Many individuals are drawn to MMA for one main reason: it is an excellent way to learn self-defense. Whether you’re a kid who’s being bullied or you’re nervous about getting to your home alone at night, knowing self-defense provides you the sense of security that you can defend yourself if a dangerous event happens.
MMA is good for self-defense since it teaches you how to stay calm under pressure, deal with larger opponents, and break free from submission holds. Because MMA includes both standup and ground fighting, you’ll be ready for practically any situation. If the fight contains weapons, several opponents, or is fast-paced, it may not be useful.
Let’s see why these skills can be useful to us and what they can teach us…
How MMA Teaches You Self Defense
MMA proponents believe that it is the most comprehensive style of combat for learning how to defend yourself because it teaches many strategies to keep safe while still being something that anybody can master with sufficient training.
Opponents of mixed martial arts for self-defense often dismiss the sport as a cruel activity that should be left to professional athletes for amusement, while others believe that MMA will not protect you. Opponents claim that MMA will not assist you to protect yourself against a weapon attack. While this is true, there are few forms of hand-to-hand combat that are as thorough as mixed martial arts. As a result, understanding the methods and participating in MMA training can enable you to have the best chance of evading an assailant.
Top MMA Self Defense Moves
OPEN HAND PALM STRIKE – This is typically suggested, especially for beginners, because it can cause minor damage by striking your attacker with your open hand and palms. An open hand palm strike technique allows you to land several hits without injuring yourself, but punching an attacker with a close fist commonly results in broken fingers and muscle injuries. In addition, an open hand covers more area and is more adaptable to any surface impact.
PUSH KICK – The push kick is one of the simplest MMA moves to master, and it should be your first self-defense move. The technique can be used with either your lead or power leg, and it’s an effective strategy to keep an attacker at bay.
This strike, also known as the “Teep,” can be used to push an opponent away by striking at their abdomen. In addition, the approach generates a substantial amount of force. When done correctly, it can be enough to render an attacker unconscious. As you gain experience with the technique, you might begin to aim higher, more particularly at the face. A front kick to the face is powerful enough to knock an opponent out.
TAKE DOWN – If you’re serious about being able to protect yourself, you should master at least one form of takedown. Takedowns allow you to choose the location of combat. Because you don’t get to choose how skilled an attacker is, this is a vital skill to have. When you’re defending yourself against a fighter who has many superior striking skills to you, it’s a good idea to go for a takedown and move the battle to a different level of combat where you have an edge.
The double-leg takedown is one of the simplest takedowns to master. The move entails pressing your head against your opponent’s side, wrapping your arms behind their knees, yanking their legs up and away from the ground, and driving their upper body downwards with your head. You’ll be in a dominant position if the fight goes to the ground and is properly done.
GUILLOTINE CHOKE – This is great for neutralizing lazy tackles since it involves sliding your arms under the attacker’s neck and then grasping their fingers for a grip choke. It’s easy to tighten your choke by pinning their back against a wall. Just be aware of your opponent’s reflexes, as smashing the person who is doing the choke is one way to reverse the guillotine choke. In a self-defense situation, you don’t want to get slammed.
REAR NAKED CHOKE – this technique is among the most frequently used submissions in mixed martial arts. It’s really simple to do and far more tough to get out of when done correctly. It’s a blood clot that prevents blood from reaching the brain. As a result, it can knock you out in as little as ten seconds. This makes it an excellent self-defense technique since it allows you to finish a fight and flee; it is a move that you can use against people who are substantially stronger than you.
Taking your opponent’s back is crucial to execute the rear choke. When two fighters jockey for position, this might happen naturally. You can also take someone’s back by transitioning there with underhooks from the clinch or when they try to get away from your mount. Simply slide your attacking arm underneath the person’s neck and grip your bicep or shoulder with it to accomplish the move. To administer the choke, you grip the other shoulder with your second hand and squeeze.
FRONT PUSH KICK OR TEEP – This entails extending your legs in front of you to kick someone who is ready to attack you. A simple, forceful kick can help you keep your attacker at bay and establish a safe gap between you and them. A kick to the stomach or hips can also deal a serious blow to your opponent. For added force, the kick might come from the front of your side. This is also simple to do and does not necessitate any space preparations.
MMA Helps You Stay Cool Under Pressure
One of the primary issues people have during fistfights is that they don’t know how to deal with pressure; the normal person isn’t prepared for a dangerous situation.
When you train in MMA, you learn to deal with any situation that may arise. It teaches you how to keep cool under pressure and how to efficiently pull yourself out of a difficult situation. You will be put in difficult positions in MMA training and will learn how to escape out of them. With a more skilled training partner dominating you, you’ll often feel hopeless, and being continuously put in unpleasant situations during training is what will teach you how to stay calm and work your way out of them. You’ll be prepared if you ever find yourself in a risky scenario.
MMA Teaches You How To Handle Larger Opponents
Among the most common fears that many individuals have is being confronted on the street by a stronger and larger attacker. When you’re threatened by someone who is substantially stronger and larger than you, it might be frightening.
MMA has proven to be effective in defeating larger opponents. Striking and grappling are both used in training; grappling uses leverage and skill to take down and submit larger opponents, whereas striking teaches you time and distance.
MMA Teaches You Not To Underestimate Your Opponent
The first thing you’ll learn about MMA is that you’re always fighting against your opponent’s best version. You should never underestimate your opponent, even if you’re dealing with a neighborhood thug or someone who is drunk. You don’t have the luxury of analyzing your opponent before the fight in a self-defense situation. During a violent conflict, you must always be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
MMA Teaches You How To Escape Submission Holds
A simple submission hold may be performed by almost anyone on the street. It may not be the most technically advanced submission, but not understanding how to get out could put you in grave peril.
This is a major benefit of MMA self-defense training: knowing how to escape from sticky situations and submission holds. Someone might try to put you in a headlock or chokehold on the street, and if you know MMA, you’ll be able to escape their submission and get out of the situation.
MMA Helps Build Mental Strenght
Another reason to train MMA is that it has been related to increased mental strength in various studies. Exercises in MMA training are designed to push you to your limits, which aids in the development of persistence, endurance, and determination. You’ll learn to handle life’s challenges with more confidence and stay focused on your goals and ambitions with these abilities.
What About the Weapons and Multiple Opponents?
The pace – The critics’ arguments are based on the fact that MMA is not as fast-paced as a real-life street battle. While this is correct, it is not a sufficient argument for MMA’s ineffectiveness lack of self-defense. Of course, the practitioner can use his or her MMA skills to adapt to the situation and help accelerate reactions and assaults to fit the circumstances.
Weapons – MMA fighters aren’t taught how to utilize weapons, or even how to use common household items as weapons. This might put an MMA fighter at a risk against an opponent wielding a knife or other weapon.
Multiple Opponents – If you’re in a street fight or being attacked, there’s a good possibility there will be numerous attackers. MMA aims to teach efficient fighting skills against a single opponent rather than a group of opponents. If you know MMA but are assaulted by a few individuals, you may not be able to use your fighting skills to save yourself or others.
Conclusion
Learning Mixed Martial Arts will undoubtedly provide you with a high level of fighting ability. The majority of folks have no idea how to fight other than swinging hard. You will quickly gain an edge in a fight if you are smart enough to avoid and counter an amateur’s strike.
Each of the most efficient martial arts in MMA is designed for a certain setting, such as fighting on the ground or the feet. In some situations, knowing only one of them will give you an advantage. However, knowing and mastering all of them is what makes MMA so beneficial in a fight.
Finally, while MMA does not turn you into an absolute monster capable of defeating any opponent, it does provide you with a distinct advantage in a self-defense situation. As a result, if you’re searching for a combat sport that can also be used for self-defense, MMA is a good option.
