How To Learn MMA Faster: Tips and Strategies
Becoming skilled and successful in any combat system is a lifelong journey for most people. This is especially true for MMA which is the most complex and advanced hybrid martial art composed of grappling, striking and ground fighting.
Each individual must be proficient in multiple fighting disciplines to cover all the aspects of the sport, and as you would assume, this takes a lot of time.
In this article, we will discuss how you can speed up your progress in MMA. We are not going to talk about taking shortcuts, but rather practical tips and strategies you can apply to learn at a much higher rate.
How To Learn MMA Quickly?
Learning Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) faster requires a combination of effective training strategies, discipline, and dedication. Here are some tips to accelerate your progress in learning MMA:
Consistent Training Schedule
MMA is the most complex combat sport that covers all three elements of fighting. This includes striking on the feet, on the ground, wrestling, and ground fighting. Thus, each fighter must be proficient in multiple disciplines to prepare for all scenarios.
If you want to progress faster, make sure to be consistent and show up to a gym at least 5 times a week. Even on a day off, be sure to do some light cardio, stretching, or some skill-specific drills like footwork. In other words, never stop working.
While in the learning phase, a few week’s break can destroy your progress so be sure to stay consistent. Of course, in order to be consistent, you also must pay close attention to your diet, hydration, and rest. And, be lucky to avoid any serious injuries.
Find a Well-Established Gym
In order to fast-track your progress, you need to train in a proper MMA academy under experienced coaches. This means that, if that type of facility is not available in your area, you may need to either move to another place or spend hours travelling to training and back.
Starting in your local school is good when it comes to learning the fundamentals. But as soon as you start progressing, after a year of training, for instance, you must move to a bigger place.
Big MMA academies are good for two reasons. First, the classes are guided by experienced coaches who have already produced many fighters. Second, you will train alongside other passionate and experienced training partners who already have fighting experience on either the amateur or pro scene.
Working in this environment is incredibly productive and will boost your MMA progress.
Regularly spar with better partners
Progress in MMA requires constant work with people who are many levels above you. Although this also means you will get overwhelmed in sparring, working with more experienced partners teaches you valuable lessons.
First, it destroys your ego, forcing you to have a more objective look at your skill level and progress. It also makes you humble because you realize how much ahead these people are and the amount of work it takes to reach that level.
Second, it gives you a good insight into all the weak spots in your game. Skilled training partners will quickly exploit every single hole in your game, and of course, give you a tip on how you can improve.
Training with them can be extremely challenging for sure. But if you are thinking ahead and playing the long game, it will pay off in the long run.
Sparring with the same people who also share similar level of experience is fine and safe. It also allows you to relax, try new techniques and play. But with the fast progress in mind, be sure to regularly work with real fighters.
Gain Amateur Experience
Before going into the pro competition, build valuable experience in amateur tournaments first. This is important because you want to test your skills, spot all the weaknesses and learn how to fight in real matches on the amateur scene where losses do not go into your record. You can lose as many fights as you want (which is not recommended).
Also, amateur matches are less intense meaning that the overall pressure of the moment is less than in pro-events. It enables you to see how the events work, learn all the procedures with the referees and other officials and experience what is like to be a fighter first-hand.
On top of that, you will learn how to perform in front of a crowd and camera filming. Many beginners overlook how important it is.
But an amateur scene allows you to make all the mistakes. That’s what these events are all about. A platform where MMA fighters learn how to stay calm, maintain focus and composure, and perform under pressure.
Listen To Your Body (Longevity Game)
Beginners looking to progress fast in MMA do not think much about recovering and injuries. The majority of them are young people and their bodies are capable of sustaining more punishment and recovering much faster than when you are in your late 20s or 30s.
However, MMA as a concept involves intense workouts and a lot of sparring. No matter how strong you are and agile, it will take a toll on your body and injuries are inevitable. Thus, it is important to listen to your body and give it enough rest.
Sometimes, it’s better to stay at home if you feel weak, eat healthy food, hydrate and do some light exercise. Going above your physical limits is fine. But doing that regularly can easily result in different types of injuries. Just a single one can put you on a sideline for months and destroy your progress.
Determine your strengths and define your style
If you are a total beginner, focus on spotting the segments you are good at and that feels most natural to you. MMA includes striking using all limbs, wrestling and fighting on the ground. Each of these disciplines requires specific talent, flexibility, agility and overall athleticism.
The majority of MMA fighters excel in one of these three aspects and this represents their MMA base, or primary skill. These are the skills they prefer to use inside the cage but they can’t neglect the other aspects. A person talented at striking needs to spend more time in wrestling practice and vice versa.
Most beginners who join the sport without any previous martial arts background tend to excel in striking. This is normal because learning how to throw punches and kicks is more natural and easier than grappling which involves complex moves and procedures. Still, there are many examples where athletes fall in love with grappling and find this segment easier.
Focusing on your strengths is crucial when it comes to developing your style and structuring your training sessions.
Can You Learn MMA Quickly?
Yes, it is possible to learn MMA quickly and get into competition. But, this is only in case you already have a strong martial arts background in a style that conceptually fits well within the rules of cage fighting. Without it, it’s almost impossible to learn MMA fast.
The majority of successful fighters came into the sport as experts in one particular style. Some of the best martial arts that proved effective inside the cage are Muay Thai, Boxing, wrestling and BJJ. Coming into the sport from one of these martial arts cuts the learning curve and enables you to adapt quickly.
Grappling martial arts such as wrestling and BJJ have produced the most UFC champions in history. Wrestling, in particular, is known as the best base for MMA and a martial art that allows you to make a quick transition. In fact, if you look at the most successful fighters who started late (30+ years of age), all of them are wrestlers.
This is mainly because the learning curve is much longer in grappling arts. A wrestler needs only a year of training to develop solid striking skills, while strikers need many years of intense practice to learn how to grapple.
Overall, a skilled NCAA wrestler would need between 1–2 years of hard training before they can start competing in matches.
