Today I was thinking about it, and I know that it is obviously true that a fighter cannot have only one weapon in their arsenal. Strikers need to know some grappling/ground work and vice versa.
So my question is: What is a good base art for your beginning Martial Artist to start at? I hear wrestling from most people, but my friend is just training with me and teaching me the basics so I don't exactly plan to actually go far into it.
I would say either boxing, karate, or wrestling. I'll explain each individually.
Boxing: You gotta start somewhere in the striking department. I would suggest if you just want to learn the basics, just learn the block, movements, jab, and cross. Muhammed Ali only had 4 punches in his arsenal with no shots to the body(major wtf), but the way he put them together was so beautifully done.
Karate: If you want to learn the basic kick or two, as well as good self defense and average striking, karate is the way to go. That was my first style learned, but I used that as a stepping stone to progress into other striking arts like Muay Thai and Western Boxing.
Wrestling: Whether it be submission, amateur, Greco-Roman, whatever, it will all help you. Any brute thinks he can effectively "wrestle", but that is just them applying a headlock. Everyone wrestles, whether they are interested in MMA or not, but only a very slight percentage of those know how to wrestle properly.
If you want to go more advanced try Muay Thai or Brazilian Jujitsu.
Boxing: You gotta start somewhere in the striking department. I would suggest if you just want to learn the basics, just learn the block, movements, jab, and cross. Muhammed Ali only had 4 punches in his arsenal with no shots to the body(major wtf), but the way he put them together was so beautifully done.
If we are talking about mma and not street fights western boxing is not that good. You get taught to block with your gloves wich are normally 14-18 oz when training, offering a lot more protection. Slipping punches also poses problems because when you slip in boxing this puts you in a postion to get kicked in mma. Also your stance will need to change from boxing to mma because of takedowns.
Hey thanks a lot. I am already a decent striker, so I think I should cushion it with something similar to Brazilian Jujitsu. My friend says that jujitsu is a must for a Mixed Martial Artist. Is that true?
You pretty much need to have at least basic BJJ, yeah, so you know how to defend submissions. Personally, though, I'd rather be a really great wrestler with basic BJJ than a great BJJ guy with basic wrestling.
Yep. You must know at least SOME BJJ basic defense or you'll end up like our favorite professional wrestler turned UFC fighter, Brock Lesnar.
If not BJJ then something like ***** or catch wrestling. I remember in one of Big Nog's and Fedor's fights, Fedor took Nog to the ground to PROVE ***** is better than BJJ.
I would say BJJ is the best base art, but that's because I'm biased. But MMA was pretty much built around BJJ because of the Gracies, so there is no way of getting around it.
You can be a great striker and just have good takedown defence or you could have good sweeps and know how to get out of things on the ground but not train in jiu jitsu or any type of ground martial art. so basically I think that strikers can survive if they have a good takedown defence and if they know how to get out of certain postions on the ground
It's not that you need BJJ to win, it's that you need it so you don't lose. I believe Chuck Liddell, who has never won by submission, ever, is a purple belt in BJJ. Why? Because he realizes that there are fighters out there that try to win by submission and if you're going to beat them then you need to know how to defend those submissions.
the big thing here is that we can and shouldn't make the decision for you. we can only give you choses tell you the strengths and weaknesses of the styles. Really you have to go and find out for yourself through research and trial and error so you can find what works best for you.
for instance no one suggested Pa kua chang to me in fact someone would have told me 5 years ago that I was going to be training in it I would have told them they were crazy. But I am training in it and plan to for a long time.
It took me 18 years to find the right style jumping from karate to wrestling to akido to kick boxing to BJJ to TKD and then I finally found Pa kua chang which is the perfect style for me. Now my footwork is phenomenal and I can dace circles around my friends and my balance speed and striking has increased several folds.
Boxing, kick-boxing, muay-thai, karate (only if you can find a decent school, this has been hard in my case)
If you can avoid fighting anywhere but inside a ring/gym/dojo w.e sanctioned etc, then I would say the choice is yours.
But wrestling, bjj or grappling will help you very little outside such a fight.
When you try and take someone down or get close and stay close to them you started a race I dont like to run. And that is the race to the eyes, throat or groin. He puts a thumb in your eye, you going to be able to pull off a submission? Or are you going to get stomped on the ground?
Where as standing the average person poses little threat to someone with a few months in kick boxing.
well i just remembered cung lee is a Black belt in TKD and has around half a year of kung fu.
that just reenforces my point many people on this forum tend to bash TKD but hey if it works for you thats what matters.
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