Is Mixed Martial Arts Painful? How Bad Does It Hurt?

Is mixed martial arts painful? How bad does MMA hurt? If you’ve ever practiced a contact sport, then you know that the pain is part of what makes sports fun. But if you’re thinking about trying out mixed martial arts, you may be wondering just how much pain there will be during and after training.

The answer to this question depends on many factors. In this article we’ll delve into the most significant ones, and provide definitive answers to the questions listed above.

Disclaimer: This article was published for entertainment and educational purposes. It should not be used as personal or professional or medical advice. Please consult your doctor before deciding to engage in any new exercise activities or nutritional regimen. Take care!

What is MMA?

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is an exciting sport that combines elements of boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay thai, and other styles. It has been around in one form or another since ancient Rome and was originally used as a way to train soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. Today, MMA is a popular form of entertainment and competition.

In this full contact sport, participants use their fists, elbows, knees, feet, and head to inflict damage on their opponents. The goal is to knock out your opponent using strikes or submit them using grappling techniques.

mma fighting

Why do people like to watch MMA?

People enjoy watching fights because they are fast paced, intense, and (usually) entertaining. They also tend to have high levels of skill and technique. This means that even though these matches can get pretty brutal at times, they also appeal to people who enjoy strategic games.

Of course, there are some folks who just watch in hopes they get to see some blood or broken bones, but they are in the minority. 

Can I learn anything from watching these types of fights?

Watching MMA is not going to teach you how to fight effectively by itself. However, watching MMA at the highest level (such as the UFC) can serve as an excellent supplement to real training for those interested in improving their skills rapidly.

Watching competitive MMA fights allows you to see which moves work best against different body types and develop strategies based on what you observe. You can also pick up a lot of “tricks” which you can ten test for yourself in training.

Do MMA Fighters Feel Pain During Training?

mma ground and pound

Yes, even practicing MMA in a controlled environment can be painful.

If you’re an athlete, you already know that practicing any type of physical activity can cause some amount of discomfort. This simply means that you should listen to your body and adjust accordingly.

In full contact fighting sports such as MMA, things are more extreme than normal workouts. When you spar with someone else, you usually don’t hit hard enough to really injure anyone, but accidents happen. And when you start hitting full force in competition, pain is an inevitability.

Do MMA fighters hurt after training?

Any kind of exercise can lead to post-workout discomfort if done to excess. For example, doing too much weightlifting without warming up properly could result in muscle tears. Similarly, overtraining can leave you feeling exhausted and sore.

Because of injuries and the fact that they are constantly pushed by their opponents, MMA fighters are even more prone to this type of discomfort than other athletes.

mma kickboxing

Do MMA fighters have higher pain tolerance than a normal person?

Generally speaking, most professional fighters likely have higher pain tolerance than ordinary people. This is because they’ve become habituated to ignoring pain during practice sessions. Pain tolerance, like most things, can be learned and improved over time.

However, there’s no guarantee that all fighters will be “immune” to pain. It’s not uncommon to hear fighters cry out in pain during particularly violent moments in live fights.

How to build up your pain tolerance

There are a number of ways to increase your pain tolerance, but most of them involve tolerating pain. For example, muay thai fighters often condition their shins by kicking trees. It’s often said that a leg kick from a good muay thai fighter is like getting hit by a baseball bat, and their training is the reason.

You can also build up your pain tolerance through pure attrition. This means pushing yourself through discomfort over an extended period of time. The idea here is that you learn to endure the progressive build of pain from extended exercise rather than the sudden pain of something like kicking a tree.

How long does it take to become good at fighting?

It takes years of practice before someone becomes proficient with any type of physical activity. For example, Olympic athletes spend countless hours practicing every day over several months leading up to competitions. Similarly, professional fighters must put in hundreds of hours each week to improve their skills.

mixed martial arts

How hard is Mixed Martial Arts?

Mixed martial arts is one of the hardest types of combat sports on earth. In addition to being physically demanding, it requires intense mental focus. You need to think quickly about what you want to do next while simultaneously trying to avoid whatever moves your opponent throws at you.

This makes for a very high level of skill among elite competitors. However, just because it’s so difficult doesn’t mean it isn’t fun! Most fans enjoy watching skilled fighters compete against each other. 

If you’re serious about becoming a pro athlete, then you’ll probably end up injuring yourself at some point. That’s part of the game. But if you’re going into MMA or another competitive sport thinking that you won’t ever get hurt, you might find yourself disappointed later down the road.

The truth is that everyone gets hurt eventually. Even world class athletes suffer minor injuries throughout their careers.

How to endure pain in a fight

Enduring pain in a fight is easier than you might think; it’s certainly easier than tolerating pain when you’re NOT fighting. This is because of the adrenaline your body will naturally release in combative situations.

But you don’t want to rely entirely on adrenaline. In a long fight, there will be times when you need to have other means of resistance to pain. Developing laser-like focus and using strong breathing techniques is helpful. Many people also find that regular meditation can help them increase their pain tolerance.

Is Mixed Martial Arts Painful? The Truth Hurts

MMA is painful. That’s probably evident to most people watching it, but there are a lot of misconceptions around this sport. Now that you know the answer to the question “is mixed martial arts painful”, we hope you’ll take good care of yourself during training!