The Shaolin Way To Train Mixed Martial Arts - Part One

This is the first blog post in a series of three about how to train in Mixed Martial Arts. Each week I'll give you one training method to do and by the end of the three weeks, you'll have three new skills which will help you in your training. Remember to send me a message and let me know how you're getting on.  

How To Replicate Your Fight In Your Training 

Recently I've been asked to train MMA fighters. I know some martial artists are purest but I love not only martial arts but also the fighting arts.  I like to watch MMA fights because there aren't many rules and the fighter need to be able to use many skills. But I think that MMA fighters stay on the ground too long. Everyone knows that in any fight competition, if you can knock someone out as quickly as possible then not only will you win but you will become a famous fighter.

If it was a street fight and you had someone on the ground for a few minutes then you would probably be killed by someone else who is standing. A few minutes is a few minutes too long. When we train in Shaolin, in some ways it's similar to MMA because we practice punch, kick, and take-down. The only difference is that in Shaolin we don't train in ground fighting because Chinese culture doesn't allow us to fight on the ground. We don't see it as equal if someone is on the ground and we are standing. It's not wrong to fight on the ground, it's just different culture.

At the Shaolin Temple, we train our arms in many different ways to make our punch and arm become our weapon. When you do MMA, you need to train your arm to punch and wrestle. Wrestling takes a lot of energy and makes your arm tired more quickly than a punch. This means in your training, you need to replicate the different ways that you use your muscles.

In my Shaolin Bootcamp Training DVDs, we use our body weight to train our arms. The training doesn't look difficult but when you train like this, is the toughest workout you can do because we are constantly using our muscles in different ways. It gives you the strength to shift from punching to wrestling and back again. This week, I want you to challenge your muscles in every way, this will help you keep your training alive so it's similar to a fight.


Next week: How To Find Your Special Skill And Turn It Into A Weapon


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Related DVDs
Shaolin Bootcamp 1 & 2
Fighting Punches and Kicks - volume 1
Fighting Punches and Kicks - take downs
Kung Fu Ch'an - fighting combinations, blocks and pad work.