Learning martial arts or, for that matter, MMA (mixed martial arts), is anything but easy. Thanks to the influx of various Bruce Lee and other martial arts-themed movies, most people are generally under the impression that it takes years of training. They’re not wrong. Learning MMA is hard; that’s a given.
But learning MMA, such as Muay Thai, is even more so. The reason they’re extremely popular can be chalked up to a single question: “Does MMA build confidence?” The answer is a resounding “Yes.”
Learning MMA can instill an unerring sense of confidence in yourself. Better yet, you become more skilled at defending yourself. Read on to learn more.
How Does MMA Help Build Confidence?
It may surprise you that muay Thai owes its development to Thai boxing. Over the last few decades, muay Thai has long since transformed from a “national sport” into a discipline of its own, with formalized rules, annual competition, and even one-on-one tournaments. Sure, you are bound to ask yourself, “does MMA build confidence?” Well, here’s how mixed martial arts can help provide your confidence with a much-needed boost.
● Learn how to defend yourself:
Muay Thai is a combat sport specializing in self-defense. You will learn all the basic skills of self-defence. This should enable you to defend yourself and your loved ones from any attack, should the need arise.
Sounds corny, right? But it’s true; the need to defend yourself arises from a primal urge deep in your brain. Several studies have indicated that learning to defend yourself can indeed boost your confidence. When you learn to defend yourself, it changes your mindset and the way you interact with others.
● Body image issues:
If you have low self-esteem, especially concerning your body, you need to take up mixed martial arts. For starters, Muay Thai consists of several intensive training sessions, where you will be required to exercise your muscles rigorously.
In the process, you are bound to become stronger and fitter. Simply put, mixed martial arts can indeed help you transform. But the process can be long, with grit and determination playing a pivotal role.
● Performing under pressure:
When it comes to MMA, one of the key lessons that you can learn is how to perform under pressure. Learning MMA can help you deal with such situations more effectively.
In MMA, you will be tasked to fight against a more experienced opponent. Performing under such intense pressure is bound to put you off at the start. But after a while, you’ll get used to it and will be more than able to hold your own against any Muay Thai opponent.
● Failure – an opportunity:
Sure, you are bound to lose a few bouts at the start of your training. Additionally, it’s bound to have an impact on your already low confidence. That’s where one of the pivotal lessons in Muay Thai kicks in.
Muay Thai teaches you to look at all failures as opportunities to learn and better yourself. So, instead of throwing in the towel and calling it quits, Muay Thai forces you to examine your actions, learn where you went wrong, and improve yourself.
At the start of the course, you’re bound to get more than a few techniques wrong. So, practice again and again until you can perform it flawlessly. As a plus, you will find that your confidence levels have improved as well.
Does Training MMA Lead To Get Into More Street Fights?
More often than not, the general public is under the impression that all martial arts, including mixed martial arts, are about aggression and overwhelming your opponent. Nothing is further from the truth.
While it’s true there are various martial arts disciplines, Muay Thai, in particular, teaches you about self-control and the need to de-escalate a fight before it gets out of control. Think about it logically for a moment. You’ll find that Muay Thai hones your self-defense skills.
Muay Thai is geared towards protecting yourself and your loved ones from sudden attacks. It certainly is not about making aggressive moves, subjugating or overwhelming others, but rather defending yourself. Learning mixed martial arts or muay Thai should teach you about de-escalating a fight before it gets out of control.
How Does MMA Training Help Develop Discipline?
When it comes to mixed martial arts or any form of martial arts training, from karate to taekwondo, you’re bound to find that discipline plays a pivotal role. Simply put, you need to be disciplined to excel in all forms of martial arts. Here’s how MMA training can help you develop discipline and hone your skills:
● Self-control:
MMA classes teach you about self-control early on. When it comes to MMA, you must practice self-control and keep your emotions in check. Just follow the set format, which includes sticking with the techniques you had practiced. Granted, you’re bound to encounter a few opponents you may find challenging.
There’s no excuse for forgetting all about MMA and attempting to strike back with whatever’s in your hand. Instead, you practice self-control and utilize the various MMA techniques and moves to defend yourself and take down your opponent.
● Self-esteem:
As you follow the rigorous MMA training classes to the letter, your body is bound to become more toned and muscular. The transformation will impact your self-esteem and boost your confidence.
● Focus:
When it comes to MMA, you must be able to focus on your opponent to utilize the right counters. It would be best to focus on your opponent’s moves, think strategically, and utilize the right moves to bring the bout to an early end.
To that end, MMA teaches you how to improve your focus. It gives you a sense of calm and clarity, enabling you to focus better. Remember, you can become an excellent MMA fighter only if you improve concentration.
● Commitment:
Training can be downright rigorous. No one claimed that it would be a cakewalk. That’s why you need to stay committed despite some of the training sessions, techniques, and even bouts, becoming “challenging.” You can only become an exceptional MMA fighter if you stay committed to the path.
● Setting goals:
Goal setting is one of the cornerstones of MMA teaching and most martial arts classes. Setting goals enables you to become more focused on attaining them. To that end, MMA has formalized a belt system, where students are encouraged to focus on the next “grade” belt.
● Self-discipline:
Yup, MMA teaches you all about discipline and why it’s an essential part of your training. But MMA also encourages you to practice the same self-discipline in your daily life. For example, you can learn more about self-control, the need to focus on certain tasks at hand, and how to think strategically.
All of these are part of MMA. Moreover, you will likely set up a rigorous, daily training schedule. You will also be bound to follow a healthy diet—all of which can only serve to improve your life.
Conclusion
MMA classes enable you to develop your self-defense skills, making it possible to take on any aggressors. With the right training, you can protect yourself and your family from sudden attacks. It must be pointed out again that MMA is a combative sport that is not used to initiate any attack.
It’s primarily used for self-defense which is why most MMA classes are about self-defense techniques and how to counter any sudden attacks.
As a course, it provides detailed techniques for improving your self-defense and, at the same time, how to focus and concentrate better. The techniques and various training protocols, including the one-on-one bouts, are a tad “intimidating” and downright rigorous. But by sticking with these classes, you are bound to become more toned and an expert MMA fighter in a quick time. So if you have wondered, “Does MMA build confidence?”, you have your answer. So what are you waiting for?