Category: Arts

There has been a lot of bad press surrounding MMA fights and the UFC. Many critics say that mixed martial arts are barbaric and gruesome and are nothing more than amateur street brawls. The beginning of the MMA movement in America and the inception of the UFC did not help matters at firs as they promoted the sport as the most violent combat sport available and only helped to further the negative stereotype. Originally, MMA fights were banned in many states but after stricter rules were put in place and new UFC owners worked to change the barbaric stereotype, the MMA movement has gained huge popularity.

But are mixed martial arts dangerous, at least any more dangerous that other combat or contact sports? Sure, in the beginning the sport itself claimed to be extremely violent but things have changed since then. To really answer the question of the danger in MMA fights, one would have to understand the rules of the UFC and compare it to other sports.

Mixed martial arts is just that, a mixture of many different fighting styles from boxing to wrestling, to jui jitsu, most of which have ancient roots and were at some time a part of the Olympic Games. Critics against the UFC and MMA fights say that it teaches kids that fighting is ok or honorable. Some of these same critics agree that all combat sports are bad and other single out MMA. The truth is, when compared to boxing MMA is not as bad. The object ion boxing is to beat your opponent until they are unconscious or so badly injured that they can no longer get up. In MMA a victory option is knockout, but fighters can also win by submission or referee stoppage, two options not available in boxing. Instead of going at it until irreparable damage is done, many MMA fights end when a fighter submits or the referee stops the fight before serious injuries occur. This seems like a much safer option.

Critics that say that MMA is barbaric and dangerous must not realized that there have been no deaths in sanctioned MMA fights ever. No MMA fighter has ever died during a fight; the same cannot be said about boxing a sport that has lost hundreds of fighters. Injuries are also infrequent, as well as brain damage because submission and referee stoppage is a victory option. The same is not true in boxing, many fighters end up with long term problems, brain damage, or have their careers halted abruptly because of injuries. Even non combat sports like football and hockey see more serious injuries than MMA fights such as broken and fractured bones, spinal damage, and concussions. While MMA fighters do receive injuries, they are not usually severe.

Critics that initially called the game barbaric and dangerous spoke of the lack of rules and regulations. MMA fights have over gone rule changes and additions, and although still allow for a great variety of fighting techniques, the fighters well being is considered. No matter how many people think that MMA fights are dangerous, the sport will continue to grow and attract fans.

One of the most important aspects in mixed martial arts fighting, and one that is often overlooked and taken for granted when learning how to fight, is that of footwork. The fighter with exceptional footwork and movement skills has a notable advantage in any fight whether boxing, Muay Thai, MMA or streetfighting.

Some of the most renowned fighters we have seen in boxing have all demonstrated tremendous footwork and movement; Jack Dempsey, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Prince Nassim and the incomparable Mohammed Ali all employed incredible foot work and movement skills to evade and attack their opponents.

One of the major difficulties that the early kickboxing scene was plagued with was that fighters came from the karate disciplines. Many early kickboxers, coming from karate backgrounds, complimented their karate kicks with the superior punching techniques taken from boxing but most were slow to subscribe to the highly mobile boxing footwork.

The classical karate disciplines focussed on flat-footed “stand your ground tactics” with inadequate footwork and maneuverability. This often led to fighters from predominantly boxing backgrounds and token kicking skills defeating high ranking karatekas that had taken up full contact kickboxing to demonstrate the power of karate.

Those fighters that came from a boxing background or who realized that maneuverable footwork and strategic positioning were an integral part of the boxers’ game plan demonstrated a pronounced advantage by including it in their training.

Muay Thai fighters, however, not tainted by the classical karate systems, have always demonstrated a very fine sense of footwork and position, such that that they move in and out just out of range to make the opponent miss and then back in to range to hit with power and precision.

We saw a repeat of the kickboxing era in the early days of mixed martial arts fighting, with the grapplers ruling and it appeared that fighters that mainly relied on their standup skills were not going to be competitive.

The fighters that relied heavily on standup were very unsuccessful at stopping the takedowns of the grapplers, allowing themselves to be put in positions that limited their movement and ultimately to be taken down.

However, this was all to change (as we who have embraced experimentation and shunned dogma have come to expect) when Maurice Smith, a world champion kickboxer of the time, showed that with good footwork and ring (cage) generalship the grapplers could be stopped with an essentially striking focussed game. Harmony was restored to the universe and the evolution of the emerging mixed martial arts fight game continued with predominant strikers appearing again.

The mixed martial arts fighters that mainly relied on their takedown game were now under the selective pressure of having to adapt their takedown methods to contend with the evasive maneuverability and adapted striking methods of the standup specialists.

The principal characteristics that set the successful mixed martial arts fighters apart from those that failed were their footwork and ring (cage) generalship that permitted them to neutralize the takedowns.

We now see mixed martial arts fighters who have adapted and developed there movement and positioning to the cage, such that the fights are more dynamic and evenly balanced between the grapplers and strikers. The latest exponent of excellent footwork and generalship, in mixed martial arts, is Lyoto Machida who demonstrates very powerful hit and move skills that are the key to the strikers’ game against a grappler.

It is therefore critical that when we train we include fast and maneuverable foot work into our mixed martial arts training drills.

Once a new standup striking or takedown setup technique is learned, and has been adequately drilled for effectiveness, we must combine it with effective footwork and movement so that we can move in to execute it, and out again, if it is countered or if on execution we need to move away because it did not finish the job and the opponent covers up; a hit and run strategy of fighting.

Here are some of the main points that must be addressed in your footwork whether fighting mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, or boxing:

1) Learn to move on the balls of the feet with bent knees to facilitate rapid and precise weight transfer.

2) Keep the feet spacing about shoulder width apart, i.e. avoid wide stances.

3) When moving make the steps small; better to take a series of smaller steps, then one large one that upsets balance.

4)Practice quick changes in direction always ensuring to maintain good balance.

5) Practice constant movement.

6) Develop a keen sense of position in relation to your opponent; this must be acquired to the level of unconscious competence so that you can concentrate on the fight.

7) When you step in to strike train for speed, explosiveness and accuracy.

8) Train sprawling and angular changes for takedown avoidance.

In addition, footwork should be developed for both offensive and defensive tactics. The use of evasive angular stepping that is the basis of the “make ’em miss, make ’em pay” strategy, combined with fast bridging the gap techniques and good ring generalship must be developed to provide the complete fight game plan in mixed martial arts.

The core ingredient of a meaningful self-defense program is considered to be anger management. However, there are not many martial arts programs that have this comprehensive approach in training. Instructors have not been given proper guidance on how to incorporate anger management in their training program. But now, many martial arts academies including those in Maryland teaching Mixed Martial Arts, are teaching anger management alongside the basic techniques of martial arts.

Anger is essentially rooted in feelings of frustration, fear, failure, stress, rejection, and so on. These feelings are experienced by men, women, children, and elderly. We all go through moments of rage time and again. It can be due to peer pressure, unhealthy competition, financial crises, dissatisfaction in personal or professional life, or some other reason. Eventually anger takes a toll on those who are getting angry and the party bearing the brunt of the rage. Anger is known to increase the chances of high blood pressure and heart attack. It also affects a persons capability to think logically and make meaningful and correct decisions. In some cases this can even cause long lasting and even permanent damage to relationships. Proper anger management can help a person use his feelings in the right direction to solve a problem rather than wasting time and filling oneself with negativity.

Mixed Martial Arts can be more than just an art of self defense. It can help the mixed martial arts practitioner in anger management too. The practitioner learns the art of showing restraint, respect and resilience. Like other martial arts, even Mixed Martial Arts discourages an athlete from attacking an unaware or unprepared person. Techniques such as biting, eye-gouging, fish hooking, clawing, twisting and pinching flesh, small joint manipulation, attacking the groin area, using abusive language, spitting, and hair-pulling are illegal and unethical. MMA athletes are strictly discouraged from using techniques that aim at injuring the opponent. Athletes are responsible for the safety of their opponent. While applying any of the submission techniques, MMA athletes must apply the pressure slowly. They must stop the moment they feel that any further pressure can injure the athlete. This teaches the MMA athlete the clarity of purpose, which is to make the opponent submit and not to hurt him. It also teaches them to respect their opponents strength.

If you are planning on learning Mixed Martial Arts with a focus on dealing your anger issues, it is a great idea. You will learn to be self disciplined, avoid losing your temper constantly, avoid using profanity during a match or practice and control your negative emotions. All these are positive qualities that are worth imbibing in your life and not just while you are learning a sport or a martial art such as Mixed Martial Arts.

Find out whether your preferred Mixed Martial Arts , academy in Maryland or nearby areas such as Virginia and Washington D.C. offer a comprehensive learning course that includes anger management.

For the best performance, an engine needs a fuel tuned to its specific needs. The same is true for the human body, and there are many foods that are great for martial arts training. Strength, dexterity, and mental acumen can all be sharpened with the right balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, giving a martial artist a boost in performance.

Bananas: They come in their own wrapper, and if that wasn’t benefit enough, bananas provide the body with potassium, a nutrient that a martial artist loses quickly when sweating through a rigorous workout routine. Electrolytes help maintain muscles and nerves when they’re put under stress, and potassium is a key electrolyte. The carbohydrate sugar in bananas can be digested easily, for a quick energy boost.

Water: Everyone knows by now that water lost through sweat needs to be replenished, but a properly hydrated body is essential before the martial arts workout even begins. Water carries nutrients, is the body’s cooling system and keep muscles functioning at their optimal performance levels. When fully hydrated, the muscles can stretch further, and the chance of cramping is heavily reduced. The benefits of hydration to a martial artist can not be overlooked.

Oatmeal: This breakfast staple has shown potential to reduce cholesterol, but what makes it great for a martial artist is its ability to fuel a workout. Oatmeal is low on the glycemic index, which means it can provide constant energy over a long period of time by breaking down slowly and letting your body release insulin in smaller doses. Avoid adding extras like sugar or syrup, which can cause insulin to spike, leaving you drained of energy early in your training.

Avocados: The body requires fats to work as efficiently as possible. The best way to deliver those fats is in a healthy nutrient dense form like avocados. Avocados are the number one fruit when it comes to healthy fat packed with calories for muscle growth and brain function.

Spinach: Iron is an essential mineral, facilitating the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the muscles. Iron deficiency is quite common, and when the body is low on iron, oxygen consumption slows down. It’s important to stay oxygenated while training in martial arts, and spinach can provide your body with massive amounts of iron, ensuring that you’ll never be deficient.

Sardines: This tiny little fish is one of the few foods on earth to supply the body with Co-enzyme Q10, a nutrient and anti-oxidant that increases the body’s energy supply. On top of that, sardines are a healthy source of omega-3, one of the healthiest essential oils. Sardines also have large supplies of potassium and iron, vitamins and minerals that are required for a healthy functioning martial artist.

There are many foods that are great for martial arts training. Whether you’re looking to build muscles or develop the mind, choosing the right diet is important. A martial artist requires the best nutrients at all times in order to perform at peak capacity. Finding time to incorporate these foods into your diet will pay off and provide you with an added boost of energy and performance.

I was talking with a fellow the other day, and we were thinking about condensing body calisthenics into maybe a half dozen exercises. Think about it, five martial arts exercises that increase your strength, make you faster and more powerful. All you do is these five exercises, and that’s all you need.

So I researched a bunch of things having to do with Yoga, Tibetian exercises and even American things like Matt Furey. Here’s my initial work up on five exercises, and while I will probably work on them a bit, improve them further, I think they fit the bill. The extra added attraction is that they’ll be good martial arts class warm ups, no matter whether you do Karate, kenpo, aikido, or whatever.

First, and always, is stretching. Most body injuries come from the body being compacted, so to stretch the body out, whether it be splits or just hanging from a tree or over the side of a bed, will start the blood flowing and wake the body up. No set exercise for this, I just recommend researching a little yoga, isolating the movements you aren’t flexible in, and working on them.

Next, would be snaking. This includes such things as dive bomber push ups (doing a push up while worming the body), and covers basically the whole front bend of the body. There are a whole series of yoga poses, from dog looks down or up to child pose to rabbits pose, that could fit in this particular exercise.

The third exercise would be that staple from wrestling called bridging. There are many varieties of bridging, and they should be explored gently and on a gradient. Bridging from the neck, the hands, over a stool, all this covers the whole range of bending the body backwards.

You may have figured out that I am trying to explore every range of motion for the body, and you would be correct. After bending the body front and back, we have twisting the body laterally. While there are many yoga poses that twist the body in this manner, a general exercise would be if you just sit cross legged looking over your shoulder, then twist all the way up and then down to cross legged and looking over the shoulder on the other side.

Fifth and last would be being upside down. This should reverse gravity on all the inner organs, and be very beneficial. This would include frog stands, head stands, and eventually handstands.

So that’s it, my quick prescription for total body health through five body calisthenic, martial arts exercises. These exercises you will find in many other people’s regimens, and in the various body disciplines developed over the years. At any rate, try it out for a few weeks, and watch yourself get nothing but better and strong and faster.