A full contact sport that offers a wide variety of techniques from different styles, both stand-up and on the ground is called Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. Kick boxing, Karate, Judo, wrestling and Muay Thai are just a few of the skills utilized. Whole body fighting is acceptable in MMA by combining joint manipulating techniques with throwing and striking.
Each of the disciplines has a long history and Muay Thai, for example, was utilized for warfare in the 1800′s. These fights became spectator sports for Kings in various countries over the years. Muay Thai makes use of eight contact points and its name means “Art of Eight Limbs.” These include knee hits, punches, kicks and elbow strikes performed in a stand-up position. Western boxing holds no comparison to this sport with its use of only two points, hands and feet.
Holding the opponent down through grappling moves similar to wrestling is known as ground fighting. Clinched fighting is when the opponent tries to prevent strikes or get the dominant position while on the ground. The only equipment needed for MMA is small gloves, open-fingered or closed, this also depends upon the country, type of fight and weight category. Victory in MMA is determined by knockout, doctor stoppage, and submission. Referees have the ability to stop a fight if one of the opponents has sustained serious bodily injury or there have been numerous warnings and fouls causing disqualification.
Mixed Martial Arts became an official sport in the US in 1992 when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was held. The first no-holds-barred fights were disciplined into a sport including time limits and restrictions to prevent bodily harm. In 2008, the UFC expanded from the United States to Canada. Pay-per-view events began drawing huge audiences making Calgary comparative to large cities such as Los Angeles or Chicago. People stand in line for hours and shows are sold out within minutes.
There are several schools in Calgary that teach MMA and individuals from all over the world travel here to learn from the best. If interested in this sport, instructors caution that one should watch a few sessions before committing. Instructors are willing to speak with potential students and enroll them in starter classes to make sure this is an adequate sport for that person. Self defense should not be confused with competitive martial arts. Although there may be some overlapping techniques, the skills are not practical for someone to make use of in an assault type situation.
This website will provide more information about MMA:
Calgary MMA
Calgary kick boxing
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August 24, 2010
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