Saturday, October 24, 2009

Training Considerations for an MMA Workout

By Jeremy Evans

The best MMA workout will include components from many aspects and disciplines of martial arts. Strength, speed, and conditioning are all factors in becoming an excellent striker, grappler, wrestler, jiu-jitsu practitioner. Being mentally prepared is also extremely important. Remember though, there is no single "best" MMA workout.

Conditioning is commonly considered one of the most important facets of fighting, along with mental preparation. In order to win a fight, a fighter must be able to fight at peak levels for long periods of time while enduring large amounts of punishment. Even some of the best fighters in the world have been defeated due to lack of conditioning.

Striking includes boxing, kickboxing, Muy Thai, and other forms. Any exercise that will help develop striking accuracy, timing, and speed is important for a quality workout. Hand strength is important, as well as hand-eye coordination.

One of the more common grappling arts for MMA is Judo. It is a solid art that focuses on using leverage against an opponent to throw them onto the ground. Grappling is also very important for strikers that are trying to hold their opponent in the clinch.

Wrestling is a solid background for all martial arts. Most wrestling workout routines translate well into creating a great MMA workout. Being a good wrestler will allow a fighter to control where the fight takes place, whether it is standing or on the ground.

Submission skills are particularly important in MMA today. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is currently considered the most popular and effective submission discipline. Learning these skills will allow a smaller or weaker opponent defeat a much larger opponent.

Mental preparation is extremely important in all aspects of training. It takes not only strength and fortitude to become a great fighter, but intelligence, willpower, and mental constitution. Being prepared for not only the fight, but the intense training that will be involved for the fight is extremely important.

No one MMA workout is sufficient. Variety is an important key to training. There are a lot of aspects to training for martial arts. To be a well-rounded fighter the training must be well-rounded training. This includes training all of the different aspects of mixed martial arts, being conditioned, and mentally ready for a fight.

In the end, the goals of each person building an MMA workout will be different. Some will do it to become the best fighter they possibly can. Others will do it simply because they enjoy it or to get some good exercise for their body. It is crucial that whatever the reason, the person defines their own goals and trains to the best of their abilities.

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