Starting MMA is great, but if you are new to the sport, it can be overwhelming and leave you feeling unsure as to whether you can achieve all you hope. Freetips.com has some great training tips to get you started and hopefully keep you on track.

Begin with Research

First of all, you need to find somewhere to train. Not all gyms offer MMA training, so it is essential to do some research and find a few candidates. Go and visit them all and have a good look round; in many cases, you can do a trial session for free or at a reduced price. If you are using MMA as a hobby, then the best gym for you is the one that appeals to your most, if you enjoy your time you are more likely to stick with it. If you are looking to get into competitive MMA, then you will need to look for a gym that actively trains pro fighters. In this case, you will be looking for the coaches with the best credentials.

Prepare Yourself

If you are new to the field, you might not realize how demanding the sport can be. You do not have to be ready to fight, but your basic fitness level is important. Classes are there to teach you the basic principles of MMA, but if you do not have fitness on your side, you will find them hard to keep up with. MMA warmups tend to be a lot harder than you might expect so you could find you are done before the lesson begins. Get your cardio training in place, with running or cycling etc. on a daily basis to bring your fitness levels up before you start to train.

Don’t Overdo Things

It is easy to be excited by a new hobby, and you might find yourself tempted to throw yourself into as many classes as you can. This is a recipe for disaster and how people get injured. Start with a couple of classes a week and be sure to rest in between. You are asking your body to do things it is not used to, and you need to make sure you can cope. One day a week should be a total rest day, and you shouldn’t train in either MMA or basic fitness. As you get used to the training regime, you will be able to adjust things and add more.

Hang in There

MMA is fun, but it can also be very hard work. The amount of preparation required for even 20 minutes in the cage is huge, and sometimes you might want to give up. MMA takes a level of mental discipline as well as the physical aspects so you will need to strengthen your mind as well as your body. There will be times when training is frustrating, and you do not seem to be making any progress, and you will need to work out how to push on past these feeling and move on.