MMA: complete combat sport for law enforcement and military personnel

MMA, like many martial arts, is one of the best sports for military and law enforcement. Complete and intense, it allows working on many physical and mental qualities.

Summary:

• Presentation
• Rules and prohibitions
• Weight categories
• Fight progression
• How to win a fight?
• Health benefits
• How to practice?

MMA, abbreviation for "Mixed Martial Art" is, as its name suggests, a discipline that combines several. Indeed, MMA combines combat techniques from numerous martial arts such as kickboxing, judo, wrestling, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu or even muay thai.

France was the last European country to legalize MMA because of its controversial reputation. We had to wait until February 2020 for the ban to be officially lifted. Despite the prohibition, MMA fans were already numerous, as were practitioners. The popularity of this sport has continued to grow over the years, particularly through social media, video platforms or live streaming. The best-known American organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is certainly the world league that has most contributed to the meteoric rise of MMA with big stars like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey or even Khabib Nurmagomedov, Anderson Silva and Francis Ngannou.

Despite its reputation as a combat sport where anything goes, MMA imposes several rules. It is forbidden, for example:

• To strike the opponent in the genitals;

• To grab or pull hair;

• Putting fingers in the eyes, nose, mouth or ears;

• To bite, pinch or scratch;

• To throw your opponent out of the octagon or make them fall on their head;

• Striking the throat or spine.

Other rules are added according to organizations. Generally speaking, the MMA practitioner must also respect the referees, officials and their opponent.

Like other combat sports, MMA competitions are organized by weight categories that may vary according to organizations. Most of the time, we find 9 weight categories:

1. Flyweight: under 57 kg

2. Bantamweight: under 61 kg

3. Featherweight: under 66 kg

4. Lightweight: under 70 kg

5. Welterweight: under 77 kg

6. Middleweight: under 84 kg

7. Light heavyweight: under 93 kg

8. Heavyweight: under 120 kg

9. Super heavyweight: over 120 kg

An MMA fight generally takes place in a cage, also known as an octagon. Unlike a boxing ring, this cage is closed by mesh walls. They therefore allow blocking an opponent, limiting their mobility and means of defense or even serving as support. An MMA fight is usually composed, outside of championships, of three rounds each lasting 5 minutes. Beginners can start with 3-minute rounds while professionals can sometimes fight up to 5 rounds of 5 minutes.

By nature, Mixed Martial art is an intense and complete sport. MMA fighters can adapt their fighting style at any time, depending on the situation. This is what makes the beauty of this sport. Thus, there is no typical progression. The fight can be entirely standing and end with a KO as well as immediately go to the ground and end with a submission by chokehold or joint lock.

To win an MMA fight, you must either:

• Obtain a knockout (KO) or a submission before the time limit.

• Wait for the judges' decision at the end of the time limit which declares a winner or a tie.

An MMA fight can also stop for disqualification when one of the fighters breaks a rule or by technical decision, if one or both fighters get injured unintentionally. In this latter case, the judges can declare a tie or designate a winner.

Mixed Martial Art training brings numerous health benefits for the practitioner. Indeed, to improve in this complete sport, the fighter must work on many physical and mental qualities. Thus, an MMA session can:

• Improve cardiovascular health;

• Develop respiratory capacity;

• Build muscle throughout the body;

• Work on coordination;

Intense, the sessions allow you to let off steam and release stress and anxiety from daily life. Like any martial art, MMA shares common values of courage, taste for effort, self-improvement and respect for the opponent. Working on these qualities and respecting these values make MMA an ideal sport for military and law enforcement.

The MMA practitioner generally trains for several disciplines:

• A standing combat sport: boxing, karate, muay thai...

• A close-contact combat sport of "clinch" type: wrestling, judo...

• A ground combat sport of "grappling" type: Brazilian jiu-jitsu, sambo, ...

• A muscle strengthening and cardiovascular sport: crossfit, jump rope, weight training, cycling, running...

If you're a complete beginner, the simplest approach is to join an MMA club. If there isn't one near you yet, start by working on a standing combat sport like boxing for example and a ground sport like Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Muscle strengthening and cardiovascular training can be done alone at home, with bodyweight or with weights.

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