Is MMA Fitness Training Right For You?

Article by Mike Belisle

You have seen your first mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, and now you are determined to get into MMA fitness and training. You are completely hooked. You are determined to train, master the sport, become a champion and live happily every after. Right? Never.You may have gotten infatuated with this sport, but like in marriage, infatuation is poor quality fuel for long term dedication to mixed martial arts. This is serious stuff and the journey doesn’t start the first time you enroll into an MMA fitness and training school.Mixed martial arts is not like other forms of martial arts. MMA is more complex, because it combines the strengths of many other martial arts and makes it all work together. What you end up with is an extreme sport that not everybody can play, much less play well.Other forms of martial arts involve limited body contact, but mixed martial arts is a full body contact sport. It can get mean and while you may love it now, in the long (and even in the short) term, it may not be a good fit.To find out if you are suitable for MMA fitness and training, assess yourself. Even before looking for the right school, consider a few things about yourself. You will be spared needless pain, disappointment and expense if you consider the following:1. Assess your weight. There are weight categories for MMA fitness and you cannot be overweight or underweight. Training will help you to lose or gain weight for your category, but you have to be ready to maintain that appropriate weight in the long term. This could involve drastic dietary changes aside from your physical regimen. If you are ready for that, good for you.2. Are you flexible? MMA has standards for flexibility, and when you train for flexibility, it requires mental as well as physical flexibility. There are stretches that are done gradually on a regular basis for body flexibility. However, mental flexibility is called for during the actual training as well. You may think you want to immediately get into the grappling and kicking, but that is simply not going to happen. You have to go slowly and at times the pace may seem excruciatingly slow for you, and you may burn out.3. How is your heart? This is not a sport for the weak of heart. To be a mixed martial artist you absolutely must have solid anaerobic and aerobic cardiac levels. I think this is self explanatory.4. Do you have sensitive feet? Just to give yourself a taste of what is in store, you might as well get used to mats. Your feet and knees will be on these mats a lot, so you may want to get started and do a few moves on the mat now. If you start getting calloused and you don’t mind, then maybe you are okay with mixed martial arts and ready for MMA fitness and training. However, if at that point you dislike the calluses, then maybe it is best that you be an MMA watcher. Which is okay, since this sport would not survive without people like you.5. After all of the above, how do you feel? Do you still feel just as strongly about going into MMA fitness and training as you did at the start? If the answer is yes, then go for it. But if you are wavering, better think about it some more.Chances are at this point you may even feel totally burned out. In that case, lucky you, because now you know for sure. You have also saved yourself what might have been lost time and useless expense. Lessons in MMA training can cost about US$ 100.00, and the price goes up over time. Plus in the long term you will need good gear-high quality shoes, a good mouthpiece, headgear, body protectors, groin protectors, ankle guards, etc. MMA fitness and training is the real deal.

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