Sparring is going to be your key to success in mixed martial arts training.
It is the closest we can get to an actual fight.
Sparring should be taken lightly by those beginning MMA training as it is something you need to work your way up to.
Here we talk about a few tips that can get the ball rolling for you and be able to spar with some of the best in your club and elsewhere.
Jab Repeatedly.
If you've ever had someone's hand in your face for a period of time, your gut reaction is to knock it out of the way.
It keeps one in a defensive zone that will keep them occupied while you set up an offence.
This will open up vulnerable areas of their game that you are exposing.
You can take complete advantage of them and earn the W.
Keep That Chin Tucked In.
Fighters usually realize how important this is, but get really confident and like to leave their chin out there.
That can often be when they get popped in the jaw and are laying flat on the mat.
Remember that in MMA we fight with 4 ounce gloves.
This isn't boxing.
You can get knocked out right away.
4 ounce gloves are meant to protect hands not faces.
There isn't any room for error.
You need to practice keeping your chin tucked in practice, and habituate it to your fight game.
Relax and Breathe.
Decide that you are going to do whatever it takes to consciously breathe relaxed and calm during the fight.
As soon as you tense up and start holding your breath you aren't ventilating or oxygenating your body.
As soon as you deprive your body of the oxygen it needs you cause anaerobic metabolism in your tissues, leading to lactic acid production.
As well if you aren't ventilating carbon dioxide, your body retains carbonic acid that will also lead to early onset fatigue.
These tips should be further elaborated on.
There is so much information that they can't teach you in your MMA training club.
Utilize an MMA training program that will talk more about these topics improve your fight game.