Tweet
Originally posted by Jacksons Shred
View Post
There are two kinds of guys that sort of give MMA a bad name:
First, "the fighters you see on TV". They do nothing wrong, but what you see is very different to what you will experience if you get into MMA. These guys are pros, they make their living this way, and it is more than just fighting for them. There is vicious, unforgiving competition before they even the bell rings. They have to put a fair amount of showmanship in, they have to have PR, they have to sell themselves in order to make money, and then of course they have to win in order to keep getting paid.
As a hobbyist or even serious amateur, you won't have to worry about any of that. All you have to do is keep working and keep improving yourself for as long as you enjoy it.
The other kind of guys that get mentioned a lot, are the arrogant pricks, and that's a good point too. Here is some information about them and MMA:
MMA does in no way make you an arrogant prick (if anything it does the opposite), but as a physical, competitive, and highly popular activity, it does draw a lot of them. It is important however to note that these people almost never last. The most they usually do is sloppily learn a few tricks, quit out of frustration and continue being jerks outside the sport while claiming "i've done MMA" every chance they get. The reason these people never last is because no matter who or what you are, you will get humbled. You will get - always gently enough for a beginner!
- punched, kicked, choked, mounted, and thrown like a ragdoll by all kinds of guys - and girls. Eventually it will be your turn to face a total beginner, who might be double your size, and then you realise how much you have learned and how much you still have ahead of you 
My point is that the people who give MMA a bad name are almost never representative of actual MMA fighters and what it is like to train in MMA.
Martial Arts is an Art, and a beautiful one at that. Those MMA guys learn to fight quick, and get decent, but they lack the discipline and knowledge to continue themselves as fighters. The art is more then fighting.
Think of competition as the equivalent to playing live: no second chances and no excuses, you are out there, and what shows is the ultimate truth - and often the ultimate fun
. It is first and foremost a mental thing, and that is why your average bully - alpha wannabe can't handle it. I don't think it is for everyone either - you have to have certain qualities. So i am not saying that everyone who fights MMA is a saint, just a normal of mix people like in every walk of life, only these people can take a punch or three .
I can't help but feel this generation of mixed martial arts isn't necessarily what Bruce Lee had in mind, but to each his own I guess.
Anyway this got kind of long, just find a style and school that you like and train hard! Ask around and it shouldn't be hard at all to find a quality MMA gym in your area. You can always go and watch a couple of classes to get a rough idea.
Comment