How to Become a Good MMA Fighter - Essay Sample

Introduction

I am a kickboxing 3rd dan (third degree) black belt holder and an instructor at the local Y University. I am talking to a group of first-year students who would like to join the kickboxing group and develop into careers in MMA fighting. Basically, MMA fighting refers to a competitive combat sport that consists of elements of kickboxing, boxing, muay thai, and other forms of martial arts. The initials stand for mixed martial arts (MMA) and have become popular in recent days. Good or successful fighters who exhibit high standards of athletic accomplishment in their specific weight class are usually rewarded with belts. However, they may be very hard to break into and would require a lot of patience and sacrifice. The requirements to becoming a good or successful MMA fighter involves selecting the right gym, learning the essentials to MMA fighting, exercising for strength and endurance and stay on top of the league in MMA fighting game.

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Joining a good MMA team and selecting the right gym is one of the most vital things any fighter can do. Good training partners and a good coach enable one to progress easily in this sport. Selecting the right gym provides a platform where you and the team can bond together when you meet the people that train there, sit and talk with the coach on the goals you have as a fighter and whether you would like to call the gym home. The appropriate gym should speak to your weakness and develop you to becoming a better fighter, i.e., for someone with a Muay Thai background, you may want to train somewhere that will help you with wrestling to make you a better MMA fighter (Jayabalan, 2013).

The second stage is learning the essentials and having a basic knowledge on MMA fighting. Having a stand-up fighting knowledge is also vital for any good MMA fighter. This involves the basic knowledge of elbowing, kneeing, kicking and punching. They help one to understand and learn the basics or essentials to MMA fighting. They also train one to establish footwork that will enable them to dodge an opponent's attack easily while in the cage (Jayabalan, 2013). This stage involves practicing the basic fighting techniques, reducing the triumph of your opponent's attacks and learning to submit your opponent. It also provides training on a variety of disciplines that include Kung-Fu, Karate, Muay Thai, Kendo, and boxing.

The third stage involves training for strength and endurance. This involves both physical and mental strength and endurance. The activities involved in this stage include warming up before starting your workout, challenging the upper body muscle for strength and endurance, focusing on enhancing the body's capacity to perform and condition using the conditioning circuit (Moshkovich, 2019). Mental toughness, in this case, can be enhanced through motivation, self-belief and high pain tolerance. Aerobic and anaerobic activities should also be incorporated into the plan. All these factors help to build physical and mental power and strength while continuously enhancing endurance which plays a vital role while in the cage.

While advancing and developing yourself as an experienced MMA fighter, you should continue staying on top of your league to remain successful. This is the perfect example of the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. This stage involves getting and staying motivated and being consistent with how you train and keep your eye on the prizes associated with the sport and your goals. It entails getting ring experiences to fight at your full potential, utilizing opportunities to practice other techniques and outstanding other fighters (Moshkovich, 2019). However, the training should be done with caution to provide the body with enough rest and recover to produce its absolute best.

Conclusion

To conclude, MMA fighting is an enjoyable sport and quite rewarding for anyone who may be interested in it. However, as illustrated above, it is not just a walk in the park. Just like any other sport, it requires a lot of dedication and determination to be a success.

References

Jayabalan, P. (2013). Primed to fight: What it takes to be an MMA fighter. (2019). myStarjob. Retrieved from http://mystarjob.com/articles/story.aspx?file=/2013/1/26/mystarjob_careerguide/12580523&sec=mystarjob_careerguide

Moshkovich, A. (2019). Fighting Formula: What Makes an MMA Fighter 'World Class'? Bleacher Report. Retrieved from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1701311-fighting-formula-what-makes-an-mma-fighter-world-class