Have you been looking to join a Mixed Martial Arts community in your area, but don’t know where to start? Here are five of the most popular types of the sport within the MMA Community. We’ve included the origin of each style as well as some of the basics for you to learn more about.
The sport of Wrestling may be the oldest type of Mixed Martial Arts. Some say it started almost 5,000 years ago. Depictions of wrestling appear in drawings on tombs in Ancient Egypt from that time. In 1904, Wrestling made its way into the Olympic arena. According to Evolve Daily, the three main take-downs you need to learn as a beginner wrestler are, “The Basic Shot”, “Double Leg Takedown”, and “Single Leg Takedown”.
According to Gracie Mag, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (commonly referred to as BJJ), is a style of MMA which was founded in Japan and “uses levers, torsions and pressure in order to take one’s opponent to the ground and dominate them”. BJJ became popular in the United States during the 1900s. Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood explains some of the basic fundamentals of BJJ include: gripping correctly, the standing guard pass, the ability to relax during training, bridging & shrimping, and breath control, just to name a few.
Tiger Muay Thai explains this style of MMA was created in Thailand in the 1200s. Muay Thai is referred to as the “Art of Eight Limbs” and each point of contact on the body is compared to a weapon. MMA Revolution lists 8 basic strikes that are used in Muay Thai. A couple of those strikes include: Jab, Cross, and Hook. Check out their website for a full list of both beginner & advanced strikes.
This style of MMA originated from Korea and is translated as: “TAE” meaning foot, “KWON” meaning fist, and “DO” meaning way, of which comes together as “The way of foot and fist”. The name itself originated in 1955, but the art of this sport dates all the back to 2,300 years ago in Korea. According to the International Taekwondo Federation, there are 10 basic moves that you need to learn to get started in the sport. Some of these moves are: side kick, face block, round kick, and straight punch.
This style of MMA originated in Egypt, just like wrestling! The earliest trace of boxing was in 3,000 B.C where leather was wrapped around the boxer's hands for protection. The basics of boxing include your footwork, defense, and punches. You can find all of these fundamentals on Expert Boxing. Just to name a few, these include: step-drag for footwork, left jab for punches, and blocking for defense.
Be sure to try out a style in your area and tag us on social media!
PS if you manage an MMA business - check out how Wodify Core can provide the all-in-one fitness management software that will give you time back in your day and help you grow your business.
