Not everyone wants to go a professional or armature fight. Getting hit for real just isn’t something that is compelling to most people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn MMA. The fundamentals of MMA are great skills to learn and don’t involve getting beat up. They are also great sports to train and get in shape.

Fundementals

MMA has it’s roots in many different martial arts, but the most profound have been boxing, wrestling and brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). It was actually an BJJ effort by the Gracie family (credited with inventing BJJ) that led to the UFC which is the most popular MMA-promoter in the world.

The three martial arts mentioned above have dominated the sport of MMA since it’s inception. Learning MMA therefore should start with getting a grasp of these disciplines. This doesn’t mean that you have to train all three specifically, starting out, but you need to understand the vital roles they play in the sport.

BJJ

Of the three disciplines, BJJ is designed most specifically to be an all round self-defense skill set. It has its roots in traditional Jiu Jitsu from Japan, but has a greater focus on ground fighting. Most fights, either in self-defense or sanctioned, hit the ground at one point or the other. Being able to control your opponent, offensively and defensively, is the focus of BJJ.

The sport is usually trained wearing a Gi, which resembles the outfit used in Karate, and the practitioner relies on a combination of technique and leverage to outmaneuver their opponent.

Boxing

Learning how to box is important if you are to become a successful MMA athlete. It can also be fun for those that want to learn MMA as a hobby. Boxing is a large part of the stand-up element of MMA.

The point of knowing boxing in MMA is so that you can either out-stike your opponent, throw punches as a set up for a take-down, or go for a knock out. Do be worried about getting knocked out in practice if you go train at a gym that accepts beginner boxers. Quality gyms have strict rules about how hard members are allowed to spar in practice.

Wrestling

Many of the top MMA competitors come from a wrestling background. The UFC heavyweight champion was an outstanding wrestler in college, and he has built his MMA success on that foundation.

Although you do not need to join a wrestling club to learn mma, you should practice your sprawls, clinch, and take downs with a partner. If you train BJJ, you will probably learn enough wrestling there to get by.

Learning MMA is safe and gets you in shape

Remember that learning MMA doesn’t mean stepping in to a ring and beating someone up or getting beat up. The sport is practiced under guidance, wearing protection, and at a pace and intensity that prevents you from getting hurt. All sports have risk of injurie and so has MMA. But the risks are comparable, if not lower, than in sports like soccer or american football.

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