MMA is a very controversial martial art. While some people believe it’s the ultimate fighting style with the greatest self-defense potential, others deem it as barbaric.
There is no doubt MMA is one of the most complete martial arts, with a tremendous set of hidden benefits. This great combination of striking, grappling, clinching, and ground game can teach you valuable fighting skills. Just as importantly you will discover how it can cross over positively into many other aspects of your life.
1. World-Class Bully Defense
All right, if you look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, maybe you needn’t know MMA. But what if the odds aren’t stacked in your favor and you get attacked by a stronger, taller guy? He can beat you easily unless you have the skills to teach him a lesson first!
Well, here is a great chance to turn the tables. Boxing and Judo are the two greatest martial arts against bullies. They pick easy victims, people who “don’t look dangerous”. However, there is no height advantage when you take the attacker to the ground. Once you use your new self-defense skills, he’ll never think of bullying innocent people again!
Muay Thai is a formidable martial art. If you don’t think clinching, knees, and elbows don’t look strong enough against a rival who is taller than you, you’d be wrong! When you wrap your arms around his neck and deliver brutal knees to his body, you’ll see the devastating results!
Two or three aggressors attacking you with some solid training, you can narrow the odds!
2. MMA Covers All Aspects of Fighting
Many people will panic when they are taken down to the ground. But mixed martial arts cover both stand-up, clinch, and ground game.
MMA teaches you how to counter takedown attempts. This is important because the stronger attacker will often try to wrap his arms around your waist and use his brute force against you.
But here’s the best thing–even on the ground, there are so many wonderful options. You can force your rival to tap out, make a transition, or even finish him with brutal punches and elbows.
3. Improved Physique
Mixed martial arts training sessions are usually based on high-intense workouts. You not only will you be learning the best ways to defend yourself and your loved ones, but you will also be getting a fantastic workout. If you are unfit and want to tone your body and lose weight then look no further. One MMA training session burns on average 500 calories.
Also, don’t forget MMA activates all the muscles in your body.
Do you want a complete body workout? MMA is the perfect choice for you!
4. Great Stamina and Ability to Train Under Injury!
With mixed martial arts you can achieve the best shape of your life. The workouts are based on ground techniques, striking and clinching. So, there are no excuses, when your foot is hurt, you can lay on your back and train ground and pound defense. Your arm is injured? No problem, train kicks and knees, or throw an elbow!
The workouts are usually intensive but the more you train the correct technique and build stamina fatigue will be less of an issue. You will find in the times you have to endure difficult activities off the mat that your martial arts training will cross over into real life.
5. It Teaches You to Think Wisely
Listen, there are thousands of people who think MMA is a very violent martial art. But let’s analyze it deeper. The stronger guy doesn’t win every time especially when he is up against superior strategy and technique!
For example, when a grappler or a wrestler meets an experienced striker, their goal is to take their rival to the ground. When you end up on the ground, a good knowledge of Brazilian jiu-jitsu will help you submit the rival.
You can feint and make the striker think you’ll punch his head and then wrap your arms around his waist and take him down. There are many options to outsmart the opponent, MMA will teach you to fight smart!
6. Life Skillset Development
Mixed Martial Arts will build discipline, humility and respect.
You will learn to respect your teammates, teachers, and even yourself.
If you stick with MMA, you’ll grow in resilience as you follow the path of a modern-day gladiator. Even at work, hard challenges will be “a piece of cake” for you. For young men with lots of energy, good discipline will help them channel it away from the street and into their MMA sessions. Mark Hunt was even a jailbird twice, but MMA training sessions changed his life dramatically!
7. MMA Allows You to Unleash your Aggression Safely
Why stand the chance of ruining your life by fighting on the streets when you can fight in controlled surroundings against other trained fighters!
There’s a smart way and a stupid way of testing your fighting skills.
Be a knight inside the Octagon, work on yourself. If you like to fight, do it without consequences. Test your skills against another fighter in competition!
8. An Improved Social Life – Meet Friends and New People!
MMA clubs are a great place to meet and make friends.
You have one mutual topic already – MMA. Good to start off, right?
As time goes by and you develop deeper relations with your training partners and teachers you will create a deep trust and bond with your fellow fighters that will last a lifetime.
9. Confidence Plus Self-Assurance
Many of us have low levels of self-confidence because we are not aware of our qualities or true potential.
Fighting in an MMA match win or lose is one of the greatest confidence boosters you can get. But you don’t need to compete to build confidence, knowing you can protect yourself or your loved ones with the skills you have learnt will fill you with self-assurance.
10. Anti-Stress Therapy
Ask any MMA student about combating stress and they will tell you nothing works better than hitting a heavy bag or working the pads at their local club.
If your job is stressful, you’ll find at the end of that tough training session that those stresses magically disappear. Your body might be slightly bruised but your mental outlook will be energized and positive.