Note:
This article is from
Wikipedia, an excellent source of MMA knowledge
Training
Today, mixed martial
artists train in a variety of styles that have been proven
effective in the ring, so that they can be effective in all the
phases of combat. Although fighters will try to play to their
particular specialties, they will inevitably encounter all kinds
of situations; a
stand-up fighting specialist will probably get
taken down at some point and a
submission artist might need to fight standing-up for a
while before he can complete a takedown. A mixed martial artist
might train in a particular style to enhance his or her skills
in the phase of combat that the style encompasses. Typical
styles, known for their effectiveness, that have been trained
prior to the mixed martial arts career, and that are trained
individually to enhance a particular phase of combat, are:
Many styles have to
be adapted slightly for use in the sport. For example, several
boxing stances are ineffective because they leave fighters
vulnerable to leg kicks or takedowns. Similarly, Judo techniques
have to be adapted to an opponent not wearing a
judogi. Commonly, modern fighters do not train in any
particular style, but either train in multiple styles with
multiple coaches, or train in teams with other athletes focusing
specifically on competition.
Energy system training, speed drills,
strength training and
flexibility are also important aspects of an MMA fighter's
training. Mixed martial arts competition is very demanding
physically, and the athletes need to be in top shape to be
successful.
While mixed martial
arts was initially practiced almost exclusively by competitive
fighters, this is no longer the case. As the sport has become
more mainstream and widely taught it has become available to all
ages. Proponents of this sort of training argue that it is safe
for anyone, of any age, with varying levels of competition.[19][20]
Strategies
The following are
various nicknames applied to different fighting styles. Although
fighters are usually much more versed in one fighting style such
as Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, Judo, and other
martial arts, the following terms are used to describe how a
particular fighter is attempting to accomplish a particular
victory. For instance,
BJ Penn and
Fedor Emelianenko score victories both striking, "ground and
pounding," and submitting depending on the strengths of their
opponents. Furthermore, some styles are not complete styles;
rather, they are merely phases in a fighter's game.
A sprawl-and-brawler
is usually a
boxer,
kickboxer,
Thai boxer and/or
full contact karate fighter who has trained in
wrestling to avoid takedowns and tries to keep the fight
standing. Usually these fighters will study enough
submission wrestling so that in the unfortunate event that
they are taken down to the ground, they can tie their opponents
up and survive long enough to either get back to standing or
until the referee restarts the fight. This style is deceptively
different from regular kickboxing styles, since
sprawl-and-brawlers must adapt their techniques to incorporate
takedown and
ground fighting defense.
Clinch fighting
Clinch fighting is a
tactic that consists of using a
clinch hold to prevent the opponent from moving away into
more distant striking range, while at the same time attempting
takedowns and
striking the opponent using
knees,
stomps,
elbows, and
punches.
The clinch is usually
utilized by wrestlers that have added in components of the
striking game (typically boxing), and
Muay Thai fighters. Often, wrestlers that have added the
striking game are partial to strikes from within the
clinch, particularly wrestlers who have already developed a
strong clinch game. In the case that an exchange on the feet
does not go in their favor, they can bring the fight to the
ground quickly as their true expertise lies in wrestling, so
they are ultimately less timid about trading blows. Through the
use of
Greco-Roman clinching techniques and Muay Thai strikes, neck
clinching and body locks
clinch fighting could be used to devastate ill-prepared
opponents.
Wrestling components
include pummeling and underhooking arms along with "bodylocking"
the waist. Pummelling is commonly learned as a drill and is
similar to the "snaking hands" drill used for practicing the
plumb clinch.
Muay Thai typically
employs the neck clinch where the back of the head is held and
the elbows locked together. From here you can knee, wrestle,
stomp the feet and calf, or perform Greco-Roman style trips
using the feet and knees as leverage, much like trips and slams
in Greco-Roman wrestling. Thai boxers will also clinch or
bodylock the waist and either perform
throws or force the opponent to the floor using their chin
as the force and the bodylock as the
fulcrum, with the legs provinding thrust.
Ground-and-pound
Ground-and-pound is a
ground fighting tactic consisting of taking an opponent to the
ground using a takedown or throw, obtaining a top
position, and then striking the opponent. Ground-and-pound
is also used as a precursor to attempting submission holds.
This style is used by
wrestlers or other fighters well-versed in defending submission
holds and skilled at
takedowns. They take the fight to the ground, maintain a
grappling position, and
strike until their opponent
submits, is
knocked out or is
cut
so badly that the fight can not continue. Although not
traditionally considered a conventional method of striking, the
effectiveness and reliability (as well as recently-developing
science) of this style is proven. Originally, most fighters who
relied on striking on the ground were wrestlers, but considering
how many fights end up on the ground and how increasingly
competitive today's MMA is, strikes on the ground are becoming
more essential to a fighter's training.
Submission grappling
Apart from being a
general martial arts term, submission grappling is also a
reference to the ground fighting tactic consisting of taking an
opponent to the ground using a takedown or
throw, obtaining a
dominant position, and then applying a
submission hold to defeat the opponent. Some submission
grapplers are also content to work from the bottom position
because they are confident that they can find a way to secure a
submission. They will sometimes fall back into the guard
position, dragging the opponent with them. This is known as
"pulling guard."
Submissions are an
essential part of many disciplines, most notably
Catch wrestling,
Judo,
Sambo,
Pankration, and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Fighters with a strong background in
these sports often use submission grappling as a tactic to win
their fights.
An example of a
submission grappling tournament is
ADCC or Grapplers Quest.
"Lay-and-pray"
"Lay-and-Pray" is a
derogatory term for a strategy sometimes used by fighters who
can take an opponent down but are not adept at finishing moves
such as the strikes of Ground-and-Pound or Submissions to
continue offense from the gained position.[21]
They seek to maintain control of positioning and smother any
offense by the opponent, yet mount little or no offense
themselves, hoping for a decision win. In some MMA
organizations, fines can be imposed for lay-and-pray techniques
when the referee determines that the fighter is stalling.
Notable fighters that employ this technique include Tito Ortiz,
such as his win over Wanderlei Silva, and Tim Sylvia. Less
commonly, the term has been applied to a defensive strategy in
which a striking-based fighter who has been taken down and seeks
to cause a stalemate in the action by tying up the opponent and
"praying" for the round to end or a stand up by the referee so
that they can continue with a striking offense.
