciplined to achieve this goal
Learn Self Defense
If you ever come across a hostile environment you will be able to defend yourself against would-be attackers. So you would be safer in any places compared if you do not train MMA
Huge Stress Reliever
Fighting will release your inner aggression and emotion in a good way. After 2 hours session of training and you are gasping for air, sore and tired from all the workouts, you will crave to eat a big meal and sleep afterward. That means you would not have time and ability to have stress.
A “Manly” Hobby
When you are training and fighting in a controlled environment you will get to learn and value more about courage, toughness, will, and heart. Qualities that every man should have.
Girls Dig Fighters
If you ever heard a girl say “I hate meathead guys, they are sadistic only cares about themselves”. The women who says thing like this are very common and it is 100% a lie. Why? Because in the deepest part of their brain they know that having someone to protect her and her children from threats are a must. That is something that women can not deny because it is ingrained in their DNA. There is a reason why the bully in your high school gets all the hot girls. Because the girls know that the bully will be able to protect her better than the nerd sitting in the corner of the classroom
Learn Problem Solving
MMA is a multi-dimensional art of combat. It promotes and encourages the use of any and every technique that you can possibly do to win a fight. When you are training, you will learn how to solve problems in the fight using your strength and fighting skills that you currently have. Overtime as you learn more techniques you will be able to have an easier fight with the same opponent that you had 3 months ago.