You’re obviously interested in MMA, or you wouldn’t be here. So, you want to know – is MMA for me?
The goal of this article is to help you determine if MMA is the sport for you. The end result should be an educated decision on whether or not to pursue MMA. The first step in considering this decision is to ask yourself, “Do I like contact sports?” This question is important because contact sports are often very high intensity and involve a lot of risk. If you like contact sports, then it could mean that MMA may be perfect for you!
I know it can be daunting at first, especially if you’ve never done anything like MMA before. But, there are so many rewards to learning MMA. you’ll meet like minded people and learn challenging skills and gain plenty of mental benefits too. It’s a fun, rewarding journey but you do have to take the first step.
The best way to find out if MMA is for you is to try it. There are lots of MMA gyms across the states offering beginner classes, if you don’t enjoy it then you don’t have to go back.
How Can I Tell If MMA Is For Me?
Many people have found themselves drawn to this high-flying combat style of fighting because the techniques are so diverse and exciting to watch.
If you are interested in Mixed Martial Arts as a hobby, but not sure if it’s for you. Try asking yourself a few questions that can help determine if MMA is for you:
-Do you want to learn how to fight?
-Are you competitive?
-Are you physically fit?
-Do you want to test your limits and measure your progress day after day?
If the answer to any of these is yes then MMA could be for you.
There are many ways to know if Mixed Martial Arts is for you. First, ask yourself how often you think about MMA. If this sport is often on your mind, and you find yourself reading about MMA a lot then this shows that you are interested in it.
Second, try watching a few fights or read up on some mixed martial arts history. Finally, take an MMA self-defense course to see what kind of athlete you are and what your body can do.
MMA is a complex combat sport that offers a wide range of benefits to athletes. It’s not at all easy to get into, but the rewards are worth the work.
The best way to see if MMA is for you is by taking a class. Find a local gym and enroll in a beginners class, then you will get some first hand experience and you can judge for yourself whether this is something you want to continue.
I’m Afraid Of Getting Hit – Is MMA For Me?
Lots of people are reluctant to sign up for MMA classes because they are afraid of getting hit. This is a common fear, and is called traumatophobia, which comes from the Greek translation of “wound,hurt” and “fear”. This fear of getting hit stops a lot of people from signing up for MMA classes.
Many of us can relate to feeling afraid of getting hit at one point or another in our lives. A lot of people might know MMA as a violent and brutal sport. But MMA is not just violence and brutality, it is also a way for people to learn self-defense and how to handle themselves in difficult social situations.
It is important to know that the MMA training environment is geared towards safety and is not dangerous. However there are some martial arts that might be more beneficial to you if you are afraid of getting hit.
Martial arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling which are more focused on grappling techniques than striking will be beneficial to you. There is also Krav Maga which is focused on self-defense and not competition fighting would also be a good option for you.
MMA is a full contact sport, so if you are afraid of getting hit then another less combative martial art will be a good place to start. You can build up your confidence and perhaps develop into MMA.
Why Should I Learn MMA?
There are so many benefits of learning MMA I’ll summarize the main benefits below, so if any of them apply to you then MMA could be a great option for you.
Health Benefits Of MMA
MMA is a full body workout that consists of a variety of exercises, including mixed martial arts moves. There are many reasons why someone may want to try an MMA Workout, whether they’re looking to lose weight or just maintain their current fitness level.
MMA Is A Full Body Workout – An MMA workout will target every part of your body and incorporates cardio and strength training.
MMA Is Great For Weight Loss – Because of the intense exercise MMA burns a lot of calories.
Incorporates Cardio and Strength Training – MMA is a very efficient workout as it incorporates both strength and cardio into a workout.
Increased Strength – Your strength will increase over time when you are MMA training.
Improved Coordination – Your coordination will also improve as you are engaging with opponents and moving quickly to avoid strikes.
More Flexibility – You will also see more flexibility as you train MMA.
Increased Endurance – The more you train the better your cardio will be and so you will have more endurance to go harder for longer.
Lose Fat And Tone Up – Your body will tone up as you are combining strength and cardio exercise.
Mental Benefits Of MMA
In my opinion the mental benefits from training MMA far outweigh the physical ones, heres why.
Learning Self-Defence – Learning self-defense is one of the most common reasons people start MMA training. Knowing how to defend yourself in confrontational situations is a great mental benefit.
MMA Is Engaging – You are constantly engaging with others when training MMA, not only does this help to keep you accountable you can also make some great friends from MMA classes.
Improved Self-Discipline – A good MMA instructor will instill in you self-discipline as this is as important as the physical side of MMA.
Improved Confidence – Improved confidence is a side effect of everything else you learn, just knowing how to defend yourself will increase your confidence.
Positive Mindset – You will become more positive when you learn MMA as you will be more active and improving your physical and mental being.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking for a hobby, a new workout or want to become a professional MMA fighter, MMA is a great option. However, if you don’t want anything too combative then you can start with BJJ, Wrestling or Krav Maga. You will still receive all the benefits of training MMA but with less striking.
Once you get your self confidence and fitness levels up then you can transition into MMA if you are still interested.
Logan
Hi, I've been an avid MMA fan all my life. I've been training in martial arts for the last 5 years and wanted to share some of the tips and tricks that I've picked up along the way to help to aspiring martial artists get started.
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