# Is it better to have a background when starting MMA or not?



## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

I'm having a big argument with some guys who train or have trained MMA. I always thought that it is better to enter MMA with a background in some martial art, because it gives you work ethic, it makes you already good in at least one aspect of MMA and it's more fun to watch guys who have unusual moves.

On the other hand, my debate pals claim that learning other martial arts gives you bad habits, which you inevitably must change to suit MMA, so it's better to start without a background. And they back it up with some new trend of pure MMA guys defeating BJJ, Judo and ***** guys.

Discuss.


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## bigdog89 (Oct 17, 2007)

fedor-***** first 
lesnar wrestling first
anderson silva- muay thai
henderson-wrestling


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## G_Land (Aug 11, 2009)

I see both sides I have a back ground with some BJJ and Judo but I can see where your friends are coming from...The whole empty canvas to do what ever with. I think it really depends on the person tho.


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## xbrokenshieldx (Mar 5, 2007)

I think it is difficult to say at this point. Most fighters today do come in with some background, for the simple reason that MMA and Vale Tudo weren't as popular when they were coming up as they are today. 

I definitely see your point, but I think people who train MMA, especially the young individuals coming up now who are going to be training MMA entirely throughout their lives can get the same work ethic. But we have seen individuals with strong bases really struggle at other parts of the game. I think the future of MMA is going to be training all aspects of fighting from an early age, before indivdiuals develop those bad habits your friends are talking about. Imagine how well-rounded the fighters are going to be in 10 years, when they have been training muay Thai, boxing, BJJ and wrestling since they were in middle-school.


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

Work ethic can be achieved in MMA too, but my point is why should I have to start from scratch if I can have a background in some art? I need to modify it, sure, but in my mind it always sounded better than having to learn all at once from scratch.


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## xbrokenshieldx (Mar 5, 2007)

I don't necessarily disagree with you, and it really awaits to be seen.

But, as an analogy, I like to think about it like learning languages. It is always easier to learn several languages at once (when you are younger) than it is to try to pick things up later. I think you can reasonably apply training here. If you are interested in becoming a mixed martial artist, the best approach (I think) would be to start training complete MMA young, and pick up all of the skills necessary to become a complete fighter. I want to emphasize the young part (11, 12, 13 etc). I do, however, think if you are 18 or 19, and deciding you want to give MMA a shot, that it is better to come in with a base that you can build off of. I don't think we are disagreeing, really, I just think it depends on which point in the life-course one begins their training.


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## KillingRoad89 (Jul 28, 2009)

It's always nice to start off with something because then you have a base to work up from.


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## SigFig (Sep 22, 2009)

At the current time... wrestling.

Why

Lame-o scoring system favors wrestling base.

Fighter gets used to weight cutting.


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## rogue-status (Oct 1, 2009)

In my opinion its much better having a back ground in some martial arts training. It takes years just to build up solid head kicks and leg kicks with flexibility and conditioning. I live in England and were i live its now the "cool thing" to be doing mma which is rubbish. The serious mma schools are in short supply round my way and there are so many rubbish schools that are teaching mma. Its just a fad for so many young lads that have no training at all. Ive seen so many in my gyms bragging and kitted out in there mma "tapout" clothes bouncing round like there pro fighters when they have only been mma training for months. :sarcastic12:.
Its getting a bit of a joke the amount of men that are doing it with no background and alot of them cant fight. Ive sparred with many and they cant kick to head height and there take downs are rubbish there combo's are slow etc. 
I trained solid in karate from a kid and jujitsu and kickboxing later on. Thats years upon years of condition and training so yes it makes a *big difference* when sparring with new "mma wannabes". I dont train in a mma school because there is not a good one by me but i know i can take out any of the "team tapout" punks round my city with my background as there training is of a low standard compared with other places in uk and Usa.

Alot of retards dont realise when they watch GSP, SILVA etc that they have trained in individual arts since they were kids and not just joined some fancy mma school.


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

There is a big trend of opening MMA schools in Serbia right now. There are more MMA schools than BJJ or ***** schools here. Guys don't want to build a base in something, they want it all at once.


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## streetpunk08 (Jul 15, 2006)

There's been alot of MMA gyms opening up in my area over the last few years. As for the topic, it's a good discussion but I would have to lean towards having a base when you start training that you've been familiar with and trained to have the work ethic and whatnot but to have something you've been comfortable and knowledgeable with to always fall back on. Right now the strongest base obviously appears to be wrestling.


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## azer (Jun 19, 2007)

Great topic. 

I think the crux of it is there is really not an MMA curriculum out there or a good way to hone your skills through competition with high level opponents doing pure MMA. One of the big reasons you see fighters doing well with a wrestling base is because to become a high level wrestler they had to train very hard and compete against other elite athletes. Wrestling is pretty big here in the US so it attracts top athletes. You can start competing at a young age and get all the high level training and competition you want which produces skilled high level athletes.

IF there were a similar MMA curriculum out there and competition opportunities it would make more sense to train pure MMA. Since most people beleive that to reach a high level you have to compete, they advocate training and competing in various disciplines and then working on integration. Either way it's a trade off.

If the sport continues to enjoy the popularity it currently has eventually we will get amateur level competition going in the US like they have in Europe with Pankration and Combat Grappling under FILA.

Until then your probably better off training and competing in a couple of different things. Grappling/Boxing... BJJ/Muay Thai.. or whatever floats your boat.

my2cents


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

Maybe you are right azer. But wrestling is really big in the US, what about other countries, which invest far less in sports? Like mine!


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## azer (Jun 19, 2007)

Freelancer said:


> Maybe you are right azer. But wrestling is really big in the US, what about other countries, which invest far less in sports? Like mine!


Hey Freelancer, I don't post much here so I don't know where you are from. Where u @?


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

Serbia.


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## azer (Jun 19, 2007)

Freelancer said:


> Serbia.


We were just in Kharkov Ukraine with a team of kids from the USA and we met a lot of people from Eastern Europe. There seem to be alot of MMA clubs in your part of the world with regular competitions. FILA has set up a competition format with Submission Grappling ( No Strikes ), Pankration ( strikes below the collarbone ) and Combat Grappling ( full mma ). We are behind the curve here in the US because we don't really have anything like that. There is also a lot of Combat ***** over there which gives you a way to compete in amateur MMA.

I know there is a big FILA events coming up in Croatia and Poland.


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

azer said:


> We were just in Kharkov Ukraine with a team of kids from the USA and we met a lot of people from Eastern Europe. There seem to be alot of MMA clubs in your part of the world with regular competitions. FILA has set up a competition format with Submission Grappling ( No Strikes ), Pankration ( strikes below the collarbone ) and Combat Grappling ( full mma ). We are behind the curve here in the US because we don't really have anything like that. There is also a lot of Combat ***** over there which gives you a way to compete in amateur MMA.
> 
> I know there is a big FILA events coming up in Croatia and Poland.


Croatia and Slovenia invest a lot more in martial arts than Serbia. But there are one or two good MMA teams, and a world class BJJ club. Plus Greco-Roman is very strong here.


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## IronMan (May 15, 2006)

Freelancer said:


> I'm having a big argument with some guys who train or have trained MMA. I always thought that it is better to enter MMA with a background in some martial art, because it gives you work ethic, it makes you already good in at least one aspect of MMA and it's more fun to watch guys who have unusual moves.
> 
> On the other hand, my debate pals claim that learning other martial arts gives you bad habits, which you inevitably must change to suit MMA, so it's better to start without a background. And they back it up with some new trend of pure MMA guys defeating BJJ, Judo and ***** guys.
> 
> Discuss.


There are bad habits that you come to MMA with, but everyone (even guys that don't have a prior background) are going to have bad habits the first time they get on the mat.

The difference is that the guys who have a background are (a) going to be more athletic and (b) going to be more used to learning kinesthetically, both of which are major factors in learning MMA.

There are lots of incredibly athletic guys that have come to MMA from sports that cause serious bad habits, many wrestlers, and they are often incredibly successful in a short period of time, against other up-and-coming fighters. Why? Because their athleticism and their experience learning techniques, as well as many of the basic skills they already have, put them a step ahead of all of the other guys.

So it helps to have a background, and I do think it's clear that some backgrounds are superior to others (though a lot of that depends on the quality of coaching one gets and the level of competition in the background) but what's most important is the ability to learn the new skills, because there's so much ground to cover in learning MMA.


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

IronMan said:


> There are bad habits that you come to MMA with, but everyone (even guys that don't have a prior background) are going to have bad habits the first time they get on the mat.
> 
> The difference is that the guys who have a background are (a) going to be more athletic and (b) going to be more used to learning kinesthetically, both of which are major factors in learning MMA.
> 
> ...


Thanks for contributing!:thumbsup:

I agree with you. My brother who trained Kyokushin before had no problem learning judo techniques, he even claims it had helped him.


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## azer (Jun 19, 2007)

Freelancer said:


> Croatia and Slovenia invest a lot more in martial arts than Serbia. But there are one or two good MMA teams, and a world class BJJ club. Plus Greco-Roman is very strong here.


I was blown away by the Greco in Eastern Europe. I guess it's not an accident that those guys have owned the world championships for the last 10 yrs or so. A high level Greco base like you can get in Eastern Europe combined with ***** and Boxing or Muay Thai would be great. A lot of strikers we saw seemed to have a TKD base which I'm not a fan of and didn't seem to be very effective.


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## punchbag (Mar 1, 2010)

G_Land said:


> I see both sides I have a back ground with some BJJ and Judo but I can see where your friends are coming from...The whole empty canvas to do what ever with. I think it really depends on the person tho.


I'm with you mate, I have a background of Bjj/Muay Thai, but think it all depends on how hard you want to work.
Where I train there are guys that have been training for a few years in mma and individual martial arts, getting schooled by guys who've only trained in individual martial arts/mma for a year it's al on the person.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

Just starting MMA isn't a good plan, because you'll never be elite at any one part if the game. You'll be more well rounded but you'll just be okay at everything instead of great on the ground or great standing and okay everywhere else. Just my opinion.


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## swpthleg (Dec 31, 2006)

azer said:


> I was blown away by the Greco in Eastern Europe. I guess it's not an accident that those guys have owned the world championships for the last 10 yrs or so. A high level Greco base like you can get in Eastern Europe combined with ***** and Boxing or Muay Thai would be great. A lot of strikers we saw seemed to have a TKD base which I'm not a fan of and didn't seem to be very effective.


That's possibly because they limited themselves to one art. I'm biased, but I feel the best background to have is multiple martial arts (i.e. one striking art, one grappling art, and one throwing art).


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## Freelancer (Jul 5, 2007)

swpthleg said:


> That's possibly because they limited themselves to one art. I'm biased, but I feel the best background to have is multiple martial arts (i.e. one striking art, one grappling art, and one throwing art).


But do you feel one should have a substantial amount of knowledge in multiple arts in order to make a good base?


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## swpthleg (Dec 31, 2006)

Freelancer said:


> But do you feel one should have a substantial amount of knowledge in multiple arts in order to make a good base?


 Yes, I do. Mostly because of the continuing motif of combining finesse with brute force, and working on timing.


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## Light_Speed (Jun 3, 2009)

Freelancer said:


> There is a big trend of opening MMA schools in Serbia right now. There are more MMA schools than BJJ or ***** schools here. Guys don't want to build a base in something, they want it all at once.


theres mma schools in serbia... id like to check em out..im in macedonia right now so not that far, id defently like to train some greco since theres barely any in mk anymore. but ima bjj guy with some muay thai & boxing..if theres any real bjj or muay thai in serb id defently come check it out


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