Welcome to our Beginning MMA series a weekly series of articles designed to give the beginning MMA enthusiast a chance to gather valuable experience and tips even before stepping into the gym.

Week one the stance
Most MMA fighters use the classic “boxers stance” one shoulder and one leg slightly forward, chin tucked in close to the chest, knees lightly bent. This stance allows a fighter to throw a variety of strikes with the hands or legs, while allowing for good takedown defense. A good example of this stance is with UFC® fighter Rich Franklin. The other stance you will see is the “wrestler’s stance” this stance is similar to the stance described earlier except the fighter is more “squared” to his/her opponent. In this stance your shoulders will not be forward but squared to your opponent, your legs slightly forward but not as much as the “boxer’s stance” with the hands high in front of you. This allows great takedown defense while allowing for easier takedowns on your opponent. A good example of this stance is with UFC® fighter Diego Sanchez. With time you will be comfortable using and defending both styles and, depending on your opponent will be able to use both interchangeably.

Week two The Punches
Welcome to week two of our beginning MMA series. Hopefully you have practiced your stance until you are “blue in the face” as the only way to master anything is to practice. If you are just joining us, refer back to week one the stance before beginning this lesson.

The Jab: From our “boxers” or “wrestlers” stance you will extend your lead arm (right arm for leftys left arm for rightys). Snap you lead arm out at your opponent and quickly pull back into place. This step is important as you are vulnerable to a “hook” punch from your opponent when your arm is extended. A series of quick jabs can be used as a “range finder” to set up your more lethal punches and kicks. The jab is the “workhorse” of the punches and is also used to set up takedowns and kicks.UFC® Heavyweight Champ Tim Silvia has great technique with the jab and can be used as an example

The Cross: This punch is usually set up by the jab. With your back arm (left for lefties right for righties) using the power of the shoulder muscles extend your arm at and through your target. Snap you arm quickly back in place. This is a straight punch through your opponents guard, and should be thrown at the point of your opponents chin. Remember to keep your lead arm high to block any counter punch from your opponent.

Watch Rich Franklins’ knockout of Nate Quarry as an example of this punch

The Hook: This is a variation of the cross but is thrown with a sweeping motion. This punch will go around your opponents guard and land on the side of your opponents face/head. This punch will leave you vulnerable to a counter punch from your opponent so, keep your lead arm high to block any counter punch from your opponent, and snap the punching arm quickly back in place. UFC® fighter Chuck “The Iceman Liddell is famous for his hook

The Uppercut: this is a more advanced punch and will be discussed in the section on clinches.

Summary: Total mastery of the punches is essential and will alloy you to compete with any martial artis anywhere, anytime. Above all else practice, practice, practice. At this point you may want to start looking for a sparring partner, and may want to purchase a pair of boxing gloves. I would suggest 12oz gloves to begin with rather than the 4oz gloves used in MMA.

Week three: Evasion and blocking: The ability to strike without being struck in return is essential in MMA competition. This is referred to as evasion. The ability to absorb a blow on a non vulnerable part of the body is known as blocking. The keys to evasion techniques are footwork and body/head movement.

Footwork: When your opponent launches a punch move a step backwards or to the side. Do not move too far back as this will not allow you to counterstrike your opponent. It is important not to use the same movement every time as a skilled oponent will figure out the pattern and “time” your movements with a strike. An example is with UFC fighter Chuck Liddell, Chuck moves sideways in a circular pattern allowing him to strike, without staying in front of his opponent.

Body/head movement: Slip your head outside of incoming punches by moving both your head and torso, setting yourself up for counterstrikes and takedowns. Move your torso and head underneath incoming punches. This allows you a chanceat a quick takedown or at least a bodylock on your opponent. An example is with UFC fighter Randy Couture and his recent win over Tim Silvia, Randy used great body/head movement to neutralize Silvia’s strikes and, set himself up in a position to use his Greco Roman wrestling skills to take Silvia to the mat.

Blocks: Cover block this block is essential to any MMA fighter’s defense. It is used to protect the head from punches,elbows and kicks. Raise your hand to the back of your neck, and raise the elbow of the same arm high, as you tuck your chin and take the impact of your opponents strike on the outer arm. Remember to keep your other hand high to protect the other side of your head in caseof a combination. Do not reach out to block with your arm let the strike come to you and take the impact close to your head. An example is with UFC fighter Tito Ortiz, Tito does a great job keeping his hands high and uses the cover block to avoid serious damage.

Palm or hand block: this block is used to knock your opponent jab off course, it is not sufficient to block any other strikes.

Double Forearm Block: Is an effective way to block punches and kicks and works really well on straight punches such as the crosss. From your stance turn toward the incoming strike and simultaneously step away from it slightly. Bring your forearms together and tuck your chin, crunch your torso inwards like a turtle going into its shell. The strike should be absorbed by your forearms.

Beginning MMA: The Kicks
Welcome to our Beginning MMA series a weekly series of articles designed to give the beginning MMA enthusiast a chance to gather valuable experience and tips even before stepping into the gym.

Week Four: The Kicks
Kicks are an important tool in your Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) repertoire. Although secondary in striking to the punches, kicks when properly executed can either change the “flow” of a fight, or end the fight completely. The first kick of significance is the front kick so named because it is your lead or front leg which is use in the strike.

Front Kick: From your stance snap your lead or front leg out and into your opponent’s thigh right above the knee (most MMA events prohibit striking at or below the knees).This should be a quick kick and you should reset your stance quickly to avoid being taken down. Based on your opponent’s stance you can strike the outer thigh or the inner thigh. This is kick serves several purposes.

  
1. Repeated kicks to your opponents legs hinder his/her mobility and explosivenessThe front kick can be used to set up your power punches.
2. The front kick can be used as a deterrent to your opponent’s takedowns.

 

Example: UFC fighter Georges St. Pierre used this kick effectively against Matt Hughes at UFC® 65: BAD INTENTIONS

The Roundhouse Kick: This is your power kick and can have devastating effects on your opponent. In your stance swing your rear leg at and through your opponent using the hip muscles to generate great power. You should make contact with your shin bone as this is a hard non-sensitive part of your body. One strategy is to start out with the low kicks to your opponent thigh, then as the fight wears on fake the low kick and strike your opponents head. This kick is responsible for more “highlight reel” knockouts than any other kick. One example is with UFC fighter Tim Silvia’s knockout of Tra Teligman at UFC 54®: Boiling Point

Beginning MMA: Welcome to our Beginning MMA series, a weekly series of articles designed to give the beginning MMA enthusiast a chance to gather valuable experience and tips even before stepping into the gym.

Week Five: The Standing Clinches
Clinching skills are essential to any Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter. Not just from an offensive standpoint, but also from a defensive point of view. The Clinch is an underused defensive tool. How many times have we seen a fighter stunned by a blow back up against the ropes (or cage) and try and cover up, only to be pounded out by his opponent?In cases like this a clinch would be a much better and safer option.Keep in mind clinch fighting is a combination of strength, balance and technique, only mastered through much practice. There are essentially two types of clinches, neutral where neither fighter has a positional advantage and dominating where one fighter has control over the other fighter.

Neutral Clinches: The Collar and Elbow clinch is the first neutral clinch we will talk about. You will have one arm around your opponents neck, (this is your underhook) and one arm on your opponents bicep (overhook). In this position neither fighter has a positional advantage. Keep in mind a stronger more experienced fighter can manipulate a weaker or less experienced opponent, but it is hard to land any real heavy blows in this position. Knee strikes to the midsection are the most favored blows from this clinch.Over and Under clinch: In this clinch you will have one arm underneath one of your opponent’s arms (underhook) and one arm over his/her arm or neck. You can lock your hands together to establish even more control. Most MMA fighters use this clinch when hurt, tired, or as a precursor to a more dominating clinch. A skilled fighter can land hard knees to the midsection or thigh area in this clinch. Keep in mind that as this clinch is neutral your opponent can land the same strikes as you. Practice these clinches diligently, as they are essential to MMA competition.

Next week the dominating Clinches.

Week Six: The Standing Clinches
The Dominant Clinches: Dominant clinches are clinches where one fighter has a distinct positional advantage over his/her opponent. Some dominate clinches are used as a transition, such as a wrestler using a double underhook clinch to get a takedown. Some dominant clinches are used for striking purposes especially in Muay Thai kickboxing.

Double underhook clinch: This clinch occurs when you have both of your arms around your opponents body underneath his/her arms. You can clasp your hands together for more control. This clinch is relatively easy to obtain, and can be used to set up single and double leg takedowns. This is an excellent defensive position as you have great control over your opponent’s movements. Knees can be launched from this position.

Rear Clinch: This clinch offers excellent defensive position and control. You will be behind your opponent with your arms locked around his/her waist, under one or both arms. This clinch is used to set up the takedown and also the rear naked choke.

Neck Clinch: In this clinch you are actually controlling your opponent by clinching his head not the neck as the name would suggest. Place one hand on the crown of your opponent head, and place the other hand on top of the first. Press your forearms into your opponent’s collarbones. Stand up on your toes, and keep your opponents head lower than yours. Place your chest against your opponent’s chest. You have great control over your opponents movements and can keep him/her off balance by swinging sideways, not allowing them to establish a base. This is a great offensive position as devastating knees to the body and head can be launched with your back leg. This clinch is also used to set up the Guillotine choke.

Front Headlock Choke: This is the most dominant of the standing chokes. It offers a tight and controlling grip, while allowing excellent striking, takedown, and submission opportunities. To obtain the Front headlock choke, wrap your arm around your opponents head and grab the chin, use your other arm to grab your opponents elbow and pull it outward. You must control our opponents head and one of his/her arms; remember to keep your head on the side of the trapped arm. Keep your elbow back and tight into your ribs, you can lock your hands together for even more control. This clinch once secured, allows you to strike with the knees to the vulnerable parts of your opponents head. It also allows quick access to a guillotine choke, while allowing your opponent few offensive opportunities.

Week Seven: The Takedowns
There are several schools of thought on takedowns, and most disciplines have their own takedowns incorporated in them. All are very similar and most involve either “shooting” at opponents legs, or using sweeps and throws from the clinch. Most of the shoots have evolved from freestyle wrestling where to objective is to get the opponent down, and put the opponent in a submissive position thereby gaining points or a pin. This style was dominant in early MMA competition but in recent years, opponents learned to block takedowns via a “sprawl”. Takedowns from the clinch are very effective, and allow you to take your opponent down while taking minimal punishment.Double Leg Takedown (shoot): Similar to a football tackle from the shoot you will drive into your opponent and secure both arms around his/her legs behind the knee, your shoulder should hit your opponent hip. Always keep your head to the outside of your opponents lead leg, not allowing his/her more powerful punching arm access to strike you.