- Bethany-May Rowe
“I could never…” — be honest. How often do you tell yourself that? You’re not alone. We all do it, and if we put a coin in a jar every time we thought it, said it, or heard it, we’d be pretty rich. Martial arts tend to be one of those “I could never” things for a lot of people, but it shouldn’t be. Knowing how to defend yourself is a relevant skill for everyone, no matter your gender, or level of athleticism. Having a skill that actually excites and engages you is just as important. Here are five reasons to make MMA that skill!
Pushing past the limits you’ve set yourself
I haven’t experienced many things that push me to beat my own “best effort” like MMA, or any martial art, really. It’s a sport that always calls into question whether you’ve got more to give and makes you re-evaluate what you’re capable of. Walking into a gym for the first time is intimidating, especially when the room is mostly men. Believing I could be there, and that I should be there, is still something I work on every time I step onto the mats. But when you give yourself permission to be strong, to get things wrong and to keep showing up, awesome things happen. Some days, it’s really, really hard, but it’s always fulfilling.
Find a style that works for you
There’s no one way to do MMA. In fact, there are so many styles, it can be hard to know which one suits you best. Are you more of a striker or a grappler? You’ll need to sharpen both skillsets either way, but discovering your preference is part of the fun. I personally love boxing and I found Brazilian Jiu Jitsu almost by accident. Now, I couldn’t imagine life without either. MMA is a space where you can bring many different elements together and it’s a real flex of creativity when it all flows.
Give yourself the opportunity to geek out
There are so many branches of MMA, from kickboxing to wrestling and jiu-jitsu. You get to dabble in all of them to find the combination that works best for you. Maybe you’ll find yourself obsessing over the perfect kick or the slickest takedown. The best thing to do is start learning from the greats. UFC Fight Pass and YouTube are goldmines for archived fights, grappling tournaments and upcoming events where you can watch rising stars and seasoned pros do their thing. You can even get online tutorials, or follow social media accounts of gyms and athletes to keep up with their content.
Meet people from all walks of life
The training room brings people together across all ages, professions, nationalities and beliefs. That kind of diversity speaks volumes about how martial arts can touch people's lives. The guy who out-wrestles everyone in class might be the bricklayer helping with your house extension. The new white belt who just walked in? They could be a PhD student or an entrepreneur. Chat with people, get to know them. I met some of the closest people in my life through training and I might never have met them otherwise.
Get in shape… Like, really
MMA is one of the most physically demanding sports I’ve ever done, in the best way. It demands all of your attention and exertion, to the point that nothing else exists when you're on the mats. The only clock is the buzzer at the end of a round and your muscles finding how far they can push, aching in that strangely satisfying way. Nothing torches your legs like 20 kicks in a row on Thai pads, or tests your balance and reflexes like defending your tenth takedown attempt. It’s intense, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Final thoughts
Even if you don’t plan on competing, MMA is an incredible way to get fitter, learn some self-defense, meet new people, or just try something completely out of your norm. You don’t need to be the strongest, the fastest, or the most experienced to start. You just need to be willing to step onto the mats and give it a go.
So if you’ve been sitting on the fence or doubting whether it’s for you, consider this your sign. Try that first class. You might surprise yourself and find you’re a lot more capable than you think.
