Basics of MMA Training for Beginners

Mixed martial arts has gained amazing popularity in the last decade. Many people want to learn about the basics of MMA training because of it. It would surprise you to know that the roots of MMA go back thousands of years.

Table Of Contents

• A Brief History Of MMA

• What Do You Need To Know To Start Training MMA?

• Three Basics To Start Training For MMA

• More Mental than Physical

• Requirements & Equipment

A Brief History Of MMA

The ancient Chinese, the Greeks, and other civilizations practiced MMA in sporting arenas and battlefields. As the name suggests MMA is an extremely varied sport. With blends in styles and spices from a variety of different combat backgrounds from all over the world, mixed martial arts is the most applicable and artistic physical sport from training in the gym to performing in the ring.

But in modern times, it was until Bruce Lee who introduced the world to Jeet Kune Do, a mix of boxing and Kung Fu, or Wing Chun. ‘A form without a form; which would result in the ever-evolving art of Mixed Martial Arts. Since then many people have started taking part in the sport.

The recent popularity of UFC and superstars like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and many others have made MMA a household name, drawing in a fan following of noncombatants and enthusiasts alike. These great fighters have inspired people to take up the sport and learn the skills, techniques, and endurance that is required for MMA.

But many of these people don’t know where to begin. Whether you’re starting your MMA training at home or the gym, there is a vast amount of information out there that can overwhelm you. You will end up giving up on the sport or have a greater risk of injuries.

What you need is a filtered-down version of the necessary information that doesn’t confuse you and puts you on the right path toward becoming an MMA warrior. This article has a series of posts about MMA training gear, exercises at home, strength training, diet tips, and everything else that you would want to know, so stick with us. For now, we are here to give you the basics and get you to start your training for MMA.

What Do You Need To Know To Start Training MMA?

When starting out the long winding road of mixed martial arts the first few things are to figure out your goals from the sport, trajectory, and the style that you are most comfortable with. With that, you want to find out where you fit and how you can expand upon the huge martial art sphere.

Everyone specializes in their own specific skills with an understanding of how to counter other skills on a base level.

When facing an opponent, on a professional level, it’s often clear what skills they will have. Under that basis, alongside your team, you create a strategy on how to approach the fighting opponent and counter their strengths, or even embolden your own skill set to exploit their weaknesses.

Styles & Specializations

It’s important to know the different styles and options available to you. Not only so you can learn them but also so you can face them. Martial arts contains a multitude of styles, often divided into three major categories. Stand Up, Clinch and Ground.

Stand up:

Refers to striking whether that be kicking or punching, but many styles also include elbows and knees. In a fight, this is almost always at medium to long range with both fighters on their feet.

Boxing:

This style specializes in punching and evading punches. There is no mixture of strikes in comparison to most other styles however boxing makes up the basis for many other styles and those that perfect this style can become deadly knockout, point-scoring fighters.

Karate:

This traditional Japanese, Okinawan fighting style, teaches a wide variety of mental and physical combat skills. The major thought behind most karate substyles is combat specifically for self-defense, positive mindset and self-development.

Kickboxing:

Often confused with its Thai counterpart, kickboxing compiles a love for punches and kicking into a dangerous mixed style. Many fighters have experience in kickboxing simply for the extremely balanced foundation it gives you for mixed martial arts

Kung Fu/ Wushu:

Sometimes called Zhongguo Wushu, this style refers to Chinese combat styles. With a large variety of subcategories, the many skills include boxing, kicking, and clinch fighting.

Taekwondo:

This Korean fighting technique, similar to Kung Fu and Karate, has a variety of styles. This involves a huge variety of kicking and striking but some subcategories include clinch as well.

Wrestling:

Involves the knowledge of both taking someone from a standing position to the ground or the defense against such an attack. Furthermore, Wrestling includes ground fighting after taking someone all the way to the ground. Wrestlers often win by submission or technical knockouts by damaging the opponent after gaining an advantage over them.

They are however vulnerable against effective clinch submission skills and knockout strikers who counter the wrestling with their own power threat.

Sambo

Often also called combat Sambo, this Russian style specializes in managing your weight and your opponents to unbalance them and make them submit. Specialists in this style often learn many major submission skills to be effective after the takedown is complete.

Greco-Roman

Also known as Freestyle wrestling this isn’t used in Mixed martial arts as often because its Olympic ruleset clashes with most MMA organizations. However, despite this Greco-Roman is a powerful takedown-focused style that also sheds light on defense.

Clinch:

The Clinch involves close-range striking, holds, takedowns and trips. For most styles, the Clinch often also refers to submissions. Specifically forcing your opponent to submit either by the threat of broken bones or by blocking their breathing passages till they are unconscious.

Fighters that specialize in the clinch often find victory through submissions but are susceptible to aggressive striking and takedown defense.

Judo:

The core grappling style in Japan, judo is another art of completing takedowns, achieving points by unbalancing your opponent, and finishing through submission.

Jujutsu:

Another Japanese-based art form focused specifically on submissions and holds. This style creates a strong foundation for anyone

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:

Overrated to some extent in modern-day MMA this style focuses on the submission and defense after the fight has gone completely to the ground. This style is considered a staple requirement for almost every MMA fighter in every single promotion.

Muay Thai:

Often called Thai Boxing or The Art Of Eight Limbs. Muay Thai is the usage of striking styles with basic takedowns. Predominantly however it focuses on striking with elbows, knees, kicks, and punches in unified combinations.

Three Basics To Start Training For MMA

Every sport in the world requires practice and training, but before you can get to that part you must learn the basics of that sport.

MMA is the same. If you are just looking to get into MMA for fitness, then these basics will be beneficial to you. But if you want to become a competitive MMA fighter then you must live by these basics.

1. Building Endurance for martial arts

You will need good or elite-level endurance, depending on your interest in the sport, for MMA. Surviving in the octagon for only 5 minutes can suck out everything you have in you. You need to tap into your stamina reserves to endure the physicality and the punishment. Thankfully you can train for MMA endurance at home as well.

First, you have to build that reserve.

• People who are at an average fitness level should start with a 2-mile run every other day.
• Cardio exercises on the rest of the days are ideal. HIIT can be a good option here.
• After a couple of weeks, you can add sprint drills to the endurance workout.
• Sprint at full speed for 5 seconds. Rest for 2 minutes and repeat for 6-10 rounds.
• People who aren’t as active should start slower, preferably jogging 30 minutes every other day.
• Alternate between jogging and walking to keep your heart rate at an optimum level.

This is the earliest step that you need to take. Without it, you will not make it through your first day of training in an MMA gym. The next logical step will be replacing the cardio exercise day with strength training. We will have more on that in a later post.

 

2. Learn Grappling for MMA

A majority of MMA fights end when one fighter takes advantage of the other while the former is on the ground. You can’t be a good MMA fighter until you have a strong grappling game.

The basics of MMA grappling have to do with positional grappling. You need to get into a dominant position for a submission hold or to deliver hits to stop the match.

Before you can learn grappling, you have to learn the art of the takedown, which comes from Judo and BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu).

When you join a gym you will have to learn wrestling, Judo, and BJJ techniques through drills. You can also get some grappling gloves and a bag to practice some moves at home.

The trainers will ease you in so you don’t have to worry about how you have to learn two different kinds of fighting styles.

3. Basic Strikes To Start Training For MMA

The most fun part when you Start Training For MMA is the striking and physical fitness involved.

Learn how to throw punches, kicks, elbows, and knees throughout your training.

You have to develop speed in the hits, as well as force; while flexibility in the limbs will be key for high kicks. You will find tips and tricks regarding these two aspects in our future blogs.

MMA borrows from Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, Tae Kwondo, Karate, and Muay Thai when it comes to critical striking. You will have to spend a lot of time with a punching bag developing combinations. The trainers will start you off with some basic hitting techniques and teach you combos as your training progresses. Some basic strikes are;

• Jabs
• Hooks
• Uppercuts
• Elbow Strikes
• Leg Kicks (Teep kicks and Leg Kicks)
• Round Kicks (Well-balanced, circular motion kicks for more momentum and inertia)

You also have to learn how to defend against all these strikes and how to deliver counterstrikes.

Never enter the gym with the aspiration of becoming the greatest fighter of all time in a month.

There are several different types of martial arts that you have to learn and it will be a slow process so you have to remain patient.

More Mental than Physical

You can train your body all you want and still fail as an MMA fighter. Why? Because you haven’t prepared your mind. Mental health and mental fortitude both have an important part to play in every fight and training session.

It is very difficult to prepare your mind for the environment of an octagon. Despite this the first rule should be – DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED.

• To put it simply, you need to bring commitment in the beginning.
• You will develop mental toughness and resolve during the training.
• Before you enter the ring, you will have focus and fortitude.

You have to be prepared to get hit and grappled to the ground. This is where your training comes into play and the quality of your trainer matters. This is why you have to be careful in selecting a gym that can prepare you for what you will be facing.

Requirements & Equipment

Training for MMA can seem daunting and understandably so when so many fighters are regular gymgoers, have full-fledged teams, and have extreme regimes. However, RDX is here to help fill the gap for you. In that regard as equipment providers to some of the very best gyms all over the world, there is a lot of RDX equipment that can be extremely helpful to any new mixed martial artist or fighter.

MMA Gloves for every style from professional fight gloves to sparring or grappling gloves.

MMA Punch Bags for a variety of striking, from uppercuts to kick-focused banana bags.

Coaching Equipment focused on shields and guards, to help you train with a partner.

Training Equipment for Cardio, Strength, and Flexibility. Ranging from skipping ropes, weighted gear, and leg stretchers.

Protective Gear for all your sparring and practice sessions from pads, and protectors to headgear and hand wraps.

The information above will point you in the right direction. RDX will give you the proper guidelines you require for becoming an MMA fighter. For now, you must focus on your endurance training and we will be back for the next step in a few days.
What would you like to know about MMA? Let us know in the comments section below.