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MMA Workouts are not Just for Men

By Alexia Krause

Mixed martial arts appears to be a male dominated sport, yet the number of women who are becoming part of the MMA community is continually growing. There are many female MMA fighters (including Kaitlyn Young and Gina Carano), who follow the same rigorous regimens as their male counterparts. These inspiring ladies have broken open the doors to what used to be the “boy’s club” of MMA. They use the same techniques, MMA equipment, and exercises that most fighters would use. MMA training has the ability to help women stay fit while participating in a competitive and exhilarating sport.

A MMA workout may sound intimidating. However, with the right frame of mind, guys and girls alike can use it to their advantage. MMA workouts train the whole body as one unit, which is a great way to keep the body moving and in shape. A normal training session can include cardio sprints, jumping jacks, and accelerated core workouts. The training of a fighter is a daily endeavor and requires more dedication than a couple visits to the gym each week. Additionally, whether you are a beginner to regular exercise, or supplementing an existing, more advanced routine, these exercises certainly pack a noticeable punch.

On a more serious note, it’s a known fact that men are generally bigger than women by nature and therefore, women are prone to planned attacks from men because they can be considered an easier target. However, with the proper self-defense tactics, you can help even-out the fight. For this reason, a lot of women seek out self-defense classes. The added bonus of self-defense training is the exercise that the individual gets by taking part in the classes. Most people don’t consider the fact that self-defense training is a great way to exercise while increasing your resiliency at the same time. Additionally, MMA exercise routines often include simulated fight training to teach proper self-defense techniques that will be utilized during a match. Therefore, anyone looking for self-defense classes, or an intense exercise routine, or both, might want to check out MMA training. Keep in mind, there is no reason to be nervous about getting hurt because in order to actually train properly, exercises and simulated fights involve the use of MMA gear; like MMA gloves in order to avoid injury.

Articles Zemanta thinks may be related:

• Oct 19, Self-Esteem Begins with Self-Defense (self-defense-mind-body-spirit.com)
• The Psychology of Reality-Based Self Defense (combatsportpsychology.blogspot.com)
• Sep 28, Your Personal Safety and Self-Defense Continuum (self-defense-mind-body-spirit.com)
• Ten NFL Players Gina Carano Could Beat Up (bleacherreport.com)
• Stacey Nemour: Martial Arts: Finding the Perfect Style for You (huffingtonpost.com)
• Ultimate mma strength mma workout program (slideshare.net)

Not too far off — Iaido is a style I’ve wanted to study, but I’ve never been able to find an instructor. I’ve always loved blades — swords, in particular. Once I’ve got time and money, I do intend to take up Kumdo (the Korean version of Kendo).

Contest Information

And just for fun, I’m making this into a contest. Just take the quiz and in the comments below, post your result and whether or not you think the result’s accurate. On November 1st, I’ll chose a winner at random from everyone who posts a comment between now and October 31st. The prize is a copy of Sang H. Kim’s Martial Arts After 40.

• Uechi-ryū (Japan): Okay, I’ve had to break one of my rules to find a “U” martial art — I had to include karate. Uechi-ryū is a style of karate blended with some of the circular motions from Chinese animal style kung-fu. It focuses on self-defense and inner discipline, rather than on sport competition.
  
• Varma Ati (India): Varma Ati (also called “Varma Kali”) focuses on hitting pressure points on the body, both to hurt and to heal. The idea is to stop an attacker, rather than doing him permanent damage.
  
• Wing Chun (China): Focusing on close combat, Wing Chun emphasises practicality and efficiency of movement. Practitioners aim to use the least amount of force required in any combat situation. Like Aikido, it relies on deflection and counter-attack in a single “step”, rather than separating the block from the counter-attack as “hard” styles tend to do.
  
• Xingyiquan (China): Considered a form of boxing, Xingyiguan is a direct, aggressive style with a focus on bursts of explosive power. It uses five techniques, based on the five elements (earth, metal, water, wood, fire), each it’s own “fist” or way of fighting. It also teaches twelve animal forms — the exact ones taught vary from school to school.
  
• Yaw-Yan (Philippines): Officially established in 1972 by Napoleon A. Fernandez, Yaw-Yan (“Dance of Death”)  focuses on hitting fast and hitting hard. Fighters strike with the hands, elbows, knees, and feet. Though superficially similar to Muay Thai, Yaw-Yan uses a wide variety of kicks, as well as punches and some throws.
  
• Zipota (United States): Developed by a Basque family in Texas, USA, Zipota strongly resembles Savate. There is some debate as to whether or not Zipota is a form of its own, or just another name for Savate — or even if it exists at all! It claims to be more brutal than Savate, making use of grappling and throwing techniques, as well as strikes and kicks.

Other Posts in this Series:

• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 1 (A – E)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 2 (F – J)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 3 (K – O)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 4 (P – T)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 5 (V – Z)

• Pankration (Greece): Pankration is an ancient martial art experiencing a modern revival. One of the sports featured in the ancient Greek Olymic games, it’s a mixture of boxing and wrestling likely to be familiar to any MMA fan.
  
• Qwan Ki Do (Vietnam): Established in 1981 by Master Pham Xuân Tong, Quan Ki Dao (Quán khí đạo) stands for “Way of the Body’s Energy”. It includes both open-hand techniques (using a variety of animal forms) and weapons techniques.
  
• Rumi Maki (Peru): An ancient art — the combination of fighting styles from the multiple pre-Incan cultures of the area — Rumi Maki means “Hand of Stone”. Modern Rumi Maki has five levels, each with a different focus. Conditioning the body and weapons forms are also important parts of this style and it has a spiritual component which students learn at level 5.
  
• Savate (France): Meaning “old-[style] shoe”, Savate is one of the few kick boxing styles where the participants are expected to wear shoes. Originally a street-fighting form, Savate uses colored gloves, rather than belts to denote ranking. Its techniques encompass a variety of punches and kicks.
  
• Tahtib (Egypt): [Scroll down to about the middle of the linked page] A type of stick-fighting, tahtib is also used as a form of Middle Eastern dance performed by men. It can be performed on foot or from horseback and has been used as a form of street fighting and gang warfare in Egypt.
  

Other Posts in this Series:

• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 1 (A – E)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 2 (F – J)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 3 (K – O)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 4 (P – T)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 5 (V – Z)

• Kalarippayatu (India): Maybe one of the oldest martial arts styles still in existence today, Kalarippayatu has both internal and external components. This style is actually a collection of regional styles. It has encompasses both empty-hand and weapon techniques.
  
• Lethwei (Myanmar): A form of kickboxing, Lethwei differs from Muay Thai in that it doesn’t use gloves — the combatants hands are wrapped in gauze or hemp cloth. Take-downs are encouraged, as are headbutts. Also, a knockout won’t end a fight, necessarily; the unconscious boxer is revived and given the option of continuing the fight.
  
• Muye24gi (Korea): This traditional Korean style nearly died out. The 24 in its name stands for the 24 methods this style teaches. These methods range from empty-hand techniques, to various weaponry, to fighting from horseback.
  
• Nanbudō (Japan): Founded in 1978 by Yoshinao Nanbu Doshu-Sōke, Nanbudō’s roots are in karate and it has many similarities with that style. But it’s a separate, holistic, art concerned with self-defense and inner health, as well as combat techniques. It especially focuses on the development and flow of ki.
  
• Oki Chi Taw (Canada): Based on the fighting arts of the Plains and Assinaboine Cree aboriginal warriors, Okichitaw uses both open-hand techniques and traditional Cree weapons. It’s a “hybrid” system, using throws and takedowns as well as strikes.
  

Other Posts in this Series:

• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 1 (A – E)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 2 (F – J)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 3 (K – O)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 4 (P – T)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 5 (V – Z)

• Francombat (France): Founded in 1988 by Alain Basset and Dominique Dumolin, Francombat is a French combat style focusing on self-defense. It’s a flexible system which attempts to match the risks of the modern world. In practice, the idea it to remain in motion as much as possible and to become as “inassailable as the wind” and uses the principles of non-resistance and non-opposition. You can view some animated images of it at Francombat: The Art of Strategy (the page is in French).
  
• Gongkwon Yusul (Korea): Gongkwon Yusul is a modern martial art, a hybrid form which makes use of modern practical fighting techniques in a traditional structure, including ranks, uniforms, and forms of respect. Created in 1996 by Master Kang Jun, it combines groundwork, throwing, and takedown techniques with stand-up fighting and striking.
  
• Han Moo Do (Finland): Though founded in Finland, Han Moo Do is based on traditional Korean martial arts. It’s founder, Young Suk (Yoon Soon Hwang) combined several Korean arts, including Tae Kwon Do, Hoi Jeon Moo Sool, and Hapkido to create his new style in 1989. It uses techniques such as kicks, punches, takedowns, throws, wrestling moves, and chokes. It also has three weapon styles: nunchucku, bo (long staff), and sword.
  
• Iaidō (Japan): A sword form, Iaidō focuses on drawing the sword from its sheath, striking with it, then returning the sword to its sheath. The idea is to remain focused in the moment and learn self-control. It fosters a sense of readiness in all things. It’s mostly performed solo against imagined objects or opponents.
  
• Jeet Kun Do (United States): Founded by Bruce Lee and given its name in 1968, Jeet Kun Do is as much a philosophy as a set of fighting techniques. With it, Lee sought to free martial artists from rigid adherence to styles and forms. It’s a flexible system which encourages practitioners to change and adapt techniques to suit their unique abilities.
  

Other Posts in this Series:

• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 1 (A – E)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 2 (F – J)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 3 (K – O)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 4 (P – T)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 5 (V – Z)

• Aikido (Japan): Developed by Morihei Ueshiba, Aikido attempts to use an attacker’s own force against him. Practitioners attempt to blend with an attacker’s movements and redirect them, rather than stopping the attacks head-on.
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• Boabom (Tibet): Like the better known T’ai Chi, Boabom combines relaxation and meditation with self-defense. Though primarily used as a means of helping a student gain maximum health and energy, its techniques can be used in a combat situation.
• Capoeria (Brazil): Developed by African slaves, Capoeria looks like a dance, but is also a very effective martial arts system. Its movements are extremely fluid and highly acrobatic. It makes use of kicks and leg sweeps and, to a lesser extent, elbow strikes, punches, slaps and throws.
  
• Dambe (Nigeria): A type of boxing, dambe fighters wrap one hand in knotted rope for their main striking hand. The lead leg is often wrapped in a chain and used for both defending and striking. Bouts end when one opponent’s hand, knee, or body touches the ground or when an opponent (or official) calls a halt.
• Emei Quan (China): One of the most popular arts in China, Emei Quan is both an internal and external movement style. It has a number of animal styles and comprises both empty-hand and weapons techniques.
  

Other Posts in this Series:

• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 1 (A – E)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 2 (F – J)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 3 (K – O)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 4 (P – T)
• An A-to-Z List of Martial Arts Styles: Part 5 (V – Z)