MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, requires a balanced weight of combat skills, be it agility, power, or swiftness. Simply being strong and tanky won't win you a fight. Speed and agility are equally needed. MMA professionals train for long hours to develop their quickness for the ring.
You need to be quick on your feet to strike vulnerable points and evade incoming offence. The speed at which your reflexes kick in improves with better agility. Your mind-body coordination is also enhanced, making agility training essential for your routine.
Moreover, speed and agility don't just benefit your fighting ability but translate to ordinary life as well. Training these skills gives you balance and body control, proving its importance for all people, not just athletes.
But why exactly should you work on speed and agility as an MMA aspirant, and what benefits would training bring?
There are several reasons to improve your speed and agility as an MMA trainee. They include:
In a fight between a boxer who depends only on strength and another who's high on agility, who do you think would win?
Even if the stronger fighter could knock out his competition with one punch, with an agile opponent, they'd have a hard time landing it in the first place.
Moreover, the faster boxer would be able to land strikes in quick successions while the other tries to catch up with speed. Thus, agility is crucial for a superior MMA fighter.
Having high agility means you move quicker, making it difficult for your opponent to read your patterns, be it when you accelerate, decelerate, bounce, or stabilise. Telegraphing punches is the most amateurish thing a boxer can do. If your hits are anticipated, they lose effectiveness and are easily blocked. In fact, you may receive a brutal punch in the rut and find yourself knocked out.
To prevent being read, fighters need to work on agility. A potent combination of speed and agility can gift you the power of unpredictability. Your opponents won't know what hit them. Literally!
Sheer muscle isn't the only way to pack your punches; speed also helps. Factually, speed directly affects the power of your strikes.
The faster you move, the more kinetic energy you build up, adding force to your hits. Meaning, if you want your punches to land harder, you need to be brushing up your tank of agility.
Agility not only helps you attack better but strengthens your defence too. Foot speed will allow you to get out of harm's way.
Moreover, hand speed will help you block punches better. If you train yourself to recognise your opponent's moves, you'll be able to react even quicker and gain the upper hand.
Now that you know why you should build your agility, let's see how you can work on it on your own.
If you so wish, you can work on your agility right at home, only with a few pieces of equipment. Here are three exercises to aid you in your quest to enhance your speed as an MMA professional.
One of the most basic drills for an MMA fighter, shadowboxing, will help you boost your agility. Punching the air might seem tedious and redundant, but the exercise brings results.
It serves to work out your entire body while improving your speed, footwork, punching control, and form. You don't need any equipment, nor do you need a gym. It's an easy yet efficient way of working on your skills.
You can also practice on punching bags once you’ve worked on your form and technique. This will add a faux pressure of an opponent.
A jump rope helps improve foot speed, balance, as well as endurance. Using it makes you adept at turning your wrists and wisely navigating your ankles for sharper, more threatening movement.
Once you get the hang of the exercise, you can try its variations to further the challenge. Attempt single-foot hops, side to sides, scissors, and other such drills that'll prepare you to jump around the ring rapidly.
Agility ladders are perfect for improving your footwork and speed. Since being a quality fighter involves having reliable coordination and balance, this drill is a fantastic workout.
The ladders are portable and can be set down on any surface. You can comfortably complete this drill at home too, moving through the rungs and working on your agility.
Agility training is a must for any MMA fighter. Rigorous training helps you stay on the tip of your toes, ready for any tactics the opponent might throw at you.
Imperative for both offence and defence, speed is an integral part of the sport that must be worked on.
If you wish to work on your skills and improve your fighting ability, get in contact with our experienced MMA trainers.