More people around the world are looking into online sources in order to pick up new activities. This is no different for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), as millions of people are trying to learn the sport through the internet rather than going to an actual gym.
Can You Learn MMA Online?
You can learn MMA online. Is it recommended, though? If you are a beginner in the sport, no. However, if you are someone who has been training for years in the sport, then picking up a few MMA instructional content online may improve your skills.
Before you hop onto the internet to find the best content to learn MMA online, we have got you covered on the three best online sources that can help you with it. Additionally, we’ll cover if YouTube is a reliable source and the advantages and disadvantages of learning MMA online.
Best Places to Learn MMA Online
Although there are not a lot of MMA-specific online sources to learn from, there are, however, hundreds of sources that provide MMA-essential fight styles including:
- Grappling
- Submissions
- Striking
One of the hardest things to look out for is the source’s reliability and reputation. First and foremost, you need to find an instructional site that is reputable, reliable, and respectable within the MMA community.
It wouldn’t be a surprise that you’ll come across several sites that claim they know what they are teaching. In fact, they do not, and most of the techniques these unreliable sites promote will not work or are just inefficient.
Luckily, one of the most sought-for and reliable instructional video sites throughout the MMA community is listed below. Here are instructional sites from the three main MMA categories that are taught by the most respectable organizations in the MMA community.
Gracie University Online
Gracie University is one of the most reputable organizations out there that teaches BJJ throughout the world. The founder, Carlos Gracie, established the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1925.
By 1989, Rorion, Rickson, Royce, and Royler Gracie, opened the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance, California, to provide instruction in what is considered as one of the best BJJ self-defense systems out there.
Gracie University provides an effective online course to those who are willing to commit. Gracie University’s online courses promote the BJJ style’s foundational principles of street applicability, energy efficiency, and natural body movements.
If you are looking for an online system to improve your ground game in MMA, Gracie Academy is definitely an organization to look into.
Liam Harrison Online Training
Liam Harrison Online Training is founded by Liam “The Hitman” Harrison, an eight-time world champion and one of the most successful individuals out there in the sport of ‘the art of eight limbs’ from the UK.
He has spent years training and competing in Thailand, as well as competing all over the world against elite Muay Thai fighters.
Harrison continues to compete as well as teach through workshops around the world and through his online academy. His online courses provide different training modules, including some of his favorite techniques that are notorious throughout his competitive career.
FloWrestling
FloWrestling is part of a sports subscription streaming service, FloSport, that specifically covers all you need about wrestling. Aside from all the news, competitions, and rankings in the wrestling world, FloWrestling provides hundreds of comprehensive and professionally-made instructional wrestling videos.
FloWrestling instructional videos feature a lot of notable and reputable wrestlers, including multiple states and NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis as well as wrestling coach legend Steve Martin. You can be assured that the instructional videos in FroWrestling are of high quality.
Can You Learn MMA from YouTube?
For those who don’t have the money to pay for a subscription to online MMA schooling, you may be wondering if you can learn MMA from YouTube.
If you choose to learn MMA online, Youtube is a resource that provides you with countless MMA instructional videos. Additionally, it doesn’t have to be instructional videos. There are great Youtube videos that break down techniques and strategies that you can implement in your own training.
However, one of the main things in learning MMA from Youtube is finding a credible instructor who makes those videos. Although there are countless MMA instructional videos on Youtube, you can bet that a large portion of them are not made by a qualified instructor or even an MMA athlete at all.
Therefore, when you do plan to pick up Youtube as a source for your MMA training, make sure you find instructional videos by reputable and reliable coaches. A lot of them out there have dedicated their lives to make online courses tailored for those who cannot go to the gym or do not have a good gym nearby.
Pros to Learning MMA Online
When the saying goes, “all roads lead to Rome”, surely you want to find the road with the most pros and the least cons. Learning MMA is one of them. Here, we will take a look at the two pros in learning MMA online.
Flexible in Training Anytime & Anywhere
Learning MMA online gives you the flexibility to train wherever and whenever you want. As an MMA student, you will not be imposed on any training schedules or gyms that you have to attend. This will give you room to do other stuff in your private life
You Can Find the Best Coaches and Organizations Online
Luckily, you can easily find reputable coaches as well as organizations online. For example, the listed online sources up above are only a few.
You just have to make sure that before you commit to an online course, you do your research. See the history of the organization or the coach and what their achievements are.
Some individuals out there who want to learn MMA may come across gyms that are questionable in terms of their achievements as well as their reputation.
Gyms that claim that they are reputable but teach techniques and drills that are dangerous and inefficient are called “McDojos”. These are the types of gyms that beginners should stay away from.
Cons to Learning MMA Online
Now that we’ve gone over the two pros, let’s look at the two cons to learning MMA online.
Impossible & Not Recommended to Learn from Scratch
If you are truly a first-timer and are highly interested in learning MMA, then doing it online should not be the way. The essentials in learning MMA are the fundamentals. Most importantly, you have to do them correctly.
If you learn MMA online, there will be no supervision whatsoever that can tell you that you are doing your techniques the wrong way. Later, when you develop these technical skills in the wrong way, you’ll build up a habit that will be difficult to correct once you train with other people in an MMA gym.
Lack of Sparring or Drill Partners
Another thing about MMA, or any other combat sports, as a matter of fact, is that you need to build your reflexes so that you can react accordingly with your MMA techniques.
Without an actual sparring partner or drilling partner to train with, you would not be able to develop these reactions and reflexes as a fighter. You must have a partner trainer to help you develop these skills.
Conclusion
Although there are a lot of sources that provide coaching and training content for those who seek to train MMA; however, it is still recommended to train in an actual gym. If you cannot find an MMA gym nearby, then learning it online might be one of the only options.
Although, if you are an individual who has been training MMA for a while and have covered the fundamentals as well as the basics of MMA, then absolutely go for instructional videos online.
In combination with your experience in MMA, technical and instructional videos from reputable organizations and coaches online can only improve your skill sets in the sport.
Interested in MMA? Check Out My Recommendations
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| If you are interested in training MMA, here is some of the gear I recommend: Best Mouth Guard Best MMA Gloves Best Groin Protection Best Rashguard |
| Want To Learn To Fight, But Don’t Want To Go In Person? |
| CoachTube has online training videos for Wrestling, Boxing, MMA and more. And best part is you can do it all from your home allowing you to go at your own pace. Check them out here. |
| Interested In Training Other MMA Fighters? |
| Click here to check out the MMA Conditioning Association and see what you need to become an MMA conditioning coach and begin training fighters. |
