How Long Does It Take To Learn MMA? Fully Explained
MMA is widely regarded as the most versatile combat sport. It is a highly complex system that consists of only the most practical striking and grappling techniques from multiple martial arts. The key is to learn how to mix it all together, which takes a lot of time. But how long does it take to learn MMA to be more specific?
The time you need to master MMA ranges from just a few years all the way up to 10 or 15 years. Apart from talent and dedication, the crucial factor is whether you have previous martial art experience or not. People who switch over to MMA from wrestling or BJJ tend to develop solid all-around skills much faster, in around 2–4 years to be more precise.
On the other side, if you start MMA as a total beginner in martial arts, you will need from 7 to 10 years to become really good. But as in other aspects of life, some people may do it in less time while others might need more.
Keep reading this article to learn more about how long it takes to learn MMA, and how hard it is.
How long does it take to learn MMA?
The main question is: do you have previous martial art experience? If you do have, then you are among the lucky ones who may expect to develop solid MMA skills in around 2–4 years of hard training. Of course, joining the sport from collegiate wrestling does not weigh the same as coming into the sport from Aikido. Some martial arts work better and fit better within MMA rules than others. In the best-case scenario, you will switch over to MMA from either of the following martial arts (typically, though there are less popular styles that work too):
- Wrestling (high-school; collegiate)
- BJJ (around 3 years of experience)
- Muay Thai (around 1 year of experience)
- Boxing (around 1 year of experience)
- Karate, Taekwondo, Judo (black belt rank)
The main problem with MMA is a long learning curve because each athlete must be an expert in at least two or three separate martial arts. To cover all the aspects of the sport, they must combine ground and striking techniques together and cross-train between different martial arts.
But if you have a strong base in Muay Thai, for instance, you might speed up the process. The “only” thing you need is to add the missing parts, in this case grappling, for which you will need around 4 years. In the other scenario, with top-level wrestling base, you will need just a year of training in boxing to develop all-around skills.
On the other side, people not trained in martial arts have to spend more time on the mats. First, they need to get in good physical shape and become flexible, and agile. Next, they must learn the basics and improve their range of motion before they can start learning MMA the proper way.
The best way to start is to choose one of the five martial arts presented above to develop a good base first. Spend a year in a boxing gym, two in Muay Thai, or three in BJJ, and then switch over to MMA and you will become a skilled fighter much faster. This way, you may develop all around skills in 6–7 years in total. But if you choose to get right into MMA, it may take up to 10 years.
Is MMA hard to learn and why?
It takes more time and effort to become a skilled, all-around MMA fighter than to reach the same level in most other forms of combat. Here is a list of reasons why MMA is, and always will be, very hard to learn:
Learning never stops
This is a bit cliche and you can say this for just about every other martial art. But it perfectly describes MMA where learning, truly does not stop. Apart from the fact that you must learn dozens of different boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ, and wrestling techniques, you must know how to mix these ones together in a harmony.
The number of variables and combos is infinite and that’s why MMA is so unique and exciting to watch, but at the same time, very hard to learn. On top of that, the game is continuously evolving and changing, and the blueprint that worked 2 years ago does not work anymore.
Takes a lot of time and effort
Out of all martial arts, MMA might require the most time to master. The only other system that comes close is BJJ, which takes around 7–10 years. But apart from techniques, BJJ takes a lot to master because the promotional criteria are strict. MMA does not include belt ranks; it is simply too complex. Each week, you will need to switch between grappling, striking, and strength training.
While you can develop solid skills by training 3 times per week in other arts, that’s not enough for MMA. You have to show up at least 5 times a week if you are serious about your training and want to make a career out of it. If not, do not even bother.
Intense and hard on your body
The classes are intense as it gets and very hard on your body. In grappling, you will put your body in awkward positions and have joints hyperextended on a daily basis, and of course, get strangled and beat up. Striking classes include a lot of hard sparring where, again, your body will suffer a lot, and grueling strength and cardio workouts are no easier. Overall, it’s really hard to keep up with this tempo and organize your life and recovery days.
High injury rate
MMA is a combat sport that, according to studies, carries the highest risk of injuries. The overall injury rate is 28.6 injuries per 100 fight participations, or 12.5 per round, which is really, really high. However, bear in mind that this study includes both minor and severe injuries. Still, thinking that you will train MMA without getting hurt would be foolish.
Hard to stay consistent
The key to succeeding in martial arts, and most other sports in general, is consistency. Although consistency, as far as most people are concerned, depends on your will and motivation, MMA is a bit different.
The thing is, not many people are capable of sustaining such an intense workload and it is hard to keep up with the classes. You simply have to sacrifice a lot of your free time to train and recover and that would become frustrating at some point. Next, it’s really hard to stay healthy as the injury rate is quite high and some of these injuries might put you on the sidelines for months.
Is MMA training dangerous?
MMA training is not dangerous. But, bear in mind that the risk factor depends on many things, including the way you approach training and the quality of the coaching staff. On paper, MMA is a sport that carries the highest risk of injuries. But on the other side, you have to separate competition from training because, inside the gym, you can do a lot to decrease the risks. Here are a few tips on how to prevent injuries in MMA:
- Wear protective gear: wearing a full safety gear that consists of shin pads, gloves, headgear, and mouthguard should be mandatory. Beginners or people who train in amateur classes should always wear protective gear whenever they are doing anything that might increase the risk of injuries.
- Keep your ego low — most people get hurt because of their ego. They would try to fight their way out of a submission or get into a wild brawl in sparring just to prove that they are tough. But, this increases the risks of injuries, and tapping out early and keeping it all light in sparring minimizes these risks.
- Recover the right way — MMA is hard on your body and you have to pay a lot of attention to recovering. As a beginner, you should take one day off for one grueling training session. But do not just sit at home, be sure to stay active and go for a long walk or jog around the neighborhood.
- Diet and hydration — is very important in every sport. Most MMA athletes follow a diet rich in protein and pay extra attention to drinking enough fluid. You should drink no less than 3 liters of water per day.
