Has anyone here ever trained in MMA? The reason I ask is that my OH has taken it up, and has been training in it for the last 2 months. I haven't really paid much attention until I have just looked at some You Tube videos out of curiosity as I didn't understand what kind of MA it was (he's training tonight )! That dosn't look much like martial arts to me! Am I panicking over nothing or is it really brutal?
HA! As soon as I saw the thread title, I knew the reason for it. I wouldn't worry. From the little I know about OH (wanting to be a fireman, his friends in the military...) he needs something manly to do in his life. I'd say MMA is about as harmless as anything else he could do. At least he hasn't bought himself an 1100cc crotch rocket that he's taken to riding on wet twisty roads at 140mph.
Hmm. I should have checked earlier. Conversation a few weeks ago went something like: OH: "I'm starting [another] fitness campaign, O [pregnant, hormonal] girlfriend of mine! I'm doing MMA. It's kind of like karate" Me: "That's nice, dear." (pictures a crowd of people doing benign tai chi moves) OH: "Four times a week!" Me: "That's nice, dear." (scoffs a whole tub of ice cream and picks up TV remote whilst OH has strange gleeful look on his face) Fast forward to tonight: OH: "Off to MMA!" Me: "OK! See you later!" (spies boxing gloves hanging out of the back of his rucksack. Doesn't quite register. Half an hour later, gets curious and searches web for "MMA". Hits a site called Cage Rage. Checks it on You Tube.) Me:
It's violence, but it's controlled violence. Still very much a sport no matter who might try to convince you otherwise.
No, they're not trying to break each other's necks. They're trying to either knock each other unconscious with strikes, make the other guy surrender by contorting his joints into painful positions, or making him unable to breathe by applying a choke hold. Submission or knockout is the goal.
It's actually very controlled, and it's considered far safer than it looks. It isn't really that bad summer, you don't have anything to worry about.
Extremely safe. Lots of blood, though, but stitches fix that. Old fashioned boxing is dangerous. Why you ask? Because they hit each other in the head many, many times before the fight is ended. Plus, they are standing up delivering full force. But because there's not much blood, people think "no harm done." In MMA when you knock someone down you follow them down, get on top and if you do start a flurry of punches they are knocked out quickly. So, the actual lasting damage is minimal. But like I said, nearly every fight is a bloodbath so get ready for that.
That depends on the style of the fight. Yes for out right strikers, but Grapplers tend to not get so bloody.
True, but these days punchers tend to do a very good job of avoiding the ground if that's their goal. I myself love those long, long fights that have a mix of everything, going back and forth many times. I love when a fighter is beat to crap (totally dominated) then turns it around within seconds to win with a sudden knockout or submission. Of course I HATE when it goes to the judges, because it always leaves a shadow of doubt.
No, I'm 45 years old. We started doing "combatives" in the Army (which was 90 percent ground-fighting/grappling) when I retired. It was a total blast. Some of my buds liked it so much they got better and better and now they fight all out MMA style ! In the Army if you go through all the official training at higher and higher and do well, you get to the full-blown "everything goes" fighting. For safety reasons, you better master "no striking" fighting before you are allowed to play with the big boys. Of course you can join a civilian MMA academy on your off-time, and most people do that. I got in a bazillion fights as a kid just because it was such a rush. That was THE most fun I ever had as a kid, period. I would fight every day if I could arrange it and not get into trouble. I really couldn't imagine how much fun it would be to do this as an adult. Is there a better way to earn a living? I really can't imagine it. Okay, maybe porn star or pro bass fisherman, but only after you get too old and retire from MMA.
Well, I spoke to him. He has put my mind at rest a little bit because it is strictly controlled, although he warned me he would probably come home in bruises sometimes. He said he thought I had taken the news he was joining rather well. Apparently, they started learning how to defend themselves against knives and sticks last night. It does sound quite interesting and he loves it. It's better than him being down the pub, I suppose. He's invited me along to some display his instructor and the instructor's son are doing with samurai swords on Saturday.
Yah -- OH said he did something similar when he was in the Army, training for NI. Why do men love this kind of stuff?
Why do we love working on engines, anything involving fire or explosions, and ninja weapons? Because we're MEN. Admit it, that's why you like us too, ST. If OH wanted to sit around and organize tea parties, knit pink things, and talk about his feelings, you wouldn't like him near as much. Well, you might SAY you would, but secretly, you'd be a bit disgusted with him.
Because fighting is hard-wired into our beings. We evolved with it. And taking it down to a basic level (no restrictions, no clothing or padding) preserves the purity of the fight. Going back to our primate roots, the one who fights better gets the best chance of putting himself/mates and offspring ahead of his peers and living the good life.
I've seen women fighting in MMA on one of the less popular MMA fighting shows. Holy crap, they had the same skills and abilities as the men. Throwing elbows, knees, you name it. It was not just a novelty...they really had their shit together.
i remember a practice combatives training session i had when i got paired up with the MMA guy. they are very precise and controlled when they fight. the knowledge that you have the ability to knock out a man twice the size of you in one elbow does wonders for your confidence too.
Its much more controlled now than even just a couple of years back. Watch cage rage or UFC etc and the refs pretty much stop the fight when people get in serious trouble. A few years back you could watch someone get pinned down by their opponents knees, while the oponent destroyed his nose and face with some serious continuous blows of fists and elbows. That sort of shit gets stopped now.
I used to do 'kumite', light contact competition fighting in karate, the same thing that was in the karate kid. It was great fun and totaly not restricted to 'boys' the ratio always seemed to be about 66/33
I agree, the rules now are just about perfect. The refs have a great feel for when the guy getting pummeled is past the point of no return. But still, I'm amazed how these guys can be beat to shit, and turn the fight around to end up winning. I mean.... fighting with a broken nose for ten minutes, and still winning? That is some focus right there. One thing I hate about gloved boxing - the first sight of blood freaks people out and the fight is generally stopped. In MMA nearly every fight ends up with oodles of blood, but the fans are smart enough to know minor cuts are no big deal.
True. I know sometimes fighters get staff infections from the gym mats during training. You know, the octagons are only used once (for one night of fighting) for a UFC event, then discarded? Then again, take a look at the floor after an event...those stains will not come out, ever.
I've gotten rashes and ringworm once or twice from working out in a grappling class. That's always fun.
Hmm... no real pourings of blood for 'im indoors yet (to my knowledge, anyhoo). He is absolutely covered in bruises though, and has what looks like friction burns on his shoulders He's had his elbow strapped up for the last week though, he got it twisted in fight. He puts this gel like Ralgex on it, although it isn't Ralgex, it's some kind of Japanese extra strong Ralgex that his a little karate man on the front and a label I can't read. The smell alone is so pungent, it makes me and my eyes water. It's probably got liquidised tiger penis in it.
