Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts are the big trend these days. You must have seen it on TV. Boxing and kicking and wrestling all at once.

I watch it a lot, and enjoy it immensely. Sadly, like many other things, it sells itself as something it isn’t.

They call it realistic fighting and even sometimes say that THERE ARE NO RULES. Both are false, and both are linked.

Think about boxing. They can’t handle people who kick, or grapple. The reason is obvious. Boxing rules don’t allow kicking or grappling. Only a stupid boxer would train on how to fight with kicking or grappling.

MMA has many, many rules, too. No shoes, pads on hands, padded floor, no wrist or toe locks, no eye or throat strikes...and on and on. Each rule puts restrictions on that the competitors then ignore in training. Of course they do.

In the end, is it really very realistic? Nope. Are there realistic elements? Of course, just as there are in every art.

But let’s get back to the strong parts. MMA people are quite well-rounded, as martial artists go. They have to be able to grapple, both standing and on the ground. They have to be able to both choke, and defend from chokes. Arm bars? Same thing. They have to be able to kick and punch. They must be fast, and strong, and have first-class endurance.

And they must be the toughest people around, because all that stuff hurts.