Is MMA better than boxing?
When the question comes to your mind about whether to choose MMA or boxing you must be very clear about what are advantages of MMA and what will be the benefits of boxing. So, first of all, I will describe what exactly boxing and MMA are. So basically boxing is the combat/fighting sport in which two people( wearing boxing gloves and wearing other boxing gear including hand wraps and mouth guards) execute the punches upon each other in a boxing ring.
On the other hand, the short abbreviation of mixed martial arts in MMA. It is actually a combat sport in which full contact is involved, and it is also performed inside the ring. Various combat sports which are involved in MMA are jiu-jitsu, karate, judo, wrestling, muay Thai and other disciplines as well.
Besides that, if you want to get a gym membership to start practicing boxing, MMA, or any other discipline, you need to get suitable gym attire first. Elite sports workout clothes are breathable, durable, and are available at a cheap price.
So, getting back to the discussion, nowadays MMA has been getting famous, so before starting off, most people think which sport would be better for them MMA or boxing? So in today’s blog, I will describe both of these sports in detail with their main benefits and disadvantages as well, so that you may have a better idea of which sports you should choose. So let’s get started.
What are the main rules of boxing?
Like the other combat sports, boxing also has rules which have to be followed in order to achieve points. Some of the basic rules involve the following points that are mentioned below,
- Being a boxer you are not allowed to hit your opponent with your elbow, head, or forearm. You can’t hit your opponent when he/she is on the floor.
- You cannot hit below the waist of your opponent, instead, you have to execute the punch on the upper body (above the abdomen).
- You cannot hit your opponent from their back, also you can not even hit on the back of their head and neck.
What are the basic rules of MMA?
Similarly, there are certain rules of MMA as well, a few of them are mentioned below.
- No biting and pulling of hairs allowed.
- No grabbing of the throat, and no striking.
- You are not allowed to hold the ring, or cage intentionally.
MMA Vs boxing
The main difference between boxing and MMA is very much clear. MMA as the name indicates comprises various disciplines( muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, judo, etc). So when somebody talks about practicing MMA that means he/she is practicing various skills. Besides that, if you need to hit the gym for your workout, as I mentioned above you need to get appropriate gym attire which should aid comfort in your workout because good quality outfits improve your overall performance.
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Self-defense.
As I mentioned above, in boxing you have to execute your punches on the upper body (above the abdomen) of your opponent. Also in boxing, you have to focus on the timings, space(between you and your opponent), and also on the hand moments of your opponent (that when he/she will attack you). But on the other hand in mixed martial arts, there are ground techniques involved, along with the other skills as well which you can execute against your opponent for defending yourself.
MMA involves multiple techniques and a variety of options such as punches, grappling, kicks execution, and also takedown skills are involved.
Versatile fighter.
Sometimes you may get into the situation when you have to execute the ground techniques, and at that stage, boxing skills become of no use, instead, MMA techniques become more useful and beneficial. So if you want to become an outstanding MMA fighter, you need to get training in the MMA gym. But don’t ignore boxing, because most of the MMA fighters perform the boxing skills too, in order to improve their foot, hand, and head movements.
So a versatile fighter who wants to have control over their hand movement and who wants to improve their focus should practice boxing skills as well.
Which discipline is convenient to learn?
When it comes to learning any art or discipline, it’s for sure that your dedication and effort are required. So in both disciplines(boxing or MMA), you need to get motivated and consistent. But boxing is easier to learn as compared to MMA because in boxing you just have to focus on your head, foot, and hand movement, and you also have to learn about bobbing and weaving too. While on the other hand in MMA there are immense techniques and skills which you have to learn.
So the bottom line would be that any MMA fighter can knock down the boxer easily as in boxing half of the body is being ignored, also the MMA fighter is familiar with the ground techniques and he/she knows how to take their opponent off to the ground.